27-5-2019 SOMALISA CAMP, ZIMBABWE - COMMON JOKER (Byblia anvatara ssp. acheloia)

The Common Joker Byblia achelonia is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae, found in Yemen, south-western Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya, eastern Tanzania, Zambia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, northern Namibia, Eswatini, South Africa: Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West, KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape. It has a wingspan of 38–43 mm in males and 40–45 mm in females and fly year-round. It is similar to the Spotted Joker Byblia ilithyi with both seen together at the Raydah escarpment in the southwest of the Kingdom, near Abha.

Byblia anvatara, the common joker, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae, found in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Wingspan: 38–43 mm in males and 40–45 mm in females. Its flight period is year round.

Larvae feed on Tragia glabrata and Dalechampia capensis.

27-5-2019 SOMALISA CAMP, ZIMBABWE - SPIDER WASP (family pompilidae)

Wasps in the family Pompilidae are commonly called spider wasps, spider-hunting wasps, or pompilid wasps. The family is cosmopolitan, with some 5,000 species in six subfamilies. Nearly all species are solitary (with the exception of some group-nesting Ageniellini), and most capture and paralyze prey, though members of the subfamily Ceropalinae are kleptoparasites of other pompilids, or ectoparasitoids of living spiders.

In South America, species may be referred to colloquially as marabunta or marimbondo, though these names can be generally applied to any very large stinging wasps. Furthermore, in some parts of Venezuela and Colombia, it is called matacaballos, or "horse killers", while in Brazil some particular bigger and brighter species of the general marimbondo kind might be called fecha-goela/cerra-goela, or "throat locker".

27-5-2019 SOMALISA CAMP, ZIMBABWE - SOUTHERN YELLOW BILLED HORNBILL (Tockus leucomelas ssp parvior)

The southern yellow-billed hornbill (Tockus leucomelas) is a hornbill found in southern Africa. Yellow-billed hornbills feed mainly on the ground, where they forage for seeds, small insects, spiders and scorpions. This hornbill species is a common and widespread resident of dry thornveldt and broad-leafed woodlands. They can often be seen along roads and water courses.

It is a medium-sized bird, 48–60 cm (19–24 in) in length, 132–242 g (0.29–0.53 lb) in weight and is characterized by a long yellow and down-curved beak. This beak is huge in comparison to its body and can account for up 1/6th of the entire body length. Male beaks are on average 90 mm long while female beaks are an average of 74 mm. Males are generally bigger than females but there is overlap between the sexes. The size difference of the beak is a fairly reliable way of differentiating sex in wild hornbills.

The casque that characterizes all hornbills is of a very modest size in the southern yellow-billed hornbill. It is small, but it covers almost the entire length of the beak in males (less so in females), and may give the impression that they do not actually have a casque. As in all hornbills, the size of the beak actually intrudes on the frontal vision of the bird and the first two neck vertebrae are fused together.

Also, like most other hornbills, they possess a long tail, long eyelashes, stubby legs and stubby toes. The front three toes are fused together near the base.

They have white belly, grey neck, and black back plumage with abundant white spots and stripes. The neck has gray spots and the chest is lightly striated with black. Southern yellow-billed hornbills have no plumage pigmentation save for melanin, which can only produce shades of black and white. The eyes are usually yellow, though brown has also been seen. The skin around the eyes and in the malar stripe is pinkish. The related eastern yellow-billed hornbill from north-eastern Africa has blackish skin around the eyes.

These birds are near endemic to the dry savannas of southern Africa, where they can be found across all longitudes, from Angola and Namibia in the west to Mozambique and KwaZulu-Natal in the east, including Botswana, Zimbabwe and northern South Africa.

The southern yellow-billed hornbill lives mostly in the dry, open savannas, but they are also very partial to woodlands when they can find them. When in woodlands, they seem to prefer acacia and broadleaved woodlands. The highest reported concentration of southern yellow-billed hornbill is in open mopane scrub.

27-5-2019 SOMALISA CAMP, ZIMBABWE - SOUTHERN LION (MALE) (Panthera leo ssp. melanochaita)

Panthera leo melanochaita is a lion subspecies in Southern and East Africa. In this part of Africa, lion populations are regionally extinct in Lesotho, Djibouti and Eritrea, and are threatened by loss of habitat and prey base, killing by local people in retaliation for loss of livestock, and in several countries also by trophy hunting. Since the turn of the 21st century, lion populations in intensively managed protected areas in Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe have increased, but declined in East African range countries. In 2005, a Lion Conservation Strategy was developed for East and Southern Africa.

