Gaboon in Dukuduku

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Gaboon in Dukuduku

Postby armata » Sat Apr 28, 2007 1:02 pm

As Dukuduku becomes ever more threatened thought it would be nice to show gabbie in habitat at Monzi circ Image
a 2000
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Postby Rob » Sat Apr 28, 2007 4:25 pm

Awesome stuff.

Strange thing..I have been thinking a lot lately about planning a trip up there to see some Gaboons. Must be an amazing thing to photograph.

Is it even possible to get in there now?
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Postby armata » Sat Apr 28, 2007 6:27 pm

It is always a great pleasure to see a wild gaboon.
You will have to check out the permit system; not sure about KZN laws; other than the gaboon is protected.
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Postby Bushviper » Sat Apr 28, 2007 7:09 pm

Do not drive into or near Dukuduku at night. We did and we nearly killed. The guys after us did not care that there were about 8 people in the vehicle, they still tried to push us off the road. The police do not even patrol there at night.

Their favorite trick is to put out a plank with spikes in it and when all your tires are flat they smack you over the head, replace the tyres and drive off.

Be afraid, be very afraid. The habitat has been so destroyed I doubt that there is much left there.
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Postby Rob » Sat Apr 28, 2007 8:13 pm

BV are you working for KZN Wildlife? ha

I know that area isn't too safe. Still worth it if you get to see some wild Gaboons.
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Postby armata » Sun Apr 29, 2007 11:45 am

Tis so sad about Dukuduku - I used to live in Matubatuba and you could walk around at night no probs. And the St Lucia Road was such a great cruise at night, gaboons, snouted night adders, the odd black file etc etc.

I also used to work in the forest at night on my own; guess I wouldn't live too long if I did that nowadays.
What worries me is that herpers from overseas may be a bit naive about this - please note all you overseas members you are not safe in northern KZN even in numbers as BV pointed out.

Also another dodgy place are the roads leading out of Kruger - the trick there is to put a donket cart in the middle of the road to make you stop - I nearly got caught out - BE WARNED!!!

Thank goodness for Oudtshoorn.
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Postby Bushviper » Sun Apr 29, 2007 12:05 pm

Armata I did not know about the road out of Kruger either. We used to wait and be the last car out of the park. That way you can stop and not have someone ride into you. The road past Manyeleti used to deliver shieldnose snakes and other nice stuff. That road also had the usual suspects on it like snouted and spitting cobras, puff adders by the hundreds and even the odd mamba.

Oh well talking about the good old days makes me feel even older. Yes Oudtshoorn does not have much crime because you cannot do a drive by shooting or hijacking from a donkey cart!
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Postby dave » Sun Apr 29, 2007 12:50 pm

very nice gabby :cool:
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Postby Q Ball » Mon Apr 30, 2007 11:20 am

Nice Gaboon armata.
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Postby armata » Thu May 03, 2007 12:40 am

Gaboon - frontal dunes,Eastern Shores, St Lucia

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Postby snake_freak » Thu May 03, 2007 1:23 am

Excellent pics, Hope you don't mind me using it as my desktop background :D .

Are they easy to find when out and about like this, because it doesn't seem like there camouflage provides much protection in these pics?
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Postby armata » Thu May 03, 2007 1:38 am

Ah, someone else buring the midnight oil.

They certainly are easier to spot when on the dunes; but it is often quite early in the morning. They don't stay long and slip back into the thicket and forest after an hour or so.
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Postby snake_freak » Thu May 03, 2007 1:47 am

Ah, someone else buring the midnight oil.


:lol: Just in a different time zone.

often quite early in the morning. They don't stay long and slip back into the thicket and forest after an hour or so.


Is that just for early morning basking? If so, I thought the wind chill on the sand dunes would have made it too cold.
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