Fauna of South Africa
Encyclopedia
The fauna of South Africa is astonishingly varied, but largely typical of the ecosystems of Africa
.
. In the extreme northwest of the country is true desert
, which is the southernmost end of the Namib desert
, a desert that is at least 55 million years old, making it the oldest desert in the world. This arid corner intergrades into the extensive semi-arid Karoo
found across much of South Africa, covering the Northern Cape
and into parts of the Western Cape
, Eastern Cape
and the Free State
. This biome used to be extensive grassland
in the past, but has become dominated by small shrubs and succulents due to centuries of overgrazing
. To the north and east of these biome
s is the Kalahari, which is mainly semi-arid woodland, dominated by thorn trees of the genus Acacia
. The north-east and eastern parts of South Africa (Mpumalanga
, Limpopo
and Kwa-Zulu Natal)is covered with savanna
and open woodlands known as bushveld. This area supports the widest variety of wildlife in the country. The most prevalent biome in South Africa is grassland, particularly on the Highveld
, where the plant cover is dominated by different grasses and low shrubs. In this biome trees are rare and occur only along watercourses where fires are uncommon. Towards the southern coast, the vegetation is again dominated by shrubs in ecological communities known as Thicket
and noorsveld, where succulent species such as Euphorbia, Aloe
, and Portulacaria afra
are common, as well as Cape Honeysuckle Tecoma capensis
and Cape Leadwort Plumbago auriculata
. To the west, the vegetation intergrades into Mediterranean shrubland known locally as fynbos
, dominated mainly by plant families rare in other habitats, such as Proteaceae
, Ericaceae
and Restionaceae
. Here the vegetation is made up of sclerophyllous plants which do not support much mammal or bird life. finally, the last biome found is forest
, which only covers 1% of South Africa and is concentrated around the Knysna
area and scattered along the escarpment of the Drakensberg
mountains upwards along Kwa-Zulu Natal.
Many carnivores, both large and small, inhabit South Africa. Most carnivoran families are well-represented in South Africa, such as Canidae
, Felidae
, Hyaenidae, Mustelidae
, Viverridae, Herpestidae, and Otariidae. Most famous of these is the African Lion, the largest carnivore on the continent and the second-largest cat in the world. The other two big cat
s are the leopard
and the cheetah
. The Spotted Hyena
is commonly found in most large game reserves, while the Brown Hyena
inhabits the arid parts of the country, and the Aardwolf
is widespread. The African Wild Dog
is an endangered species and is found mainly in the Kruger National Park
and surrounding areas.
Smaller carnivores are common across the country, and two species, the black-backed jackal
and the caracal
, are seen by some as pest species, often taking livestock such as sheep and goat
s, as lion, leopard, cheetah, African wild dog, and both species of hyena have been largely extirpated outside of protected areas. The Serval
is a rodent specialist and often occurs in marshy areas. Bat-eared fox
es, Cape Fox
es and small felids such as the Black-footed Cat
(Felis nigripes) and African Wild Cat
(Felis sylvestris cafra) are widespread, although there are concerns about the genetic purity of the African Wild Cat, as it breeds readily with both domestic and feral Domestic Cats (Felis sylvestris catus), which dilutes the African Wild Cat's gene pool. There are many species of mongoose
, such as the Meerkat
, and Water Mongoose. There are two genet species, the Common Genet
and the Large Spotted Genet. The mustelids are well represented, the Honey Badger and the Striped Polecat
among the best known. The only seal native to the region is the Brown Fur Seal, which breeds in large colonies off Namibia and South Africa.
South Africa has many antelope species, some which are widespread and are well-known in other parts of the world, and some that are endemic. There is an extinct species of antelope endemic to South Africa known as the Bluebuck
. Several antelopes are found in different habitats. Species such as the Gemsbok
are found in arid areas, the Black Wildebeest
(an endemic species) in grasslands, the Cape Grysbok in fynbos, the Impala
in savanna and the Klipspringer
in rocky terrain. Other species range in a wider variety of habitats, such as the Springbok in arid shrublands, semidesert and grassland, and the Greater Kudu
in thicket, open woodlands and riverine vegetation. South Africa has a wealth of small antelope species, such as the aforementioned Klipspringer and Cape Grysbok, Common Duiker
, Blue Duiker
, Steenbok
and Oribi
.
There are also larger artiodactyl species, such as the Cape Buffalo, Common Eland
and the Giraffe
. These are preyed upon mainly by lions.
Warthog
s are common in the east of the country. Bushpig
s occur in habitats with dense cover.
Distantly related to the warthog and the bushpig but closer to cetaceans is the Hippopotamus
, an amphibious mammal that usually submerges itself in water bodies during the day and comes on land to feed on grasses during the night. The Hippopotamus is found in the eastern part of the country down to the St Lucia wetlands/ Kosi Bay estuary in Kwa-Zulu Natal, although they used to be much more widespread, occurring as far west as Cape Town and down the length of the Orange River. There is a small population of hippos in Cape Town, where they were reintroduced to control alien vegetation. After their arrival in 1652 the Dutch settlers, led by founder of Cape Town Jan van Riebeeck
, shot the resident hippopotamus population to extinction for meat and hides.
Perissiodactyls
Herbivores which are not artiodactyls also occur in the region. There are two native species of equids in the country, the Plains Zebra
and the Mountain Zebra
. An extinct subspecies of the Plains Zebra, the Quagga
, was endemic to the country.
Both the white rhinoceros
and the black rhinoceros
occur in the country. Neither can be distinguished by the colour, as both are a similar colour, but can be told apart by the shape of their mouths: with the white rhino, it has a wide or square mouth, while the black has a hook-lipped mouth. Both also behave differently, with the black rhino being smaller, shyer, and more aggressive.
and Four-Striped Grass Mouse
.
The three alien species of muriod rodents, the brown rat
, the black rat
and the house mouse
, are all widespread in the country.
The Cape Ground Squirrel
is common in arid areas and often shares its burrows with mongooses and meerkats, and is known to use its bushy tail as an umbrella from the harsh sun. There are tree squirrels, one of which is an introduced species
: the Eastern gray squirrel
, introduced in Cape Town
by Cecil John Rhodes
from Europe. The rest, such as Paraxerus cepapi, are found in the savanna biome in the north-east of the country.
Shrews occur, which prey on invertebrates. The Southern African Hedgehog
(Atelerix frontalis) is a hedgehog that is native to South Africa. It differs from the European Hedgehog
in having a dark face bordered by white fur and longer legs, an adaptation to a warmer climate. They are found in the Eastern Cape northwards to Zimbabwe.
The Springhare
is common in savanna and semiarid habitats. This animal is similar in appearance to a small wallaby, but it is actually a rodent. It consumes tubers and bulbs.
Scrub Hare
s and Cape Hare
s are common in all regions of South Africa, and are a common prey item of many predatory species such as leopards, cheetahs and birds of prey. The Riverine Rabbit
is a critically endangered species of rabbit that is confined to several small populations in the Karoo. Smith's Red Rock Hare
(Pronolagus rupestris), Jameson's Red Rock Hare
(Pronolagus randensis) and the Natal Red Rock Hare
(P. crassicaudatus) are three species of hare that live in rocky environments, hence their name. These species are isolated from one another in where they live. There is an introduced population of European Rabbit
s on Robben Island
, which is under a culling programme.
is deeply rooted in the African continent. The best known of these is the aardvark
and the African Bush Elephant
. Most members of the Afrotheria have remained in Africa.
The African Bush Elephant is the only proboscidean in South Africa, and the largest native animal. It is an ecosystem engineer
, opening up dense thicket and woodland for more open-habitat species.
The aardvark is an odd creature. It is a prodigious digger and sleeps in burrows during the day. It feeds mainly on termite
s and ant
s.
