Marloth Park Honorary Rangers

05/09/2026

ENJOY BEAUTIFUL, BIODIVERSE MARLOTH THIS WEEKEND

It is 𝗩𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗗𝗮𝘆. These magnificent, unfairly maligned birds are critically endangered worldwide, due to habitat loss and persecution. Yet they are not predatory and are vital to the ecosystem. They are ‘nature’s cleaner-uppers’ and still today provide ‘sanitation services’ to some rural villages and even bigger towns and cities in Africa and India. Why is this?
• Their acidic stomach destroys deadly natural pathogens: anthrax, botulism, rabies, brucellosis. (They are susceptible to synthetic, human-made poisons though.)
• By rapidly eating carcasses they prevent population surges and spread of rabies via scavengers like rats and feral dogs.
• Their digested organic matter returns nitrogen and calcium to the soil, and by removing rotting meat they stop toxic run-off to fresh water bodies.
• Other scavenging ‘cleaner-uppers’ like jackals and hyena see them gathering in the sky and quickly find carcasses, speeding up habitat sanitation.
The vultures in the collage were photographed in Lionspruit. From top left: Lappet-faced, White-backed, White headed and Hooded vultures.

Donate to Vulpro, dedicated to African vulture conservation: https://www.vulpro.com/. Visit their Hartebeespoort facility to revise negative feelings you may have towards these wonderful birds!
𝘓𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘍𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘶𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘍𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘮 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘪𝘯𝘧𝘰 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘥𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦 𝘧𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘢 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘢𝘶𝘯𝘢.

04/09/2026

𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘄𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁𝘄𝗵𝘆𝗱𝗮𝘆!?

Do flap-necked chameleons hibernate in winter?

It is officially spring and HR Miemmie Byrch snapped this phone shot of her ‘first of the season’ chameleon, 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘰 𝘥𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘱𝘪𝘴. But does this common chameleon, in fact, ‘go to sleep’ for winter?

According to different sources, such as 𝘏𝘦𝘳𝘱𝘦𝘵𝘰𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘔𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘻𝘪𝘯𝘦 *, they do not, but they do become much less active and so are harder to spot. They will come out to bask on a sunny winter day. This reptile behaviour is known as brumation or semi-hibernation. In this picture the animal is rather dark which makes sense, as, “They also change colour to regulate body temperature, for example darkening the body to absorb more solar radiation.”* When darker they are also harder to spot.
Sources:
• https://herpetoculturenetwork.com/flap-necked-chameleons-a-hardy-species/
• *https://ingwelala.co.za/archives/fauna-flora/chameleon.html
• https://www.facebook.com/safarigaronga/posts/during-the-cold-and-dry-winter-months-flap-necked-chameleons
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFCWdBTXYGM&t=99s Hibernation, brumation and aestivation


-necked chameleon

03/09/2026

PRETTY, EVERGREEN … BUT ILLEGAL!

𝗠𝗮𝗱𝗮𝗴𝗮𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗿 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮
We are still seeing these poisonous foreign plants, 𝘊𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘶𝘴 𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘶𝘴, all over Marloth Park, including along the very public road: Seekoei. Our AIP (Alien & Invader Plant) team removed a sizeable patch off Soenie Road on Tuesday. You can see in the photo how they spread to take over entire areas, so nothing else can grow.

The National Environmental Management Biodiversity Act (NEMBA) 2014* lists this as Category 1b: 𝘣𝘺 𝘭𝘢𝘸 𝘪𝘵 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘺𝘦𝘥. Please, do the right thing and remove them off your stand! Tell your friends and neighbours and any businesses/rentals to do the same. They have already spread from Marloth Park into Kruger, one of the greatest wildernesses remaining on Earth, which is a disgrace. If you leave them, it reinforces the false belief that they belong in South Africa.

They are evergreen and flower year round, producing millions of tiny seeds. They will need to be weeded out for years to come.

Our AIP team is currently working on Parkland and the verges down Soenie towards Seekoei, taking out Potato Creeper, Lantana and Periwinkles – all three poisonous and illegal nationwide, being vigorous invaders infesting farmlands and the natural veld.