Results of a phylogeographic study indicate that lion populations in southern and eastern Africa form a major clade distinct from lion populations in West Africa, Central Africa and Asia. In 2017, the Cat Classification Task Force of the IUCN Cat Specialist Group subsumed lion populations according to the major clades into two subspecies, namely P. l. leo and P. l. melanochaita. Within P. l. melanochaita three subclades are clearly distinguishable. One from northeastern Africa, another one from southwestern Africa and a third one from southeastern Africa.

The type specimen for P. l. melanochaita was a black-maned lion from the Cape of Good Hope, known as the Cape lion. Phylogeographic analysis of lion samples from Gabon and the Republic of the Congo indicate their close genetic relation to P. l. melanochaita samples from Namibia and Botswana. It has been referred to as the Southern lion, Southern African lion, East-Southern African lion and the "southern subspecies".

The Serengeti and Maasai Mara National Parks and Selous Game Reserve are lion strongholds in East Africa with stable lion populations

In East and Southern Africa, lion populations declined in:

In Ethiopia, where lion populations declined since at least the early 20th century due to trophy hunting by Europeans, killing of lions by local people out of fear, for illegal sale of skins and during civil wars.[40] As of 2009, between seven and 23 lions were estimated to live in Nechisar National Park located in the Ethiopian Highlands. This small protected area is encroached by local people and their livestock. In 2012, lions were documented in cloud forest habitat of Kafa Biosphere Reserve.

Somalia since the early 20th century. Intensive poaching since the 1980s and civil unrest posed a threat to lion persistence.

Uganda to near extinction in the 20th century. In 2010, the lion population in Uganda was estimated at 408 ± 46 individuals in three protected areas including Queen Elizabeth, Murchison Falls and Kidepo Valley National Parks. Other protected areas in the country probably host less than 10 lions. Lions in Queen Elizabeth National Park form a contiguous population with lions in Virunga National Park.

Kenya in the 1990s due to poisoning of lions and poaching of lion prey species. At least 108 lions were killed between 2001 and 2006 in the Amboseli−Tsavo West−Tsavo East National Park network. As of 2006, there were an estimated 675 lions in the Tsavo national parks, out of the 2,000 total in Kenya. Between 2004 and 2013, lion guardians around Amboseli National Park identified 65 lions in an area of 3,684 km2 (1,422 sq mi). Lion populations in Kenya and Tanzania are fragmented over 17 patches ranging in size from 86 to 127,515 km2 (33 to 49,234 sq mi).

Rwanda and Tanzania due to killing of lions during the Rwandan Civil War and ensuing refugee crisis in the 1990s. A small population was present in Rwanda's Akagera National Park, estimated at 35 individuals at most in 2004. Lions were reintroduced to this national park in 2015.

Malawi and Zambia due to illegal hunting of prey species in protected areas.

Botswana due to intensive hunting and conversion of natural habitats for settlements since the early 19th century. In Northern Tuli Game Reserve, 19 lions died between 2005 and 2011 due to poaching, trophy hunting and snaring.

Namibia due to massive killing of lions by farmers since at least the 1970s. In 2010, the small and isolated lion population in the Kalahari was estimated at 683 to 1,397 individuals in three protected areas, the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, the Kalahari Gemsbok and Gemsbok National Parks.

South Africa since the early 19th century in the Natal and Cape Provinces south of the Orange River, where the Cape lion population was eradicated by 1860.

A few decades later, lions in the Highveld north of the Orange River were also eradicated. In Transvaal, lions occurred historically in the Highveld as well, but were restricted to eastern Transvaal's Bushveld by the 1970s. Between 2000 and 2004, 34 lions were reintroduced to eight protected areas in the Eastern Cape Province, including Addo Elephant National Park. In Venetia Limpopo Nature Reserve, 18 lions were trophy hunted and 11 euthanized between 2005 and 2011.

Contemporary lion distribution and habitat quality in East and Southern Africa was assessed in 2005, and Lion Conservation Units (LCU) mapped. Between 2002 and 2012, educated guesses for size of populations in these LCUs ranged from 33,967 to 32,000 individuals. The LCUs Ruaha−Rungwa, Serengeti−Mara, Tsavo−Mkomazi and Selous in East Africa, as well as Luangwa, Kgalagadi, Okavango−Hwange, Mid−Zambezi, Niassa and Greater Limpopo in Southern Africa are currently considered lion strongholds. These LCUs host more than 500 individuals each, and the population trend is stable there as of 2012.

