Baboons : Wildlife Southern Africa
Baboons are only found in Africa. They are the best adapted of all monkeys to a terrestrial life, the Hamadryas being the most terrestrial. Baboons live in a wide range of habitats including open habitats. But they require rocky cliffs or tall trees to sleep in at night and access to water. Only a few are forest dwellers, such as the Guinea baboon from West Africa.
Although feeding the baboons is strictly forbidden, some visitors cannot resist the temptation of such a photo opportunity. The social order among these animals allows the highest in rank to eat first and the lower members get their turn only after him. Consequently a human who feeds the baboons is perceived to be low in the hierarchy, an assumption which is generalized and extended to the whole human race. As a result, the baboons have come to expect any human to feed them and – on refusal – become aggressive, steal food and even attack people. A sad consequence of this is that such baboons frequently have to be shot by rangers.
Social life of bboons: The Hamadryas baboon forms the largest troops. Unlike the other baboons, they have a complicated three-level social structure. The largest social unit is the troop which includes all those sleeping at a particular cliff. This averages 140, but can reach 750!
The troop, however, breaks up into smaller foraging bands in the morning of about 30-90. But even these can be large, one band was estimated at nearly 500! Within each band are several harems of one male and several females (up to 9) and their young. Males without harems may forage alone or in bachelor bands.
Sometimes the males of two or more harems will cooperate. Such cooperating harems form a clan. Males of the same clan will help defend each other from attempts by males from other clans to steal their females. While male juveniles leave the natal band, they usually stay in the same clan. Females, however, may leave the clan.
Status and threats: CITES 2. The Hamadryas baboon was considered sacred by the ancient Egyptians, and were often depicted as the attendant to Thoth, the God of writing. Hamadryas baboons were allowed to range freely in temples. They were also mummified, and their images carved into temples. They are now extinct in Egypt. Baboons are hunted for their meat, as a pest, and for sport. Besides the Hamadryas, the other baboons are listed as “vermin” in the African Convention and hunted as pests. In the past, large numbers of Hamadryas baboons were trapped for medical research in the Soviet Union. Yellow baboons also suffered a similar fate. Their habitat is threatened as humans encroach further into their less hospitable habitats with improvements in irrigation.
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Leopard : Wildlife Southern Africa
Habitat: Leopards are more commonly found along riverine forests and bushes. Although less common, they also can be
found along open plains and savanna, mainly in hills and rocky outcrops.
Habits: Leopards normally hunt at night and dusk, staying in secluded spots during the day or lying in high branches of trees.
They are solitary animals by nature, only associating with a female for mating and staying with her only for a couple of days.
Leopards are masters of camouflage and they move silently trough the vegetation to attack their prey at very close quarters. The victim is
Hippo : Wildlife Southern Africa
Hippos are the most feared animals in southern Africa. Each year more people are killed by them than by all the other animals together.
Hippos weigh up to two tons and can be four metres long. Hippos are vegetarians and feed exclusively on grass.
Hippos watch strictly over their territories and threaten anybody invading it by what looks like yawning. If the invader does not withdraw, they usually attack without any further hesitation. Smaller boats are particularly at risk, because a rhino can easily topple it over, and as their front teeth are as sharp as razorblades,
Wildlife in Southern Africa
South Africa is quite justly proud of its rich natural heritage, which is being diligently protected in the many nature reserves and national parks. The country is home to more than 300 mammal species, over 500 bird species, over 100 kinds of reptiles and countless insects.
Not all the animals are easy to watch. Besides the fact that many species are night-active, season, place, wheather and, of course, luck play a part as well. To observe and photograph animals, always requires a lot of patience and also good lenses with a long focal distance.
Explore the animal
Snakes : Wildlife Southern Africa
In all areas of South Africa, there are different species of snakes, most of them harmless, but some extremely venomous.
The Cape Cobra on the right is one of the more dangerous kinds. Its bite paralyses the muscles, respiration and eventually heart failure. One can recognize the snake by its flat throat. If disturbed, it raises its upper body and takes on a threatening posture. The probability of encountering such a poisonous snake is very small, since they all, except the puffadder, quickly disappear as soon as they sense the slightest movement.
Nevertheless, one should never go for
Crocodiles : Wildlife Southern Africa
Survivors of the dinosaur age, crocodiles are found in the warmer waters of Africa, Asia, Australia, and America. Crocodiles are often confused with alligators, but you can tell them apart by the shape of their tapered snout, and by the way crocodiles' lower teeth stick out when their jaws are closed.
Crocodiles vary in size. The saltwater crocodile measures up to 10 m in length, while others are no more than 1 m long. Hunted extensively for their skins, large crocodiles are becoming increasingly rare.
