On 3 March the planet celebrates World Wildlife Day. This year’s theme, “Listen to the young voices”, encourages children to pay more attention to threats facing wildlife around the globe. By Arnold Ras
When we know better, we do better, and appreciation for the world’s diverse wildlife is one of the pillars of conservation. To celebrate World Wildlife Day, Wild features some incredible portraits by South African photographer couple, Mems and Farida Carim. Through their lenses, learn more about some of South Africa’s beautiful wildlife species.
Bold beasts
The intelligent and highly social spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta) is the largest of the three hyena species and can weigh up to 86kg. Hyenas are known for their giggling, but they make a wide variety of sounds: they whoop, scream, low, growl, snarl and whine. As hyenas are great scavengers, they play an important role in ridding the veld of rotten carcasses. They can detect carrion by smell from more than 4km away and can home in on the sound of other predators eating from up to 10km away. Picture by Mems Carim
Always mischievous
The chacma baboon, also known as the Cape baboon (Papio ursinus), is often at the centre of controversy due to conflict with humans. But baboons deserve respect for their intelligence and adaptability. They are exceptionally opportunistic omnivores that will gladly change their dietary needs to suit their immediate environment. In Table Mountain National Park there is a troop that feasts on seafood. Surprise fact: these hairy mammals play an important role in seed dispersal. Picture by Mems Carim
Beauty in flight
Beautiful, colourful and the only bee-eater with a deeply forked tail. The elegant swallow-tailed bee-eater (Merops hirundineus) particularly adores bees and rubs these insects on tree branches to dislodge their venomous stings. Parents, struggling to get your kids interested in birdlife? Bee-eaters are just the species to spot together as a family – they’re lively and sun-loving, the ideal subjects for spot-that-bird games. These monogamous breeders occur in semi-arid savanna regions, so the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park is a hotspot to snap them. Picture by Farida Carim
Goofing around
These cinnamon-coloured cuties can entertain curious humans for hours on end. Active and agile, the Cape ground squirrel (Xerus inauris) hardly drinks water as most of its H2O needs come from the plants it eats. Did you know that males and females live in separate groups and only form bands during mating season? This rodent is abundant in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, and some say ground squirrels use their bushy tales in protection from the scorching Kalahari sun. Their antics make for ample funny photo opportunities, but they’re not only jesters. Have you ever seen how a ground squirrel stands its ground against a Cape cobra? Picture by Farida Carim
Standing tall
According to Stuarts’ Field Guide to Mammals of Southern Africa, up to 70% of SA’s giraffes live in the Kruger National Park. As the world’s tallest mammal (males can reach total heights of up to 5,7m), giraffes undoubtedly experience the world very different from us humans. They have a special blood vessel system that protects the brain from sudden blood pressure changes when raising and lowering the head. These longnecks also close their nostrils when feeding to avoid ants from entering. In 2016, the Giraffe Conservation Foundation estimated there were fewer than 80,000 individuals across all subspecies left. Two of the nine subspecies are already endangered, with fewer than 200 individuals. Picture by Mems Carim
Africa’s pride
Can you remember your first sighting of a lion (Panthera leo)? As Africa’s largest cat and the most social of all, lions are the heartbeat of our land’s wilderness. Large prides can reach up to 40 individuals – pride size is determined by the availability of food and water in the area. Females are in charge of putting food on the table and anything from a mouse to an elephant will do. At four to five years of age, the male’s distinguished mane reaches its full size. Quite interesting is that the lion is the only cat species with a tufted tail. Picture by Farida Carim
I believe I can fly?
Aside from the fact than the ostrich (Struthio camelus) can’t fly, it might just be one of Africa’s most interesting bird species. Ostriches are the world’s largest birds with the largest eggs – an average ostrich egg is the equivalent of about 22 chicken eggs! Oh, and those big two-toed feet… The clawed big toe aids in defence and carries all the weight, while the smaller toe helps the bird to balance. And to put the record straight: it’s a false belief that ostriches bury their heads in the sand. When you spot a male with red shins and bill, you can safely assume he is willing and ready to copulate. Picture by Mems Carim
Grey, gentle giants
The African elephant (Loxodonta africana) has been mesmerising humankind for millions of years with their impressive tusks, human-like behaviour, trunks almost as efficient as the human hand and strong social bonds. Due to their massive home ranges, researchers uses elephants’ ear patterns for identification when conducting studies. Water shortages are detrimental to these giants as an adult consumes an average of 160 litres per day. Have you ever wondered how heavy an elephant is? Males can weigh up to 6,300kg. Picture by Mems Carim
Furry and fabulous
Don’t they just tug at the heartstrings? The Cape fox (Vulpes chama) is listed as the only “true” fox restricted to southern Africa. These golden-grey canids are mostly nocturnal and many are killed on roads at night. Puppies are born from August to November and will remain at Mom’s side for five months. When attacked, the Cape fox will not only growl, but also spit at the enemy. Picture by Farida Carim
A is for agama
Although agamas have adapted to urbanisation, their wild ways should be treasured. Agamas can be tricky to identify and an expert guide with full-colour images will prove handy. This one is called a southern rock agama (Agama atra) and judging by its colourful body, a breeding male. Ants and termites are mostly on the menu, but grasshoppers and other invertebrates can also fall prey. Appreciate those bright colours – when threatened, males quickly turn pale and freeze to bluff the enemy. Picture by Mems Carim
Up for grabs!