Lions usually hunt in groups and prey foremost on ungulates such as gemsbok (Oryx gazella), Cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer), blue wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus), giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis), common eland (Tragelaphus oryx), greater kudu (T. strepsiceros), nyala (T. angasii), roan antelope (Hippotragus equinus), sable antelope (H. niger), plains zebra (Equus quagga), bushpig (Potamochoerus larvatus), common warthog (Phacochoerus africanus), hartebeest (Alcephalus buselaphus), common tsessebe (Damaliscus lunatus), waterbuck (Kobus ellipsiprymnus), kob (K. kob) and Thomson's gazelle (Eudorcas thomsonii). Their prey is usually in the range of 190–550 kg (420–1,210 pounds). In the Serengeti National Park, lions were observed to also scavenge on carrion of animals that were killed by other predators, or died from natural causes. They kept a constant lookout for circling vultures, apparently being aware that vultures indicate a dead animal. Faeces of lions collected near waterholes in Hwange National Park also contained remains of climbing mice (Dendromus) and common mice (Mus).

In Botswana's Chobe National Park, lions also prey on young and subadult African bush elephants (Loxodonta africana). They successfully attacked 74 elephants between 1993 and 1996, of which 26 were older than nine years, and one bull over 15 years old. In October 2005, a pride of up to 30 lions killed eight African bush elephants that were between four and eleven years old.

In the 1890s, two Tsavo Man-Eaters attacked workers during the building of the Uganda Railway. Their skulls and skins are part of the zoological collection of the Field Museum of Natural History. The total number of people killed is unclear, but allegedly 135 people fell victim to these lions in less than a year before Colonel Patterson killed them.

The Njombe lions were a lion pride in Njombe in former Tanganyika, which are thought to have preyed on 1,500 to 2,000 people. They were killed by George Gilman Rushby.

Between 1990 and 2004, lions killed more than 560 people in Tanzania, mostly during harvest season in crop fields and in areas where natural prey is scarce.

In February 2018, lions killed a suspected poacher near Kruger National Park.

In February 2018, Kevin Richardson took three lions for a walk at Dinokeng Game Reserve in South Africa. A lioness pursued an impala for at least 2 km (1.2 mi), and killed a young woman near her car.

In July 2018, human remains were found in the lion enclosure of a privately owned reserve in South Africa. They were suspected to have been rhino poachers, as they had a high-powered rifle with a silencer, an axe and wire cutters.

African lions are included in CITES Appendix II. Today, lion populations are stable only in large protected area complexes. IUCN regional offices and many wildlife conservation organisations cooperated to develop a Lion Conservation Strategy for Eastern and Southern Africa in 2006. The strategy envisages to maintain sufficient habitat, ensure a sufficient wild prey base, make lion-human coexistence sustainable and reduce factors that lead to further fragmentation of populations. Local communities in several Southern African lion range countries generate significant income through wildlife tourism, which is a strong incentive for their support of conservation measures.

Establishing corridors between protected areas is important for facilitating dispersal of lions. Makgadikgadi Pans National Park and Central Kalahari Game Reserve are key dispersal areas in Southern Africa.

27-5-2019 SOMALISA CAMP, ZIMBABWE - SENEGAL COUCAL (Centropus senegalensis)

The Senegal coucal (\(Centropus\) \(senegalensis\)) is a medium-sized bird from the cuckoo family, found across much of sub-Saharan Africa in habitats with dense undergrowth like tall grasslands and savannas. Its plumage is black on the head and upper parts, with a long black tail, and creamy white underparts, though juveniles are browner and barred. These birds are known for their distinctive descending "boop" call, are often heard before they are seen, and have a diet that includes insects, small vertebrates, and eggs. 

Appearance 

Adult: Glossy black head and neck, black wings with a chestnut color, and a long, black tail. The underparts are creamy white, sometimes with reddish reflections on the flanks and abdomen. Red-ringed red eyes give the bird a stern look.

Juvenile: Browner and more heavily barred on the back, wings, and tail.Size: Approximately 39 cm (15 inches) long. 

