Results tagged “kwazulu-natal” on Earth Touch Blog
Spider and ants at dawn Jun 4 2008
After a good overnight rainstorm in South Africa’s Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Game Reserve, the Earth-Touch crew set off before sunrise to look for interesting creatures.
Tags: africa, ant, aphid, arachnid, hluhluwe, imfolozi, insect, invertebrate, kwazulu-natal, south africa, spider, symbiosis, webThe week’s most viewed stories May 23 2008
The most popular stories on Earth-Touch in the past week (from Friday 16 May to Thursday 22 May 2008) were:
Number 1
Dolphins appear out of the blue
Out in the bay where the waves break, a pod of these marine mammals emerges from deeper water.
Tags: africa, black rhino, blue, botswana, cub, dolphin, elephant, encounter, female, fluke, indian ocean, kwazulu-natal, leviathan, lion, mammal, okavango delta, popular, rhino, sodwana bay, south africa, western cape, whale, wildebeest, youngThe week’s most viewed stories May 16 2008
The most popular stories on Earth-Touch in the past week (from Friday 09 May to Thursday 15 May 2008) were:
Number 1
Dolphins appear out of the blue
Out in the bay where the waves break, a pod of these marine mammals emerges from deeper water.
Tags: africa, black rhino, blue, botswana, cub, dolphin, encounter, female, fluke, indian ocean, kwazulu-natal, leviathan, lion, mammal, okavango delta, popular, rhino, sodwana bay, south africa, western cape, whale, youngFlower makes a meal for a beetle May 12 2008
It’s not only the “big five” that are worth watching in South Africa’s Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Game Reserve: the wonderful construction and function of smaller creatures like the CMR bean beetle (Mylabris oculata) have also fascinated the Earth-Touch film crew.
Tags: africa, beetle, cmr bean beetle, feed, flower, hluhluwe, imfolozi, insect, kwazulu-natal, plant, pollinate, south africa, wild cottonThe week’s most viewed stories May 9 2008
The most popular stories on Earth-Touch in the past week (from Friday 02 May to Thursday 08 May 2008) were:
Number 1
Unusual reef is full of surprises
It’s a special day at Sodwana, as the Indian Ocean offers up everything from coral and shrimps to dolphins and the world’s largest fish.
Tags: africa, black rhino, botswana, cub, encounter, female, fluke, indian ocean, kwazulu-natal, leviathan, lion, mammal, okavango delta, popular, rhino, south africa, western cape, whale, youngImpala herd grazes in the morning May 9 2008
On a beautiful, rain-refreshed morning in the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Game Reserve, in South Africa, the first animal the Earth-Touch crew saw was an impala ram, belonging to a herd of about 200.
Tags: africa, graze, herd, hluhluwe-imfolozi, horn, impala, kwazulu-natal, mammal, prey, ram, savannah, south africaThe week’s most viewed stories May 2 2008
The most popular stories on Earth-Touch in the past week (from Friday 25 April to Thursday 1 May 2008) were:
Number 1
Huge beast shows why it’s one of the most feared and respected creatures in the African bushveld.
Tags: africa, black rhino, botswana, cub, encounter, female, fluke, indian ocean, kwazulu-natal, leviathan, lion, mammal, okavango delta, popular, rhino, south africa, western cape, whale, youngThe Earth-Touch baby album Apr 30 2008
Over the months, Earth-Touch has been privileged to witness the early days, survival struggles and playful moments of many young animals. Here is a selection of these video clips.
Tags: africa, baboon, baby, bath, bird, botswana, burrow, calf, cape, chick, coast, colony, cub, delta, den, dog, egg, elephant, endangered, fish, fly, foal, giraffe, herd, hluhluwe, imfolozi, juvenile, karoo, kite, kwazulu-natal, lion, mammal, meerkat, monkey, moremi, mud, okavango, piglet, reef, sodwana, south africa, thailand, tree, trunk, video, warthog, water, western cape, whale, young, zebraThe week’s most viewed stories Apr 18 2008
The most popular stories on Earth-Touch in the past week (from Friday 11 April to Thursday 17 April 2008) were:
Blacktip sharks unsettle divers Apr 11 2008
The visibility wasn’t great and the water was filled with jellyfish when the Earth-Touch crew went freediving at Aliwal Shoal, off the south coast of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. The blacktip sharks (Carcharhinus limbatus) seemed excitable, passing close to the camera, and the crew felt rather uneasy.