There are two species of dassies or hyraxes, the Rock Hyrax and the Tree Hyrax, the former widespread over the country and the latter occurring in the eastern part of the country. They are relatives of the elephants, although not the closest (sirenians are more closely related). Their major predators are the Verreaux's Eagle
and the Caracal.
Elephant shrews resemble shrews but are not related to them. They similarly eat arthropods.
. A true generalist, it is found in virtually all habitats in South Africa. The other primates in the region are the Vervet Monkey
and the Samango Monkey. They are mainly frugivore
s, although they are true opportunists and may take eggs and nestlings from bird nests.
Eagles
Eagles are widespread over the country. Different species inhabit different habitats. The African Fish Eagle
is found wherever there are large bodies of water, and takes mainly fish and occasionally other vertebrates. The Martial Eagle
is found in savanna, while Verreaux's Eagle
is found in areas with rocky terrain and mountains. It is an important predator of the Rock Hyrax. The Crowned Eagle
is a forest species, and takes monkeys and duikers.
Hawks
There are myriad species of hawk found across the country; examples are harrier
s, sparrowhawk
s, the African Harrier Hawk, Buteo species known as buzzards (the Jackal Buzzard
), and kites, such the Black-shouldered Kite
.
Falcons
The falcons are well-represented by a number of species. The Peregrine Falcon
is both a resident and a visitor, and nests mainly on cliffs. More common than the Peregrine and similar in appearance is the Lanner Falcon
. Both prey mainly on other birds. The Rock Kestrel is widespread. There is a highly localised population of the Taita Falcon
.
Vultures
The vultures that occur in South Africa are Old World vultures, locally represented by the Lappet-faced Vulture
, the White-backed Vulture
, the Cape Vulture
and the highly unusual Palm-nut Vulture
. The Egyptian Vulture
is extinct as a local resident and occurs only as a rare vagrant. All the vultures except the Palm-nut are scavengers.
The gamebirds are represented by the families Numididae and the large family Phasianidae.
The guineafowls are represented in South Africa by the Crested Guineafowl
which is restricted to bushveld, and the Helmeted Guineafowl
,which is widespread and common in urban and agricultural areas.
The Phasianidae are represented by the francolins, quails, partridges and the Indian Peafowl
, which is an alien species that has escaped from captivity in some areas. Some of the francolins include the Cape Francolin
, Swainson's Francolin
, and Natal Francolin
, to name a few. The quails are represented by the Harlequin Quail
and the Common Quail
. The Chukar
partridge, another alien species from Eurasia, is restricted to Robben Island
.
The waterfowl are much better represented in South Africa than the gamebirds are. They include the dabbling ducks of the genus Anas the shelducks and the sheldgeese, and the Spur-winged Goose
.
s, Bee-eater
s, Roller
s, kingfishers, the Hoopoe
and woodhoopoes are all common in the region.
Hornbills
The largest species is the Southern Ground Hornbill. It occurs only in nature reserves. Other well-known species include the Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill
, the Red-billed Hornbill
, the African Grey Hornbill
and the Trumpeter Hornbill
. Hornbills are characterised by a large downcurved bill which is frequently brightly-colored and sometimes has a casque on the upper mandible. They are omnivores, eating both fruit and small animals such as chameleon
s; the Ground Hornbill is an adept hunter and will forage in packs, flushing out prey such as locust
s, lizard
s and even tortoise
s.
Bee-eaters
Bee-eaters are brightly coloured birds with a long dark, decurved bill, useful for holding bees and wasps at beak's length. The most common is the Southern Carmine Bee-eater
. Bee-eaters nest in holes on river banks.
Rollers
Similar in colour to the bee-eaters but resembling crows in size and shape are the rollers, family Coraciidae. Among the most well-known is the Lilac-breasted Roller
and the European Roller
. They hawk for insects from perches.
Kingfishers
The kingfishers are famous as hunters of fish, but not all species hunt fish or over water. Indeed, some hunt away from water, such as the Brown-hooded Kingfisher
, which is a woodland species that hunts large insects and small vertebrates. Some South African species are among the largest of their kind, such as the Giant Kingfisher
and the Pied Kingfisher
. Others are the smallest, such as the Malachite Kingfisher
.
Hoopoe and Wood-hoopoes
The Hoopoe
is one of the most wide-ranging bird species in the world, resident over much of Europe, Asia and Africa. The African subspecies (which some authorities elevate to full species status), is more russet in colour than its northerly relative and feeds similarly on insects, hawking for them and probing the soil with the long bill.
Wood-hoopoes, despite the name, are not related to the Hoopoe, but along with the scimitarbills reside in a family all of their own, the Phoeniculidae. The Green Woodhoopoe is widespread over much of the country, and the other South African species is the Common Scimitarbill
. The wood-hoopoes feed on arthropods, especially insects, which they find by probing with their bills in rotten wood and in crevices in bark, such as on the Paper-bark Thorn
.
Starlings and Oxpeckers
There are several species of starling in South Africa, two of which are introduced species: the Common Starling and the Common Myna
. The Common Starling was introduced by Cecil John Rhodes
in 1890 from Europe
in Cape Town. The Common Myna was introduced in Durban in 1902 and has become common in Kwa-Zulu Natal and has spread further north to Gauteng. Fortunately, it has no significant impact on rural and natural habitats.
The Red-winged Starling
is extremely common and widespread across the country, absent only in the arid north-west, where it is replaced by its close relative the Pale-winged Starling
. The difference between the two is that the Red-winged has rufous primaries while the Pale-winged has whitish primaries edged with orange. The Pale-winged has a bright red or orange eye, while the Red-winged's is dark, almost black. Only the female of the Red-winged has a grey head.
The Pied Starling occurs over much of the country.
The only ratite
in the country and the largest bird in the world is the Common Ostrich. It is widely farmed in the Little Karoo region.
Poaching
of rhinoceroses has become a national issue for South Africa. In 2010, 333 rhinos were killed for their horn, which is an ingredient in traditional Chinese medicine. Currently, poaching is carried out by sophisticated criminal syndicates.
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
.
Habitats
The topography and geology of South Africa is extremely varied, resulting in a wide variety of habitats. Due to this, South Africa is ranked sixth out of the world’s seventeen megadiverse countriesMegadiverse countries
The megadiverse countries are a group of countries that harbor the majority of the Earth's species and are therefore considered extremely biodiverse...
. In the extreme northwest of the country is true desert
Desert
A desert is a landscape or region that receives an extremely low amount of precipitation, less than enough to support growth of most plants. Most deserts have an average annual precipitation of less than...
, which is the southernmost end of the Namib desert
Namib Desert
The Namib Desert is a desert in Namibia and southwest Angola that forms part of the Namib-Naukluft National Park, the largest game reserve in Africa. The name "Namib" is of Nama origin and means "vast place"...
, a desert that is at least 55 million years old, making it the oldest desert in the world. This arid corner intergrades into the extensive semi-arid Karoo
Karoo
The Karoo is a semi-desert region of South Africa. It has two main sub-regions - the Great Karoo in the north and the Little Karoo in the south. The 'High' Karoo is one of the distinct physiographic provinces of the larger South African Platform division.-Great Karoo:The Great Karoo has an area of...
found across much of South Africa, covering the Northern Cape
Northern Cape
The Northern Cape is the largest and most sparsely populated province of South Africa. It was created in 1994 when the Cape Province was split up. Its capital is Kimberley. It includes the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park, part of an international park shared with Botswana...
and into parts of the Western Cape
Western Cape
The Western Cape is a province in the south west of South Africa. The capital is Cape Town. Prior to 1994, the region that now forms the Western Cape was part of the much larger Cape Province...
