Reg.
No. 98/18384/08 (a Section 21 Co. not for gain)
"In
Custody of Our Natural Heritage" 
"Subject" links at bottom of page
"In
Custody of Our Natural Heritage" "Subject" links at bottom of page |
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Rhino, Elephant, Giraffe, Waterbuck, Impala, Mongoose, Wildebeest Help us to make this an interesting site by submitting your stories, photo's and questions. "Frikkie" one of four Rhino's in Lionspruit . More rhino photo's displayed on the sightings page! WHITE RHINO'S
ELEPHANTS
A large bull consumes between 150-300kg food per day, his stomach holding up to 110kg. Elephants can drink up to 90 L at a time and an average of 150-227 L per day. Elephants have been observed and recorded swimming up to 27 hours, completely immersed, except for the tip of the trunk showing, with +- 35km between sightings. The fetus is covered with lanugo, which is a felt of long downy hair, which is shed before birth. The calf is quite hairy over the head and back, gradually losing it's hair as time progresses. It is believed that elephants have no sweat glands and the only visible glands are the mammary and temporal glands. Temporal gland is a huge organ weighing approximately 1.5kg. Body temperature is regulated by the flapping of ears end the entire blood volume passes through the veins in the ears every 20 minutes.
Permanent tusks protrude between 2-3 years. Teeth totals 24 (6 in each half jaw). An elephant only ever has four molars (cheek teeth) in it's mouth at a time, one in each quarter. When a tooth emerges from the back of the jaw and moves forward, over time, it pushes the previous one's forward, to the front of the jaw, where small fragments are worn down and broken off until it disappears altogether. These teeth are deciduous. (Falling out and replaced. Each one that follows being bigger than the previous ones) This has an effect on the lifespan of the elephant as, at the age of approx. 65 years, the last set is reduced to fragments and the elephant is unable to chew, becoming weak and usually dies of starvation, malnutrition and disease. There are distinct differences between the skull of the male and females: female skull forms a ridge over the top of the forehead; square-like and the males: more rounded. The brain weighs approximately 4.2 to 5.4 kg. A myth is the so called elephant graveyard but the elephants do display a fascination with tusks even touching and carrying them around. They have been observed covering bodies, including those of other species, with earth, branches and leaves. The African elephant has a "two finger" trunk tip unlike the Asian elephant, which has a "one finger" trunk tip. All elephant’s ears is unique and like our fingerprint identification. Elephants consume approx. 150kg of food per day. When standing the heartbeat is 28 beats per minute compared to the 500 beats per minute of a mouse. The respiratory rate, when standing, averages only 10 per minute. They are very social and a group has a Matriarch, (always the oldest cow). who throughout her life, accumulated much wisdom and experience, making her the ideal candidate. Information gathered throughout her life; where to find water and food, looking after sick and young and what is the best for her family. Like humans, elephants stop breeding at a certain age, leaving her free to concentrate on her being a matriarch without having to worry about raising a calf. After a gestation period of approximately 22 months, the pregnant female and a few family members, wander apart from the herd for the birth. She gives birth by squatting to shorten the fall. The calf, weighs about 120kg, is able to keep walking with its mother after only a few hours, it can walk under her belly, for safety, until approximately one year. One of the elephant’s closest living relatives is the small rock hyraxes. They are classified in the same group as they have many similarities, such as, both having teats on the chest, nails rather than claws and in the males, both species have internal testes. E-mail
received from : Shirlee and Tony Smit : 3081 GIRAFFE Did U know?
When
a giraffe is born, it's horns are humps of cartilage under his skin & not
attached to the skull. They only attach later in his life. Gestation
period 14 to 14.5 months. Cows give birth while standing or in some cases
walking and the 1 to 1.75m drop breaks the umbilical cord and jolts it
into breathing. The heart weighs approx. 12kg. Despite the length of the
neck, giraffe only have seven large vertebrae. Giraffe
photo's: Lionspruit
The idea that giraffes are mute is a myth. Although vocalization are hardly necessary for these normally silent creatures, calves bleat and make mewing calls while a cow, seeking a lost calf, bellows and courting bulls emit raucous coughs. When alarmed giraffes snort and moan. Apart from this giraffes also whistle and this emits a flutelike sound.
