5000km ROAD TRIP, KAROO and EASTERN CAPE - SOUTH AFRICA

[Fooble]

During a twelve-day 5000km round trip across three provinces with a good mate and 45+ species encountered across Kwa-Zulu Natal, Eastern and Western Cape. The habitats we encountered were vast, from the Indian Ocean Costal Belt, Savanna,Fynbos, Forest, Albany Thicket, Nama-Karoo and True Succulent Karoo.

It's not the first time I've done a similar trip, but this year would be different targeting several species which have eluded me in the past, in particular two species of Bradupodion (Dwarf Chameleons). There are loads of images appologise in advanced but thought many users wouldn't have seen a number of these species on this forum before.


So it begins the route plan across three provinces.


*Lifers
Acontias breciceps - Short Headed Legless Sink
Afroedura amatolica - Amatola Flat Gecko
Amietia quicketti - Quickett's River Frog
Sclerophrys capensis - Racous Toad
Bitis caudalis - Horned Adder
Boaedon capensis - Brown House Snake
Bradypodion atromontanum - Swartberg Dwarf Chameleon
Bradypodion damaranum -Kynsna Dwarf Chameleon
Bradypodion ventrale - Eastern Cape Dwarf Chameleon
Chersina angulata - Angulate Tortoise
Chondrodactlyus angulifer angulifer - Common Giant Gecko
Chondrodactylus bibronii - Bibrons Gecko
Cordylus cordylus - Cape Girdled Lizard
Dasypeltis scabra - Rhombic Egg Eater
Dispholidus typus typus - Cape Boomslang
Goggia lineata - Striped Dwarf Leaf Toed Gecko
Hyperolious mamoratus verrucosus - Painted Reed Frog
Lycondonomorphus ruflus - Brown Water Snake
Macreplaps microlepidotus -Natal Black Snake
Naja nivea - Cape Cobra
Nucrus lalandii - Delalande’s sandveld lizard
Pachdactylus mariquensis - Quartz Gecko
Pachydactylus capensis - Cape Thick Toed Geck0
Pedioplanis burchelli - Burchell's Sandveld Lizard
Pseudaspis cana - Mole Snake
Stigmochelys pardalis - Leopard Tortoise
Strongylopus grayii - Clicking Stream Frog
Tropidosaura montana - Common Mountain Lizard.
Vandijkophrynus gariepensis - Karoo Toad.

Acontias breciceps - Short Headed Legless Sink, Hogsback Eastern Cape



Habitat.


Afroedura amatolica - Amatola Flat Gecko, Hogsback Eastern Cape



Amietia quicketti - Quickett's River Frog. Hogsback Eastern Cape


Sclerophrys capensis - Racous Toad. Hogsback Eastern Cape


Bitis caudalis - Horned Adder. Mereville, Greater Karoo.
First for the trip





Myself with an adult Bibrons Gecko, man can these things bite!


Boaedon capensis - Brown House Snake. Oudtshoorn, Klein Karoo.




Prime Berg Adder habitat.


Bradypodion atromontanum - Swartberg Dwarf Chameleon Swrtberg Mountain Range.







Sometimes getting the shot means you'll jump over a fence or two.


Bradypodion damaranum - Kynsna Dwarf Chameleon. George, Western Cape.



Striped Weasel.


Bradypodion ventrale - Eastern Cape Dwarf Chameleon Hogsback, Eastern Cape.







After leaving Hogsback, our accommodation got progressively worse.


Chersina angulata - Angulate Tortoise. Oudtshoorn, Western Cape.


Chondrodactlyus angulifer angulifer - Common Giant Gecko. Prince Albert, Western Cape.
Male


Female


No eye lids, no prblems.


Rian with a Brown House Snake we got on a cruise, it just literally just finished a massive meal. We didn't bother photographing it as it would more than likely regurge that meal


Chondrodactylus bibronii - Bibrons Gecko, Graaff-Reinet, Eastern Cape.






From Merweville, Western Cape.

Cordylus cordylus - Cape Girdled Lizard, Hogsback, Eastern Cape.