, Eastern Cape
Eastern Cape
The Eastern Cape is a province of South Africa. Its capital is Bhisho, but its two largest cities are Port Elizabeth and East London. It was formed in 1994 out of the "independent" Xhosa homelands of Transkei and Ciskei, together with the eastern portion of the Cape Province...
and the Free State
Free State
The Free State is a province of South Africa. Its capital is Bloemfontein, which is also South Africa's judicial capital. Its historical origins lie in the Orange Free State Boer republic and later Orange Free State Province. The current borders of the province date from 1994 when the Bantustans...
. This biome used to be extensive grassland
Grassland
Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants . However, sedge and rush families can also be found. Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica...
in the past, but has become dominated by small shrubs and succulents due to centuries of overgrazing
Overgrazing
Overgrazing occurs when plants are exposed to intensive grazing for extended periods of time, or without sufficient recovery periods. It can be caused by either livestock in poorly managed agricultural applications, or by overpopulations of native or non-native wild animals.Overgrazing reduces the...
. To the north and east of these biome
Biome
Biomes are climatically and geographically defined as similar climatic conditions on the Earth, such as communities of plants, animals, and soil organisms, and are often referred to as ecosystems. Some parts of the earth have more or less the same kind of abiotic and biotic factors spread over a...
s is the Kalahari, which is mainly semi-arid woodland, dominated by thorn trees of the genus Acacia
Acacia
Acacia is a genus of shrubs and trees belonging to the subfamily Mimosoideae of the family Fabaceae, first described in Africa by the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus in 1773. Many non-Australian species tend to be thorny, whereas the majority of Australian acacias are not...
. The north-east and eastern parts of South Africa (Mpumalanga
Mpumalanga
Mpumalanga , is a province of South Africa. The name means east or literally "the place where the sun rises" in Swazi, Xhosa, Ndebele and Zulu. Mpumalanga lies in eastern South Africa, north of KwaZulu-Natal and bordering Swaziland and Mozambique. It constitutes 6.5% of South Africa's land area...
, Limpopo
Limpopo
Limpopo is the northernmost province of South Africa. The capital is Polokwane, formerly named Pietersburg. The province was formed from the northern region of Transvaal Province in 1994, and initially named Northern Transvaal...
and Kwa-Zulu Natal)is covered with savanna
Savanna
A savanna, or savannah, is a grassland ecosystem characterized by the trees being sufficiently small or widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach the ground to support an unbroken herbaceous layer consisting primarily of C4 grasses.Some...
and open woodlands known as bushveld. This area supports the widest variety of wildlife in the country. The most prevalent biome in South Africa is grassland, particularly on the Highveld
Highveld
The Highveld is a high plateau region of inland South Africa which is largely home to the largest metropolitan area in the country, the Gauteng City Region, which accounts for one-third of South Africa's population.-Location and description:...
, where the plant cover is dominated by different grasses and low shrubs. In this biome trees are rare and occur only along watercourses where fires are uncommon. Towards the southern coast, the vegetation is again dominated by shrubs in ecological communities known as Thicket
Thicket
A thicket is a very dense stand of trees or tall shrubs, often dominated by only one or a few species, to the exclusion of all others. They may be formed by species that shed large amounts of highly viable seeds that are able to germinate in the shelter of the maternal plants.In some conditions the...
and noorsveld, where succulent species such as Euphorbia, Aloe
Aloe
Aloe , also Aloë, is a genus containing about 500 species of flowering succulent plants. The most common and well known of these is Aloe vera, or "true aloe"....
, and Portulacaria afra
Portulacaria afra
Portulacaria afra, also known as Dwarf Jade Plant, Elephant's Food, Elephant Bush, and Spekboom in Afrikaans, is a small-leaved succulent found in South Africa.-Description:...
are common, as well as Cape Honeysuckle Tecoma capensis
Tecoma capensis
Tecoma capensis, commonly known as Cape Honeysuckle, is a scrambling shrub which is native to Africa.-Description:It grows to about 2 to 3 metres in height and a similar width. It is normally an evergreen shrub, but may lose its leaves in colder climates...
and Cape Leadwort Plumbago auriculata
Plumbago auriculata
Plumbago auriculata, also called Plumbago capensis, Blue plumbago, Cape plumbago or Cape leadwort, is a well known houseplant originally from South Africa....
. To the west, the vegetation intergrades into Mediterranean shrubland known locally as fynbos
Fynbos
Fynbos is the natural shrubland or heathland vegetation occurring in a small belt of the Western Cape of South Africa, mainly in winter rainfall coastal and mountainous areas with a Mediterranean climate...
, dominated mainly by plant families rare in other habitats, such as Proteaceae
Proteaceae
Proteaceae is a family of flowering plants distributed in the Southern Hemisphere. The family comprises about 80 genera with about 1600 species. Together with the Platanaceae and Nelumbonaceae they make up the order Proteales. Well known genera include Protea, Banksia, Embothrium, Grevillea,...
, Ericaceae
Ericaceae
The Ericaceae, commonly known as the heath or heather family, is a group of mostly calcifuge flowering plants. The family is large, with roughly 4000 species spread across 126 genera, making it the 14th most speciose family of flowering plants...
and Restionaceae
Restionaceae
Restionaceae, also called restiads, is the botanical name for a family of rush-like flowering plants native to the Southern Hemisphere.- Description :...
. Here the vegetation is made up of sclerophyllous plants which do not support much mammal or bird life. finally, the last biome found is forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
, which only covers 1% of South Africa and is concentrated around the Knysna
Knysna
Knysna is a town with 76,431 inhabitants in the Western Cape Province of South Africa and is part of the Garden Route. It lies 34 degrees south of the equator, and is 72 kilometres east from the town of George on the N2 highway, and 25 kilometres west of Plettenberg Bay on the same road.-History:A...
area and scattered along the escarpment of the Drakensberg
Drakensberg
The Drakensberg is the highest mountain range in Southern Africa, rising to in height. In Zulu, it is referred to as uKhahlamba , and in Sesotho as Maluti...
mountains upwards along Kwa-Zulu Natal.
Carnivores
Canidae
Canidae is the biological family of carnivorous and omnivorous mammals that includes wolves, foxes, jackals, coyotes, and domestic dogs. A member of this family is called a canid . The Canidae family is divided into two tribes: Canini and Vulpini...
, Felidae
Felidae
Felidae is the biological family of the cats; a member of this family is called a felid. Felids are the strictest carnivores of the thirteen terrestrial families in the order Carnivora, although the three families of marine mammals comprising the superfamily pinnipedia are as carnivorous as the...
, Hyaenidae, Mustelidae
Mustelidae
Mustelidae , commonly referred to as the weasel family, are a family of carnivorous mammals. Mustelids are diverse and the largest family in the order Carnivora, at least partly because in the past it has been a catch-all category for many early or poorly differentiated taxa...
, Viverridae, Herpestidae, and Otariidae. Most famous of these is the African Lion, the largest carnivore on the continent and the second-largest cat in the world. The other two big cat
Big cat
The term big cat – which is not a biological classification – is used informally to distinguish the larger felid species from smaller ones. One definition of "big cat" includes the four members of the genus Panthera: the tiger, lion, jaguar, and leopard. Members of this genus are the only cats able...
s are the leopard
Leopard
The leopard , Panthera pardus, is a member of the Felidae family and the smallest of the four "big cats" in the genus Panthera, the other three being the tiger, lion, and jaguar. The leopard was once distributed across eastern and southern Asia and Africa, from Siberia to South Africa, but its...
and the cheetah
Cheetah
The cheetah is a large-sized feline inhabiting most of Africa and parts of the Middle East. The cheetah is the only extant member of the genus Acinonyx, most notable for modifications in the species' paws...