27-5-2019 SOMALISA CAMP, ZIMBABWE - SCALY FEATHERED WEAVER (Sporopipes squamifrons ssp. fuligescens)

The Scaly-feathered Weaver, scientifically known as Sporopipes squamifrons, presents itself as a charming bird with a distinctive appearance attributed to its namesake scaly feathers. This species, also colloquially referred to as the Scaly-feathered Finch, is a member of the Ploceidae family.

The Scaly-feathered Weaver (Sporopipes squamifrons) is a small, social weaver bird from southern Africa, common in dry woodlands and savannas, known for its pale brown/grey plumage with distinctive black and white markings, feeding on seeds and termites, and roosting communally in ball-shaped nests. 

Upon observation, one may note the unique pattern of the bird's plumage, which resembles scales, giving it a rather reptilian aspect amidst the avian world. The adult bird can be seen attending to its spherical grass nest, a testament to its industrious nature.

The Scaly-feathered Weaver thrives in the savannas and dry bushland, where it can find the materials it needs for its intricate nest-building.

This species graces the African continent with its presence, specifically found across Angola, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

The Scaly-feathered Weaver is known for its sociable demeanor, often seen in flocks, and its remarkable nest-building skills.

Bird enthusiasts can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that the Scaly-feathered Weaver is currently classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, indicating a stable population in the wild.

Appearance: Primarily pale brown/gray with black forehead/crown featuring white arrow-shaped tips, black lores/chin, white throat, and black malar streaks; bright pink bill.

Diet: Seeds (especially grass, millet, sorghum) and termites (caught on ground/air).

Habitat: Arid/semi-arid regions of southern Africa (Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa).

Behavior: Forages on the ground, hops briskly, drinks water regularly when available, roosts communally in grass nests.

Nests: Ball-shaped, made of grass, sometimes clustered; spout entrance. 

27-5-2019 SOMALISA CAMP, ZIMBABWE - AFRICAN SAVANNA ELEPHANT (JUVENILE) (Loxodonta Africana)

The African bush elephant (Loxodonta africana), also known as the African savanna elephant, is a species of elephant native to sub-Saharan Africa. It is one of three extant elephant species and, along with the African forest elephant, one of two extant species of African elephant. It is the largest living terrestrial animal, with fully grown bulls reaching an average shoulder height of 3.04–3.36 metres (10.0–11.0 ft) and a body mass of 5.2–6.9 tonnes (5.7–7.6 short tons); the largest recorded specimen had a shoulder height of 3.96 metres (13.0 ft) and an estimated body mass of 10.4 tonnes (11.5 short tons). The African bush elephant is characterised by its long prehensile trunk with two finger-like processes; a convex back; large ears which help reduce body heat; and sturdy tusks that are noticeably curved. The skin is grey with scanty hairs, and bending cracks which support thermoregulation by retaining water.

27-5-2019 SOMALISA CAMP, ZIMBABWE - SAVANNAH ELEPHANT (Loxodonta Africana)

The African bush elephant (Loxodonta africana), also known as the African savanna elephant, is a species of elephant native to sub-Saharan Africa. It is one of three extant elephant species and, along with the African forest elephant, one of two extant species of African elephant. It is the largest living terrestrial animal, with fully grown bulls reaching an average shoulder height of 3.04–3.36 metres (10–11 ft) and a body mass of 5.2–6.9 tonnes (11,000–15,000 lb); the largest recorded specimen had a shoulder height of 3.96 metres (13 ft) and an estimated body mass of 10.4 tonnes (23,000 lb). The African bush elephant is characterised by its long prehensile trunk with two finger-like processes; a convex back; large ears which help reduce body heat; and sturdy tusks that are noticeably curved. The skin is grey with scanty hairs, and bending cracks which support thermoregulation by retaining water.

The African bush elephant inhabits a variety of habitats such as forests, grasslands, woodlands, wetlands and agricultural land. It is a mixed herbivore feeding mostly on grasses, creepers, herbs, leaves, and bark. The average adult consumes about 150 kg (330 lb) of vegetation and 230 L (51 imp gal; 61 US gal) of water each day. A social animal, the African bush elephant often travels in herds composed of cows and their offspring. Adult bulls usually live alone or in small bachelor groups. During the mating season, males go through a process called musth, a period of high testosterone levels and heightened aggression. For females, the menstrual cycle lasts three to four months, and gestation around 22 months, the longest of any mammal.

