http://www.honoraryrangersmarlothpark.co.za/

Marloth Park Honorary Rangers, 1 Olifants Road, Komatipoort (2026)

21/10/2026

WORLD REPTILE DAY 21 OCTOBER
In Marloth Park we are fortunate to have an interesting array of reptiles. Many of them we can observe close-up around, and on, our homes – like geckoes and rock monitors.
What distinguishes a reptile from other animals? They:
• Are vertebrates, meaning they have backbones
• Are covered in dry, scaly skin and/or bony plates
• Are ectothermic, (“cold-blooded”) meaning their temperature is regulated by the environment
• Lay eggs on land, with a few exceptions.
Many reptiles go into semi-hibernation during the cold winter months – a state known as ‘brumation’. However, on mild days they may emerge to bask in the sun.
The southern African reptiles can be classified into three orders, each very different from the other.
𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘀 have shells, and include tortoises, terrapins and turtles. In Marloth Park we have two types of tortoises, and terrapins, which are only found in fresh water. (Turtles are salt water animals.) The shell is an extension of the rib cage. In Marloth Park we see leopard tortoises and the rather more unusual Speke’s hinge-back tortoise. This species is only found in north-eastern South Africa.
𝗦𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 are scaled, and include snakes, lizards, skinks, agamas, geckoes, chameleons, and monitors. Snakes are legless and the others have four legs, even though some have evolved to be very small. ‘Autotomy’ is the remarkable defence mechanism some lizards and geckoes have developed, whereby they can shed their tail and it ‘regenerates’. The detached piece continues to move, distracting predators. Look out for the remarkably long Yellow-throated plated lizard, often found around anthills.
𝗖𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗼𝗱𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘀 are represented by our one species, the Nile Crocodile. Note that our dams DO have crocodiles so be very aware and do not walk close to the water’s edge. Crocodiles have also often been seen crossing roads near the Crocodile River.

Sources: 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘞𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘚𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘯 𝘈𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢, ed Vincent Carruthers, SANBI, various internet sites.

park

17/10/2026

ENJOY BEAUTIFUL, BIODIVERSE MARLOTH THIS WEEKEND

This beautiful cream-and-grey owl with classic heart-shaped facial disc is 𝘛𝘺𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘭𝘣𝘢, the Western Barn Owl. People also commonly know it as the ‘Screech Owl’ because, despite its angelic look, it’s call is a bloodcurdling, hissy screech! This owl does indeed often roost in buildings with high roofs and easy access – like barns on farms.

HR Paul Dill-Franzen had this great sighting last week at Henk van Rooyen Park.

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

16/10/2026

𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘄𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝗱𝗮𝘆!?
How does a crocodile hear if it has no ears?

You may never have noticed them, or thought about it, but crocodiles (and alligators) do in fact have ears and can hear very well both above and below water. Directly behind each eye is a slit-like, muscular ‘ear flap’ or ‘ear lid’. The crocodile can close these tightly, waterproofing the ear canals when it submerges. The positioning means it can float with only nostrils, eyes and ears above the water line, using those related senses to locate prey.
Photo: HR Judy Norton
Sources:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5IRkP16HFE/
https://www.facebook.com/crocodilesoftheworld/posts/are-you-listeningever-wondered-how-crocs-hear-watch-this-short-video-to-find-out/4430543810333091/

15/10/2026

RESTORING AND REPLANTING THE MUNI GROUNDS
Since we opened our Office/Shop/Greenhouse at the Muni building in Henk van Rooyen, we have wanted to make the surrounds a showcase of the locally indigenous plants we ask everyone to plant. This includes a demo patch of our Marloth Mix Grazing Grass, and progress was made this past week.

We began last year with a bed next to the Greenhouse that now has many of our succulents growing well. This was a Plant Propagation Project effort, and several community members came to help and learn. Then our Alien Clearing team removed a lot of unsuitable plants and weeds, including invader plants such as a huge lantana. HR Andy Fetz and helpers then and planted some rescued (from a building site) Aloe Marlothii out the front.

Now HR Alison Whitehead has led a team working on the weed-infested grounds outside the Boardroom, facing into Henk van Rooyen. The team weeded a large area and sowed grass seed and rehabilitated an old rockery.

Thank you so much HRs Alison and George Whitehead, George and Ronel Leonard, and helpers Josef and Zack. In a season or two we can look forward to a wonderful display of plants that belong in Marloth Park. Thanks also to HRs Glynn and Yolandé Scott for putting in a temporary fence round the grass patch, to deter warthogs.

Thanks also, once again, to all the generous members of our community who for three years have contributed to renovating and beautifying our Office, building our Greenhouse, and bit by bit helping to restore the Municipal buildings and precinct. It is a very much needed and well-used community resource. A forthcoming project is renovation of the kitchenette.

Our Office/Shop/Greenhouse operates from room 3 at the Muni offices, Henk van Rooyen Park, Maroela Road. It is open from 9am to 12 noon. Pop in for free information resources, gifts, plants and grass seed.