. The Spotted Hyena
Spotted Hyena
The spotted hyena also known as laughing hyena, is a carnivorous mammal of the family Hyaenidae, of which it is the largest extant member. Though the species' prehistoric range included Eurasia extending from Atlantic Europe to China, it now only occurs in all of Africa south of the Sahara save...
is commonly found in most large game reserves, while the Brown Hyena
Brown Hyena
The brown hyena is a species of hyena which occurs in Namibia, Botswana, western and southern Zimbabwe, southern Mozambique and South Africa. It is currently the rarest hyena.-Description:...
inhabits the arid parts of the country, and the Aardwolf
Aardwolf
The aardwolf is a small, insectivorous mammal, native to Eastern and Southern Africa. The name means "earth wolf" in Afrikaans/Dutch. It is also called "maanhaar jackal". It is related to hyenas, but unlike its relatives, it does not hunt large prey. This unusual animal preys on insects...
is widespread. The African Wild Dog
African Wild Dog
Lycaon pictus is a large canid found only in Africa, especially in savannas and lightly wooded areas. It is variously called the African wild dog, African hunting dog, Cape hunting dog, painted dog, painted wolf, painted hunting dog, spotted dog, or ornate wolf...
is an endangered species and is found mainly in the Kruger National Park
Kruger National Park
Kruger National Park is one of the largest game reserves in Africa. It covers and extends from north to south and from east to west.To the west and south of the Kruger National Park are the two South African provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga. In the north is Zimbabwe, and to the east is...
and surrounding areas.
Smaller carnivores are common across the country, and two species, the black-backed jackal
Black-backed Jackal
The black-backed jackal , also known as the silver-backed or red jackal, is a species of jackal which inhabits two areas of the African continent separated by roughly 900 km. One region includes the southern-most tip of the continent, including South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe...
and the caracal
Caracal
The caracal is a fiercely territorial medium-sized cat ranging over Western Asia, South Asia and Africa.The word caracal comes from the Turkish word "karakulak", meaning "black ear". In North India and Pakistan, the caracal is locally known as syahgosh or shyahgosh, which is a Persian term...
, are seen by some as pest species, often taking livestock such as sheep and goat
Goat
The domestic goat is a subspecies of goat domesticated from the wild goat of southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the Bovidae family and is closely related to the sheep as both are in the goat-antelope subfamily Caprinae. There are over three hundred distinct breeds of...
s, as lion, leopard, cheetah, African wild dog, and both species of hyena have been largely extirpated outside of protected areas. The Serval
Serval
The serval , Leptailurus serval or Caracal serval, known in Afrikaans as Tierboskat, "tiger-forest-cat", is a medium-sized African wild cat. DNA studies have shown that the serval is closely related to the African golden cat and the caracal...
is a rodent specialist and often occurs in marshy areas. Bat-eared fox
Bat-eared Fox
The bat-eared fox is a canid of the African savanna, named for its large ears. Fossil records show this canid to first appear during the middle Pleistocene, about 800,000 years ago....
es, Cape Fox
Cape Fox
The Cape fox , also called the cama fox or the silver-backed fox, is a small fox.It has black or silver gray fur with flanks and underside in light yellow. The tip of its tail is always black....
es and small felids such as the Black-footed Cat
Black-footed Cat
The black-footed cat is the smallest African cat, and is endemic in the south west arid zone of the southern African subregion. It is one of the lesser studied African carnivores, and has been listed as Vulnerable by IUCN since 2002....
(Felis nigripes) and African Wild Cat
African wild cat
The African wildcat is a wildcat subspecies that occurs across northern Africa and extends around the periphery of the Arabian Peninsula to the Caspian Sea. As it is the most common and widely distributed wild cat, it is listed as Least Concern by IUCN since 2002.African wildcats appear to have...
(Felis sylvestris cafra) are widespread, although there are concerns about the genetic purity of the African Wild Cat, as it breeds readily with both domestic and feral Domestic Cats (Felis sylvestris catus), which dilutes the African Wild Cat's gene pool. There are many species of mongoose
Mongoose
Mongoose are a family of 33 living species of small carnivorans from southern Eurasia and mainland Africa. Four additional species from Madagascar in the subfamily Galidiinae, which were previously classified in this family, are also referred to as "mongooses" or "mongoose-like"...
, such as the Meerkat
Meerkat
The meerkat or suricate, Suricata suricatta, is a small mammal belonging to the mongoose family. Meerkats live in all parts of the Kalahari Desert in Botswana, in much of the Namib Desert in Namibia and southwestern Angola, and in South Africa. A group of meerkats is called a "mob", "gang" or "clan"...
, and Water Mongoose. There are two genet species, the Common Genet
Common Genet
The Common Genet , also known as the Small-spotted Genet or European Genet, is a mammal from the order Carnivora, related to civets and linsangs. The most far-ranging of all the fourteen species of genet, it can be found throughout Africa, parts of the Middle East, and in Europe in Spain, Portugal,...
and the Large Spotted Genet. The mustelids are well represented, the Honey Badger and the Striped Polecat
Striped Polecat
The Striped Polecat is a member of the Mustelidae family which somewhat resembles a skunk. It is found in savannahs and open country in sub-saharan Africa excluding the Congo basin and west Africa.Like other polecats, this carnivore is nocturnal...
among the best known. The only seal native to the region is the Brown Fur Seal, which breeds in large colonies off Namibia and South Africa.
Herbivores
ArtiodactylsSouth Africa has many antelope species, some which are widespread and are well-known in other parts of the world, and some that are endemic. There is an extinct species of antelope endemic to South Africa known as the Bluebuck
Bluebuck
The Bluebuck or Blue Antelope , sometimes called Blaubok, is an extinct species of antelope, the first large African mammal to disappear in historic times. It is related to the Roan Antelope and Sable Antelope, but slightly smaller than either...
. Several antelopes are found in different habitats. Species such as the Gemsbok
Gemsbok
The gemsbok or gemsbuck is a large antelope in the Oryx genus. It is native to the arid regions of southern Africa, but formerly some authorities included the East African Oryx as a subspecies...
are found in arid areas, the Black Wildebeest
Black Wildebeest
The Black Wildebeest or White-tailed Gnu is one of two wildebeest species. The natural populations of this species, endemic to the southern part of Africa, have been almost completely exterminated, but the species has been reintroduced widely, both in private areas and nature reserves throughout...
(an endemic species) in grasslands, the Cape Grysbok in fynbos, the Impala
Impala
An impala is a medium-sized African antelope. The name impala comes from the Zulu language meaning "gazelle"...
in savanna and the Klipspringer
Klipspringer
The Klipspringer, Oreotragus oreotragus, is a small species of African antelope.-Name:The word klipspringer literally means "rock jumper" in Afrikaans/Dutch...
in rocky terrain. Other species range in a wider variety of habitats, such as the Springbok in arid shrublands, semidesert and grassland, and the Greater Kudu
Greater Kudu
The Greater Kudu is a woodland antelope found throughout eastern and southern Africa. Despite occupying such widespread territory, they are sparsely populated in most areas, due to a declining habitat, deforestation and hunting....
in thicket, open woodlands and riverine vegetation. South Africa has a wealth of small antelope species, such as the aforementioned Klipspringer and Cape Grysbok, Common Duiker
Common Duiker
The Common Duiker, Sylvicapra grimmia, also known as the Grey or Bush Duiker, is a small antelope with small horns found in west, central, east, and southern Africa- essentially everywhere in Africa south of the Sahara, excluding the horn of Africa and the rainforests of the central and western...
, Blue Duiker
Blue Duiker
Blue Duiker is a small forest dwelling duiker found in the Central Africa and southern South Africa.Blue Duikers stand around 35 centimetres tall at the shoulder and weigh 4 kilograms.They are the smallest of the antelope family. Blue Duikers have a brown coat with a slight blue tinge – hence...
, Steenbok
Steenbok
The Steenbok, Raphicerus campestris, is a common small antelope of southern and eastern Africa. It is sometimes known as the Steinbuck or Steinbok.- Description :...
and Oribi
Oribi
Oribi are graceful slender-legged, long-necked small antelope found in grassland almost throughout Sub-Saharan Africa.-Description:...