Since 2021, the African bush elephant has been listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. It is threatened foremost by habitat destruction, and in parts of its range also by poaching for meat and ivory. Between 2003 and 2015, the illegal killing of 14,606 African bush elephants was reported by rangers across 29 range countries. Chad is a major transit country for smuggling of ivory in West Africa. This trend was curtailed by raising penalties for poaching and improving law enforcement. Poaching of the elephant has dated back to the 1970s and 80s, which were considered the largest killings in history. In human culture, elephants have been extensively featured in literature, folklore and media, and are most valued for their large tusks in many places.

The African bush elephant has grey skin with scanty hairs. Its large ears cover the whole shoulder, and can grow as large as 2 m × 1.5 m (6 ft 7 in × 4 ft 11 in). Its large ears help to reduce body heat; flapping them creates air currents and exposes large blood vessels on the inner sides to increase heat loss during hot weather. The African bush elephant's ears are pointed and triangular shaped. Its occipital plane slopes forward. Its back is shaped markedly concave. Its sturdy tusks are curved out and point forward. Its long trunk or proboscis ends with two finger-like tips.

The African bush elephant is the largest and heaviest living land animal. Under optimal conditions where individuals are capable of reaching full growth potential, fully grown mature males are about 3.20 m (10.5 ft) tall at the shoulder and weigh 6.0 t (6.6 short tons) on average (with 90% of fully grown males under optimal conditions being between 3.04–3.36 m (10.0–11.0 ft) and 5.2–6.9 t (5.7–7.6 short tons)

Mature fully grown females are smaller at about 2.60 m (8 ft 6 in) tall at the shoulder and 3.0 t (3.3 short tons) in weight on average under optimal growth conditions (with 90% of fully grown females ranging between 2.47–2.73 m (8 ft 1 in – 8 ft 11 in) and 2.6–3.5 t (2.9–3.9 short tons) in optimal conditions).[17][18][19][20] The maximum recorded shoulder height of an adult bull is 3.96 m (13.0 ft), with this individual having an estimated weight of 10.4 t (11.5 short tons). Another individual with a similar weight of more than 10 t (9.8 long tons; 11 short tons) was found in Kenya in 2025, making it one of the largest elephants ever recorded.

Elephants attain their maximum stature when they complete the fusion of long-bone epiphyses, occurring in males around the age of 40 and females around 25 years of age.

The African bush elephant occurs in sub-Saharan Africa which includes Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Zambia, Angola, Malawi, Mali, Rwanda, Mozambique and South Africa. It moves between a variety of habitats, including subtropical and temperate forests, dry and seasonally flooded grasslands, woodlands, wetlands, and agricultural land from sea level to mountain slopes. In Mali and Namibia, it also inhabits desert and semi-desert areas.

The African bush elephant is herbivorous. It is a mixed feeder, consuming both grasses, as well as woody vegetation (browse), with the proportions varying wildly depending on the habitat and time of year, ranging from almost exclusively grazing to near-total browsing. African bush elephants' consumption of woody plants, particularly their habit of uprooting trees, has the ability to alter the local environment, transforming woodlands into grasslands. African bush elephants also at times consume fruit and serve as seed dispersers. Adults can consume up to 150 kg (330 lb) of food per day. To supplement their diet with minerals, they congregate at mineral-rich water holes, termite mounds, and mineral licks. Salt licks visited by elephants in the Kalahari contain high concentrations of water-soluble sodium. Elephants drink 180–230 litres (50–60 US gal) of water daily, and seem to prefer sites where water and soil contain sodium. In Kruger National Park and on the shore of Lake Kariba, elephants were observed to ingest wood ash, which also contains sodium.

Populations of African bush elephants are increasing in some areas such as the Kruger National Park, where an annual growth of 4.2% was recorded between 2003 and 2015. There are estimated to be at least 17,000 elephants in the park's vicinity, as of 2015–the most of any area in South Africa. The increase in population occurred after the discontinuation of culling in the mid-1990s. This large elephant population is considered a problem to both the environment and its creatures. As such, with the use of natural processes, conservationists aim to control the ever-growing population. In other places in southern Africa, the elephant population continues to increase. Botswana in particular hosts more African bush elephants than any other country, at 130,000. In a 2019 study, populations were found to be steady, though the authors also noted an unusual increase in carcasses, possibly due to a new wave of poaching which was uncommon at the time.

