Giraffes –the name believed to be derived from the Arab word zarafa meaning ‘fast walker’ – have captured the human imagination for millennia. The Roman poet Horace opined that the giraffe’s unique appearance resembled that of a camel with leopard markings, which together with its Arabic name gave rise to the scientific title Giraffa camelopardalis. The earliest human association  Read more

I’ve always found the distant past intriguing. And by distant past, I mean a time before the dinosaurs, and even a time before Africa became a continent, a time where our world would most certainly look like an alien planet providing we could actually be able to see it. And if that distant past has, well, passed, everything is Read more

Port Elizabeth has recently been renamed Gqeberha. Gqeberha was the isiXhosa name for Walmer Township, one of the first and oldest Port Elizabeth townships. Gqeberha is also the isiXhosa name for the Baakens River which flows through the city. Far be it for me to comment on the merits of this change, but it does make one think of Read more

In a game viewer, you can usually find a fierce competition between spotters: who is going to see the first animal? and if the lion is so far that all the others can’t even see it or if you can spot a horn through thick sickle bushes, it’s even better. You can also include your guests in tracking the Read more

After some well deserved and appreciated sundowners, it is time to get back to the lodge and experience a short night drive. The warm orange blaze of the sunset is long gone and the last pink trails are disappearing as the Sun continues sinking below the horizon and darkness falls slowly over the bush. Everything becomes dark blue (the Read more

Trapdoor spiders are very difficult to locate as the nearby vegetation and soil offer a natural camouflage to these species. The trapdoors are typically nocturnal hunters and they wait for the prey to approach their door.

These spiders usually prey on arthropods, tiny vertebrates, and small insects. It’s the vibration that warns the spider of any prey and when Read more

I am glad I wasn’t born a toad. Not that I usually wish I were born another animal, the simple fact that I can use my fingers to remove the ridiculous amount of ticks from my legs after a mere 3h walk is a reason good enough for me not to be a handless creature having to struggle 24/7 Read more

South Africa is home to approximately 850 bird species of which 50 are found nowhere else on earth. Bird watching is extremely rewarding and is a great additional activity to any bush or 4×4 outing. For anyone interested in photography, birds are excellent – if somewhat flighty – subjects (pun intended!).

Being so spoilt for choice makes deciding which Read more

It’s funny how easily we overlook the value of water as it is always there for our everyday use in our industrial way of living. For animals being out in a natural environment though, mmmm the value of water is worth fighting over and protecting it as a source to survive the harsh African bush.

Especially in the current Read more

David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet, has just been released in cinemas around the globe and is reported as “a first-hand account of humanity’s impact on nature and a message of hope for future generations.” It’s not surprising that humanity has had a significant impact on the environment, with the world’s population approaching 8 billion. In 200 years Read more