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The Egyptian Goose is related to the shelduck and is a cross between a duck and a goose. A shelduck is defined as being semi-terrestrial, and they are found in areas that have an abundant water supply as well as dry, safe places in which to feed, breed and nest. The Egyptian goose has vivid markings that are striking and impressive. In fact, they were considered to be holy by the Egyptians, who often included them in works of art due to their undeniable beauty. This bird is pale brown and grey, with rich brown or chestnut markings around the eyes, around the neck (resembling a collar), on a portion of the wings, and under the otherwise black tail. In stark contrast, there are crisp white markings on the wings, complemented by an intense emerald on the secondary feathers of the males. There is also a well-defined brown patch right in the centre of the chest.
Info source: https://www.sa-venues.com/wildlife/birds_egyptian_goose.php
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The photo was taken during October 2018 at Drakensberg Sun Resort, Winterton, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

11 September 2019Picture of the day, Wildlife

Duet

The common tsessebe is a close relative of the bontebok. It is somewhat comical in appearance; with high, sloped shoulders that descend to a small rump that does not look particularly strong. In fact, its entire body looks more clumsy than agile. However, when threatened, this has proven to be one of the fastest antelope in the bushveld of Africa. They can reach a running speed of up to 80 kilometres per hour. This is no mean feat when one considers that its peers are the mighty wildebeest and the elegant springbok. The common tsessebe is brown (adult males are darker than juveniles and female adults) with white or darker brown markings. The long, slender legs and chest are black, and there is a black line running from their forehead to the tip of their nose. The belly is white, and their muzzles are narrow and elongated. For the tsessebe, the horns play an important role in determining their age and in establishing dominance (by means of horning the ground). These horns are S-shaped and ringed. They wear down over the years, so older animals can be distinguished by their well-worn horns.
Info source: https://www.sa-venues.com/wildlife/wildlife_tsessebe.php
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The photo was taken during February 2019 at Mabula Private Game Reserve, Rooiberg, Bela-Bela, Limpopo, South Africa.

9 September 2019Picture of the day, Wildlife

Rugged

The white rhinoceros is the second-largest land mammal after the elephant. Adult males can reach 1,85 m in height and tip the scales at a massive 3,6 tonnes. Females are considerably smaller but can still weigh in at an impressive 1,7 tonnes. White rhinoceros are also known as the square-lipped rhinoceros due to their square (not pointed) upper lip. Their name comes from the Afrikaans word “wyd”, which means wide and refers to the animal’s muzzle. Compared to black rhinoceros, white rhinoceros have a longer skull, a less sharply defined forehead and a more pronounced shoulder hump. They have almost no hair and two horns. The front horn averages 60 cm but occasionally reaches 150 cm in length. The name rhinoceros means ‘nose horn’ and is often shortened to rhino. It comes from the Greek words rhino (nose) and ceros (horn). Rhinoceros use piles of dung to leave “messages” for other rhinoceros. Each rhinoceros’s smell is unique and identifies its owner. It can also tell a rhinoceros if the other rhinoceros is young/old/male or female. They also tell other rhinoceros that this is their territory.
Info source: https://hesc.co.za/species-hesc/white-rhino/
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The photo was taken during January 2014.

6 September 2019Picture of the day, Wildlife