The core of elephant society is the family unit, which mostly comprises several adult cows, their daughters, and their prepubertal sons. Iain Douglas-Hamilton, who observed African bush elephants for 4.5 years in Lake Manyara National Park, coined the term 'kinship group' for two or more family units that have close ties. The family unit is led by a matriarch who at times also leads the kinship group. Groups cooperate in locating food and water, in self-defense, and in caring for offspring (termed allomothering). Group size varies seasonally and between locations. In Tsavo East and Tsavo West National Parks, groups are bigger in the rainy season and areas with open vegetation. Aerial surveys in the late 1960s to early 1970s revealed an average group size of 6.3 individuals in Uganda's Rwenzori National Park and 28.8 individuals in Chambura Game Reserve. In both sites, elephants aggregated during the wet season, whereas groups were smaller in the dry season.

Young bulls gradually separate from the family unit when they are between 10 and 19 years old. They range alone for some time or form all-male groups. A 2020 study highlighted the importance of old bulls for the navigation and survival of herds and raised concerns over the removal of old bulls as "currently occur[ring] in both legal trophy hunting and illegal poaching".

The African bush elephant has curved skin with bending cracks, which support thermoregulation by retaining water. These bending cracks contribute to an evaporative cooling process which helps to maintain body temperature via homeothermy regardless of air temperature.

Africa bush elephants use their trunks for tactile communication. When greeting, a lower ranking individual will insert the tip of its trunk into its superior's mouth. Elephants will also stretch out their trunk toward an approaching individual they intend to greet. Mother elephants reassure their young with touches, embraces, and rubbings with the foot while slapping disciplines them. During courtship, a couple will caress and intertwine with their trunks while playing and fighting individuals wrestle with them.

Elephant vocals are variations of rumbles, trumpets, squeals, and screams. Rumbles are mainly produced for long-distance communication and cover a broad range of frequencies which are mostly below what a human can hear. Infrasonic rumbles can travel vast distances and are important for attracting mates and scaring off rivals.

Growls are audible rumbles and happen during greetings. When in pain or fear, an elephant makes an open-mouthed growl known as a bellow. A drawn-out growl is known as a moan. Growling can escalate into a roaring when the elephant is issuing a threat. Trumpeting is made by blowing through the trunk and signals excitement, distress, or aggression. Juvenile elephants squeal in distress while screaming is done by adults for intimidation.

27-5-2019 SOMALISA CAMP, ZIMBABWE - RED BILLED SPURFOWL (Pternistis adspersus)

The Red-billed Spurfowl (Pternistis adspersus) is a common Southern African ground bird, known for its red bill, red legs, and distinctive yellow eye-ring, found in dry savannas and bushlands, feeding on seeds, insects, and berries, and known for loud, harsh calls, often seen in groups, nesting in shallow scrapes, and breeding year-round after rain. 

Key Facts

Name: Also called Red-billed Francolin; scientific name Pternistis adspersus.

Appearance: Medium-sized, brown, barred underparts, bright red bill, red legs, and a prominent yellow eye-ring. Males are slightly larger.

Habitat: Dry savannas, grasslands, woodlands, and bushveld in Southern Africa (Angola, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe).

Diet: Primarily seeds, berries, and insects, often foraging on the ground by scratching.

Behavior: Ground-dwelling, often confiding, forms flocks (up to 20) outside breeding season, gives loud territorial calls.

Breeding: Nests in shallow ground scrapes, breeds year-round, often triggered by rain, lays 3-10 eggs.

Identification: The yellow eye-ring and red bill/legs distinguish it from other regional francolins. 

27-5-2019 SOMALISA CAMP, ZIMBABWE - RATTLING CISTICOLA (Cisticola chiniana)

The Rattling Cisticola (Cisticola chiniana) is a common, small, brownish African bird known for its loud, rattling song in savannas, feeding on insects and sometimes aloe nectar, nesting low in grass with a unique ball-shaped structure, and often living in monogamous pairs or cooperative groups that defend territories, making them key indicators of healthy open habitats. 

Appearance & Size

Look: Grey-brown upperparts, buffy browner head, rusty tail, buffy underparts.

Size: Small, about 15 cm (6 inches) long, weighing around 15-16g. 

Habitat & Diet

Habitat: Prefers open savannas, scrublands, and woodlands across Africa, from Ethiopia southwards.

Diet: Primarily insects (beetles, grasshoppers, ants), but also takes nectar from aloes. 

