grass Archives - Page 45 of 63

Calm

Rietvlei dam was built during the great depression (from about 1929 to early 1930’s) and was completed in 1934. Manual laborers were paid 4 shilling a month and soil was carted away by mule carts. Feeding the dam is the Sesmyl (Six Mile) Spruit, five fountains (one is located on an adjacent property) and five boreholes. Upstream from Rietvlei dam is the Marais Dam which acts as a sludge dam for Rietvlei Dam. Starting in 1988 a two year project raised the dam and made other improvements. Originally the dam was not open to the public but the city council of Pretoria did plan the reserve ecologically and introduced a number of game species to the reserve. The Nauture Reserve was proclaimed in 1948. Rietvlei dam provides Pretoria with 15% of it’s water. The reserve covers an area of 3800 hectares and can support up to 2000 head of game.

27 March 2018Landscape, Picture of the day

Uphill

The Burchell’s Zebra is the most common across the African continent and has been classified into seven sub-species across its range. The extinct Quagga is a sub-species of the Plain’s Zebra and biologists are attempting to bring it back from extinction through a programme using the DNA of selected Zebra. The programme has been very successful with a number of Quagga-looking individuals roaming the plains again.

14 March 2018Picture of the day, Wildlife

Solitary

Common warthogs are not territorial, but instead occupy a home range. Common warthogs live in groups called sounders. Females live in sounders with their young and with other females. Females tend to stay in their natal groups, while males leave, but stay within the home range. Sub-adult males associate in bachelor groups, but live alone when they become adults. Adult males only join sounders with estrous females.

13 March 2018Picture of the day, Wildlife