14-3-2026 KOTU CREEK, THE GAMBIA - BLACK HERON (Egretta ardesiaca)

The black heron (Egretta ardesiaca), also known as the black egret, is an African heron. It uses its wings to form a canopy when fishing.

The black heron is a medium-sized bird, with a typical height range of 42.5 to 66 cm (16.7 to 26.0 in). Their weight can range from 0.27 to 0.39 kg (0.60 to 0.86 lb). They are known for their black plumage, black bill, and yellow feet. In breeding plumage it grows long plumes on the crown and nape.

The black heron occurs patchily through Sub-Saharan Africa, from Senegal and Sudan to South Africa, but is found mainly on the eastern half of the continent and in Madagascar. It has also been observed in Greece and Italy and Seapoint in Dublin, Ireland by LoLo Tully.

 It prefers shallow open waters, such as the edges of freshwater lakes and ponds. It may also be found in marshes, river edges, rice fields, and seasonally flooded grasslands. In coastal areas, it may be found feeding along tidal rivers and creeks, in alkaline lakes, and tidal flats.

The black heron uses a hunting method called canopy feeding — it uses its wings like an umbrella, creating shade that attracts fish. This technique was documented on episode 5 of the BBC's The Life of Birds, and in the "Nighttime Daytime" sketch from BBC's Walk on the Wild Side. Some have been observed feeding solitarily, while others feed in groups of up to 50 individuals, 200 being the highest number reported. The black heron feeds by day but especially prefers the time around sunset. It roosts communally at night, and coastal flocks roost at high tide. The primary food of the black heron is small fish, but it will also eat aquatic insects, crustaceans and amphibians.

26-3-2026 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - HOUSE SPARROW (MALE) (Passer domesticus)

The house sparrow (Passer domesticus) is a member of the sparrow family Passeridae. This small bird typically measures around 16 cm (6.3 in) in length and weighs between 24–39.5 g (0.85–1.39 oz). The species exhibits sexual dimorphism, with females and young birds displaying pale brown and grey plumage, while males are characterized by more vibrant black, white, and brown markings.

Males can be identified by their bright black, white, and brown markings, with a distinctive black bib, white cheeks, and a grey crown. Females lack the striking head patterns of males and are predominantly buffish with softer coloration. Juveniles resemble adult females but are generally paler with less defined markings.

The house sparrow is highly adaptable and can thrive in both urban and rural environments. It is commonly found in close association with human habitation and avoids dense forests, grasslands, polar regions, and deserts far from human development.

30-3-2026 GANDIA GRAU, VALENCIA - GREY HERON (Ardea cinerea)

Large wader (approx 102 cm or 3.5 ft) with an also large wingspan (approx 175 cm or 5.5 ft). Stylized silhouette and long neck. Greyish plumage in general. White head in adults with black forelock and long, black feathers like a plume. Light neck with dark lines. Ashen back and dark spot on the shoulders. Lighter belly. Long, sharp, yellow bill. Yellow legs. Silhouette in flight with neck folded in the shape of an "s" and stretched legs.

Its habitats are principally Wetlands, River and Riverside

It lives in all types of wetlands with salty or fresh water in winter. In the breeding season it needs wetlands with nearby tree vegetation. Also in Reservoirs, lagoons, ditches and irrigation ponds, stream banks, coast line.

This pecies is present in the province all year round, both as a wintering one and in the breeding period. There are also specimens in migratory passage. Gregarious during the reproductive season and lonelier during the rest of the year. Nest in trees or groves of riparian vegetation. One laying of 2 to 5 eggs. The Grey Heron feeds on fish, micromammals, small reptiles, including snakes, amphibians and insects. It shows a very calm behaviour when foraging. This bird explores the water while being very still, waiting for a prey to appear. Once sighted, it shoots the bill as if it were a harpoon.

30-3-2026 GANDIA GRAU, VALENCIA - EURASIAN GREAT CORMORANT (Phalacrocorax carbo)

The great cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo), a robust seabird, is cloaked in predominantly black plumage. It is a member of the cormorant family, with a widespread distribution. The species exhibits considerable size variation across its range, with males generally larger than females. Notable features include a longish tail and a distinctive yellow throat-patch. During the breeding season, adults boast white patches on their thighs and throat.