.
There are also larger artiodactyl species, such as the Cape Buffalo, Common Eland
Common Eland
The common eland , also known as the southern eland or eland antelope, is a savannah and plains antelope found in East and Southern Africa. It is the largest antelope in the African continent...
and the Giraffe
Giraffe
The giraffe is an African even-toed ungulate mammal, the tallest of all extant land-living animal species, and the largest ruminant...
. These are preyed upon mainly by lions.
Warthog
Warthog
The Warthog or Common Warthog is a wild member of the pig family that lives in grassland, savanna, and woodland in Sub-Saharan Africa. In the past it was commonly treated as a subspecies of P...
s are common in the east of the country. Bushpig
Bushpig
The bushpig, Potamochoerus larvatus, is a member of the pig family and lives in forests, woodland, riverine vegetation and reedbeds in East and Southern Africa. Probably introduced populations are also present in Madagascar and the Comoros archipelago. Bushpigs are mainly nocturnal. There are...
s occur in habitats with dense cover.
Distantly related to the warthog and the bushpig but closer to cetaceans is the Hippopotamus
Hippopotamus
The hippopotamus , or hippo, from the ancient Greek for "river horse" , is a large, mostly herbivorous mammal in sub-Saharan Africa, and one of only two extant species in the family Hippopotamidae After the elephant and rhinoceros, the hippopotamus is the third largest land mammal and the heaviest...
, an amphibious mammal that usually submerges itself in water bodies during the day and comes on land to feed on grasses during the night. The Hippopotamus is found in the eastern part of the country down to the St Lucia wetlands/ Kosi Bay estuary in Kwa-Zulu Natal, although they used to be much more widespread, occurring as far west as Cape Town and down the length of the Orange River. There is a small population of hippos in Cape Town, where they were reintroduced to control alien vegetation. After their arrival in 1652 the Dutch settlers, led by founder of Cape Town Jan van Riebeeck
Jan van Riebeeck
Johan Anthoniszoon "Jan" van Riebeeck was a Dutch colonial administrator and founder of Cape Town.-Biography:...
, shot the resident hippopotamus population to extinction for meat and hides.
Perissiodactyls
Herbivores which are not artiodactyls also occur in the region. There are two native species of equids in the country, the Plains Zebra
Plains Zebra
The plains zebra , also known as the common zebra or Burchell's zebra, is the most common and geographically widespread species of zebra. It ranges from the south of Ethiopia through East Africa to as far south as Angola and eastern South Africa...
and the Mountain Zebra
Mountain Zebra
The Mountain Zebra, Equus zebra, is a threatened species of equid native to south-western Angola, Namibia and South Africa. It has two subspecies, the Cape Mountain Zebra and Hartmann's Mountain Zebra , though it has been suggested these should be considered separate species.-Taxonomy:In 2004,...
. An extinct subspecies of the Plains Zebra, the Quagga
Quagga
The quagga is an extinct subspecies of the plains zebra, which was once found in great numbers in South Africa's Cape Province and the southern part of the Orange Free State. It was distinguished from other zebras by having the usual vivid marks on the front part of the body only...
, was endemic to the country.
Both the white rhinoceros
White Rhinoceros
The White Rhinoceros or Square-lipped rhinoceros is one of the five species of rhinoceros that still exist. It has a wide mouth used for grazing and is the most social of all rhino species...
and the black rhinoceros
Black Rhinoceros
The Black Rhinoceros or Hook-lipped Rhinoceros , is a species of rhinoceros, native to the eastern and central areas of Africa including Kenya, Tanzania, Cameroon, South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, and Angola...
occur in the country. Neither can be distinguished by the colour, as both are a similar colour, but can be told apart by the shape of their mouths: with the white rhino, it has a wide or square mouth, while the black has a hook-lipped mouth. Both also behave differently, with the black rhino being smaller, shyer, and more aggressive.
Rodents, insectivores and lagomorphs
There are again many species of rodents in South Africa, such as the Vlei RatVlei Rat
The Southern African Vlei Rat is a species of rodent in the Otomys genus of the family Muridae.It is found in Lesotho, Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland, and Zimbabwe....
and Four-Striped Grass Mouse
Four-Striped Grass Mouse
The Four-striped Grass Mouse or Four-striped Grass Rat is a species of rodent in the family Muridae.It is found in Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.Its natural habitats...
.
The three alien species of muriod rodents, the brown rat
Brown Rat
The brown rat, common rat, sewer rat, Hanover rat, Norway rat, Brown Norway rat, Norwegian rat, or wharf rat is one of the best known and most common rats....
, the black rat
Black Rat
The black rat is a common long-tailed rodent of the genus Rattus in the subfamily Murinae . The species originated in tropical Asia and spread through the Near East in Roman times before reaching Europe by the 1st century and spreading with Europeans across the world.-Taxonomy:The black rat was...
and the house mouse
House mouse
The house mouse is a small rodent, a mouse, one of the most numerous species of the genus Mus.As a wild animal the house mouse mainly lives associated with humans, causing damage to crops and stored food....
, are all widespread in the country.
The Cape Ground Squirrel
Cape Ground Squirrel
The Cape Ground Squirrel is found in most of the drier parts of southern Africa from South Africa, through to Botswana, and into Namibia....
is common in arid areas and often shares its burrows with mongooses and meerkats, and is known to use its bushy tail as an umbrella from the harsh sun. There are tree squirrels, one of which is an introduced species
Introduced species
An introduced species — or neozoon, alien, exotic, non-indigenous, or non-native species, or simply an introduction, is a species living outside its indigenous or native distributional range, and has arrived in an ecosystem or plant community by human activity, either deliberate or accidental...
: the Eastern gray squirrel
Eastern Gray Squirrel
The eastern gray squirrel is a tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus native to the eastern and midwestern United States, and to the southerly portions of the eastern provinces of Canada...
, introduced in Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
by Cecil John Rhodes
Cecil John Rhodes
Cecil John Rhodes PC, DCL was an English-born South African businessman, mining magnate, and politician. He was the founder of the diamond company De Beers, which today markets 40% of the world's rough diamonds and at one time marketed 90%...
from Europe. The rest, such as Paraxerus cepapi, are found in the savanna biome in the north-east of the country.
Shrews occur, which prey on invertebrates. The Southern African Hedgehog
Southern African Hedgehog
The Southern African Hedgehog is a species of mammal in the Erinaceidae family. It is found in Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.-Physical description:...
(Atelerix frontalis) is a hedgehog that is native to South Africa. It differs from the European Hedgehog
European Hedgehog
The European Hedgehog , Common hedgehog or just Hedgehog in the anglophone parts of Europe, is a hedgehog species found in northern and western Europe. It is about 20 to 30 cm in length. Adult mass typically ranges from 600 to up to 1,200 g ; occasionally, it may reach as much as...
in having a dark face bordered by white fur and longer legs, an adaptation to a warmer climate. They are found in the Eastern Cape northwards to Zimbabwe.
The Springhare
Springhare
The springhare , or springhaas, is not actually a hare, but a member of the order Rodentia. It is one of a number of species in the genus Pedetes, and is native to southern Africa. Synonyms are P. caffer or P...
is common in savanna and semiarid habitats. This animal is similar in appearance to a small wallaby, but it is actually a rodent. It consumes tubers and bulbs.