Behavior & Song

Vocalization: Famous for its distinctive, mechanical-sounding rattling trill, often preceded by "che" notes, used year-round.

Social: Usually seen in pairs or family groups; can be territorial.

Cooperative Breeding: Sometimes forms groups with unrelated males defending a territory together, a strategy for raising young. 

Nest & Breeding

Nest: Unique ball or oval shape with a side entrance, woven from grass and spiderwebs, often low in grass or shrubs.

Eggs: Lays 2-5 eggs, incubated by the female for about 2 weeks.

Chicks: Fledge in about 13-15 days. 

Conservation Status

IUCN Status: Least Concern, considered common and widespread in its range. 

27-5-2019 SOMALISA CAMP, ZIMBABWE - RUFOUS CROWNED ROLLER (Coracias naevius)

The rufous-crowned roller, also known as the purple roller, is a large bird from sub-Saharan Africa that hunts insects and small vertebrates from perches in dry woodlands and savannas. It is distinguished by its dull purple-cinnamon color, white eyebrow stripe, and chestnut wings. It is the largest roller species, weighs about 125 to 200 grams, and is of "Least Concern" conservation status. 

Key facts about the rufous-crowned roller

Appearance:

A bulky roller, 35 to 40 cm long, with a dull purple-cinnamon body.

Features a prominent white "eyebrow" (supercilium) and a dark eye-line.

Has chestnut-colored wings, and its underparts are pink with fine white streaks.

Habitat and behavior:

Prefers dry thornveld and open savannas.

Spends much of its time perched on top of trees or poles, scanning the ground for food.

Performs an acrobatic rolling flight display, exposing blue in its wings and tail.

Diet:

Primarily eats large insects such as locusts and grasshoppers.

Also consumes scorpions, beetles, ants, small lizards, snakes, and rodents.

27-5-2019 SOMALISA CAMP, ZIMBABWE - CHAPMAN'S ZEBRA (Equus quagga ssp. chapmani)

Chapman's zebra (Equus quagga chapmani), named after explorer James Chapman, is a subspecies of the plains zebra from southern Africa.

Chapman's zebra are native to savannas and similar habitats of north-east South Africa, north to Zimbabwe, west into Botswana, the Caprivi Strip in Namibia, and southern Angola. Like the other subspecies of plains zebra, it is a herbivore that exists largely on a diet of grasses, and undertakes a migration during the wet season to find fresh sources of food and to avoid lions, which are their primary predator. Chapman's zebras are distinguished from other subspecies by subtle variations in their stripes. When compared to other equids in the region Chapman's zebras are relatively abundant in number, however its population is now in decline largely because of human factors such as poaching and farming. Studies and breeding programs have been undertaken with the hope of arresting this decline, with a focus on ensuring zebras bred in captivity are equipped for life in the wild, and that non-domesticated populations are able to freely migrate. A problem faced by some of these programs is that captive Chapman's zebra populations experience higher incidence of diagnosed diseases than non-domesticated populations because they live longer, and so are less likely to die in the wild from predation or a lack of food or water.

Chapman's zebras are single-hoofed mammals that are a part of the odd-toed ungulate order. They differ from other zebras in that their stripes continue past their knees, and that they also have somewhat brown stripes in addition to the black and white stripes that are typically associated with zebras. The pastern is also not completely black on the lower half. Each zebra has its own unique stripe pattern that also includes shadow stripes. When foals are born, they have brown stripes, and in some cases, adults do not develop the black colouration on their hides and keep their brown stripes.

In the wild Chapman's zebra live on average to 25 years of age, however that can live to be up to 38 years of age in captivity. Males usually weigh 270–360 kg (600–800 lb) and stand at 120–130 cm (48–52 in) tall. Females weigh about 230–320 kg (500–700 lb) and stand as tall as the males. Foals weigh 25-50 kg (55-88 lb) at birth. Adult zebras can run at up to 56 kilometres per hour (35 miles per hour) and have strong eyesight and hearing which are essential evolutionary defence mechanisms.

Chapman's zebras have been observed to spend a large portion of their day feeding (approximately 50%), and primarily consume low-quality grasses found in savannas, grasslands, and shrublands, however they occasionally eat wild berries and other plants in order to increase protein intake. While they show a preference for short grasses, unlike some other grazing animals they also eat long grasses and so play an important role by consuming the upper portion of long grass that has grown in the wet season to then allow for other animals to feed. Young foals are reliant on their mothers for sustenance for approximately the first 12 months of their lives as their teeth are unable to properly breakdown the tough grasses that the adults eat until the enamel has sufficiently worn away.