To identify the great cormorant, look for its large size, heavy build, and thick bill. It lacks a crest and its plumage does not have a green tinge, distinguishing it from the common shag. In North America, it is bulkier than the double-crested cormorant and has less yellow on the throat and bill. The white thigh patches are a key identifier.

30-3-2026 GANDIA GRAU, VALENCIA - LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL (Larus fuscus)

The lesser black-backed gull (Larus fuscus) is a large gull that breeds on the Atlantic and Arctic coasts of Europe. It is migratory, wintering from the British Isles south to West Africa. However, it has increased dramatically in North America, especially along the east coast. Formerly just a winter visitor to North America, it now occurs in large numbers some winters and birds are recorded year-round. However, there is serious concern about decline in many parts of its range. The species is on the UK Amber List[3] because the UK is home to 40 per cent of the European population and more than half of these are found at fewer than ten breeding sites.

The lesser black-backed gull was one of the many species originally described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae, and it still bears its original name Larus fuscus. The scientific name is from Latin. Larus appears to have referred to a gull or other large seabird, and fuscus meant black or brown.

14-3-2026 BANJUL, THE GAMBIA - REED (LONG TAILED) CORMORANT (Microcarbo africanus)

The reed cormorant (Microcarbo africanus), also known as the long-tailed cormorant, is a bird in the cormorant family Phalacrocoracidae. It breeds in much of Africa south of the Sahara, and Madagascar. It is resident but undertakes some seasonal movements.

This is a small cormorant, 50–55 cm (20–22 in) in overall length with a wingspan of 80–90 cm (31–35 in).[7] It is mainly black, glossed green, in the breeding season. The wing coverts are silvery. It has a longish tail, a short head crest and a red or yellow face patch. The bill is yellow.

The sexes are similar, but non-breeding adults and juveniles are browner, with a white belly. Some southern races retain the crest all year round.

This is a common and widespread species, and is not considered to be threatened. It breeds on freshwater wetlands or quiet coasts.

14-3-2026 CAPE POINT BANJUL, THE GAMBIA - GREY HERON (Ardea cinerea)

The Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) is a statuesque wading bird belonging to the family Ardeidae. It is a familiar sight in both rural and urban settings, often seen standing stoically along the water's edge. An adult Grey Heron is a large bird, reaching up to 100 cm in height, with a wingspan between 155 to 195 cm. It weighs between 1 to 2 kg. The plumage is predominantly ashy-grey above, with a greyish-white underbelly and some black on the flanks. A striking feature is the white head and neck adorned with a broad black stripe that extends from the eye to the black crest. The beak is pinkish-yellow, long, and sharply pointed, while the legs are a brown hue.

When identifying the Grey Heron, look for the white head with the black supercilium and crest, the long grey neck, and the ashy-grey wings and back. The underparts are lighter, and the legs are long and brown. Juveniles can be distinguished by their duller grey neck and smaller crest. The beak is a useful indicator of age, being brighter in breeding adults.

14-3-2026 CAPE POINT BANJUL, THE GAMBIA - BLACK HERON (Egretta ardesiaca)

The black heron (Egretta ardesiaca), also known as the black egret, is an African heron. It uses its wings to form a canopy when fishing.

The black heron is a medium-sized bird, with a typical height range of 42.5 to 66 cm (16.7 to 26.0 in). Their weight can range from 0.27 to 0.39 kg (0.60 to 0.86 lb). They are known for their black plumage, black bill, and yellow feet. In breeding plumage it grows long plumes on the crown and nape.

The black heron occurs patchily through Sub-Saharan Africa, from Senegal and Sudan to South Africa, but is found mainly on the eastern half of the continent and in Madagascar. It has also been observed in Greece and Italy and Seapoint in Dublin, Ireland by LoLo Tully.

14-3-2026 CAPE POINT BANJUL, THE GAMBIA - GREAT WHITE EGRET (Ardea alba ssp. alba)

The great egret (Ardea alba), also known as the common egret, large egret, great white egret, or great white heron, is a large, widely distributed egret. The four subspecies are found in Asia, Africa, the Americas, and southern Europe. Recently, it has also been spreading to more northern areas of Europe. Distributed across most of the tropical and warmer temperate regions of the world, it builds tree nests in colonies close to water.

The great egret is generally a very successful species with a large and expanding range, occurring worldwide in temperate and tropical habitats. It is ubiquitous across the Sun Belt of the United States and in the Neotropics.