While you are there take time to appreciate the three outstanding photo canvases of vultures donated by HR friend Annette du Toit, and the painting of kudu bulls donated by Charles Muller.

Finally, why not pick up a membership form? We need new members to work for the range of conservation projects we have, working both indoor and outdoors! Information about HR and our activities is on the noticeboard outside out office.

13/10/2026

LET THE CHRISTMAS SHOPPING BEGIN!
The first item on your ‘ethical shopping’ list should be our 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟳 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿, now in stock. Not only is it attractive – designed by talented resident Marietjie Bezuidenhout – it supports a worthy local cause! All the money we generate through our shop goes towards conservation in Marloth Park.

We also have new stock of cute 𝗸𝗶𝗱𝗱𝗶𝗲 𝘁-𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗿𝘁𝘀 @𝗥𝟭𝟴𝟬. Then, adorable 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸-𝗮𝗻𝗱-𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗲𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗥𝟮𝟬𝟬. For ‘stocking fillers’ how about a 𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗹 𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗻𝗲𝘁 @ 𝗥𝟯𝟱? A special thank you to local artist Rick Lahner who makes and donates them to Honorary Rangers for fund-raising.

The rains are here: don’t forget about our 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗼𝘁𝗵 𝗠𝗶𝘅 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘇𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘀 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗱 @𝗥𝟭𝟭𝟬, 𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁 and our range of 𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘴 plants. We have succulents, shrubs, creepers and trees at excellent prices.
𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲/𝗦𝗵𝗼𝗽/𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗥𝗼𝗼𝗺 𝟯, 𝗠𝘂𝗻𝗶 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀, 𝗛𝗲𝗻𝗸 𝘃𝗮𝗻 𝗥𝗼𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗻 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗸, 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗼𝗲𝗹𝗮 𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗱. 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝟵𝗮𝗺 𝘁𝗼 𝟭𝟮 𝗻𝗼𝗼𝗻 𝗠𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝗮𝘁.

10/10/2026

ENJOY BEAUTIFUL, BIODIVERSE MARLOTH THIS WEEKEND

This pretty, delicate and minute structure was spotted by HR Miemmie Byrch this week. It is not a plant or fungus, but rather the eggs of a Green lacewing insect (family 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘺𝘴𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘦). The female secretes a drop of liquid ‘silk’, lays an egg at the end, and the slender filament hardens. This possibly protects the eggs from predators like ants, and its own larvae, which are mini hunters and even cannibals. The stalk prevents the first larva that hatches from eating the rest of the eggs!

Many thanks to insect guru Andrew Schild over at the page ‘Insects Only -- Southern Africa’ for confirming the identification.
Sources: https://www.youtube.com/
Insects Only – Southern Africa: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1957214207908208

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

09/10/2026

𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘄𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝗱𝗮𝘆!?
What has sweat got to do with how lions hunt?

Lions can only sprint short distances, a main reason being because they barely sweat. 𝘗𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘢 𝘭𝘦𝘰 only have a few sweat glands in their paw pads. Their heavy bodies quickly overheat so they must stop to rest and cool down. They also have relatively small hearts and lungs, so little stamina, and are built for explosive speed by having ‘short twitch’ muscle fibres, rather than the ‘long twitch’ muscle fibres needed for endurance.

Thanks to Jeremy Munton-Jackson for the great lion hunt pics!
Sources:
https://www.nasm.org/resource-center/blog/understanding-fast-twitch-vs-slow-twitch-muscle-fibers?srsltid=AU7gw4VqG4GRvWyk
https://lionhabitatranch.org/about/lion-facts/

07/10/2026

PIET-MY-VROU! PIET-MY-VROU! PIET-MY-VROU!
𝗔𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗱
Wie is Piet en sy vrou? Several people have reported the arrival of one of our most loved and noticed migratory birds: the Red-chested cuckoo. It has flown here for summer from tropical and equatorial Africa.

Well, people report 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 it, but not so often seeing it. That is because the shrill, piercing, endlessly repeated, three-note call of “Piet my vrou!” is unmistakable. However, it is much harder to see this large (28 –30cm) bird! It usually calls from high in the canopy of bigger trees so is hard to spot unless you can follow it flying and see where it perches. It is very active, changing perches often.

In Afrikaans the call sounds very like “Piet my vrou’ translated as ‘Piet (a name) my wife’. And this common name has given rise to a morbid rhyming joke among birders. When the call goes on and on and on and on … the tortured human listener finally pleads: ‘Skiet my nou!’ (Shoot me now!)’

Its isiZulu name is ‘Phezukomkhono’ which translates to ‘top of the arm’. The name indicates that with its arrival it is time to roll up your sleeves and (in traditional communities) get those biceps working, hoeing the fields. It is time to sow seed.

The cuckoos, like this 𝘊𝘶𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘶𝘴 𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘶𝘴, are an interesting family, being ‘brood parasites.’ (Others are the whydahs, indigobirds, honeyguides and cuckoo finches.) This is what gives rise to the English expression ‘He/she is a cuckoo in the nest’, meaning a family member or child who is very different to all the others.