Many thanks to young Michael Corry who joined us to do part of his Com Serve, and to regular helpers Sean and Errol and Natalie, plus as always those generous people (Uda, Paula and HJ, Fiona, Annette and Linda) who sponsor the strong men to help us: Justice, Johan, Phil and Siya! They make a huge difference.

All invasive species in South Africa are listed here, including fish, reptiles and mammals:https://www.gov.za/sites/default/files/gcis_document/201409/36683rg9993gon507.pdf

02/09/2026

01/09/2026

𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝘂𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗦𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝟱𝘁𝗵 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝘁 𝟬𝟲𝗵𝟯𝟬 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗕𝗶𝗿𝗱 𝗪𝗮𝗹𝗸. 𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗩𝗼𝗹𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗼𝗱𝗶𝗹𝗲. 𝗧𝗼 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗲, 𝗲𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘆 𝗬𝗼𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗲́ 𝗦𝗰𝗼𝘁𝘁’𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗕𝗶𝗿𝗱 𝗪𝗮𝗹𝗸.

A THOROUGHLY 'INTERNATIONAL' BIRDWALK!
Birding in Marloth Park is always an extraordinary experience. But when shared through the eyes of friends from different corners of the world, the familiar transforms into the extraordinary once again.

Our “global audience” on 1 August consisted of 22 twitchers from far and wide: Belgium, North America, South America, Canada, UAE, the UK, Switzerland and of course South Africa. Together we recorded 76 different bird species on the two hour walk.

After winter’s almost complete absence of waders, we thoroughly enjoyed the delicate movements of a Kittlitz's Plover along the river's edge and welcomed the sight of a Wood Sandpiper foraging in the shallows. Brown-throated Martins dipped and soared, while the dramatic appearance of an African Harrier-Hawk hunting in the canopy resulted in a series of ooh’s and aah’s. Much to our delight, we watched a Greater Honey-Guide (or was it watching us?) perching low in a thicket a short distance away from the starting point of our walk.

We were filled with a profound sense of pride and connection as we guided new (and old) friends through our wild backyard and were reminded of the deep honour it is to protect and share this landscape.

Quiet magic unfolds in these quiet, patient moments of bird watching and ambling along the footpaths, crisscrossed with animal tracks - a wave of nostalgia washed over us, blending memories of our own first sightings and the rediscovery of the wild place we call “home”.

Thanks to all who joined us and we truly hope to see you all again.

Photos attached, courtesy of our talented birding paparazzi: George Whitehead & Jeremy Munton-Jackson.

29/08/2026

ENJOY BEAUTIFUL, BIODIVERSE MARLOTH THIS WEEKEND

Catch them while you can! Two of the brightest spring flowering plants of Marloth Park are in bloom now, and the blooms last just a few weeks. There are a lot of mopani pomegranate towards the bottom end of Berghaan Road, and the flame creeper was photographed in Seekoei.

𝘓𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘍𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘶𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘍𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘮 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘪𝘯𝘧𝘰 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘥𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦 𝘧𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘢 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘢𝘶𝘯𝘢.

28/08/2026

𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘄𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝗱𝗮𝘆!?

What characteristic does this Single-striped Grass Mouse, found here in Marloth Park, share with all other rodents e.g. hares, rabbits, squirrels, guinea pigs, chinchillas and porcupines?

𝘓𝘦𝘮𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘺𝘴 𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘢 and other rodents “have a pair of continuously growing, chisel-like incisor teeth at the front of both jaws, kept sharp by working against each other as the animal chews.”*

Mice are top of mind at the moment, due to the Mouse Survey conducted this week for us by Small Mammal Specialist Christia Newbery. This mouse is day-feeding so you have a good chance of seeing one. This picture was taken at Two Trees picnic site on Seekoei. We look forward to Christia’s results.
Sources: * 𝘚𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘔𝘢𝘮𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘚𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘯 𝘈𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢 and Internet sites e.g.: https://www.aiwc.ca/blog/rodents-and-their-ever-growing-teeth/

27/08/2026

LET’S DO SOME FUN “LISTING” THIS YEAR – Part 6
While every foreign tourist, and even many South African toddlers, can happily rattle off our “Big 5” animals, there are other animals we should “bucket list” too. HR Alison Whitehead is taking us through a birding “Big 6” of Kruger National Park. The Big 5 (lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhinoceros) represent the 5 game species that were most desired as hunter’s trophies in times gone past, and now represent the 5 species that visitors to Kruger most want to see.

