Weavers get their name because of their elaborately woven nests. The nests vary in size, shape, the material used, and construction techniques from species to species. Materials used for building nests include fine leaf fibres, grass, and twigs. Males break old nests down so that they can build a new green nest in its place and try to attract a female to that.
African Jacanas are equipped with long, gangly legs and clawed toes, making it possible for them to walk over floating hydrophytes – usually water lilies – with impressive agility. Female African Jacanas (which are larger than their mates) defend territories, which include multiple males in adjacent areas. Females lily-hop from male to male, laying about four eggs, marbled with light brown and black for camouflage. She then moves on, leaving the male to do all the dirty work. He sits on the eggs and, after they hatch, dedicates himself to rearing the chicks. This stay-at-home dad even carries his young ones under his wings to keep them safe and warm until they are about two or three weeks old.
Mathekenyane Hill, or Koppie, (385m), lies 10 km from Skukuza on the H1-1 and is one of a series of hills that goes from Bushbuckridge eastwards to Skukuza. It is an excellent game viewing point that provides stunning views of the bush. There are a number of granite koppies that protrude sharply from the gently undulating landscape – these are a series of inselbergs that run in an east-to-west direction across central southern Kruger. One of these is Mathekenyane Koppie (also known as Granokop), which offers wonderful views of the escarpment to the west and the landmarks of Ship Mountain, Legogote and Pretoriuskop. Mathekenyane means “place of the sand flea”.
