South African Photographs

White Bengal Tiger

2009-07-15T00:02:00.000-07:00

Sreddy Yen is a young student from my home town, Pretoria. You might be interested to find out what he did during his school vacation. Please check out his blog by clicking here. We can all learn something from students like him. Thank you Sreddy!!

I found this information so interesting, I copied all of it from Wikipedia. Thanks to them for this wonderful article. This picture was taken of the one in our local zoo.

A white tiger is a tiger with a recessive gene that creates the pale coloration. Another genetic characteristic makes the stripes of the tiger very pale; white tigers of this type are called snow-white or "pure white". This occurs when a tiger inherits two copies of the recessive gene for the paler coloration, which is rare. White tigers have a pink nose, pink paw pads, grey-mottled skin, ice-blue eyes, and white to cream-colored fur with black, ash grey, or chocolate-colored stripes. Mr. H.E. Scott of the Indian police gave this description of a captive white tiger's eyes: "The colorings of the eyes are very distinct. There is no well defined division between the yellow of the comex and the blue of the iris. The eyes in some lights are practically colorless merely showing the black pupil on a light yellow background."

White tigers are not albinos and do not constitute a separate subspecies of their own and can breed with orange ones, although all of the resulting offspring will be heterozygous for the recessive white gene, and their fur will be orange. The only exception would be if the orange parent was itself already a heterozygous tiger, which would give each cub a 50% chance of being either double-recessive white or heterozygous orange. If two heterozygous tigers, or heterozygotes, breed on average 25% of their offspring will be white, 50% will be heterozygous orange (white gene carriers) and 25% will be homozygous orange, with no white genes. In the 1970s a pair of heterozygous orange tigers named Sashi and Ravi produced 13 cubs in Alipore Zoo, of which 3 were white. If two white tigers breed, 100% of their cubs will be homozygous white tigers. A tiger which is homozygous for the white gene may also be heterozygous or homozygous for many different genes. The question of whether a tiger is heterozygous (a heterozygote) or homozygous (a homozygote) depends on the context of which gene is being discussed. Inbreeding promotes homozygosity and has been used as a strategy to produce white tigers.
White tigers in the wild
An article appeared in the Miscellaneous Notes of the Journal Of The Bombay Natural History Society on Nov. 15, 1909 which reported that a white tigress was shot in the Mulin Sub-Division Forest of the Dhenkanal State in Orissa. The report originally appeared in the Indian Forester in May 1909, and was made by Mr. Bavis Singh, Forest Officer. The ground color of the white tigress was described as pure white and the stripes as deep reddish black. It was shot over a buffalo kill and "was in good condition not showing any signs of disease." Col. F.T. Pollock wrote in Wild Sports of Burma and Assam, "Occasionally white tigers are met with. I saw a magnificent skin of one at Edwin Wards in Wimpole Street, and Mr. Shadwall, Assistant Commissioner in Cossyah and Jynteah hills, also has two skins quite white." Mr. Lydekker wrote in Game Animals of India (1907) about five more white tiger skins: "A white tiger was exhibited alive at Exeter Change about 1820; a second was killed in Poona about 1892; in March 1899 a white tiger was shot in Upper Assam and the skin sent to Calcutta, where a fourth specimen was received about the same time. The Maharaja of Kuch-Behar also possesses a white tiger-skin." (The white tiger exhibited at Exeter Change in London in 1820 was the first white tiger in Europe.)

