In the early hours of January 25th 2012 Myself and Scavenger set off on our Journey Through The Eastern Cape Eventually finding our way to our final destination of George in the Western Cape.
We covered all most 2000km's over 8 day's Stopping in many one Horse towns (like Outdshoorn much to jka's excitement i may add) , long nights and even longer Karoo roads not something all that welcome when you need to stay awake.
We traversed through the Eastern Cape Grasslands , Thicket , Western Cape Fynbos , Nama Karoo , and eventually some Montane Habitat in the Western Cape.
It's almost inconceivable once you get out in the middle of no where with town names like "Ugie" you truly realize the massive expanse of this Country, of which I'm sure many people never bother to explore and it's real shame.
There's so much beauty in this Country we experienced besides the huge range of biodiversity of Reptiles , Amphibians , Mammals and Bird species
Seeing a Female Bat Eared Fox (Otocyon megalotis) with three cubs at 01:00am running along an quiet Karoo road is just one of those moments.
To cut a long story short here is a comprehensive list of Reptile and Amphibian Species we Encountered During The time.
Amphibians.
Amietia fuscigula - Cape river Frog
Amietophrynus rangeri - Racous Toad
Bufo gariepensis - Karoo Toad
Cacosternum boettgeri - Boettger's Dainty Frog
Heleophryne regis - Southern Ghost Frog
Hyperolius marmoratus verrucosus - Painted Reed Frog ( Southern Sub Species)
Strongylopus grayii - Clicking Stream Frog
Tomopterna tandyi - Tandy's Sand Frog
Snakes
Aspidelaps lubricus - Cape Coral Snake
Bitis arietans - Puff Adder
Bitis atropos - Berg Adder.
Boaedon capensis - Brown House Snake
Crotaphopeltis hotamboeia - Herald Snake
Dispholidus typus - Boomslang
Duberria lutrix - Southern Slug Eater
Lycodonomorphus inornatus - Olive Snake
Naja nivea - Cape Cobra
Pseudaspis cana - Mole Snake
Lizards/Skinks/Geckos/Tortoises
Acontias melagris - Cape Legless Skink
Afrogecko porphyreus - Marbled Leaf Toed Gecko
Agama aculeata - Southern ground Agama
Bradypodion damaranum - Knysna dwarf chameleon
Bradypodion gutturale - Robertson/Little Karoo Dwarf Chameleon
Chersina angulata - Angulate Tortoise
Chondrodactylus bibronii - Bibrons Gecko
Lygodactylus capensis - Cape Dwarf gecko ( Not Naturally Occurring In Western Cape ,
Ninurta coeruleopunctatus - Blue Spotted Girdled Lizard
Pachydactylus maculatus - Spotted gecko
Trachylepis sulcata - Western Rock Skink Juvinile
Pedioplanis lineoocellata - Spotted Sand Lizard
Pelomedusa subrufa- Marsh terrapin
Stigmochelys pardalis - Leopard Tortoise
Trachylepis capensis -Cape Skink
Tetradactylus seps - Short Legged seps
Acontias melagris - Cape Legless Skink
Afrogecko porphyreus - Marbled Leaf Toed Gecko
Agama aculeata - Southern ground Agama
Pelomedusa subrufa- Marsh terrapin
Bufo gariepensis - Karoo Toad
Amietia fuscigula - Cape river Frog
Trachylepis sulcat - Western Rock Skink Juvinile
Pedioplanis lineoocellata - Spotted Sand Lizard
Amietophrynus rangeri - Racous Toad
Male Calling for Females
Chondrodactylus bibronii - Bibrons Gecko
Pachydactylus maculatus - Spotted gecko
Specimen from Eastern Cape
Another Specimen from the Western Cape
Bradypodion gutturale - Robertson/Little Karoo Dwarf Chameleon
A tricky chameleon to find , we only found a few thankfully it was quite obliged to having it's photo's taken.
Cacosternum boettgeri - Boettger's Dainty Frog
Very small species of frog again differing in colour somewhat from what i am used to seeing in Kwa Zulu Natal
Stigmochelys pardalis - Leopard Tortoise
An Unlucky one
Chersina angulata - Angulate Tortoise
Bitis arietans - Puff Adder
Long Road to nowhere.
Dispholidus typus - Boomslang
Pseudaspis cana - Mole Snake
Roughing In - Escaping The Mid Day heat.
Heleophryne regis - Southern Ghost Frog
Habitat - Note the dark colour of the water , although it seems dirty the water is actually crystal clean.
Extremely flat head of the Ghost Frog
Strongylopus grayii - Clicking Stream Frog
Unusually darker then normal because of the very dark rich waters of the forest where it was found.
Tomopterna tandyi - Tandy's Sand Frog
Aspidelaps lubricus - Cape Coral Snake
This we found interesting, we came across this snake crossing the road when we confronted it it hooded and hissed like most do, after a short while it fell flat to the ground rolled up into a loose 8 shape ( much like the Shovel Snout snakes do) and just lay still. At this point we thought it was dead upon closer inspection and rolling the snake out it then returned to the loose 8 position once more. I handled the snake and it showed no signs of life at all.
Thinking we could use the snake as a nice preserved specimen we put it in a small container only to notice upon closing the lid the snake raised up hooded and started to hiss as almost back to normal. Has any one ever heard or seen these snakes display this type of behavior almost as if it shammed death?
In the almost comatose position
Boaedon capensis - Brown House Snake DOR
Another DOR
Common Pancake Phase - Cape Coral Snake
Crotaphopeltis hotamboeia - Herald Snake.
Herald snakes from the Western Cape are much more olive in colour and allot prettier then their Kwa Zulu Natal counterparts.
Lycodonomorphus inornatus - Olive Snake
Duberria lutrix - Southern Slug Eater
Lygodactylus capensis - Cape Dwarf gecko
Interesting species to find, as their distribution doesn't naturally include the Western Cape at All. These were found in abundance in a Suburban garden in George.
Naja nivea - Cape Cobra.
Bradypodion damaranum - Knysna Dwarf Chameleon
The colour difference between individuals males and females is astounding.
Close Up on Skin
Females are not nearly as vibrant as the males.
Male Displaying To Another Male
Ninurta coeruleopunctatus - Blue Spotted Girdled Lizard
Strange adaption these Lizards actually have several BLUE scales scattered around their body which glint in the sun when they bask during the day.
Taking a break on a Koppie over looking some small town along the way.
Sam Taking in the view.
If only this was true.
Down Time entering finds in Journal
I almost forgot...
Habitat of Bitis atropos - Berg Adder.
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For Size Indication
Photo Taken By Scavenger.
Thanks for looking.
Tyrone.