#Iam4rhinos

 

I can't think that there are many people out there who doesn't know about the plight of the rhino yet 618 rhino has been killed by poachers in South Africa this year so far to satisfy the demand for rhino horn in the East.  At this rate rhino could disappear of the face of this earth before I have grandchildren one day and posts like this would only be possible with old photos or ones like this rhino conservation piece outside the Durban ICC.  In 2010 the WWF South Africa established World Rhino Day to take places annually on 22 September to focus on raising awareness on the increased threat of rhino poaching and the illegal trade in rhino horn. The day has become a global phenomenon and gives concerned citizens the opportunity to stand up for rhino conservation.  This year the campaign was taken another step up with the appeal to Twitter users to use the hash tag #iam4rhinos and get 1 000 000 tweets for rhino conservation.  As I'm typing this the number is standing on 130 336 130 341 130 357 130 400 and counting.  Keep track of the campaign on #Iam4rhinos.

The idea for the bronze rhino outside the Durban ICC was born during the planning of the Fifth World Parks Congress which took place in the city in 2003.  The rhino is installed on a plinth with the following inscription:  "The White Rhinoceros" This dramatic and powerful animal is a symbol of the contribution made to SOUTH AFRICA by BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION the endeavours of which have led to the RESTORATION OF OUR WILDLIFE HERITAGE and A MASSIVE CONTRIBUTION TO THE ECONOMIC GROWTH OF SOUTH AFRICA. It also celebrates the holding of the Fifth World Parks Congress at the Durban ICC, September 2003. Commissioned by THE CONSERVATION TRUST".

Lion leftovers

You don't kick a lion kill out from behind every bush and very few people have had the opportunity to see the actual kill take place.  What you do get though are the remains of those kills.  Bones picked clean and bleached white by the sun.

Egret nesting ground

Ornithologists, or just plain bird lovers for those who don't know the big word, visiting the town of Montagu in the Western Cape gets drawn to the Leidam like a mouse to cheese.  For the last two years we spent a week in Montagu during our summer holiday and during both visits I spent some time just watching the birds in the trees around the dam.  The Leidam was originally built to supply water to the town via canals with each house having an allocated time in the day during which they could draw water from the canal.  This system is still in places today although the town has grown quite a bit since those days and the area covered by the canals are basically in the western part of town.  The trees around the dam has become home to 18 species of birds (including Sacred Ibis, Herons, Cormorants, Egrets, Shrikes and Weavers) that use it as their breeding ground with more than 52 visiting species also having been identified.  One word of warning though.  If you have a very sensitive nose you should rather stay away.

Aloe trident

Aloes are amongst my favorite flowers, specially because they bloom in winter, so I'm always a bit sad at this time of the year when the flowers start to wilt and disappear. 

Mock charge

On a recent visit to Kuzuko Lodge in the greater Addo Elephant National Park we had some amazing sightings.  The afternoon game drive started with a close up sighting of their two male lions before we encountered a herd of elephants in a valley close to the lodge.  The matriarch put up a spectacular mock charge what with flapping ears, stamping of feet and the shaking of a poor little bush.  Unfortunately I didn't have me camera at the ready and missed the whole performance.  Shortly later we did have this young bull look at us with a bit of attitude and a skew camera angle gave me very much the same effect as if it was the matriarch in the picture. 

Boardwalk Fountain Spectacular

In December 2012 when the Boardwalk Complex opened the new Boardwalk Hotel and Convention Centre, it also launched the Fountain Spectacular on the Boardwalk Lake.  People streamed to the Boardwalk to see the fountains with its lights and music.  On weekend evenings there were so many people that they stood about four or five deep around the lake to see the performance.  For that reason I decided to wait a little bit to go and a little bit became a long bit.  Needless to see most of Port Elizabeth probably got to see the Spectacular before I got there, but better late than never.  I popped by with a film crew from the SABC 1 travel show Vaya Mzansi and actually couldn't believe my eyes.  Its an amazing show which really can not be missed by anybody visiting (or living in) Port Elizabeth.  Sunday to Thursday there is one show every evening but on Fridays and Saturday they do three.  Each show is about 20 minutes long and, sorry to repeat myself, cannot be missed.

Egyptian goose on Kings Beach lake

Have you even noticed that you will always find Egyptian Geese where ever there is water.  Lakes, dams, rivers, ponds and even on the off chance a backyard pool.  When the Boardwalk development opened in Port Elizabeth some years ago it wasn't long before a pair moved in and they have been there ever since, hatching their chicks every year.  The same has happened at the new Kings Beach development with a pair moving in very soon after completion.  I snapped one of them the other day while checking up on a geocache in the area.