S.H. Prater wrote in The book of Indian Animals (1948) that "White or partially white tigers are not uncommon in some of the dry open jungles of central India." It is a myth that white tigers did not thrive in the wild. India planned to reintroduce captive-bred white tigers to the wild to a special reserve near Rewa. In the wild white tigers reproduced and bred white for generations. A.A. Dunbar wrote in Wild Animals Of Central India (1923) that "White tigers occasionally occur. There is a regular breed of these animals in the neighborhood of Amarkantak at the junction of the Rewa state and the Mandla and Bilaspur districts. When I was last in Mandla in 1919, a white tigress and two three parts grown white cubs existed. In 1915 a male was trapped by the Rewa state and confined. An excellent description of the animal, by Mr. Scott of the Indian police, has been published in Vol. XXVII No. 47 of the Bombay Natural History Society's journal." The previously mentioned article from The Journal Of The Bombay Natural History Society "Miscellaneous Notes: No. 1-A WHITE TIGER IN CAPTIVITY (with a photo)" states "The white tiger in captivity in Rewa was caught in December 1915 in the jungles of the State near Sohagpur. He was about two years of age at the time. There were two more white tigers in Southern Rewa related to this tiger but it was believed that the mother of this animal was not white." "These white tigers roam in the neighboring British Districts of the Central Provinces and seem to be living in the Maikal ranges of mountains." There is ample evidence that white tigers survived as adults in the wild. Victor H. Cahalane reported white tigers in northern China in 1943: "...north China has produced a number of albinos, with the inevitable faint brown stripe. Very rare melanistic (black) tigers are known." White tigers are not albinos. These would have been white individuals of the Amur tiger subspecies (Panthera tigris altaica), also known as the Siberian tiger. White tigers were reported from northern China and Korea. White tigers have cultural significance in both countries. White tigers were also part of the folklore on Sumatra and Java.

Jim Corbett filmed a white tigress in the wild which had two orange cubs. This film footage was used in the 1984 National Geographic movie Man Eaters Of India, which is based on Jim Corbett's 1957 book by the same title. This is further proof that white tigers survived and reproduced in the wild. The website of the Bandhavgarh National Park, in the former princely state of Rewa, in Madhya Pradesh, features pictures of white tigers, and states "The forests of Bandhavgarh are the white tiger jungles of yesteryears." Today there are 46 to 52 orange tigers living in Bandhavgarh, the largest population of tigers in any national park in India. The tiger is an endangered species.

Why the long face?

2009-07-14T00:02:00.000-07:00

This is a Common Stick Grasshopper (Acrida acuminata) which has an unusually long face.
They are very large, almost 3 inches and found throughout SA.

The female lays long egg pods which have a hard outer shell in sandy places and they feed on various grasses.

A wasp - piece by piece

2009-07-13T00:02:00.000-07:00

With it being the middle of winter, the few bugs around are very sluggigh and tend to stay put. This affords a person a perfect time to take real close-ups of them. This paper wasp was a good subject.

The face.

The abdomen.

The thorax.

The wing.
The strange shaped eye.

The legs.

Sterkfontein Caves - Part 5

2009-07-12T00:02:00.000-07:00

Many beautiful structures – including stalagmites and stalactites – form inside caves as carbonic acid carrying limestone, drips through cave roofs onto their floors. Structures inside a cave may take millions of years to develop.

Some of the geological structures which may develop inside a cave include:

Speleothem

“Speleothem: is a general geological term for a calcium carbonate deposit in a cave, including formations such as stalactites, stalagmites and flowstones.

Flowstones

Flowstones are speleothems on the walls and floors of a cave formed from a gradual flow of water over a relatively broad area.

Stalactite

The term stalactite comes from the Greek word stalaktos, which means “dripping” because these other-worldly formations “drip” from the roofs of limestone caves. Essentially, water reacts to carbon dioxcide to form carbonic acid. It then seeps slowly through the roof of the cave, depositing calcium carbonate which hardens and build up over time to form a stalactite.

Stalagmite

Stalagmites are corresponding formations on the floor of the cave to stalactites. Stalagmites rise from the floor in a build up of calcium carbonate over time, from mineral-bearing water dripping from the roof of the cave. The term stalagmite comes from the Greek word stalagma, to “drop”.

Column

Sometimes stalactites and stalagmites meet, forming a pillar or column of rock-hard calcium carbonate.

Helictite
A formation of calcium carbonate in a cave that grows in a twisted, curled fashion, like a helix (hence the name), seemly defying the laws of gravity.

