The pantropical spotted dolphin is a species of dolphin found in all the world’s temperate and tropical oceans.
The rise of so called, “Dolphin friendly” tuna capture (in the1980s), is thought to have saved millions of this species, in the eastern pacific. This  species was first described by John Gray in 1846. Gray’s initial analysis included the Atlantic spotted dolphin in this species. They are now regarded as separate. Both the genus and specific names come from Latin words meaning thin or thinning.
Two subspecies of the pantropical spotted dolphin are recognized, (Another unnamed subspecies, which inhabits inland Hawaiian waters, was recognized in Rice (1998)’s overview of marine mammal taxonomy, its unclear why this has not been fully recognized)
     S. a. attenuata or offshore pantropical spotted dolphin, found worldwide in tropical waters
     S. a. graffmani or coastal pantropical spotted dolphin, found in coastal waters in the eastern tropical Pacific.Â
The pantropical spotted dolphin regularly making large, splashy leaps from the sea. It is a common Whale surfacing behaviour and will often clear the water for a second or more. Bow-riding and other play with boats is common. In the eastern Pacific, they often swim with yellow fin tuna (causing the problem with dolphin deaths caused by tuna fishing, though they do not eat them). In fact, the two species have similar diets of small epipelagic fish. In other areas, the species may also feed on squid and crustaceans.
Hippopotamus are a fascinating animal. Large, highly aggressive, and spending most of their days in water. For many people, their memory of a Hippopotamus on safari (or in a zoo) is a pond with a grey bump in the middle. But there is far more to a hippopotamus than meets the eyes. Duromg the night, Hippo leave the safety of the water and go into the bush to graze.
They are incredibly dangerous, and there is a far higher risk for people wandering in the bush to be killed by hippo than anything else. In the past, they were one of the few species that still lived in significant numbers outside reserves. Unfortunately, as the human population of Africa has grown, the majority of these free roaming Hippo have been killed – for an African living on a tiny income, a hippo is a huge pile of meat, which can be sold, and some of its teeth are made of ivory.
A rough estimate suggests that the meat is worth around 8000. When you add in the Ivory teeth, it is possible for a Hippo carcass to be worth a years average salary (and that is the mean salary). 85% of Africans survive on $5.50 per day, which works out at almost exactly $2000 – so for 85% of Africans, a hippo carcass is worth 4 years of salary – assuming that you do not make much money from the ivory, and it would not be surprising if this added significantly.
When you look at these numbers, it is not surprising that people poach Hippos -and it makes it very hard to work out how to save them.
Of course, Hippo can be worth far more in tourism dollars over their lifespan.
Common hippopotamus are possible to see in all the Savannahs that we have listed so far. Visit wild places to see the total list.
Below is links to some of the biggest (though as I say, hippo can often be seen in small reserves and in places outside reserves as well. All our savannah wild places have sizable populations of common hippopotamus.
So the black rhino is one of the two rhino species that survive in Africa. Their last common ancestor was around 6 million years ago (in comparison the Javan and Indian rhino split just 2 million years ago). Being browsers, not grazers, they are far harder to see, as they spend their time deep in the bush, far from the open plains where white rhino are discovered.
Being solitary, they are also generally found at far lower densities than white rhinos. having said this, in many reserves this is as much as a result of poaching as of a low natural density. Having spent some time based around the Kruger, we have encountered White rhino a huge number of times, but black rhino have eluded us, though their dropping have been encountered on a few occasions.
The black rhino is a younger species than the white rhino having evolved from it, 4-5 million years ago.
They both have 2 horns, made of keratin, the same as our fingernails, with the front one being longer than the back one. The front horn has an average length of 50cm, though this is not a set thing. Plenty of black rhino have been measured with a horn 135cm long, and the world record was a horn 150cm long.
