Page 55 - World of Animals - Issue #41

South African adventure

Travel expert
Senior travel consultant for specialist tour company Africa Travel, Felicity Balcomb
was born and bred in South Africa and is very passionate about this diverse country
South Africa is a country that can be visited all year round and has

everything to offer the traveller – beautiful beaches, dramatic landscapes
and vibrant cities. But most of all, it is a land rich in wildlife.
The country teems with lions and elephants and herds of antelope,

zebra, wildebeest and giraffe. Bird watchers will be captivated by more
than 850 different species, and safari-goers may delight in spotting the elusive leopard

and the endangered wild dog.
South Africa is also the ideal destination to view great creatures of the deep during the
whale-watching season. Here, you can also spot penguins and dive with great white
sharks. The wilderness, combined with the lush Garden Route, flavours of the Wine

Region, and the cosmopolitan glamour of Johannesburg and Cape Town, create a diverse
land for all seasons and tastes.
Elephant shrew Wild dog
Reaching up to 29 kilometres (18 miles) 1 1 Also known as the Cape
per hour, you have to be quick to spot hunting dog, these canines
these long-nosed shrews. They use their 2 2 are one of Africa’s most
tongues to flick food into their mouth endangered mammals.

and can be found in almost any habitat in 3 3 Known for their caring family
South Africa. behaviour, their small packs
Riverine rabbit can be found in the Kruger
With just 250 individuals left in the wild, National Park, the Kalahari and
the Madikwe Reserve.
this nocturnal rabbit is one of the most
endangered mammals in the world. It is 5 Burchell’s zebra
found only in the central and southern areas 4 The most common zebra
of the Karoo Desert.
species in South Africa,
Cape clawless otter the plains zebra can be
These otters have partly webbed, and Map key found mostly in the south
and east. Their stripes are
clawless, feet and are rather clumsy on 1 Kruger National Park used to confuse predators
land. They are found near water in the 2 Madikwe Game Reserve and to keep cool, due to
savannahs and forests, and have even been 3 iSimangaliso Wetland Park tiny convection currents
spotted scavenging for food on the Cape 4 Garden Route National Park between stripes.
Peninsula beaches. 5 Addo Elephant National Park
Travel guide

When to go
Visit during the dry winter (May to
September), as the sparse vegetation
makes it easier to spot animals, and whale
calves are being born at this time too.
How to get there

There are direct flights from the UK to
Tambo International Airport and Cape
Town International Airport. Onward travel
to the national parks is usually by car.

What the weather will do
The climate is varied; Cape Town and the
Western Cape has winter rainfall and dry
summers, while the rest of the country has
summer thunderstorms and a dry winter.
What to take
Light, breathable clothing and footwear is
a must for summer, as well as a hat, sun
cream and insect repellant. Winter can be
mild though, so bring suitable layers.

What you’ll see
With an array of habitats to explore, from
deserts and mountains to grasslands and
beaches, you are sure to see some of the
most diverse animal species on the planet.

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