Hartebeesport Dam - Part 4

2009-07-11T00:02:00.000-07:00

It has a combination of of a zoo and reptile park. This is a Caracal which looks very much like your lynx with its tufted ears and is about the same size.
A Serval has extremely long legs and can jump 6 feet in height. It lives off birds, rodents and whatever else comes to hand.

The tortoise here have laid an egg which I is probably not fertile or else they would have buried it.

One of the more beautiful snakes they have is this Burmese Python.

The Black-backed Jackal is one of two species found here.

A sunglazer lizard has lights which it can bask under when there is no sunlight and acts as a temperature control for him.

The Suricats or Meerkats are a joy to watch......

especially these youngsters which were romping around playing. They have so much energy and never seem to be still for a minute.

Leaf Beetle

2009-07-10T00:02:00.000-07:00

I think this is a leaf beetle but I cannot find it in my book but at first I thought it was some kind of ladybug/bird. It is very small, 4-5mm in length.
This is on grass seed so you can compare the size. They are herbivores and feed on flowers and leaves.

Water fountain

2009-07-09T00:02:00.000-07:00

I have never done night photography before much less anything which is moving so I decided to challenge myself to a session.

Please enlarge these photographs by cliciking on them to get a better view of them.

Not too far from where I live we have a water fountain in the center of a small lake. The lights and the water out of the sprays are set to music and quite spectacular to see. The closest I could get to it was about 50 feet.

My first attempt came out like this.....not very good as you can see!! :(

But I soon got the hang of it.

I had gone there unexpectedly and only had my small P&S with me.

Next time I will take my 400D and the tripod as I am sure I can do much better than this.

If you enlarge the pics you will see a lot of ducks in the foreground on some sandbanks.

Some of the spraying water shots are fairy good but I think I needed a higher ISO on these.

Any ideas, advice or suggestions would be welcome?

Banded Blowfly

2009-07-08T00:02:00.000-07:00

It is amazing to find that these pesky critters can be so colorful.
But flies are flies and I can sure do without them in the summer no matter how colorful they are.

Sea Anemone

2009-07-07T00:02:00.000-07:00

I was right in saying this was a difficult one although a few people guessed it was something from the sea so they were on the right track.

This is going to be the last Mystery Monday for a while. Thank you everyone for playing. It has been fun!!

The ornately colored sea anemone is named after the equally flashy terrestrial anemone flower.

A close relative of coral and jellyfish, anemones are stinging polyps that spend most of their time attached to rocks on the sea bottom or on coral reefs waiting for fish to pass close enough to get ensnared in their venom-filled tentacles.Their bodies are composed of an adhesive pedal disc, or foot, a cylindrical body, and an array of tentacles surrounding a central mouth. The tentacles are triggered by the slightest touch, firing a harpoon-like filament into their victim and injecting a paralyzing neurotoxin. The helpless prey is then guided into the mouth by the tentacles.
There are more than 1,000 sea anemone species found throughout the world’s oceans at various depths, although the largest and most varied occur in coastal tropical waters. They run the full spectrum of colors and can be as small as half an inch (1.25 centimeters) or as large as 6 feet (1.8 meters) across.Some anemones, like their coral cousins, establish symbiotic relationships with green algae. In exchange for providing the algae safe harbor and exposure to sunlight, the anemone receives oxygen and sugar, the bi-products of the algae's photosynthesis.They form another, more famous symbiotic alliance with clownfish, which are protected by a mucus layer that makes them immune to the anemone's sting. Clownfish live within the anemone’s tentacles, getting protection from predators, and the anemone snacks on the scraps from the clownfish’s meals.

Mystery Monday - Part 25

2009-07-06T00:02:00.000-07:00

This is going to be a very difficult one I know. I will send hugs and kisses to whoever gets this right. :) The only person who might, is Dale.

Sterkfontein Caves - Part 4

2009-07-05T00:02:00.000-07:00

Hartebeesport Dam - Part 4

2009-07-04T00:02:00.000-07:00

HAVE A WONDERFUL AND HAPPY 4TH OF JULY MY FRIENDS!!

