Kabok is a ‘rhino town’. The hidden village on the western border of Mozambique is one of the strongholds for rhino poachers. They earn hundreds of thousands euro’s with the trade in horns of killed rhino’s in South Africa. They are almost untouchable. Nor the army, nor the police can arrest the gang leaders.
Kabok is built on rhino poaching
Door Reageer
Addo Elephant Park
Door Reageer
The Addo Elephant National Park was proclaimed in 1931 to save the Eastern Cape Elephant and Cape Buffalo from extinction. From only 16 elephants, the park is now home to over 550, and offers an unbeatable opportunity to view these animals in their natural habitat.
The park is also home to the Cape buffalo, black rhino, a variety of antelope species, as well as the unique flightless dung beetle, found almost exclusively in Addo.
Stretching from the semi-arid karoo area in the north around Darlington Dam, over the rugged Zuurberg Mountains, through the Sundays River valley and south to the coast between Sundays River mouth and Bushman’s river mouth, Addo covers about 180 000 hectares (444 700 acres) and includes the Bird and St Croix Island groups.The Addo bush also offers sanctuary to a large variety of birds (185 species) and is situated 72km north of Port Elizabeth near the Zuurberg Mountain Range and offers guided or self-drive options and accommodation.
The park plans include the proposed proclamation of a 120 000 ha (296 500 acre) marine reserve that includes islands that are home to the world’s largest breeding populations of Cape gannets and the second largest breeding population of African penguins.
The park contributes to the conservation of the endangered black rhino with over 48 of these animals occurring here. The over 400 Cape buffalo are now being seen more often during the day due to the influence of lion reintroduction. This is one of the largest disease-free herds in South Africa.
Six lions were introduced into the park in late 2003 and have adapted well to their new environment. Lions are most often seen in the early morning or on sunset and night drives. Spotted hyenas were also reintroduced in 2003, fulfilling the same role as lions in restoring the natural balance to the ecosystems in the park by controlling the numbers of herbivores. Leopard are very seldom seen, being shy and secretive animals, but do occur in most areas of the expanded park.
Antelope species abundant in the main game area of the park include red hartebeest, eland, kudu and bushbuck. The Burchell’s zebra, many with the pale rumps reminiscent of the extinct qwagga, occur in the park. Warthogs are abundant.
The rare flightless dung beetle is king of the road in Addo, with signs warning visitor that this recycling machine has right of way. The beetles are only seen when conditions are not too hot and not too cold and play an important role in recycling nutrients and helping the growth of thicket vegetation.
Addo Elephant National Park seeks to be fully integrated into the regional landscape, conserves and enhances the characteristic terrestrial and marine biodiversity, ecological processes and cultural, historical and scenic resources representative of the Eastern Cape region for the appreciation, and benefit of present and future generations.Read more:
http://www.portelizabeth.co/activities/places-of-interest/addo-elephant-national-park/
http://www.sanparks.org/parks/addo/
Mandela: a speech for the future
Door Reageer
“Newspapers allow us to hold a mirror up to ourselves, and we must be brave enough to look squarely at the reflections.” One of the statements of Nelson Mandela, for which he is famous. When you combine his quotes, you get the story of his believes, his convictions. You get a speech for the future.
The life of Nelson Mandela
Door Reageer
Nelson Mandela struggled for freedom throughout his life. He took up arms in the Apartheid era, but united South Africa in peace after he got out of prison. ‘Madiba’ became an example and inspired people all over the world. Take a look at the life of Nelson Mandela, who made that world a better place.
Zuid-Afrika: de unieke Kaapse bloemen
Door Reageer
Het is langzaamaan lente aan het worden in Zuid-Afrika. Hier en daar valt nog een winterse hagelbui, maar de temperatuur is op veel plekken al aan het oplopen en de bloemen staan op ontluiken. Met name de westelijke kaap staat bekend om z’n enorme bloemenrijkdom. Welke bloemenparadijsjes zijn er?
Six hotels South Africa ‘world’s best’
Door Reageer
Six hotels in South Africa feature in the 50 “world’s best hotels 2013” list of US magazine Travel + Leisure, with three of them ranking in the top 10 – all three located within the world-famous Kruger National Park, and two belonging to South African hospitality group Singita.
Table Mountain New Wonder of Nature
Door Reageer
Table Mountain National Park has been officially inaugurated as one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature. At the ceremony a specially-cast bronze plaque was unveiled, listing the iconic mountain as one of the 7 worldwide places that receive the title.
Zwarte diamanten komen uit de ruimte
Door Reageer
Zwarte diamanten komen mogelijk uit de ruimte en niet uit de aarde, zo leer ik op dag 49 van het Twitterdagboek. Ik vraag Shimansky naar deze zeldzame en unieke zwarte stenen. Eens heb ik een misdaadroman, Nachtschaduw geschreven over de diefstal van een zwarte diamant.
Neushoorn boerderij dicht door stropers
Door Reageer
Neushoorn boerderij gaat dicht na aanvallen van stropers. Een boer die neushoorns houdt, zegt dat hij geen andere keuze heeft dan de rest van zijn dieren te verkopen nadat er ten minste 11 werden neergeschoten door stropers. Zes neushoorns werden daarbij gedood en onthoornd.
Een perfecte roze diamant is onbetaalbaar
Door Reageer
Een perfecte roze diamant van 2 miljoen dollar ga ik zien op dag 46 van het Twitterdagboek. Onbetaalbaar voor mij. De prijs van diamanten wordt bepaald door de 4 C’s: cut, carat, clarity en colour. In het reisdagboek Erikinafrika les over gekleurde diamanten. Hoe moet een roze diamant eruit zien en wat is die waard?
