trunk Archives - Page 4 of 14

Dense

Described best by local author Dalene Matthee in her series of books set in the forest, Knysna Forest is beautiful, bestrewn with forest walks and hiking trails that allow visitors to explore its perimeters. Knysna Forest, in some places so dense it borders on impenetrable, is a marvellous mix of ancient trees, both local and exotic. Tree ferns, creepers, flowers and the elusive Knysna lourie, its call heard more often than it is seen, are also part of the forest. The thick canopy of ironwood, stinkwood, Outeniqua yellowwood, real yellowwood, Cape holly, white pear, wild fig, milkwood, Cape beech, bastard saffron, assegai and kamassi trees covers 568 square kilometres between the Krom River and Mossel Bay, sprawling across the southern slopes of the Outeniqua Mountains. Together with the Amatole forests, further inland, it makes up Africa’s southernmost Afromontane forest. Today this thick, sweeping forest rich with birdlife and a collection of animals that include the endemic Knysna dwarf chameleon is protected.
Info source: https://www.sa-venues.com/attractionsgr/knysna-forest.php
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The photo was taken during October 2016 at Garden of Eden, Knysna, Western Cape, South Africa.

1 August 2019Landscape, Picture of the day

Poser

As its name would indicate, the waterbuck inhabits areas that are close to the water in savanna grasslands, gallery forests, and riverine woodlands south of the Sahara. Such habitats not only provide sustenance but long grasses and watery places in which to hide from predators. These antelopes are large, robust animals; males are generally about 25 % larger than the females. They have large, rounded ears and white patches above the eyes, around the nose and mouth, and on the throat. Only the males have horns, which are prominently ringed and as long as 100 centimetres (40 inches). The horns are widely spaced and curve gracefully back and up. They are sometimes used with lethal results when males fight one another over territories. They have a shaggy brown-gray coat that emits a smelly, oily secretion thought to be for waterproofing.
Info source: https://www.awf.org/wildlife-conservation/waterbuck
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The photo was taken during May 2018 in Kruger National Park, Mpumalanga, South Africa.

29 July 2019Picture of the day, Wildlife

Ooh!

Vervet monkeys are medium-sized primates that are highly social and live in groups of up to 50 individuals. Within a troop, adult males form a dominance hierarchy that is established and maintained by threat and aggression. Facial expressions (eyelid display) and body postures are used to communicate threats or aggressive behaviour. At sexual maturity, young males tend to migrate between groups – usually in the company of a sibling or peer. In contrast, females remain in their natal groups and form strong hierarchies that are based on maternal social status. Vervet monkeys are largely vegetarian and are common in savanna and woodland that have access to water and trees for cover. Vervet monkeys can be serious pests that cause crop damages in areas where their habitat overlaps with agricultural areas. Vervet monkeys are classified as Lower Risk/Least Concern by the IUCN due to their wide range.
Info source: https://www.sanbi.org/animal-of-the-week/vervet-monkey/
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The photo was taken during August 2015 at Pine Lake Lifestyle Resort, White River, Mpumalanga, South Africa.

22 July 2019Picture of the day, Wildlife