Regions of their range have been lost at various times, though in recent times, there has been an effort to turn back time In May 2017, 18 eastern black rhinos were translocated from South Africa to the Akagera National Park in Rwanda. The park had around 50 rhinos in the 1970s but had lost them all by 2007. In September 2017 18 were reintroduced, and 1 has been born since. The park employs a team to protect the rhinos and so far this has worked.In October 2017, This transfer took place in 2018. The governments of Chad and South Africa reached an agreement in October 2017, to transfer six black rhinos from South Africa to Zakouma National Park in Chad; this was complete by May 2018. Once established, this will be the northernmost population of the species. The species was wiped out from Chad in the 1970s and is under severe pressure from poaching in South Africa. The agreement calls for South African experts to assess the habitat, local management capabilities, security and the infrastructure before the transfer can take place.
Historically there have been a wide range of subspecies suggested for this species: The most accepted position considers seven or eight subspecies, of which three became extinct in historical times and one is on the brink of extinction. I have listed all these below
Southern black rhinoceros also known as Cape black rhinoceros (D. b. bicornis) – Extinct. Once abundant from the Cape of Good Hope to Transvaal, South Africa and probably into the south of Namibia, this was the largest subspecies. It became extinct due to excessive hunting and habitat destruction around 1850.
North-eastern black rhinoceros (D. b. brucii) – Extinct. Formerly central Sudan, Eritrea, northern and south-eastern Ethiopia, Djibouti and northern and south-eastern Somalia. Relict populations in northern Somalia vanished during the early 20th century.
Western black rhinoceros (D. b. longipes) – Extinct. Once lived in South Sudan, northern Central African Republic, southern Chad, northern Cameroon, north-eastern Nigeria and south-eastern Niger. The range possibly stretched west to the Niger River in western Niger, though this is unconfirmed. The evidence from Liberia and Burkina Faso mainly rests upon the existence of indigenous names for the rhinoceros. A far greater former range in West Africa as proposed earlier is doubted by a 2004 study. The last known wild specimens lived in northern Cameroon. In 2006 an intensive survey across its putative range in Cameroon failed to locate any, leading to fears that it was extinct in the wild. On 10 November 2011 the IUCN declared the western black rhinoceros extinct.
Chobe black rhinoceros (D. b. chobiensis) – A local subspecies restricted to the Chobe Valley in southeastern Angola, Namibia (Zambezi Region) and northern Botswana. Nearly extinct, possibly only one surviving specimen in Botswana.
Uganda black rhinoceros (D. b. ladoensis) – Former distribution from South Sudan, across Uganda into western Kenya and south-westernmost Ethiopia. Black rhinos are considered extinct across most of this area and its conservational status is unclear. Probably surviving in Kenyan reserves.
Eastern black rhinoceros (D. b. michaeli) – Had a historical distribution from South Sudan, Uganda, Ethiopia, down through Kenya into north-central Tanzania. Today, its range is limited primarily to Kenya and Tanzania.
South-central black rhinoceros (D. b. minor) – Most widely distributed subspecies, characterised by a compact body, proportionally large head and prominent skin-folds. Ranged from north-eastern South Africa (KwaZulu-Natal) to north-eastern Tanzania and south-eastern Kenya. Preserved in reserves throughout most of its former range but probably extinct in eastern Angola, southern Democratic Republic of Congo and possibly Mozambique. Extinct but reintroduced in Malawi, Botswana, and Zambia. It also ranges in parts of Namibia and inhabit national parks in South Africa.
South-western black rhinoceros (D. b. occidentalis) – A small subspecies, adapted to survival in desert and semi-desert conditions. Originally distributed in north-western Namibia and southwestern Angola, today restricted to wildlife reserves in Namibia with sporadic sightings in Angola. These populations are often referred to D. b. bicornis or D. b. minor, but some experts consider them a subspecies in their own right.
The most widely adopted alternative scheme only recognizes five subspecies or “eco-types”: D. b. bicornis, D. b. brucii, D. b. longipes, D. b. michaeli, and D. b. minor. This concept is also used by the IUCN, listing three surviving subspecies and recognizing D. b. brucii and D. b. longipes as extinct. The most important difference to the above scheme is the inclusion of the extant southwestern subspecies from Namibia in D. b. bicornis instead of in its own subspecies, whereupon the nominal subspecies is considered extant.
