Unique

The striking black and white colours of the coat of the Burchell’s zebra are breathtaking. The patterns formed by these stripes are unique to each individual; which is why you will hear people say that no two zebras are completely the same. Burchell’s zebra, which is also known as the plains zebra, has black and white stripes all over its body with only a few or fading stripes on the legs. Each zebra has unique stripes that can be used as an identification character to distinguish between individuals – similar to fingerprints in humans. The stripes on the sides run down and join under the belly. Burchell’s zebra can be mistaken for the mountain zebra, but the stripes on the legs (fading stripes in Burchell’s zebra vs. clear stripes on mountain zebra) and belly are distinct (in the mountain zebra, the belly is all white with no stripes). Burchell’s zebra also have smaller ears when compared to those of the mountain zebra. There is a short mane down the back of the neck. The tail has long black hair at the end. Males are slightly larger than the females, and they have a narrow black stripe running vertically between their hind legs. In females, this stripe is wider. Males grow to between 1.35 and 1.37 m at the shoulder and their weight is between 290 and 340 kg, while females weigh about 260 kg. Info source: https://www.sanbi.org/animal-of-the-week/burchells-zebra/

Unique

Mushroom

There are 3 main layers of rock in Golden Gate Highlands National Park, the characteristics of which have lead to the famous cliff formations present in the park today. The red layer was created 200 million years ago when swampy rivers deposited the mud-like sediment. 196 million years ago, the area dried up and became a desert, resulting in the yellow sandstone deposits. From 160-190 million years ago, volcanic activity capped the area with a basalt layer. The rivers and streams in the park have carved the rocks into their present formations. The name ’Golden Gate’ originates from the two cliffs that face each other on either side of the road: at sunset, the yellow sandstone becomes a rich gold colour. And those black marks?All around the park you can see black stripes on the rock, even long after it has rained. These are areas where water seeps out of the rocks. Minerals from the top basalt layer (manganese dioxide) are carried in the water and these stain the rocks black. The water enables organisms like algae and moss to live on the rock as well.
Info source: https://www.sanparks.org/parks/golden_gate/conservation/ff/geology.php
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The photo was taken during December 2015 at Golden Gate National Park, Clarens, Freestate, South Africa.

Mushroom

Pool deck

At the heart of KwaThabisile Game Lodge lies a genuine love of the African Bush. We have 200 ha of abundant game, birds, and natural beauty. Discover the bush through gentle strolls and easy walks and be guaranteed to sight a huge variety of wildlife; zebra, impala, wildebeest, waterbuck, kudu, duiker, warthog, jackal, vervet monkeys, bushbabies, mongoose, caracal and over 250 species of birds. Our beautiful pool is wonderfully refreshing on hot summer days and the perfect place to enjoy a sundowner cocktail or light lunch. We have a communal room with DSTV, as well as ping pong, board games, books and magazines. Most of our guests find it refreshing to chat, play games, or simply be in others’ company reading a good book. Children are always welcome at KwaThabisile and love to play on the outdoor trampoline, sandpit with toys, swings, bicycles and other games. For the more adventurous we have numerous mountain bike, hiking, and 4×4 trails that are currently under development.
Info source: https://kwathabisile.co.za/

Pool deck