In the Nordic countries, it was historically a rare visitor. The first breeding was observed in Sweden in 2012 and in Denmark in 2014. In 2018, a pair of great egrets nested in Finland for the first time, raising four young in a grey heron colony in Porvoo.

14-3-2026 CAPE POINT BANJUL, THE GAMBIA - WESTERN REEF HERON (Egretta gularis)

The western reef heron (Egretta gularis), also called the western reef egret, is a medium-sized heron found in southern Europe, Africa and parts of Asia. It has a mainly coastal distribution and occurs in several plumage forms: a slaty-grey plumage which can only be confused with the rather uncommon dark morph of the little egret (Egretta garzetta); a white form which can look very similar to the little egret, although the reef heron's bill tends to be paler and larger; and a black form with a white throat, E. g. gularis, found in West Africa.

There are also differences in size, structure and foraging behaviour. There have been suggestions that the species hybridizes with the little egret, and based on this, some authors treat schistacea and gularis as subspecies of Egretta garzetta. Works that consider the western reef heron as a valid species include the nominate gularis and schistacea as subspecies.

14-3-2026 BANJUL, THE GAMBIA - AFRICAN PIED KINGFISHER (Ceryle rudis ssp rudis),

The pied kingfisher (Ceryle rudis) is a species of water kingfisher widely distributed across Africa and Asia. Originally described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758, it has five recognised subspecies, and is the only member of the genus Ceryle. Its black and white plumage and crest, as well as its habit of hovering over clear lakes and rivers before diving for fish, make it distinctive. Males have a double band across the breast, while females have a single broken breast band. They are usually found in pairs or small family groups. When perched, they often bob their head and flick up their tail.

 This is a medium-sized kingfisher, about 25 cm (9.8 in) long with a white with a black mask, a white supercilium and black breast bands. The crest is neat and the upperparts are barred in black. Several subspecies are recognized within the broad distribution. The nominate race is found in sub-Saharan Africa, extending into West Asia. The subspecies syriacus is a larger northern bird similar to the nominate subspecies (following Bergmann's rule). Subspecies leucomelanura is found from Afghanistan east into India, Thailand and Southeast Asia. The subspecies travancoreensis of the Western Ghats is darker with the white reduced. The subspecies C. r. insignis is found in Hainan and southeastern China and has a much larger bill. Males have a narrow second breast-band while females have a single broken breast band.

14-3-2026 CAPE POINT BANJUL, THE GAMBIA - REED (LONG TAILED) CORMORANT (Microcarbo africanus)

The reed cormorant (Microcarbo africanus), also known as the long-tailed cormorant, is a bird in the cormorant family Phalacrocoracidae. It breeds in much of Africa south of the Sahara, and Madagascar. It is resident but undertakes some seasonal movements.

This is a small cormorant, 50–55 cm (20–22 in) in overall length with a wingspan of 80–90 cm (31–35 in).[7] It is mainly black, glossed green, in the breeding season. The wing coverts are silvery. It has a longish tail, a short head crest and a red or yellow face patch. The bill is yellow.

The sexes are similar, but non-breeding adults and juveniles are browner, with a white belly. Some southern races retain the crest all year round.

This is a common and widespread species, and is not considered to be threatened. It breeds on freshwater wetlands or quiet coasts.

The reed cormorant can dive to considerable depths, but usually feeds in shallow water. It frequently brings prey to the surface. It takes a wide variety of fish. It prefers small slow-moving fish, and those with long and tapering shapes, such as mormyrids, catfishes, and cichlids. It will less frequently eat soles (which can be important in its diet locally), frogs, aquatic invertebrates, and small birds.

Two to four eggs are laid in a nest in a tree or on the ground, normally hidden from view by long grass.

14-3-2026 CAPE POINT BANJUL, THE GAMBIA - MOURNING COLLARED DOVE (Streptopelia decipiens)

The mourning collared dove or African mourning dove (Streptopelia decipiens) is a dove which is a widespread resident breeding bird in Africa south of the Sahara. Despite its name, it is not closely related to the North American mourning dove (Zenaida macroura). This species is common or abundant near water. They often mingle peacefully with other doves.

The Mourning Collared Dove is a medium sized, stocky pigeon, up to 32 cm in length. It is often black with pale brown wings, which are broad and pointed. The head is grey and the underside is pink, giving a pale grey shading on the belly. There is a black hind neck patch edged with white. The legs and a patch of bare skin around the eye are red.