WATERBUCK Did you know? : Waterbuck have a unusual dislike of ox-peckers. When the ox-pecker tries to land on a waterbuck, the waterbuck shakes his head, shudder his skin violently and may even rush under a low branch in an attempt to brush the bird off. This helps to prevent the spread of disease carried by the bird from one animal two the next but it results in the waterbuck carrying a heavy burden of ticks.
In dry seasons or when grazing is poor they compete with impala and nyala for food. Under normal conditions, every species has its own preference for types of grass and competition is reduced by ability of waterbuck to wade into deep water to feed. Females are smaller, with less distinctive markings with no horns. The males horn appears at the age of 7 months growing an average of approx. 75mm per year. The reddish brown body colour of the calves only remains for 2 months. Waterbuck are slow growers and are only fully grown at 3 and a half years. They are gregarious and the males are territorial. Herds usually number 6-12 but can be as large as 30. Female association within the herd is loose, with every female having her own overlapping home range. Waterbuck skin has a foul smell. (At times this can be smelled by humans) This is due to a greasy, musky secretion from the 2 glands at the neck and 2 anal glands. The function of the glandular secretion is scent identification and waterproofing of the hide. After a kill, where the hide touched the meat, the same foul, musky smell is left on the meat, this could be the reason why lions are not too fond of these animals. After a gestation period of 9 months, one calf is born, away from the herd. It lies out for approx. one month with the mother returning up to four times per day for the calf to suckle. A calf moves to a new place after each visit. Because the calf follows the cow persistently she has to outrun him and upon finding himself alone, he hides in the nearest long grass. They are weaned at 6-8months after which time males are chased out by territorial bulls. The oiliness of the coat and strong, musky body odour first develop in the calf at about 14 weeks. The rump ring first becomes visible at two weeks. Calves can outrun man on its first day and tends to run away from danger instead of freezing. The new born calves of bovids can be either hiders or followers. The Waterbuck newborn is a hider for the first two to four weeks. This strategy minimizes the chance that predators will find the young. Interesting is the scent glands that only start secreting after the concealment stage. Body wastes are retained until the mother stimulates the calf by licking its rear end. Should the mother lick between the legs, it’s a male, under the tail indicates a female. IMPALA (ACPYCEROS MELAMPUS - high horn, black foot)
DID YOU KNOW?: When alarmed they explode in all directions, leaping up to 3m high and covering 12m in a single leap. The black tuffs on the hind legs surrounds a gland producing a pleasant, cheesy smell secretion. It's believed that this leaves an airborne scent trail for the herd to follow. Being part of the 85 species of bovids in Africa, these animals and their young are the biggest protein supply to carnivores. Further to this, they also benefit plants by the eating and disposal of seeds. Seeds are passed through droppings, well away from the parent plant. By passing through the gut, certain seeds are protected from attack by beetles, which lays its eggs in the seed, which is then eaten by the hatched larvae. The Impala’s digestive juices, without damaging the seed destroys the eggs and larvae, the juice also softens the seeds and assist in speeding up germination. Impalas are ruminants. Male territories are inside overlapping home ranges of female herds, which can consist of cows, female offspring and young males. Territorial males wait for females and try to keep them, inside their territories, by herding. Should the female cross the boundary, the males will not follow. The rut is a stressful (aggressive, restless and exhausting) time for the male and lasts for approx. 3 weeks. Gestation period: approximately 200 days and the birth period is among the shortest for ungulates, namely, 2 weeks. The lamb is wobbly for 2 days after the birth and stays hidden in dense cover. Impala give birth during the rainy season when optimal green forage is available to lactating mothers. Calves nibble grass and leaves from less than a month old and are weaned at 5 to 6 months. The new born calves of bovids can be either hiders or followers. The impala’s newborn is a hider for the first few days. This strategy minimizes the chance that predators will find the young. Interesting is the scent glands that only start secreting after the concealment stage. Body wastes are retained until the mother stimulates the calf by licking its rear end. Should the mother lick between the legs, it’s a male, and under the tail its a female. As a runner, Impalas are neither fast or enduring and rely on the habitat to assist them against predators such as cheetah’s, who need open spaces. The Impala’s top speed is 80km/ph compared to the cheetah’s, 112km pH.