Hartebeespoort Dam is situated about half and hours drive from where I live and is nestled amongst some medium-sized mountains. The area is lush and green for most of the year with only he grass turning brown in the winter months. Some of the houses there are copies of the old Dutch houses which were put up by or early settlers.
There is a small complex where you can get a bite to eat or drink and has a small souvenier shop for the tourists.

The dam itself is fairly large and man-made, with many water sports on it from fishing, various kinds of boating and sailing, skiing etc.

Across the narrow part near the dam wall which has a hyrdo plant in it to generate elctricity, these houses can be seen but definitely not afforded, by most of our normal mortals.

Of course the area is full of flowers which in turn are full of bugs like this ladybird/bug larvae.

Spiders are everywhere even though most of the species found there are tiny.

It is a good place to go and relax. There is a houseboat which takes you out for lunchtime cruises and a small but lovely little zoo as well. The area has some nice hiking, cycling and horse riding trails so is very popular on a Sunday. The small restuarant is always full of people who come there on moterbikes for their 'breakfast-run'. For the birding enthusiast, it is a paradise.

Ant behaviour

2009-07-03T00:02:00.000-07:00

These ants had built their nest inside a fallen tree but it is the first time I have seen any of the species build such a strange entrance to it. Has anyone seen them do something like this before?
They had also taken grass and covered the opening in the wood.

On parting some of the grass, I found that they had a lot of larvae inside.

Moths

2009-07-02T00:02:00.000-07:00

There are many species of moths not yet named and so it is not known how many there are. They mostly feed on plants but many eat dry organic matter such as hair or wool and a few are predaceous.
Moths and butterflies are distinguished from other insects by having scales on their wings. Butterflies can usually be distinguished from moths by their clubbed antennae.

This one was giving me that threatening look as if to say "back off, or else". :)

Locust

2009-07-01T00:02:00.000-07:00

I cannot find a name for this locust but he is probably of the Pyrgomorphidae family. It is large and has the most unusual coloring.

Young Zebra

2009-06-30T00:02:00.000-07:00

I have two clear winners here and thay are NOT Craig and Tom naturally!! I wonder why the two of them still insist that they are this brilliant scientific team?? :)

Congats to Dale and Becky for the correct answers!! You are both brilliant!!

Thanks for playing everyone. :)

While riding around in Pilansbery Game Reserve, I came across this young zebra who was only a few weeks old.

He kept on hiding bedind the branches of the tree. I wonder if he thought I could not see him.
Zebra defend themselves by biting and kicking their opponent.

When moving, they are usually seen walking one behind the other, although this applies only to areas where they are found in small herds.

For more info and pictures go to: Zebras

Mystery Monday - Part 24

2009-06-29T00:02:00.000-07:00

Sterkfontein Caves - Part 3

2009-06-28T00:02:00.000-07:00

Part of the complex consists of six cathedral chambers, largest of which is the dripstone-decorated Hall of Elephants, 23 m (75 ft) high and 91 m (300 ft) long.
Other chambers include Fairy Chamber, Bridal Arch, Lumbago Alley and the Graveyard.

Dr Robert Broom, of the Transvaal Museum in Pretoria, began excavations of the cave in 1936 and made several discoveries of bones and other fossils.

His great find came in 1947 – the exceptionally well-preserved skull of a species of early man-ape which he called Plesianthropus transvaalensis, who lived about two million years ago.

The skull was that of a female and became known as ‘Mrs Ples’.

The species has subsequently been reclassified as Australopithecus africanus when the skull was positively recognized as belonging to the same species as the 'ape-child' skull discovered by Professor Raymond Dart at Taung in the northern Cape in 1924.

Common Coral Tree (Erythrina lysistemon)

2009-06-27T00:02:00.000-07:00

The common Coral tree is a medium sized deciduous tree occurring in the bushveld and coastal areas.
Red flowers form just before the leaves appear and fruiting is from September to February. The flowers attract Sunbirds and insects which then attract insect eating birds. Woodpeckers and Barbets like to nest in these trees. The leaves are compound with three heart-shaped leaflets.