When flying, it shows dark colored flight feathers and extensive white in the tail, the latter being a distinction from the similar but larger red-eyed dove.

Sexes are similar, but immatures are duller than adults, and have scalloping on the body feathers.

The mourning collared dove's flight is quick, with the regular beats and an occasional sharp flick of the wings which are characteristic of pigeons in general.

Mourning collared doves eat grass seeds, grains and other vegetation. They are quite terrestrial, and usually forage on the ground. Unlike several other species in this genus, they are quite gregarious and often feed in groups.

The call from the Mourning Collared Dove is a deep, nasally call note that sounds along the lines of kuk-koooo-kuk. This call pattern is flat and considered a hoot.

These birds typically mate monogamously and the timing in which they mate depends on location. For example, breeding occurs from December to June in Sudan, but September through October in Chad, and in other places breeding occurs each month. After breeding, they tend to build a stick nest in low tree branch or bush, preferably closer to the ground, often a mangrove. A clutch is the term for the two white eggs that are laid. The eggs need to be incubated for fifteen days, which is done by both male and female.

14-3-2026 BANJUL DOCKS, THE GAMBIA - HOODED VULTURE (Necrosyrtes monachus)

The hooded vulture (Necrosyrtes monachus) is an Old World vulture in the order Accipitriformes, which also includes eagles, kites, buzzards and hawks. It is the only member of the genus Necrosyrtes, which is sister to the larger Gyps genus, both of which are a part of the Aegypiinae subfamily of Old World vultures. It is native to sub-Saharan Africa, where it has a widespread distribution with populations in southern, East and West Africa. It is a scruffy-looking, small vulture with dark brown plumage, a long thin bill, bare crown, face and fore-neck, and a downy nape and hind-neck. Its face is usually a light red colour. It typically scavenges on carcasses of wildlife and domestic animals. Although it remains a common species with a stable population in the lower region of Casamance, some areas of The Gambia, and Guinea-Bissau, other regions such as Dakar, Senegal, show more than 85% losses in population over the last 50 years. Threats include poisoning, hunting, loss of habitat and collisions with electricity infrastructure, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as "critically endangered" in their latest assessment (2022). The highest current regional density of hooded vultures is in the western region of The Gambia.

22-2-2026 MADIKWE GAME RESERVE, S AFRICA - SOUTHERN PALE CHANTING GOSHAWK (Melierax canorus ssp. canorus)

The pale chanting goshawk (Melierax canorus) is a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. This hawk breeds in southern Africa and is a resident species of dry, open semi-desert with 75 cm or less annual rainfall. It is commonly seen perched on roadside telephone poles.

This species is approximately 55 cm in length with a wingspan of 110 cm. The adult has grey upperparts with a white rump. The central tail feathers are black tipped with white and the outer tail feathers are barred grey and white. The head and upper breast are pale grey while the rest of the underparts are finely barred in dark grey and white. The eyes are dark brown in the adult and pale yellow in the immature. The bill is red at the base and dark grey at the tip. The cere, facial skin and long legs are also red. In flight, the adult has black primary flight feathers, very pale grey (white from a distance) secondaries, and grey forewings. Immatures have brown upperparts, with a white rump and black bars on the tail. From below, the flight feathers and tail are white with black barring, the throat is dark-streaked white, and the rest of the underparts are rufous. It is larger and paler than the barred-rumped dark chanting goshawk, Melierax metabates.

22-2-2026 MADIKWE GAME RESERVE, SOUTH AFRICA - PIONEER WHITE BUTTERFLY (belenois aurota)

Belenois aurota, the pioneer or pioneer white or caper white, is a small to medium-sized butterfly of the family Pieridae—that is, the yellows and whites—which is found in South Asia and Africa. In Africa, it is also known as the brown-veined white, and is well known during summer and autumn when large numbers migrate north-east over the interior.

The species lives in Sri Lanka, the Himalayas from Kashmir to Sikkim at elevations below 6,000 feet (1,800 m), and through the plains to southern India. In the Nilgiris observed up to 8,000 feet (2,400 m) (George Hampson). To the west it spreads through Persia and Arabia to East Africa. The species occurs over the greater part of Sub-Saharan Africa.

Food plants of the larvae include Capparis zeylanica. In Africa, the host plants are almost exclusively from the family Capparaceae and in particular the genera Boscia, Maerua and Capparis. Eggs are laid in batches of 20 or so, while the newly hatched larvae are gregarious.