To defend themselves against parasites e.g. ticks, Impala have a unique grooming system: self, oral, ollogrooming and scratching with a hind foot. They are the smallest antelope attended by tick eating oxpeckers. The incisor teeth are loose in their sockets so that they can be used to comb ticks out of the rich, glossy coat. They spend more time grooming than any other antelope. They are unable to do the head and neck and therefore allogrooming is done by grooming partners. Sometimes called a "tit-for-tat" grooming, with both grooming partners grooming for the equal amount of time, this can even be observed from the time of birth, in young lambs. Impala are very often associated with Giraffe, Kudu, Zebra, Wildebeest and Baboons, but they avoid associating with baboons when lambs are born as baboons prey on the young lambs. An adult Impala can weigh up to 60kg and have an approximate lifespan of 14 years. MONGOOSE
DID YOU KNOW? The main mongoose visitors to our homes in Marloth Park are the Banded Mongoose. They are social animals traveling in family groups. Males usually look after the young, these babysitters also take food for the young. All lactating females suckle indiscriminately for up to 5 weeks.
BLUE WILDEBEEST DID YOU KNOW? A Wildebeest has a four chambered stomach and are ruminants. They feed, swallowing the food into the rumen (1st stomach) and when the rumen is full they have to stop to ruminate. The food is regurgitated in a ball into the mouth where it is chewed. They first chew by a leftward sideways movement of the jaw followed by rightward sideways movement of the jaw. After swallowing for the 2nd time, food enters the reticulum (2nd), then to the omasum (3rd) and finally to the abomasum (4th stomach). The greatest digestion takes place in this chamber where digestion is further assisted by bacteria. Also know in Africa as a Gnu, a Hottentot name derived from the sound of the wildebeests territorial call. These interesting creatures have been called ugly and even described as the clowns of the veld, but their territorial behavior is the most complex and extra ordinary of all bovids. Fascinating to watch when bucking, cavorting, spinning, leaping, racing in circles shaking their heads, kicking up of the heals. Rolling and pawing of the ground does not seem functional but it’s all part of showing that they own a territory. The scene during a rut is frantic. Should you ever have the chance, stop for a while and watch. Territorial activities are preformed with vigor, chasing and herding females, matting, challenging neighbors, routing bachelors, croaking, grunting and snorting in an overwhelming loud chorus. They get so exited at times that they foam at the mouth. Territorial bulls lie and roll in their dung and are the only bovid species to do this. Territorial males are solitary unless they have a herd. During the rut other males are chased out but they rejoin bachelor herds after this period. The sniffing of urine, by Flagmen, checks the sexual status of the females. Unreceptive females avoid males by fleeing or lying down. Territorial males can be recognized as their heads are carried higher than other bulls. Being diurnal, the Wildebeest avoids the heat of the day by standing in shade, if this is not available, he tries to stand with his face, facing a cool breeze. A Soon-to-be mother moves out of the herd to give birth, this assist in ensuring that the calf recognizes it's mother 1st before being introduced to other family members. Calves run within 3-5 minutes and keep pace with adults within a day. Although ever hungry calves try to steal milk, mothers suckle only their own and protect them from predators. Dinning with Zebra’s benefits them as the Zebra tramples the long grass creating a lawn type pasture, well suited to the blunt muzzle and dentition of the wildebeest.
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Waterbuck are ruminants. This means that
they have four chambered stomachs and chew the cud. Food is regurgitated and
re-chewed, as part of the digestive process. Bacteria living in the herbivore’s
digestive system transform indigestible plant cellulose in to digestible
carbohydrates by process of fermentation. (in the rumen which is the 2nd
& largest chamber). They have no upper incisors but instead have a
thick calloused pad. Grass is gripped between the teeth and pad,
plucked/snipped and chewed with rasplike teeth. When ruminating the
regurgitated contents are ground with sideways movements.
Baby
Mongoose feeding on a frog