Keep an eye on our Facebook page during the coming days (27 February to 3 March 2017). Wild will be giving away five of our favourite wildlife books courtesy of Struik Nature.
Keen on winning one of these?
- Wildlife of the Okavango
- Wildlife of Southern Africa
- Stuarts’ Field Guide to Mammals of Southern Africa
- Shaping Kruger
- My First Book of Southern Africa Wildlife
Sources: What’s that reptile by Johan Marais; Stuarts’ Field Guide to Mammals of Suithern Africa by Chris and Mathilde Stuart; Beat about the Bush: Birds by Trevor Carnaby; Wildlife of Southern Africa edited by Vincent Carruthers; and Roberts Bird Guide Second Edition by Hugh Chittenden, Greg Davies and Ingrid Weiersbye; and Shaping Kruger by Mitch Reardon.
would love to have one of these books.
we my husband and I love nature and visit the Kruger at lease once a year.
there is no place like the wild,
Would absolutely love one of these books. I am the keenest of keen lover of wildlife!!
Wunderbar !!!!!
Wir haben im Krüger schon auch tolle Foto`gemacht, Alle gesehenen Tiere in VIdeo festgehalten , aber das Glück , so aussergewöhliche Foto´s zu bekommen , da kann man nur noch gratulieren !!!!
love kruger
Undoubtedly the best stress reliever is to return to the bush for a few days
I will be there in two weeks time after a trip to Zim…CAN’T WAIT!!!!!! My ideal holiday.
Each creature great and small is a treasure in its natural habitat. Ours is the pleasure to share the animal world of wonders!
Those books look beautiful. Would love to own one. My father instilled the love of wild life into me and we went so many times to the Kruger Park. My husband and I and family also go often to Kruger Park. We are going in June this year. I love the atmosphere, peace and quiet and smell of camp fires with the animal noises at night at Kruger National Park. My favourite holiday choice.
Dear Sirs,
If there is one thing in my life I look forward to is my trips to the wildlife parks of South Africa, the second is reading the Wild Magazine, there is so many interesting and useful articles, I often read it many times. I say thank you to all the staff and tourists that make me feel good and look forward to my next trip in May.
Colin Morgan.
The best treatment is the bush., especially Hwange, schöne and Kruger
My 7 year old granddaughter will love My first book on wildlife as she loves nature and we would love any of the other.
You can never know everything about the wild, we enjoy outings and experience the beauty of nature.
I visit Kruger twice every year, I visit Kgalagadi every year and as a photographer I cannot see enough wildlife and always admire other photographer’s picture.
My spouse and I have been frequenting Kruger since 1072, and although we had tried varied other holiday destinations, we annually go back to the the best!!
Beautiful books celebrating wildlife. Unfortunately we can only visit every few years as we live in the UK.
My husband and I fell in love with Kruger national park the first time we went there and make a point of going there at least once a year to get our fix. We live in Cape Town so it is rather far , but we stay at least two weeks. I love the suprise of never knowing what’s around the next corner. The staff are really friendly as well. We would dearly love to get one of your amazing books as they would really help us to identify some more unusual species. We make a point of sending our sightings into the endangered species website to help them track the movements of those animals. Life without The Kruger National Park is not worth considering. Keep up the good work with all the amazing and interesting stories that you post. Regards Patsy and Dave Schafer
I would love to have any one of these beautiful books to take with me on all the bush trips we do every year.
Oh … yes please- would be my most treasured item and reference book for a world of nature that I love dearly!
Kruger, my most favourite place in the world and so many truly treasured family memories were created in Kruger and will always be cherished.
My nephew is the next generation and we have him hooked already!
My husband and I are planning a trip to the a couple of the Parks in the second part of this year and we would love to have one of the books to take with us. We love the outdoors and the wildlife is what makes it for us. Without the animals and the birds to keep us company on our trips we would not exist!! Being out there is where we were meant to be.