22-2-2026 MADIKWE GAME RESERVE, SOUTH AFRICA - SOUTHERN PIED BABBLER (Turdoides bicolor)

The southern pied babbler (Turdoides bicolor) is a species of bird in the family Leiothrichidae, found in dry savannah of Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.

The southern pied babbler is a medium-sized 75 to 95 grams (2.6 to 3.4 oz) cooperatively breeding passerine bird. Groups range in size from 2-16 adults, but pairs are rare. The species is sexually monomorphic, with males and females indistinguishable from physical characteristics. Each group comprises a dominant breeding pair that monopolise access to breeding opportunities. Recent genetic research has confirmed that these dominant pairs are responsible for more than 95% of young hatched. Occasional mixed parentage has been observed, but is predictable in most cases: subordinates primarily gain parentage when a new (unrelated) immigrant disperses into the group, or a new group is founded. All group members cooperate to help raise the young hatched from a single clutch. Clutch size varies between two and five, with a modal clutch size of three.

22-2-2026 RHULANI LODGE, SOUTH AFRICA - LAUGHING DOVE (Spilopelia senegalensis)

The laughing dove (Spilopelia senegalensis) is a small pigeon that is a resident breeder in Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, and Western Australia where it has established itself in the wild after being released from Perth Zoo in 1898. This small long-tailed dove is found in dry scrub and semi-desert habitats where pairs can often be seen feeding on the ground. It is closely related to the spotted dove (Spilopelia chinensis) which is distinguished by a white and black chequered necklace. Other names include laughing turtle dove, palm dove and Senegal dove while in Asia the name little brown dove is often used.

It is a common and widespread species in scrub, dry farmland, and in areas of human habitation, often becoming very tame. Its range includes much of Sub-Saharan Africa, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India. It is also found in Cyprus, Greece, Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, the UAE, and Turkey (these populations may be derived from human introductions). They are mostly sedentary but some populations may make movements. Birds ringed in Gujarat have been recovered 200 km north in Pakistan and exhausted birds have been recorded landing on ships in the Arabian Sea. The species (thought to belong to the nominate population) was introduced to Perth in 1889 and has become established around Western Australia. Birds that land on ships may be introduced to new regions.

22-2-2026 MADIKWE GAME RESERVE, SOUTH AFRICA - BLUE WILDEBEEST (Connochaetes taurinus ssp. taurinus)

The blue wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus), also called the common wildebeest, white-bearded gnu or brindled gnu, is a large antelope and one of the two species of wildebeest. It is placed in the genus Connochaetes and family Bovidae, and has a close taxonomic relationship with the black wildebeest. The blue wildebeest is known to have five subspecies. This broad-shouldered antelope has a muscular, front-heavy appearance, with a distinctive, robust muzzle. Young blue wildebeest are born tawny brown, and begin to take on their adult coloration at the age of 2 months. The adults' hues range from a deep slate or bluish-gray to light gray or even grayish-brown. Both sexes possess a pair of large curved horns. 

The blue wildebeest is an herbivore, feeding primarily on short grasses. It forms herds which move about in loose aggregations, the animals being fast runners and extremely wary. The mating season begins at the end of the rainy season and a single calf is usually born after a gestational period of about 8.5 months. The calf remains with its mother for 8 months, after which it joins a juvenile herd. Blue wildebeest are found in short-grass plains bordering bush-covered acacia savannas in southern and eastern Africa, thriving in areas that are neither too wet nor too arid. Three African populations of blue wildebeest take part in a long-distance migration, timed to coincide with the annual pattern of rainfall and grass growth on the short-grass plains where they can find the nutrient-rich forage necessary for lactation and calf growth.

22-2-2026 MADIKWE GAME RESERVE, SOUTH AFRICA - SOUTHERN WHITE RHINOCEROS (Ceratotherium simum simum)

Southern white rhinos are the most abundant of the five rhino species, listed as "Near Threatened" rather than extinct, with around 18,000 living in protected, primarily South African, savannah habitats. They are massive, social grazers weighing up to 5,000 lbs, easily identified by their wide, square mouths used for eating grass. 

Key Southern White Rhino Facts:

Appearance: Despite their name, they are grey in color, not white. The name comes from a misinterpretation of the Afrikaans word wyd (wide), referring to their broad, square upper lip, which is perfectly adapted for grazing.