Scrub Hare
Scrub Hare
The Scrub Hare, Lepus saxatilis, is a species of hare found in South Africa, parts of central Africa, and Namibia. It is found at about 1 - 2 km above sea level. Its dorsal fur is gray and black, while its ventral fur is white. It has a black and white tail, while it has lighter fur around its...
s and Cape Hare
Cape Hare
The Cape, Common or Brown Hare is a hare natively found throughout Africa, and has spread to many parts of the Europe, Middle East and Asia. The Cape Hare is a nocturnal herbivore.They are fast...
s are common in all regions of South Africa, and are a common prey item of many predatory species such as leopards, cheetahs and birds of prey. The Riverine Rabbit
Riverine Rabbit
The Riverine Rabbit , also known as the Bushman Rabbit or Bushman Hare, is one of the rarest and most endangered mammals in the world, with probably no more than 200 individuals left. This rabbit has an extremely limited distribution area, found only in the central and southern regions of the Karoo...
is a critically endangered species of rabbit that is confined to several small populations in the Karoo. Smith's Red Rock Hare
Smith's Red Rock Hare
Smith's Red Rock Hare is a species of mammal in the Leporidae family. It is found in Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zambia.- Description :...
(Pronolagus rupestris), Jameson's Red Rock Hare
Jameson's Red Rock Hare
Jameson's Red Rock Hare is a leporid found only on the continent of Africa, mostly in the southern portion of the continent. South Africa has a population of this red rock hare but it is only found in the northwestern part of the country. Botswana also has a population, they occur mostly in the...
(Pronolagus randensis) and the Natal Red Rock Hare
Natal Red Rock Hare
The Greater Red Rock Hare or Natal Red Rock Hare is a species of mammal in the Leporidae family. It is found in Mozambique and South Africa.-References:...
(P. crassicaudatus) are three species of hare that live in rocky environments, hence their name. These species are isolated from one another in where they live. There is an introduced population of European Rabbit
European Rabbit
The European Rabbit or Common Rabbit is a species of rabbit native to south west Europe and north west Africa . It has been widely introduced elsewhere often with devastating effects on local biodiversity...
s on Robben Island
Robben Island
Robben Island is an island in Table Bay, 6.9 km west of the coast of Bloubergstrand, Cape Town, South Africa. The name is Dutch for "seal island". Robben Island is roughly oval in shape, 3.3 km long north-south, and 1.9 km wide, with an area of 5.07 km². It is flat and only a...
, which is under a culling programme.
Afrotheria
The origins of the taxon AfrotheriaAfrotheria
Afrotheria is a clade of mammals, the living members of which belong to groups from Africa or of African origin: golden moles, sengis , tenrecs, aardvarks, hyraxes, elephants and sea cows. The common ancestry of these animals was not recognized until the late 1990s...
is deeply rooted in the African continent. The best known of these is the aardvark
Aardvark
The aardvark is a medium-sized, burrowing, nocturnal mammal native to Africa...
and the African Bush Elephant
African Bush Elephant
The African Bush Elephant or African Savanna Elephant is the larger of the two species of African elephant. Both it and the African Forest Elephant have usually been classified as a single species, known simply as the African Elephant...
. Most members of the Afrotheria have remained in Africa.
The African Bush Elephant is the only proboscidean in South Africa, and the largest native animal. It is an ecosystem engineer
Ecosystem engineer
An ecosystem engineer is any organism that creates or modifies habitats. Jones et al. identified two different types of ecosystem engineers:...
, opening up dense thicket and woodland for more open-habitat species.
The aardvark is an odd creature. It is a prodigious digger and sleeps in burrows during the day. It feeds mainly on termite
Termite
Termites are a group of eusocial insects that, until recently, were classified at the taxonomic rank of order Isoptera , but are now accepted as the epifamily Termitoidae, of the cockroach order Blattodea...
s and ant
Ant
Ants are social insects of the family Formicidae and, along with the related wasps and bees, belong to the order Hymenoptera. Ants evolved from wasp-like ancestors in the mid-Cretaceous period between 110 and 130 million years ago and diversified after the rise of flowering plants. More than...
s.
There are two species of dassies or hyraxes, the Rock Hyrax and the Tree Hyrax, the former widespread over the country and the latter occurring in the eastern part of the country. They are relatives of the elephants, although not the closest (sirenians are more closely related). Their major predators are the Verreaux's Eagle
Verreaux's Eagle
Verreaux's Eagle , alternatively known as the Black Eagle , is a large bird of prey. This eagle lives in hilly and mountaineous regions of southern and eastern Africa , and very locally in Western Asia.- Description :It is long. Males weigh and females weigh...
and the Caracal.
Elephant shrews resemble shrews but are not related to them. They similarly eat arthropods.
Primates
The largest primate in the region, excluding humans, is the Chacma baboonChacma Baboon
The Chacma baboon , also known as the Cape baboon, is, like all other baboons, from the Old World monkey family. With a body length of up to 115 cm and a weight from 15 to 31 kg, it is among the largest and heaviest baboon species. The Chacma is generally dark brown to gray in color,...
. A true generalist, it is found in virtually all habitats in South Africa. The other primates in the region are the Vervet Monkey
Vervet Monkey
The vervet monkey , or simply vervet, is an Old World monkey of the family Cercopithecidae native to Africa. The term "vervet" is also used to refer to all the members of the genus Chlorocebus....
and the Samango Monkey. They are mainly frugivore
Frugivore
A frugivore is a fruit eater. It can be any type of herbivore or omnivore where fruit is a preferred food type. Because approximately 20% of all mammalian herbivores also eat fruit, frugivory is considered to be common among mammals. Since frugivores eat a lot of fruit they are highly dependent...
s, although they are true opportunists and may take eggs and nestlings from bird nests.
Raptors
There are many raptor species found in South Africa, some of which are the eagles, hawks, falcons and vultures.Eagles
Eagles are widespread over the country. Different species inhabit different habitats. The African Fish Eagle
African Fish Eagle
The African Fish Eagle or – to distinguish it from the true fish eagles , the African Sea Eagle – is a large species of eagle that is found throughout sub-Saharan Africa wherever large bodies of open water occur that have an abundant food supply. As a result of its large range, it is known in many...
is found wherever there are large bodies of water, and takes mainly fish and occasionally other vertebrates. The Martial Eagle
Martial Eagle
The Martial Eagle , is a very large eagle found in open and semi-open habitats of sub-Saharan Africa. It is the only member of the genus Polemaetus.-Description:...
is found in savanna, while Verreaux's Eagle
Verreaux's Eagle
Verreaux's Eagle , alternatively known as the Black Eagle , is a large bird of prey. This eagle lives in hilly and mountaineous regions of southern and eastern Africa , and very locally in Western Asia.- Description :It is long. Males weigh and females weigh...
is found in areas with rocky terrain and mountains. It is an important predator of the Rock Hyrax. The Crowned Eagle
Crowned Eagle
The Crowned Eagle or Crowned Hawk-eagle , is a very large, powerful, crested bird of prey found in sub-Saharan Africa; in Southern Africa it is restricted to suitable habitat in the eastern areas. It is the only extant member of the genus Stephanoaetus...
is a forest species, and takes monkeys and duikers.
Hawks
There are myriad species of hawk found across the country; examples are harrier
Harrier
-Military:* Harrier Jump Jet vertical take-off and landing fighter/attack aircraft and derivatives:** Hawker Siddeley Harrier—1st generation Harrier** BAE Sea Harrier—Maritime strike/air defence fighter** AV-8 Harrier II—2nd generation Harrier...
s, sparrowhawk
Sparrowhawk
The Eurasian Sparrowhawk is a small bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. Adult male Eurasian Sparrowhawks have bluish grey upperparts and orange-barred underparts; females and juveniles are brown above with brown barring below...
s, the African Harrier Hawk, Buteo species known as buzzards (the Jackal Buzzard
Jackal Buzzard
The Jackal Buzzard is a 45–55 cm long African bird of prey. The taxonomy on this species is confusing, with some taxonomists considering this species, the Archer's Buzzard, and the Augur Buzzard to be the same superspecies. Many taxonomists consider them all to be distinct, having different...
), and kites, such the Black-shouldered Kite
Black-shouldered Kite
The Black-shouldered Kite or Australian Black-shouldered Kite is a small raptor found in open habitat throughout Australia and resembles similar species found in Eurasia and North America, which have in the past also been named as Black-shouldered Kites...
