Page 78 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - South Africa

76  WILD SOUTH AFRIC A

South Africa’s
Wildlife Heritage

Before the arrival of the white colonists, the nomadic Khoisan
hunted wild animals for food, while to the east, Zulu and Venda
traded in ivory and organized ceremo nial hunts – but their
spears and pitfall traps had little impact. When Europeans
arrived on the scene in the 17th century, South Africa’s wildlife
seemed inexhaustible. By the mid-19th century, with their
deadly weapons, the settlers had seen to it that the vast herds
had disappeared – many species were in danger of extinct ion.
Conservation measures over the past century have brought The klipspringer, agile
about an amazing recovery, and South Africa’s wildlife reserves and sure-footed, occurs
are now among the finest in the world. in mountainous areas
throughout the country.

Blue wildebeest
White-fronted bee-eaters,
one of around 850 bird species
recorded in the country, gather Zebra
in flocks along rivers in the
Kruger National Park. They catch
and consume flying insects.
Nyala bulls can be distinguished from
the similar-looking kudu by the orange
colour of their lower legs.
Warthog

At the Waterhole
In the dry winter months (May to September), an
ever-changing wildlife pageant unfolds as animals
gather at waterholes to drink. Wooden hides have
been erected at waterholes in KwaZulu-Natal’s
The hunt is a brutal yet timeless African Hluhluwe-Imfolozi (see p298) and uMkhuze game
sequence. Cheetahs mainly prey on smaller reserves, while the rivers in the Kruger National Park
antelopes, like springboks and impalas. offer the best vantage points.
Africa’s Big Five
This term originated from
hunting jargon for the most
dangerous and sought-after
trophy animals. Today, they
are still an attraction, with
the Kruger National Park (see
pp340–45) the prime Big-Five
viewing destination. Hluhluwe- Lions, the largest of the African The black rhinoceros is in
Imfolozi, and the Pilanesberg cats, live in prides of varying size serious danger of extinction. It
and Madi kwe reserves, too, are controlled by one or more is distinguished from the white
well-known sanctuaries. dominant males. rhino by its longer upper lip.

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