 Size & Speed: These are the largest of all rhino species. Males can weigh up to 5,000–6,000 lbs (2.3–2.7 tonnes) and reach 12–13 ft in length. Despite their bulk, they can run at speeds of up to to 30 to 35 mph.

Habitat & Range: They live in the grasslands and savannahs of Southern Africa, particularly in South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe.

Behavior: They are the most social of all rhino species, with females often seen in groups with their calves. They are notoriously fond of wallowing in mud to protect their skin from insects and the sun.

Horns: They have two horns made of keratin (the same substance as human hair and fingernails), with the front horn being longer. They use these for defense and for guiding their young.

Diet: They are grazers, which means they feed exclusively on grass, unlike black rhinos, which are browsers that eat shrubs and trees.

Threats & Conservation: While they have made a significant comeback from the brink of extinction in the early 20th century, they are still threatened by poaching for their horns.

Predators: Adult white rhinos have no natural predators, though calves can be targeted by lions, hyenas, and crocodiles.

22-2-2026 MADIKWE GAME RESERVE, SOUTH AFRICA - SOUTHERN WARTHOG (Phacochoerus africanus ssp. sundevallii)

 The common warthog (Phacochoerus africanus) is a wild member of the pig family (Suidae) found in grassland, savanna, and woodland in sub-Saharan Africa. In the past, it was commonly treated as a subspecies of P. aethiopicus, but today that scientific name is restricted to the desert warthog of northern Kenya, Somalia, and eastern Ethiopia.

Common warthogs are not territorial, but instead occupy a home range. Common warthogs live in groups called sounders. Females live in sounders with their young and with other females. Females tend to stay in their natal groups, while males leave, but stay within the home range. Subadult males associate in bachelor groups, but males live alone when they become adults. Adult males only join sounders with estrous females. Warthogs have two facial glands: the tusk gland and the sebaceous gland. Common warthogs of both sexes begin to mark around six to seven months old. Males tend to mark more than females. They mark sleeping and feeding areas and waterholes. Common warthogs use tusk marking for courtship, for antagonistic behaviors, and to establish status.

22-2-2026 RHULANI LODGE, SOUTH AFRICA - BROWN SPOTTED LOCUST (Cyrtacanthacris tatarica)

The brown-spotted locust (Cyrtacanthacris tatarica) is a medium-sized, primarily solitary grasshopper found in Africa and Asia. It is known for its brown-spotted wings and body, which provide excellent camouflage in dry grasslands,, savanna, and cultivated areas. This species is generally not considered a severe pest. 

Key Facts About the Brown-Spotted Locust (Cyrtacanthacris tatarica):

Appearance & Camouflage: They are medium-sized grasshoppers that blend in perfectly with dry foliage, soil, and bark, with mottled brown, white, or olive-green coloration. 

Habitat: Common in African and Indomalayan grasslands, savannas, and cultivated or agricultural fields. 

Behavior: They are typically solitary creatures but can, when food is abundant or conditions are favorable, form small, loose, transient groups, though they rarely form the massive, destructive swarms of other locust species. 

2-2-2026 RHULANI LODGE, SOUTH AFRICA - TREE LOCUST (Anacridium moestum)

Anacridium moestum, the camouflaged tree locust, is a species of grasshopper belonging to the family Acrididae, that is native to Africa south of the equator. It is similar in appearance to the Southern African desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria flaviventris. It is likewise brownish, large and slender, but mostly arboreal in its habits.

Anacridium moestum can reach a length of 50–90 millimetres (2.0–3.5 in). These large and slender locusts show a mottled reddish brown or grey body, with a finely speckled green tegmina. Hind wings are pale blue with a black band near the base. Hind tibiae are purplish. Nymphs (hoppers) are yellowish green. The eyes and face are vertically striped.

This species is native and widespread in southern and south tropical Africa. These grasshoppers live on trees or shrubs in grassland with acacias.

Anacridium moestum feeds on Acacia, Zizyphus, Capparis aphelia, and gum trees. These tree locusts may damage crops and fruit trees, but only occasionally swarm.

22-2-2026 RHULANI LODGE, SOUTH AFRICA - CAPE WILD DOG (Lycaon pictus ssp. pictus)

The Cape wild dog occurs foremost in Southern and East Africa. It is rare in North Africa and mostly absent in West Africa, with the only potentially viable population occurring in Senegal's Niokolo-Koba National Park. It is occasionally sighted in other parts of Senegal, Guinea and Mali. Its distribution is patchy in East Africa. It inhabits mostly savannas and arid zones, generally avoiding forested areas. This preference is likely linked to its hunting habits, which require open areas that do not obstruct vision or impede pursuit. It travels through scrubland, woodland and montane areas in pursuit of prey. 