Note: to look at the rest of the rhino family clickhere
Seeing Black rhino is hard, but they are in most African reserves that we list
Much of the news from the Natural World is negative. The human population is growing in crowding out the Natural World, even when not foolish two positions have led close...
Rhino are unable to sweat, which means that as temperatures increase, both black and white rhino are more and more reliant on finding shade, in order to keep...
The wildlife of Indonesia now often looks like relatively unique to those islands. This is not the natural state of affairs. 60,000 years ago, a cousin of the orangutan lived...
In 2006 there were 36 rhinos poached within South Africa. This is important, as South Africa has the vast majority of remaining Southern White Rhinos living within its borders (over...
West African lions are heavily endangered with just 400 members remaining. While the west African population of the Asiatic lion is less at risk than the Gir forest population -...
I am intending to make this into a new set of articles that will appear on this website. Obviously, these species will not be the only ones that are covered...
Giraffe survival is in danger: according to the giraffe conservation Foundation giraffe numbers have fallen from 140000 and 80000 in the last 20-years. Yet other organisations suggest that the current...
Fitzpatrick at Jocks is a small lodge perfect for groups and hired exclusively to one group at a time. Consisting of 3 Luxurious suites each with its own viewing deck. This allows people to enjoy the luxury of a lodge, but with the intimacy of being just a small group.
Lying in the game dense south of the Kruger national park, this private concession covers around 23 miles which only your group and the main lodge will have access to. The lodge is built on the river bank, which means that often the wildlife will come to visit you so you can enjoy watching the world go by from the comfort of your suite.
Beautifully equipped and set up for a group of up to 6 to share, this is an incredible place for friends to go together or for family time away from everyone else.
With places to eat inside and out, and with its own staff, a visit can be fully molded around the group visiting- both in terms of food preference and activities.
Things to do include bush drives, bush walks (which will include learning the beginning of tracking) sun downer drinks in the bush, as well as time simply relaxing in the lodge.
Being in a game rich part of the park, it is also wonderful to lay back on a lounger and watch the animals move past.
Elephants passing by
Giraffe from the vehicle
Hornbill in the lodge
Out exploring on foot
Lilac breasted roller
The above video gives you a good introduction to the lodge and the area around it.
Below is a more detailed look at the lodge and the feel of the place.
Fully inclusive pricing starts at
If you are interested and would like to book or enquire about availability fill in the form below.
Hermanus is one of the worlds best places to watch whales from the land, and therefore is well worth some time if you are visiting the Cape of South Africa.
Sitting on the beach watching the whales play in the bay is an experience that long stays in the memory. Generally the whales (in this instance Souhtern right whales) are present from June to December, though on occasion they do appear as early as April. However, the whales are not the only thing to enjoy in Hermanus.
We currently have one area for people to stay in Hermanus though it is rather special.Â
Time on the beach
Kayaking along the coast
Boat rides in the area
Shark watching and cage diving
Flamingos
Pied kingfishers
Predatory birds
With a variety of flowers and birds found within the reserve and in the surrounding area, and whales and sharks viewable from the coast, this stay can be nature packed.
You can also simply spend time on the reserve and enjoy the beach.
A variety of activities including kayaking, biking, quad biking and shark cage diving (all sorts of marine wildlife can be seen on these trips) can also be undertaken. Boating and kayaking is also available
Beyond the border of the reserve, there are caves to explore and more beaches to visit among many activities.
There are two places to stay within the reserve, Mosaic lagoon house consisting of a family suite and a suite for a couple, and the Perivola house a 4 bedroom place for the sole use of one group at a time.
Mosaic lagoon lodge consists of a family suite (couple plus 2 small childre) and a luxury couples suite
Perivoli Lagoon House, a 4 bedroom house for the exclusive use of one group at a time. Space for everyone to enjoy the reserve
Mhondoro Lodge and villa is set within the Welgenvonden Reserve and is set on a hill looking out across the plains.