During the dry season Chapman's zebras tend not to stray too far from a water source as they frequently have to drink. During the wet season however, the zebras will join together in large herds consisting of many harems and migrate in order to find abundant food sources to feed on after the relatively sparse dry season They also try to avoid other animal migrations so as to lower competition for food. As they only require lower-quality foraging, Chapman's zebras prefer to migrate to areas with a greater density of food, and will prioritise quantity ahead of quality. By optimising foraging density and avoiding other foraging species, Chapman's zebras are able to sustain large populations which rapidly deplete foraging areas forcing them to continue migrating. In addition, Chapman's zebras also exhibit a cyclical daily movement whereby they prefer grasslands during the day and woodlands during the night so as to avoid lions, which are their main predator.. They frequently move around and actively avoid areas where they recently observed lion activity.

Chapman's zebras are highly sociable animals that live in herds of up to tens of thousands of individuals. The larger herd is composed of harems with permanent members; consisting of one herd stallion, one to six females, and their offspring. They rarely exhibit aggressive behaviour towards each other or other species. Males without a harem have also been observed to form long term cliques of their own with other bachelor males which has been shown to improve their social skills. Stallion-stallion groups are uncommon, and in the cases where they do form they are short-lasting. The females stay in the same harems all of their lives.

Chapman's zebras spend time resting during the day and are more active at dusk. This is most likely a defensive behavioural trait as predators are more prevalent at this time of day, and so it is beneficial for members of the herd to be more vigilant at these times. On occasion a small group will rush at a potential predator in an attempt to deter it from attacking, however in general Chapman's zebras prefer to avoid any such conflicts.

Within their harems there has been observed hierarchical social structures which dictate things such as the movements of the group, through to how they care for their offspring. High-ranking mares in particular exert pressure on the group in order to promote the survival of their own foals. When foraging, Chapman's zebras rely on the dominant member of the harem to lead them to water and food sources. The success of high-ranking harem members at leading the group to food and water determines whether they maintain leadership into the future, and shows how the zebras value stability in their respective groups. Leadership roles can change over time however. Older mares often have a higher social rank than younger harem members. Lactating females are also able to initiate movement within a harem which in turn can sometimes influence the movements of the whole herd. When a pregnant mare gives birth her foal assumes the same social status within the harem as her.

From a young age foals are able to recognise the scent and sound of their mother and form bonds together that last into adulthood. This ability to recognise other zebras does not diminish into adulthood where they are able to differentiate amongst other group members. This is essential for creating stability within groups, which lowers inter-group competition for resources and thus improves survival. In captivity has been shown that Chapman's zebras form unique relationships with different keepers and that they alter their behaviour depending on which keeper is interacting with them.

Males will typically fight one another in front of a group of females before they mate with them, with the highest-ranking mare in the harem the first to mate. The gestation period for Chapman's zebras is around 12 months, after which time the female will give birth to a single foal. The foal is soon able to walk with the rest of the group. This is essential for its survival, as it ensures that the mother does not have to leave it behind for the good of the other members of the harem. Each subsequent pregnancy follows a shorter period between births than the one before it as the mare become more adept at raising her foals. Male zebras that are members of the harem but not the father of the foal have been reported to practise infanticide. This has been observed in particular in captivity where zebras from different social groups are kept in close proximity. It is also possible for Chapman's zebras to be bred via an equine surrogate, as was first done in 1984.

5-7-2019 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - MOORISH GECKO (Tarentola mauritanica)

Tarentola mauritanica, known as the common wall gecko, is a species of gecko (Gekkota) native to the western Mediterranean area of North Africa and Europe. It has been introduced to Madeira and Balearic Islands, and the Americas (in Montevideo, Buenos Aires and California). A nocturnal animal with a predominantly insectivorous diet, it is commonly observed on walls in urban environments in warm coastal areas; it can be found further inland, especially in Spain where it has a tradition of cohabitation with humans as an insect hunter. 

A robust species, up to 15 centimetres (5.9 in) long, its tubercules are enlarged and give the species a spiny armoured appearance.

The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758. It is also known as moorish gecko, crocodile gecko, European common gecko, and, regionally, as osga (in Portuguese), salamanquesa (in Spanish) and dragó (in Catalan).