A forest-dwelling population has been identified in the Harenna Forest, a wet montane forest up to an elevation of 2,400 m (7,900 ft) in the Bale Mountains of Ethiopia. At least one record exists of a pack being sighted on the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro.[26] In Zimbabwe, it has been recorded at the elevation of 1,800 m (5,900 ft).[9] In Ethiopia, several packs were sighted at elevations of 1,900 to 2,800 m (6,200 to 9,200 ft), and a dead individual was found in June 1995 at 4,050 m (13,290 ft) on the Sanetti Plateau. A stable population comprising more than 370 individuals is present in Kruger National Park.

22-2-2026 MADIKWE GAME RESERVE, SOUTH AFRICA - BURCHELL'S ZEBRA (Equus quagga ssp. burchellii)BURCHELL'S ZEBRA (Equus quagga ssp. burchellii)

Burchell's zebra (Equus quagga burchellii) is a southern subspecies of the plains zebra. It is named after the British explorer and naturalist William John Burchell. Common names include bontequagga, Damaraland zebra, and Zululand zebra (Gray, 1824). Burchell's zebra is the only subspecies of zebra which may be legally farmed for human consumption.

Like most plains zebras, females and males are about the same size, standing 1.1 to 1.4 metres (3 ft 7 in to 4 ft 7 in) at the shoulder. They weigh between 230 and 320 kilograms (500 and 700 lb). Year-round reproduction observed in this subspecies in Etosha National Park, Namibia, concludes synchronization of a time budget between males and females, possibly explaining the lack of sexual dimorphism.

Burchell's zebras are described as being striped on the head, the neck, and the flanks, and sparsely down the upper segments of the limbs then fading to white. One or two shadow stripes rest between the bold, broad stripes on the haunch. This main distinguishing characteristic sets the Burchell's zebra apart from the other subspecies. Gray (1824) observed a distinct dorsal line, the tail only bristly at the end, and the body distinctly white. The dorsal line is narrow and becomes gradually broader toward the rear, distinctly margined with white on each side.

A pair of Grant’s zebra at Lake Nakuru National Park, Kenya. Notice there are no shadow stripes, and the stripes extend all the way to the hooves.

Burchell's zebra drinking at a waterhole at Etosha National Park

Like most plains zebras, Burchell's live in small family groups. These can be either harem or bachelor groups, with harem groups consisting of one stallion and one to six mares and their most recent foals, and bachelor groups containing two to eight unattached stallions. The males in bachelor herds are often the younger or older stallions of the population, as they are most likely not experienced enough or strong enough to defend breeding rights to a group of females from challengers. These small groups often congregate in larger herds around water and food sources, but still maintain their identity as family units while in the population gatherings.

Formerly, the Burchell's zebra range was centred north of the Vaal/Orange river system, extending northwest via southern Botswana to Etosha and the Kaokoveld, and southeast to Eswatini and KwaZulu-Natal. Now extirpated in the middle portion, it survives at the northwestern and southeastern ends of the distribution.

Burchell's zebra migrates the longest distance of any terrestrial animal in Africa, making a round trip of 500 kilometres (300 mi). They migrate from the Chobe River in Namibia to Nxai Pan National Park in Botswana. Their migration follows a straight north–south route almost entirely within the Kavango–Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA).

From 2001 until 2016, the Kissama Foundation reintroduced wildlife in the Quiçama National Park of Angola. The project was dubbed Operation Noah's Ark. Amongst animals such as blue wildebeest, waterbuck, Cape giraffe, bush elephants, gemsbok, eland, nyala and ostrich were also Burchell's zebras.

From 2017 until 2019, Wildlife Vets Namibia exported wildlife to the Democratic Republic of the Congo's capital city Kinshasa to introduce animals into the Parc de la Vallée de la Nsele. Wildlife Vets Namibia in partnership with Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature also established a Burchell's zebra population on Île de Mateba, which is originally a rainforest island. Both introductions in west Angola and west DRC are controversial since the park service bodies from both countries did not opt to obtain the native Grant's zebra from for example countries such as Zambia, Tanzania or Kenya.