There is a watering hole in front of the lodge, and uniquely this is connected to the lodge by an underground tunnel allowing guests to visit the hide in safety, without disturbing the animals they are there to see. This allows incredibly intimate views of wildlife that is completely relaxed
The main lodge has 5 suites, two deluxe rooms for 2, two deluxe suites with 2 bedrooms each, perfect for families or friends travelling together and the separate Villa, which sleeps 6 (the Villa comes with its own staff and can be completely separate from the lodge).
Delicious food
Well presented
Healthy
tasty
Showering outdoors
Despite being in such a remote place, you can expect to be pampered during your stay, with fantastic food and drink, incredible wildlife encounters and a comfortable place to sleep. With a fantastic team of chefs and quality food and drink the wildlife is not going ot be the only thing you remember about your stay.
However, while your stay will be luxurious, that is not the reason you come to africa. As you see from the video above, there is significant amounts of wildlife that live on the reserve including the big 5 though there are 60 other mammals to look out for.
One of the advantages of a private reserve like this, is often you stand a greater chance of seeing rarely seen mammals, such as aardvark and aardwolf and brown hyena (an animal almost never seen in the Kruger)
Jock Safari Lodge lies in the south west of the Kruger national park, on a 6000 hectare exclusive concession.
This part of the park is one of the most game dense within the park. However, coupled with the exclusive rights given to guests of the property, you can experience them without the traffic jams that occur on the roads in the surrounding area.
This leads to a wonderful laid back life. Whether sitting in the lodge or out on a drive or on foot, you never know what is going to happen next.
With incredible views in all directions, the house has been designed with plenty of places to sit comfortably and watch the world go by, when you are not out exploring the park
The price for this place is all inclusive
If you have any questions, or would like to enquire about availability or book fillin the form below.
The Walker bay nature reserve has an incredible range of wild flowers, and is a fantastic birding location, with a wide range of south african birds present across the year.
With its wildlife not including the big 5 this is a more hands on safari destination. It is a perfect place for a family to come and explore what wildlife you can find. There is also 3km frontage onto the Hermanus Lagoon
Mosaic lodge is a luxurious place to stay within the reserve. with only 5 suites available it will never feel crowded.For the ultimate private getaway, LAGOON LODGE captures the essence of tranquillity scattered through an ancient milkwood grove. A pampered stay here is all-inclusive of meals, adventure activities and house beverages/wine/beer/spirits. Relaxing massage, skin and nail treatments can be indulged in at the Mosaic Rain Spa (either indoor or outdoor), using organic Rain Africa products (additional charges apply). The 5 suites include both double or twin depending on the need, and a family suite for a couple with 2 children. These suites are spread through an ancient Milkwood grove (beautiful trees, but also shading the suites keeping them cool). Spa treatments are availabile (though some may incur an additional expense)
After a touch of bird watching from a secluded veranda, head down the boardwalks under a canopy of trees to the heated plunge pool overlooking the mountains and lagoon, where favourite water birds can be spotted. Drinks and meals are shared outdoors or in the dining room by a fireplace that will warm one’s soul.W
Â
Activities at Mosaic include being immersed in awesome fynbos flowers and bird-life of the Cape Floral Kingdom, lagoon cruises, stunning beaches, fascinating marine life and some of the world’s most beautiful wine lands. This is topped off with warm smiling staff serving fresh cuisine paired with delicious South African wine. Mosaic is also centrally located to whale watching, marine tours, shark cage diving and exploring the Overberg Wine Region, and the perfect location for nature and activity lovers.
Fascinating water birds are all around, and you can simply sit and watch from the comfort of your suites veranda.