Small town cops don't really care for sad stories, a quick R500 fine for running a stop street.


Dasypeltis scabra - Rhombic Egg Eater. Oudtshoorn, Klein Karoo.



Gary photographing a Bibrons Gecko in the early hours before the light gets too harsh and the Karoo sun beats down.


Dispholidus typus typus - Cape Boomslang. Outside Oudtshoorn, Klein Karoo.



Arrdwolf.


Goggia lineata - Striped Dwarf Leaf Toed Gecko. Oudtshoorn, Klein Karoo.



Myself with a 1.2m Boomslang, looks a lot larger than it actually was.


Hyperolious mamoratus verrucosus - Painted Reed Frog. Hogsback, Eastern Cape.



Lycondonomorphus ruflus - Brown Water Snake, Hogsback, Eastern Cape.



Hogsback Habitat:


Macreplaps microlepidotus - Natal Black Snake. Hogsback, Eastern Cape.



Naja nivea - Cape Cobra Prince. Albert, Greater Karoo.





Gary getting some wide shots of a Cape Cobra.


Nucrus lalandii - Delalande’s sandveld lizard. Transkei, Eastern Cape



Rock Monitor get taken out so often on the roads in the Eastern Cape.


Pachdactylus mariquensis - Quartz Gecko. Graaff-Reinet, Eastern Cape.


Prince Albert, Greater Karoo.


Breakfast made easy in Oudtshoorn.


Pachydactylus capensis - Cape Thick Toed Gecko. Merewville Greater Karoo.



Cape Cobra carnage.


Pedioplanis burchelli - Burchell's Sandveld Lizard. Prince Albert, Greater Karoo.



Pseudaspis cana - Mole Snake Oudtshoorn, Western Cape.


Puff Adder, long gone.


Stigmochelys pardalis - Leopard Tortoise. Prince Albert, Greater Karoo.


Strongylopus grayii - Clicking Stream Frog. George, Western Cape.


Tropidosaura montana rangeri - Common Mountain Lizard. Hogsback, Eastern Cape. An uncommonly photographed lizard in the region.



Vandijkophrynus gariepensis - Karoo Toad. Prince Albert, Greater Karoo.


Myself photographing a small Cape Cobra.


You can view more images over on http://www.tyroneping.co.za/

[Mitton]

WOW, fantastic post again, looks like you guys had fun and nice finds.

That first Horned Adder is a beauty!
Would love to know what that big House Snake ate.

Thanks for posting.

[Fooble]

Thanks Eugene! Bummer the posts seemed to be clipping on this forum but elsewhere they display fine.

We saw loads of striped mice on the roadside but that was much bigger meal than that. So i guess we will never know?

[Mehelya]

Dang dude. Quite a variety you have there... Think the striped weasel's camouflage worked too well. Those capies looked pretty chilled, and the second boomslang is nice.

Excellent photography, and thanks for the share.

[Mitton]

Thanks Eugene! Bummer the posts seemed to be clipping on this forum but elsewhere they display fine.

What I find works when pics are cut off, I click on the Quote button on the specific post and then on Expand view, this way it displays the full pictures.

[jka]

I would be cool if we can sort out occidentalis, then for me ventrale and gutturale.
Maybe even Namib Cham as well

[Fooble]

I would be cool if we can sort out occidentalis, then for me ventrale and gutturale.
Maybe even Namib Cham as well

You're too right man 2016 still has many trips to make!

[Westley Price]

I couldnt be more jealous

Awesome pics and awesome variety of finds. I struggle to pic my favourite.

[jka]

I only saw the gif now! looks like that German oom taught him well!

[Allen G. Liebenberg]

Fantastic post. A

[levi_20]

Amazing post, thanks. All the photos are unbelievable, seriously. Although sad there is something amazing about those DOR shots.

[Ruan Stander]

Man you nearly had me in tears. Your photography is really spectacular. Brilliant finds.

[Fooble]

Man you nearly had me in tears. Your photography is really spectacular. Brilliant finds.

Cheers thanks Ruan

[rvanhuyssteen]

Fantastic finds and beautiful photographs, really enjoyed this post.