During the past few years I have studied African Rock Pipits vocalizations and behaviour in various localities in South Africa and Lesotho. This species is endemic and has a continuous distribution range along the main escarpment, with a few isolated populations in the Northern Cape and also in the Gauteng area (near Suikerbosrand in the Nigel area).
Figure 1. Browsers (e.g. giraffe) and grazers (e.g. zebra) by using different diet niches (photo courtesy J Codron).
Large mammal herbivores are among the most conspicuous elements of terrestrial landscapes. We South Africans all appreciate herbivores as flagships of our country’s natural heritage, enjoying them as food, for sport hunting, or simply for our holiday viewing pleasure. They are an exceptionally diverse animal group, represented by over 100 species on the African continent alone, ranging in size from the 3 kg rock dassie Procavia capensis to the African elephant Loxodonta africana with an average body mass around 4 000 kg (Codron 2013). How such a diversity of forms evolved, and still co-exist today, is nothing short of remarkable.
The Free State Province hosts a fairly large diversity of mammal predator species (≈ carnivores). Thirty-nine of our 103 indigenous mammal species can be defined as carnivores. While 19 of these species belong to the order Carnivora, 20 other species are also considered to be carnivores, belonging to the orders Tubulidentata (the Aardvark, which is a specialist ant and termite feeder), Macroscelidea (the Eastern rock sengi or elephant shrew; eats insects and other invertebrates, but also some plant material), Eulipotyphla (including six shrew and one hedgehog species; they eat mostly insects, but also earthworms,
https://www.sahistory.org.za/topic/walter-sisulu-timeline-1912-2003
Audrey Hepburn once said that the best thing to hold onto in life is each other. In this month of love, we look at the inspiring love story of two struggle heroes, Walter and Albertina Sisulu. Their love survived the dark days of apartheid, when Walter Sisulu was imprisoned eight times, banned, placed under house arrest, tried twice for treason, and, in 1964, jailed for life.
“I simply cannot do without you,” was Theunis Steyn’s constant message to his beloved Tibbie over a lifetime together.
Although their love story had its share of difficulties, Theunis and Tibbie Steyn’s relationship, in the words of their friend Dr Hendrik Muller, was indeed “an unmixed blessing”, and one of the most beautiful testimonies to the rich interest of a successful marriage. It deserves a special place in history.