Brood parasites have evolved a rather unusual, and to us humans, cruel, way to maximise breeding success. They wait for the host to leave the nest for a while then sneak in and quickly lay one egg, in this case in the nests of much smaller robin-chats, thrushes, and wagtails. The host then incubates and raises the chick. Even worse: this Red-chested cuckoo imposter chick hatches faster than the host chicks. It then shoves out the legitimate chick eggs or any tiny hatchlings, becoming a spoiled ‘only child’.

Brood parasitism leaves the cuckoo free to lay more eggs -- up to 20 a season -- without having to do the hard work of feeding chicks. It is rather a heart-rending sight to see host birds labouring to feed cuckoo chicks that soon grow bigger than the adult hosts! Nature is sometimes not kind. But, at least we can associate the cheerful call of the Red-chested cuckoo with the bounty of summer.

Text: HR Judy Norton. Photo: HR George Whitehead. Sources: 𝘉𝘪𝘳𝘥𝘴 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 Rael and Helen Loon, Struik Publishers
https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/reccuc1/cur/introduction
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/jun/12/can-you-spot-the-phezukomkhono-thats-zulu-for-red-chested-cuckoo?fbclid=IwY2xjawUxbsRleHRuA2

05/10/2026

WORLD HABITAT DAY: OUR ANIMALS’ ‘PRIVATE’ HABITAT IS UNDER THREAT!
It is World Habitat Day today, October the 5th. We take this opportunity to remind all owners and visitors that since Marloth Park was incorporated, it has been understood that Parkland is set aside for the animals only! It is land administered by the municipality and they say, ‘no people allowed’. But as development and tourism grows, Parkland too is more and more illegally ‘developed’ and used. This MUST STOP. 𝗜𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗹𝘀' 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗛𝗔𝗕𝗜𝗧𝗔𝗧 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲! Not only are people taking away, for example, precious grazing and browsing, it is disturbing the animals’ natural behaviour away from people.

‘Habitat’ is where animals ‘breed, feed and shelter’ and some of them have very specific needs. For example, duiker and bushbuck need quiet woodland with plenty of shrubby cover, especially for hiding their newborn calves. Several birds need intact ‘thicket’ with trees, bushes, vines and creepers in which to nest and forage for food. These birds include our most beautiful singers: the robin-chats and scrub robins. Others are birding ‘specials’ such as Eastern nicators, Stierlings wren-warblers and Narina trogons. Fallen and decomposing wood in the woodland, by the way, is a habitat itself and a rich source of food and soil enrichment, so must not be removed.

Our By-laws are due to be revised, and 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘭𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘤 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘸. Honorary Rangers are ensuring this. We have submitted this and many other proposed revisions to the current by-laws to strengthen conservation of Marloth Park.

Think about your own stand: by law, our private stands too are primarily intended to be natural habitat for the animals, not ‘gardens’ for humans. That is why we may only plant locally indigenous plants. It is so heartening that many, many owners now understand this and are conserving or rehabilitating their land to become suitable ‘habitat’ for wild creatures.

We receive many complaints such as the following about illegal human activity on Parkland:
• Chopping down trees and selling the wood.
• Collecting dead ‘braai wood’.
• Clearing undergrowth, raking up and burning fallen leaves.
• Marking walking trails for guests, such as one with 70 splotches of bright yellow paint on rocks and trees, plus bushes and trees cut away, or cut down.
• Creating picnic sites or sundowner spots, often with ‘informal’ parking.
• Taking rocks and sand for building and landscaping.
• Guests looking on Parkland for e.g. reptiles to photograph. (We appreciate the rental owner who stopped his guests doing this, and did not mind that they then left immediately.)
• Tour Guides taking walking groups through Parkland.
• Rubble and garden waste dumping – a never-ending scourge. Often it is exotic plants that can re-grow.
• Workers creating shortcuts through Parkland.
Please report these things to us or the Nkomazi Rangers. Collect a readable, illustrated hard copy of the Conservation by-laws from our office or look them up here: https://honoraryrangersmarlothpark.co.za/resources/conservation-by-laws-rules/.
𝘝𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘵 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘖𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘦: 𝘙𝘰𝘰𝘮 3, 𝘔𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘱𝘢𝘭 𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘴, 𝘏𝘦𝘯𝘬 𝘷𝘢𝘯 𝘙𝘰𝘰𝘺𝘦𝘯 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘬, 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘦𝘭𝘢 𝘙𝘰𝘢𝘥. 𝘖𝘱𝘦𝘯 9𝘢𝘮 𝘵𝘰 12 𝘯𝘰𝘰𝘯 𝘔𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘚𝘢𝘵.

03/10/2026

ENJOY BEAUTIFUL, BIODIVERSE MARLOTH THIS WEEKEND

The blessing of good rains this past week enabled us to take a fresh look at the wonder of spiderwebs. Look out for the myriad new living things now popping up all over Marloth Park: shoots of all kinds, fungi, flower seedlings, mass eruptions of insects.

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

Marloth Park Honorary Rangers

21/10/2026

17/10/2026

16/10/2026

15/10/2026

13/10/2026

10/10/2026

09/10/2026

07/10/2026

05/10/2026

03/10/2026

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