The Cape Bird Club

Mammal list for Strandfontein.

photograph by Morne Carstens

A Porcupine released in April 2006 at Strandfontein

 

No.	Common name	Scientific Name
1	Small Grey Mongoose	Galerella pulverulenta
2	Water Mongoose	Atilax paludinosis
3	Small Spotted Genet	Genetta genetta
4	Cape Clawless Otter	Aionyx capensis
5	Cape Dune Mole Rat	Bathyergus suillus
6	Porcupine	Hystrix africaeaustralis
7	Cape Grysbok	Raphicerus melanotis
8	Cape Gerbil	Tatera afra
9	Vlei Rat	Otomys irroratus
10	Cape Hare	Lepus capensis
11	Striped Field Mouse	Rhabdomys pumilio
12	Pygmy Mouse	Mus minutoides

photograph by Morne Carstens

A Steenbok being transferred to Strandfontein for release.

August – November 2004, "Houdini" the Hippo.
An animal that Jeremy had sleepless nights about is "Houdini" the Hippo. He had been out many nights with "a team" tracking and trying to find "Houdini" who escaped from the Rondevlei Nature Reserve in February 2004.
A fence was broken and he was separated from his family herd, when he got out and has not returned since. This young, 800kg male calf, has been next door in Zeekoevlei and Strandfontein obviously enjoying himself. The Manager of Rondevlei, Dalton Gibbs is trying to prevent a confrontation or an accident, if "Houdini " comes into contact with any residents or workers in and around these Nature Reserve areas.

Argus 23/11/2004      photograph by Leon Muller

"Houdini" has proved very evasive and elusive when expert game capturers have been ready with all their plans and equipment to recapture him. Hence the cartoon below.

Argus 12/11/2004                                                                                        by Chip Sneddon

There are logistical difficulties in darting him in or near water, as he would drown if he was drugged. For anyone who knows the layout of the area, it has numerous water bodies and very little land to entice the hippo onto. This, to capture him with no danger of drowning. He hides up in the reed beds during the day and even when searched for by helicopter, he has not been spotted.
Rondevlei is the only Nature Reserve in and around Cape Town where one could see hippopotamus.