Food is also spectacular. With a chef, baker and gardener you can expect delicious food prepared fresh, often from ingredients grown within a few miles of the lodge, all paired with wonderful local wines. The cuisine at Mosaic is fresh, delicious and the creative mastery of our team and local producers is easy to see. Breakfast is a hearty fare with freshly baked muffins, homemade jams, fresh fruit and a hot meal. Lunch is served gourmet picnic style outdoors or around blazing fires when there is a chill in the air. Sumptuous dinners are prepared by the chef and built around organic vegetables from the garden and local seasonal ingredients…and best paired with fine South African wine from the Mosaic cellar!
And as evening falls, exquisite colours of the sun setting over the lagoon and the glorious expanse of the star-filled South African sky are witnessed.
Depending on the weather, meals can be had indoors beside a roaring fire, or outside watching the sunset, and enjoying the stars.
Both includes:
All-inclusive of all meals, welcome drink, house beverages/wine/beer/spirit, prices lie below the form
Family suite
Couples Suite
If you have an questions or are interested in visiting (or indeed would like to check availability), please fill out the form below
Assuming that a place you stay in the Serengeti is comfortable, the most important thing you are looking for is somewhere that you will see much wildlife from the camp. Faru Faru Lodge is built right beside a watering hole which means that there will be a constant stream of animals coming to quench their thirst. Not content with simply being by a watering hole the river also passes nearby, so while you will spend much of your time exploring outside the lodge, the animals will also come to you and there will always be something to watch from the lodge.
Due to glass walls in as many places as possible the wildlife can be seen from most areas of the lodge.
Imagine sitting out on the veranda, eating delicious food and watching as the wildlife take their drinks only 10m away. Containing only 10 rooms made up of seven suites, one family suite and two bedroom suites, even if completely full and everyone is on the veranda together there is plenty of space. At the end of the veranda, before the cliff, is the swimming pool which means you can bathe in the evening, keeping cool, while looking out as the world goes by.
The lodge itself is built in a simple elegant style, and while much of its art and craft come from Africa, some of its design cues come from Denmark. Due to its design this lodge can safely be used by smaller children.
Sitting in the Grumeti conservation area on the west side of the Serengeti, only people visiting Sasakwa Lodge, Sabora Tented Camp and Faru Faru Lodge can be in the area. As such you will not see the the scrums around exciting sightings that you often see in the Serengeti. There is something extraordinarily satisfying about finding incredible wildlife spectacles and having to share them with no one. The pace of life in this way is slow, and you can enjoy the moment for as long as you wish.Â
Despite there being few people using this reserve it still covers 500 square miles giving you huge amounts of space to explore and look for wildlife.
Overlooking a watering pool and with a riverbed passing close by, and with windows on all sides, your viewing of the animals can continue as you relax in the camp.Â
The owner is in residence during certain periods of the year, and given the range of properties that Singita run, it tells you something of how special place this is. Always a challenge in these sorts of lodges, is to find a way of creating an incredible luxury without removing people from the feel of being in the wild, however Faru Faru Lodge has succeeded.
Faru faru lodge is regularly listed as one of the best lodges in AfricaÂ
If you are interested in visiting or would like to know, do fill in the form below with any questions you might have. Pricing is below
Castleton is an amazing place to stay in Sabi Sands. Consisting of six double en suite cottages around the main house, it is perfect for groups of friends or large family gatherings. The place is used exclusively by one group at a time.
Originally the home of Singitas founder Luke Bailes grandfather it still has a hugely homely feel.
Looking straight out into the parks grasslands and overlooking a watering hole, game watching can be done while sitting in the comfort of this home away from home.
Included are all the staff you could require, including cook and game driver.
As you can imagine this is a way of doing safari that few will get the chance to experience.
While this is by no means a cheap way to do it, it compares well to a public lodge for that number of people and the length of your stay.
Expect incredible food, comfortable beautiful house to stay in and some of the most well informed wildlife guides.
This also guarantees the feel of the wild, as drives take place on the private sabi sands, which you only share with the other lodges, and you stay alone in this fantastic lodge.Â
If you are interested in booking this place for a visit, or would like to ask for more details, please fill in the form below. pricing information is below the form.
To return to the Limpopo transfrontier park page click here
So the 
