Water Archives - Page 36 of 65

Selati

On the 8th of November 1912 a railway line connecting the border town of Komatipoort with the gold fields at Tzaneen in the north-western Lowveld of South Africa, cutting across the Sabie Game Reserve for a distance of approximately eighty kilometres, was inaugurated. Known as the Selati Line, it played an immense part in the history of the Kruger National Park. The two metal train bridges across the Crocodile and Sabie rivers stand silent witness to a long departed era of Kruger Park’s history. In 1978 “The Railways” donated steam engine 3638, named “Skukuza”, to the then National Parks Board for permanent display at the replica station inside the camp.

6 July 2018Landscape, Picture of the day

Quench

Elephants can also drink up to 50 gallons of water a day about as much as a standard bathtub holds. The elephant’s ability to locate underground water and dig pools helps provide many other species with water during droughts. Their unique trunk acts as part nose to assist in breathing and detecting odours, and part hand to assist with manipulating objects, social interactions, eating, dust bathing, drawing-up water and releasing it into the mouth for drinking.

5 July 2018Picture of the day, Wildlife

Strider

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.

4 July 2018Picture of the day, Wildlife