Tags: africa, aliwal shoal, blacktip, dive, eastern little tuna, fish, freedive, indian ocean, jellyfish, kwazulu-natal, marine, remora, shark, south africa, tunaDid you know? Wasps Apr 10 2008
Wasps are vital to ecosystems. Most are either parasitic or predatory and play a role in limiting the population growth of thousands of other insect species.
Tags: africa, bark, colony, environment, face, feed, flower, forest, insect, kwazulu-natal, larvae, marking, nest, paper, prey, sting, woodA fruitful wait at the river pool Apr 8 2008
Sometimes, it pays just to sit and wait. When the Earth-Touch crew arrived at a pool in a tributary of the Black Umfolozi River in South Africa’s Imfolozi Game Reserve, they decided just to enjoy the view and see what happened.
Tags: africa, antelope, bird, black umfolozi, call, forage, hamerkop, imfolozi, kwazulu-natal, mammal, marking, mocking cliff-chat, nyala, pool, river, riverine forest, south africaDid you know? Buffalo thorn tree Apr 7 2008
Buffalo thorn trees (Ziziphus mucronata) are iconic of the African bush, with their many branches twisting up to a large, spreading canopy of leaves. This is the type of tree that one would choose to photograph at sunset, with the beautiful orange shades of an African sun setting behind it.
Tags: africa, buffalo, buffalo thorn, flower, forest, fruit, kwazulu-natal, thorn, tree, water, zuluThis week’s most viewed stories Apr 4 2008
The most popular stories on Earth-Touch in the past week (from Friday 28 March to Thursday 03 April 2008) were:
Tags: africa, graze, hluhluwe, huddle, imfolozi, impala, kwazulu-natal, meerkat, sea, slug, south africa, suricate, zebraMud bath cools off warthogs and rhino Apr 4 2008
On a hot, windy afternoon at Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Game Reserve, in South Africa, the Earth-Touch crew watched a family of warthogs and a white rhino bull enjoying a cooling wallow in a mud pan.
Did you know? Red duiker Apr 2 2008
Red duikers are tiny, thickset antelopes which are usually solitary, though you might spot a pair or even three of them if you’re really lucky.
Tags: africa, antelope, camouflage, coastal, duiker, eat, flower, forest, fruit, kwazulu-natal, mammal, mozambique, red duiker, shy, south africa, swaziland, tanzaniaEye to eye with a giraffe Apr 2 2008
A female giraffe’s long eyelashes, whiskery mouth, tufted horns and patterned coat take on new interest when viewed close up.
Tags: acacia, bird, browse, eat, giraffe, hluhluwe, imfolozi, kwazulu-natal, mammal, oxpecker, parasite, savannah, south africa, treeWild dogs and buffalos meet at the river Apr 1 2008
Vulture activity in the Imfolozi River valley attracted the attention of the Earth-Touch crew, and they watched as a pack of African wild dogs followed a herd of African buffalos and a pair of rhinos to the river. A group of vultures bathed nearby.
Tags: bird, buffalo, hluhluwe, imfolozi, kwazulu-natal, mammal, river, south africa, vulture, wild dogSharks out of the blue Mar 31 2008
In perfect blue water at Aliwal Shoal, on the KwaZulu-Natal coast of South Africa, the Earth-Touch crew was joined by a crowd of blacktip sharks (Carcharhinus limbatus) and then some tiger sharks (Galeocerdo cuvier, pictured here).
Tags: aliwal shoal, blackfin, blacktip, indian ocean, kwazulu-natal, marine, potato bass, reef, shark, south africa, tigerThe week’s most viewed stories Mar 28 2008
The most popular stories on Earth-Touch in the past week (from Friday 21 March to Thursday 27 March 2008) were:
Did you know? Differences between black and white rhinos Mar 28 2008
Black rhinos (Diceros bicornis) and white rhinos (Ceratotherium simum) are both grey in colour. But there are many differences between them.