.
Falcons
The falcons are well-represented by a number of species. The Peregrine Falcon
Peregrine Falcon
The Peregrine Falcon , also known as the Peregrine, and historically as the Duck Hawk in North America, is a widespread bird of prey in the family Falconidae. A large, crow-sized falcon, it has a blue-gray back, barred white underparts, and a black head and "moustache"...
is both a resident and a visitor, and nests mainly on cliffs. More common than the Peregrine and similar in appearance is the Lanner Falcon
Lanner Falcon
The Lanner Falcon is a large bird of prey that breeds in Africa, southeast Europe and just into Asia. It is mainly resident, but some birds disperse more widely after the breeding season.-Description:...
. Both prey mainly on other birds. The Rock Kestrel is widespread. There is a highly localised population of the Taita Falcon
Taita Falcon
The Taita Falcon is one of the smallest falcons in the Southern African Sub-region. It was first described from the Taita Hills of Kenya from which it derives its name. It is spread throughout the eastern portion of subsaharan Africa but is mostly found in Kenya...
.
Vultures
The vultures that occur in South Africa are Old World vultures, locally represented by the Lappet-faced Vulture
Lappet-faced Vulture
The Lappet-faced Vulture or Nubian Vulture is a mostly African Old World vulture belonging to the bird order Accipitriformes, which also includes eagles, kites, buzzards and hawks. It is the only member of the genus Torgos. A distinct subspecies T. t. negevensis occurs in the Sinai, the Negev...
, the White-backed Vulture
White-backed Vulture
The White-backed Vulture is an Old World vulture in the family Accipitridae, which also includes eagles, kites, buzzards and hawks. It is closely related to the European Griffon Vulture, G. fulvus...
, the Cape Vulture
Cape Vulture
The Cape Griffon or Cape Vulture , also known as Kolbe's Vulture, is an Old World vulture in the family Accipitridae, which also includes eagles, kites, buzzards and hawks. It is endemic to southern Africa, and is found mainly in South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana and in some parts of northern Namibia...
and the highly unusual Palm-nut Vulture
Palm-nut Vulture
The Palm-nut Vulture or Vulturine Fish Eagle, is a very large bird of prey in the family Accipitridae which also includes many other diurnal raptors such as kites, buzzards and harriers, vultures, and eagles. It is the only member of the genus Gypohierax...
. The Egyptian Vulture
Egyptian Vulture
The Egyptian Vulture is a small Old World vulture, found widely distributed from southwestern Europe and northern Africa to southern Asia. It is the only living member of the genus Neophron. It has sometimes also been known as the White Scavenger Vulture or Pharaoh's Chicken...
is extinct as a local resident and occurs only as a rare vagrant. All the vultures except the Palm-nut are scavengers.
Game birds and waterfowl
GamebirdsThe gamebirds are represented by the families Numididae and the large family Phasianidae.
The guineafowls are represented in South Africa by the Crested Guineafowl
Crested Guineafowl
The Crested Guineafowl is a member of the Numididae, the guineafowl bird family. It is found in open forest, woodland and forest-savanna mosaics in sub-Saharan Africa. It has a total length of approximately 50 cm and weighs . The plumage is overall blackish with dense white spots...
which is restricted to bushveld, and the Helmeted Guineafowl
Helmeted Guineafowl
The Helmeted Guineafowl is the best known of the guineafowl bird family, Numididae, and the only member of the genus Numida...
,which is widespread and common in urban and agricultural areas.
The Phasianidae are represented by the francolins, quails, partridges and the Indian Peafowl
Indian Peafowl
The Indian Peafowl or Blue Peafowl is a large and brightly coloured bird of the pheasant family native to South Asia, but introduced and semi-feral in many other parts of the world...
, which is an alien species that has escaped from captivity in some areas. Some of the francolins include the Cape Francolin
Cape Francolin
The Cape Spurfowl, or Cape Francolin, Pternistis capensis is a gamebird in the pheasant family Phasianidae. This francolin is endemic to the southwestern Cape of South Africa....
, Swainson's Francolin
Swainson's Francolin
The Swainson's Spurfowl or Swainson's Francolin is a species of bird in the Phasianidae family.It is found in Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.-References:...
, and Natal Francolin
Natal Francolin
The Natal Spurfowl or Natal Francolin is a species of bird in the Phasianidae family.It is found in Botswana, Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.-References:...
, to name a few. The quails are represented by the Harlequin Quail
Harlequin Quail
The Harlequin Quail is a species of bird in the Phasianidae family.It is found in Africa.-References:* BirdLife International 2004. . Downloaded on 10 July 2007....
and the Common Quail
Common Quail
The Common Quail, Coturnix coturnix, is a small bird in the pheasant family Phasianidae. It is widespread and is found in parts of Europe, .- Description :It is a small rotund bird, essentially streaked brown with...
. The Chukar
Chukar
The Chukar Partridge or Chukar is a Eurasian upland gamebird in the pheasant family Phasianidae. It has been considered to form a superspecies complex along with the Rock Partridge, Philby's Partridge and Przevalski's Partridge and treated in the past as conspecific particularly with the first...
partridge, another alien species from Eurasia, is restricted to Robben Island
Robben Island
Robben Island is an island in Table Bay, 6.9 km west of the coast of Bloubergstrand, Cape Town, South Africa. The name is Dutch for "seal island". Robben Island is roughly oval in shape, 3.3 km long north-south, and 1.9 km wide, with an area of 5.07 km². It is flat and only a...
.
The waterfowl are much better represented in South Africa than the gamebirds are. They include the dabbling ducks of the genus Anas the shelducks and the sheldgeese, and the Spur-winged Goose
Spur-winged Goose
The Spur-winged Goose is a large bird in the family Anatidae, related to the geese and the shelducks, but distinct from both of these in a number of anatomical features, and therefore treated in its own subfamily, the Plectropterinae...
.
Near-Passerines
HornbillHornbill
Hornbills are a family of bird found in tropical and subtropical Africa, Asia and Melanesia. They are characterized by a long, down-curved bill which is frequently brightly-colored and sometimes has a casque on the upper mandible. Both the common English and the scientific name of the family...
s, Bee-eater
Bee-eater
The bee-eaters are a group of near-passerine birds in the family Meropidae. Most species are found in Africa and Asia but others occur in southern Europe, Australia, and New Guinea. They are characterised by richly coloured plumage, slender bodies, and usually elongated central tail feathers...
s, Roller
Roller
The rollers are an Old World family, Coraciidae, of near passerine birds. The group gets its name from the aerial acrobatics some of these birds perform during courtship or territorial flights. Rollers resemble crows in size and build, and share the colourful appearance of kingfishers and...
s, kingfishers, the Hoopoe
Hoopoe
The Hoopoe is a colourful bird that is found across Afro-Eurasia, notable for its distinctive 'crown' of feathers. It is the only extant species in the family Upupidae. One insular species, the Giant Hoopoe of Saint Helena, is extinct, and the Madagascar subspecies of the Hoopoe is sometimes...
and woodhoopoes are all common in the region.
Hornbills
The largest species is the Southern Ground Hornbill. It occurs only in nature reserves. Other well-known species include the Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill
Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill
The Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill is a Hornbill found in southern Africa. It is a medium sized bird, with length between 48 to 60 cm, characterized by a long yellow beak with a casque . The skin around the eyes and in the malar stripe is pinkish...
, the Red-billed Hornbill
Red-billed Hornbill
Red-billed Hornbill is a relatively small species of hornbill found in savanna and woodland of sub-Saharan Africa. It is sometimes split into five species, the Northern Red-billed Hornbill , Western Red-billed Hornbill , Tanzania Red-billed Hornbill , Southern Red-billed Hornbill Red-billed...