The “Big 6 Birds” are iconic and charismatic species that visitors want to see. They are easy to spot, being big, and easy to identify. We have already covered the Lappet-faced Vulture, Kori Bustard, Saddle Billed Stork, Pel’s Fishing Owl and Martial Eagle.

“Big 6” Bird 6: SOUTHERN GROUND-HORNBILL 𝘉𝘶𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘷𝘶𝘴 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪
Bromvoël (A); Ingududu / iNsingizi (Z)
Meet the Southern Ground Hornbill. As big as turkeys, jet black, wielding bills like hatchets, these charismatic birds cut an unmistakable dash as they strut around the bush in small family parties. Look for their unusual ‘high heeled’ arrangement of toes! They are classified as an Endangered Species within South Africa. The birds numbers are dwindling because of general habitat loss, being slow breeders, and because they need to nest in big cavities in large trees. Such trees are becoming harder and harder to find.

The bird is easily identified by its striking black plumage, long eyelashes, and a vibrant red throat patch, as well as a striking bill casque. Juveniles, as in the photo, are duller, with a pale bill. With a height of 90 – 130 cm, it is a sizable bird, and both males and females share similar physical characteristics.

Those eyelashes are the envy of many humans ... but are not just beautiful. They are modified feathers (bristles) that protect the eyes from glare, from dust and debris stirred up as they forage on the ground, and from thorns.

A few fun facts about these birds, seen and heard across the Crocodile River, and sometimes in Marloth Park:
• They often call very early in the morning, in booming notes that sounds not unlike a distant lion. They amplify their calls by inflating the big, red, balloon-like wattle below their bill.
• They are omnivores and anything from insects and lizards to small birds, rodents, tortoises and snakes as big as puff adders.
• They can live for up to 70 years in captivity. This makes them one of the world’s longest-lived birds, on par with albatrosses.
• In many traditional African cultures Ground-Hornbills are revered as harbingers of rain, so killing them is taboo.
You will find them inhabiting the savannas, woodlands, and grasslands of Kruger National Park. They are often seen foraging on the ground or perched in trees, especially in the central and southern regions of the Park.

The Honorary Rangers are working with Mabula Ground-hornbill Project to try and entice a new family to take up residence in Lionspruit. A fibre-glass nesting cavity – generously sponsored by HJ and Paula Volkmer, was put up in a leadwood tree several years ago, and is monitored. None has chosen the site yet, but last year it was investigated and some leaves laid down. We remain hopeful – conservation of some species requires patience!
Photos: HRs Judy Norton and George Whitehead
Credits:
Wild about Hoedspruit
Mabula Ground-hornbill Project

24/08/2026

!! ALERT: MOUSE SURVEY BEGINS TODAY !!
𝗛𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗥𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝘀𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗗𝗢 𝗡𝗢𝗧 𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗙𝗘𝗥𝗘 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗽𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗲𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱, 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗼𝗻 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗹 𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆.
We are happy to report that mice, an important component of our ecosystem, will be surveyed for the first time. What species do we have? Are any invader species? What do they eat and what is their role as prey? The survey will help us understand our ecosystem better.
Christia Newbery is a Small Mammal Specialist with a Diploma in Nature Conservation, and 25 years of experience. We are grateful that she and her assistants are doing this survey for us, purely out of interest, and for free. Our Nkomazi Rangers are providing transport, HR are providing accommodation, and HR Johan van der Walt is helping to select trap sites.
Once Christa has reported back, we will share the results.

22/08/2026

ENJOY BEAUTIFUL, BIODIVERSE MARLOTH THIS WEEKEND

The red spikethorn, otherwise known as confetti spikethorn (𝘎𝘺𝘮𝘯𝘰𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘢 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘴), is a very common sight here in Marloth Park. It is showy when in flower – starting around now -- and can grow into an interesting small tree over time. It can be also be pruned to form a dense, spiny, evergreen hedge. It is a very drought-hardy plant.

𝘓𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘍𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘶𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘍𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘮 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘪𝘯𝘧𝘰 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘥𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦 𝘧𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘢 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘢𝘶𝘯𝘢.