Tags: africa, black, black rhino, browse, colour, conservation, endangered, feed, feeding, grass, graze, grazing, hluhluwe, imfolozi, kwazulu-natal, lip, mammal, rhino, rhinoceros, smell, south africa, threatened, trees, white, white rhino, wildlifeDid you know? Flap-neck chameleon Mar 27 2008
The flap-neck chameleon (Chamaeleo dilepis) of Southern Africa is named for the occipital (relating to the back part of the head) flap that extends from the back of its head over its neck. It raises this flap when agitated, to make itself appear larger, as well as hissing, gaping and changing colour. The size of the flap varies between populations of this species, as well as by sex and age.
Tags: africa, animal, back, black, chameleon, colour, feed, feet, flap-neck, forest, green, head, incubate, insect, kwazulu-natal, male, neck, occipital, reptile, size, tail, temperatureA serene spot in the forest Mar 19 2008
Earth-Touch recently visited a dappled glade in the Hawaan forest, an unspoilt area on South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal coast.
Tags: africa, coast, coastal, forest, hawaan, kingfisher, kwazulu-natal, millipede, south africa, toad, tree, trees, zuluSea slugs slide at low tide Mar 18 2008
When it’s dark and the tide’s going out, invertebrates called Peronia peronii (they have no common name) come out to graze on the rocks of the inter-tidal zone.
Tags: africa, algae, feed, indian ocean, inter-tidal zone, invertebrate, kwazulu-natal, marine, peronia peronii, south africa, tideFlickr group: pic of the day – zebra Mar 12 2008
Burchell’s zebras (Equus burchellii) are African land mammals, related to horses and antelope, and recognised worldwide for their unique and vibrant markings.
This zebra photograph was contributed to our Flickr group by member Palko72, and taken using a Canon EOS 5D in Hluhluwe-uMfolozi Game Reserve in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
Tags: africa, game reserve, hluhluwe-umfolozi, kwazulu-natal, mammal, vertebrate, zebraEarth-Touch in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Mar 10 2008
The Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Reserve, located in KwaZulu-Natal, is one of the largest game parks in South Africa.
Tags: africa, game reserve, hluhluwe, kwazulu-natal, savannah, south africa, umfolozi
The week’s most viewed stories Mar 7 2008
The most popular stories on Earth-Touch in the past week (from Friday 29 February to Thursday 06 March 2008) were:
Tags: aliwal shoal, blue, camouflage, cave, coast, fish, food, kwazulu-natal, ray, reef, sand, scorpionfish, south africa, swim, turtle, water, whaleThe week’s most viewed stories Feb 22 2008
The most popular stories on Earth-Touch in the past week (from Friday 15 February to Thursday 21 February 2008) were:
Tags: bee, bee-eater, coast, hunt, kwazulu-natal, little bee-eater, shark, sky, south africa, storm, summer, whale, whale shark, windBad news for tiger sharks Feb 19 2008
Last weekend’s killing of tiger sharks in a protected area caused an uproar, thanks to growing awareness of the animal’s value.
Tags: africa, aliwal shoal, coast, killing, kwazulu-natal, rocky bay, shark, sun, windDid you know? Turtles Feb 12 2008
Turtles are one of only three groups of reptiles that live in the sea. The others are sea snakes and marine iguanas.
Tags: beach, dive, egg, endangered, indian ocean, kwazulu-natal, loggerhead turtle, marine iguana, reef, reptile, scuba, sea, sea snake, south africa, turtle, underwaterDid you know? Tiger sharks Feb 9 2008
One of the more common species of large sharks is the tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier). These beautiful sharks prefer to live in warmer, shallow water and are often spotted just off the coast of more tropical regions. Tiger sharks also happen to be one of the easiest species of shark to identify, thanks to the dark stripes that run along the length of their bodies.
This week’s most viewed stories Feb 8 2008
The most popular stories on Earth-Touch in the past week (from Friday 01 January to Thursday 07 January 2008) were:
Tags: delta, highlights, hippo, kwazulu-natal, okavango, shark, south africa, weekly, zambeziFocus on marine footage Feb 5 2008
Earth-Touch aims to bring users beautiful footage of animals, including marine life, as soon as possible after it has been filmed (wherever we can, within 24 hours).