, the African Grey Hornbill
African Grey Hornbill
The African Grey Hornbill, Tockus nasutus, is a hornbill. Hornbills are a family of tropical near-passerine birds found in the Old World.The African Grey Hornbill is a widespread and common resident breeder in much of sub-Saharan Africa and into Arabia....
and the Trumpeter Hornbill
Trumpeter Hornbill
The Trumpeter Hornbill, Bycanistes bucinator, is a medium-sized hornbill, with length between , characterized by a large grey casque on the bill, smaller in females. The eyes are brown or red, with pink surrounding skin. Body mass is reported between . They are similar to Silvery-cheeked Hornbill...
. Hornbills are characterised by a large downcurved bill which is frequently brightly-colored and sometimes has a casque on the upper mandible. They are omnivores, eating both fruit and small animals such as chameleon
Chameleon
Chameleons are a distinctive and highly specialized clade of lizards. They are distinguished by their parrot-like zygodactylous feet, their separately mobile and stereoscopic eyes, their very long, highly modified, and rapidly extrudable tongues, their swaying gait, the possession by many of a...
s; the Ground Hornbill is an adept hunter and will forage in packs, flushing out prey such as locust
Locust
Locusts are the swarming phase of short-horned grasshoppers of the family Acrididae. These are species that can breed rapidly under suitable conditions and subsequently become gregarious and migratory...
s, lizard
Lizard
Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with nearly 3800 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica as well as most oceanic island chains...
s and even tortoise
Tortoise
Tortoises are a family of land-dwelling reptiles of the order of turtles . Like their marine cousins, the sea turtles, tortoises are shielded from predators by a shell. The top part of the shell is the carapace, the underside is the plastron, and the two are connected by the bridge. The tortoise...
s.
Bee-eaters
Bee-eaters are brightly coloured birds with a long dark, decurved bill, useful for holding bees and wasps at beak's length. The most common is the Southern Carmine Bee-eater
Southern Carmine Bee-eater
The Southern Carmine Bee-eater occurs across sub-equatorial Africa, ranging from KwaZulu-Natal and Namibia to Gabon, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and Kenya....
. Bee-eaters nest in holes on river banks.
Rollers
Similar in colour to the bee-eaters but resembling crows in size and shape are the rollers, family Coraciidae. Among the most well-known is the Lilac-breasted Roller
Lilac-breasted Roller
The Lilac-breasted Roller is a member of the roller family of birds. It is widely distributed in sub-Saharan Africa and the southern Arabian Peninsula, preferring open woodland and savanna; it is largely absent from treeless places...
and the European Roller
European Roller
The European Roller, Coracias garrulus, is the only member of the roller family of birds to breed in Europe. Its overall range extends into the Middle East and Central Asia and Morocco....
. They hawk for insects from perches.
Kingfishers
The kingfishers are famous as hunters of fish, but not all species hunt fish or over water. Indeed, some hunt away from water, such as the Brown-hooded Kingfisher
Brown-hooded Kingfisher
The Brown-hooded Kingfisher is a species of bird in the Halcyonidae family.It is found in Angola, Botswana, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Somalia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.-References:* BirdLife...
, which is a woodland species that hunts large insects and small vertebrates. Some South African species are among the largest of their kind, such as the Giant Kingfisher
Giant Kingfisher
The Giant Kingfisher is the largest kingfisher in Africa, where it is a resident breeding bird over most of the continent south of the Sahara Desert other than the arid southwest....
and the Pied Kingfisher
Pied Kingfisher
The Pied Kingfisher is a water kingfisher and is found widely distributed across Africa and Asia. Their black and white plumage, crest and the habit of hovering over clear lakes and rivers before diving for fish makes it distinctive. Males have a double band across the breast while females have a...
. Others are the smallest, such as the Malachite Kingfisher
Malachite Kingfisher
The Malachite Kingfisher is a river kingfisher which is widely distributed in Africa south of the Sahara. It is largely resident except for seasonal climate related movements....
.
Hoopoe and Wood-hoopoes
The Hoopoe
Hoopoe
The Hoopoe is a colourful bird that is found across Afro-Eurasia, notable for its distinctive 'crown' of feathers. It is the only extant species in the family Upupidae. One insular species, the Giant Hoopoe of Saint Helena, is extinct, and the Madagascar subspecies of the Hoopoe is sometimes...
is one of the most wide-ranging bird species in the world, resident over much of Europe, Asia and Africa. The African subspecies (which some authorities elevate to full species status), is more russet in colour than its northerly relative and feeds similarly on insects, hawking for them and probing the soil with the long bill.
Wood-hoopoes, despite the name, are not related to the Hoopoe, but along with the scimitarbills reside in a family all of their own, the Phoeniculidae. The Green Woodhoopoe is widespread over much of the country, and the other South African species is the Common Scimitarbill
Common Scimitarbill
The Common Scimitarbill is a species of bird in the Phoeniculidae family.It is found in Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.-References:* BirdLife...
. The wood-hoopoes feed on arthropods, especially insects, which they find by probing with their bills in rotten wood and in crevices in bark, such as on the Paper-bark Thorn
Acacia sieberiana
Acacia sieberiana is a perennial tree native to Africa and introduced into Pakistan. It is known in South Africa as the Paperbark Thorn.This tree grows 3–25 m in height, with a trunk diameter of 0.6–1.8 m....
.
Passerines
The passerines are one of the largest bird orders, with over 5,000 identified species.Starlings and Oxpeckers
There are several species of starling in South Africa, two of which are introduced species: the Common Starling and the Common Myna
Common Myna
The Common Myna or Indian Myna also sometimes spelled Mynah, is a member of family Sturnidae native to Asia. An omnivorous open woodland bird with a strong territorial instinct, the Myna has adapted extremely well to urban environments...
. The Common Starling was introduced by Cecil John Rhodes
Cecil John Rhodes
Cecil John Rhodes PC, DCL was an English-born South African businessman, mining magnate, and politician. He was the founder of the diamond company De Beers, which today markets 40% of the world's rough diamonds and at one time marketed 90%...
in 1890 from Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
in Cape Town. The Common Myna was introduced in Durban in 1902 and has become common in Kwa-Zulu Natal and has spread further north to Gauteng. Fortunately, it has no significant impact on rural and natural habitats.
The Red-winged Starling
Red-winged Starling
The Red-winged Starling, Onychognathus morio, is a bird of the starling family Sturnidae native to eastern Africa from Ethiopia to the Cape in South Africa. It is known in Afrikaans as the Rooivlerkspreeu.-Taxonomy:...
is extremely common and widespread across the country, absent only in the arid north-west, where it is replaced by its close relative the Pale-winged Starling
Pale-winged Starling
The Pale-winged Starling is a species of starling in the Sturnidae family.It is found in Angola, Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa.-References:* BirdLife International 2004. . Downloaded on 24 July 2007....
. The difference between the two is that the Red-winged has rufous primaries while the Pale-winged has whitish primaries edged with orange. The Pale-winged has a bright red or orange eye, while the Red-winged's is dark, almost black. Only the female of the Red-winged has a grey head.
The Pied Starling occurs over much of the country.
Ratites
Ratite
A ratite is any of a diverse group of large, flightless birds of Gondwanan origin, most of them now extinct. Unlike other flightless birds, the ratites have no keel on their sternum—hence the name from the Latin ratis...
in the country and the largest bird in the world is the Common Ostrich. It is widely farmed in the Little Karoo region.
Challenges
Rhino ConservationPoaching
Poaching
Poaching is the illegal taking of wild plants or animals contrary to local and international conservation and wildlife management laws. Violations of hunting laws and regulations are normally punishable by law and, collectively, such violations are known as poaching.It may be illegal and in...
of rhinoceroses has become a national issue for South Africa. In 2010, 333 rhinos were killed for their horn, which is an ingredient in traditional Chinese medicine. Currently, poaching is carried out by sophisticated criminal syndicates.