The bark is used for treating rheumatism and arthritis. Crushed leaves are used to reduce inflammation on septic sores. Burnt bark powder is used to reduce inflammation on open sores. Toothache is treated with an infusion made from boiled or soaked bark. To relieve earache an infusion of the leaves can be used as ear drops.

Kudu, Nyala, Elephant, Klipspringer, and black rhino, browse the leaves. Vervet monkeys and baboons eat the flowers.

Spider and egg

2009-06-26T00:02:00.000-07:00

I found a small spider at work and put it in a plastic film bottle to take home and photograph. When I opened it up, I discovered she had laid a large size egg inside.
I decided to let her loose outside and gently moved her and the egg onto the ground next to a tree.

No sooner was she out and tried to move her egg to a place of safety, when the ants came along and tried to take it away from her. I thought that she would chase them away.

Instead, she gave up and went to huddle against the tree leaving her eggs to the ants to carry away.

Weevil #3

2009-06-25T00:02:00.000-07:00

This is the largest family in the animal kingdom, including about 48 000 species in total, of which about 2 500 species occur in southern Africa.
They are small to very large (1-60mm) with diverse habits, shapes and colours. Their mandibles (jaws) are situated at the end of a rostrum (snout) that is adapted for chewing into seeds and stems. The antennae (feelers) are characteristically elbowed and clubbed and situated on the rostrum. Both adults and larvae feed on plants and the female bores into seeds and stems where the eggs are laid. This one is about 2 inches in body length. This group of beetles includes a wide range of pests of crops and stored products.

Rice Paper Butterfly

2009-06-24T00:02:00.000-07:00

This was taken at the butterfly house nearby.
The rice paper butterfly, also called the paper kite butterfly, wood nymph, or tree nymph (Idea leuconoe) is a distinctive black and white butterfly.

The wingspan is 95 to 110 cm across. The chrysalis is yellow with black markings. It is from Southeast Asia. Classification: superfamily Papilionigiae, family Nymphalidae, subfamily Danainae, Genus Idea, Species I. Leuconoe.

The one below had just emerged from its pupae and was still unfolding its wings.

Red-eyed Grasshopper

2009-06-23T00:02:00.001-07:00

There is clearly one very clever person here and that is Andrea from SIDECAR!! He has just posted the most beautiful pictures of a leopard.

We have many kinds of grasshoppers here but mostly they have brown or green eyes.
I found this one and could not believe the color of these.

I looks like a demon from hell!! Unfotunately I cannot put a name to it so I will give it one: how about Brutus Evileye Acridae?

Many people get confused between grasshoppers and locusts usually thinking that a large grasshopper is a locust. In fact, locusts are limited to a few species of grasshoppers which go into a swarming phase forming massive swarms that can cause immense destruction to crops and pastures.

Mystery Monday - Part 23

2009-06-22T00:02:00.000-07:00

There is actually a critter hidden amongst the butterflies this week. Can you tell me what part it is and what you think it belongs too? This is especially easy for Craig and Tom. I want them to get at least one weeks Mystery Monday correct. :)

Sterkfontein Caves - Part 2

2009-06-21T00:02:00.000-07:00

Discovered by an Italian prospector Guigimo Martinaglia, who was searching for gold and lime in 1896, this labyrinth of interconnected caverns was formed over millions of years by underground waters slowly dissolving the dolomitic rock.

Now the water table has dropped and the spectacular eroded shapes of the dolomite can be seen as one walks through a vast chamber to an under ground lake which fills other extensive caves beneath its surface.

Its tranquil, crystal-clear waters extend some distance into unexplored chambers.

Several interesting dripstone formations are to be seen; although, sadly, many of the cave's more spectacular stalactites and stalagmites were removed or damaged by early limestone-mining activities.

In one part of the cave, visited by tourists, is a portion of an ancient consolidated infill that collapsed about 2 million years ago from an older and higher cave.

Above this infill is a long shaft which leads up to massive deposits which are currently being excavated by scientists.

Other deposits being worked in one part of the underground cave system date back to 3 million years.