Tags: bluespotted chromis, bottlenose dolphin, cape fur seal, chromis, dolphin, great white shark, kwazulu-natal, marine, ocean, sea, seal, shark, south africa, southern right whale, whaleDid you know? Ragged-tooth shark Jan 31 2008
The most obvious distinguishing feature of the spotted ragged-tooth shark (Carcharias taurus, also known as the grey nurseshark or sandtiger) must be its impressive set of teeth. There are around 44-48 upper teeth and 41-46 lower teeth. The shark is constantly replacing its older teeth with new ones. A ragged-tooth shark can go through around 30 000 teeth in its lifetime.
Tags: eastern cape, eye, feed, isimangaliso wetland park, kwazulu-natal, pregnant, ragged-tooth shark, skin, sodwana, south africa, spot, teethInternational Year of the Reef Jan 30 2008
The International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) has designated 2008 the International Year of the Reef.
Earth-Touch has published high-definition video footage filmed at several reef locations in the past year. Users can explore this underwater treasure trove by following these links:
Tags: coral, eel, fan, gorgonian fan, international coral reef initiative, kwazulu-natal, lobster, paperfish, parrotfish, reef, south africa, spongeFledglings prepare for flight Jan 30 2008
Yellow-billed kites (Milvus migrans parasitus) are opportunistic feeders. They glide through the air, scanning the ground for carcasses of dead animals, or for small live prey such as lizards, locusts and frogs.
The adult kite that Earth-Touch has been tracking attends to its chicks’ needs, but soon it will be vital for these young fledglings to learn the ultimate survival skill, flight.
Tags: amphibian, bird, carcasse, chick, fly, frog, glide, kite, kwazulu-natal, lizard, locust, nest, prey, reptile, south africa, wing, yellow-billed kiteDid you know? Clownfish Jan 29 2008
Clownfish, their vibrant colour making them distinctly visible, live amongst sea anemones, immune to their stinging tentacles.
Tags: anemone, clownfish, isimangaliso wetland park, kwazulu-natal, mucus, protect, skin, sodwana, south africa, sting, tentacle, territorial, twobar clownfishTouchy subjects Jan 29 2008
Sodwana Bay in summer means one thing for me: ragged-tooth sharks in clear blue water. In mid to late summer, females settle on some of the Maputaland reefs for their gestation period.
They are among my favourite subjects, but it’s not without difficulty that we get decent footage of their behaviour. During this gestation period, the animals go into self-preservation mode and are very shy and difficult to approach. When we dive on scuba they flee to the edge of our visibility.
Tags: aliwal shoal, cave, dive, freedive, gestation, kwazulu-natal, maputaland reef, ragged-tooth shark, scuba, sodwana, south africa, swimSwimming with dolphins Dec 14 2007
The Earth-Touch crew swims for a while with a pod of dolphins in the warm Indian Ocean off southern Mozambique in the clip, Dolphins on the move. The footage gives a feel for what it is like to be part of this elegant synchrony.
Did You Know? Indian humpback dolphins Nov 23 2007
The Indian humpback dolphin (Sousa plumbea) can be spotted in waters along the eastern coast of South Africa and northern Mozambique in small schools of up to 25 animals.
Tags: arabian sea, dolphin, flipper, ganges river, india, indian humpback dolphin, indian ocean, kwazulu-natal, persian gulf, red sea, south africa, suez canalDid You Know? Barn swallow Nov 22 2007
Five million barn swallows (Hirundo rustica) migrate from Europe to the Mt Moreland reed bed on the KwaZulu-Natal coast of South Africa in the Southern Hemisphere’s summer months of October and November each year, returning in the autumn.
Did You Know? Haemanthus Nov 22 2007
Haemanthus is a genus of the flowering plant family Amaryllidaceae, which is endemic to Southern Africa.
Haemanthus coccineus, commonly known as the “paintbrush” or “powderpuff” lily, has a striking head of bright orange needles.
Devil firefish in the Indian Ocean Nov 20 2007
Devil firefish are sea fishes which prey on crabs. See them swim and sleep in the Indian Ocean in the Earth-Touch clips, Embattled reef dwellers ride out the storm and Sleeping devil firefish.