South Africa

Summary: I have seen over 100 mammal species in South Africa, my highlights being Riverine Rabbit, Spectacled Dormouse, Cape Dune Mole-rat, Bryde’s Whale, Haviside’s Dolphin, African Striped Weasel and Caracal.

Whilst living in Zambia I went to boarding school in the Eastern Cape (1979-1983) and studied in Johannesburg (1984-988). I then worked in Barberton (1989-1992, as a geologist) and regularly visit the Western Cape.
This page is under construction.

Paul Carter. Contact: paulcarter@pacapix.com
Page revised: 2025 Feb 2. Page under construction.

Contents
a) Site reports
b) Mammal species reports
c) Mammal list
d) Reptile list
e) References and Links

A. Site Reports

Recent trip and species notes include: 

Western Cape Province

  • De Hoop Nature Reserve (2020).
  • Dunedin Farm (updated site guide – 2016, 2018 and 2021 data): Riverine Rabbit, Karoo Elephant-shrew, Spectacled Dormouse and other small mammals. First visited March 2016.
  • False Bay: Bryde’s Whale (2019 April; updated 2020 Jan 5).
  • Gourikwa Reserve (2024 Nov). Grey Climbing Mouse.
  • Rocherpan Nature Reserve (2018 Feb): Southern Elephant Seal (vagrant).
  • Shelley Point, St Helena Bay (West Coast), 2021 Jan. Dusky Dolphin.
  • Strandfontein (West Coast), 2020 Jan 7: Haviside’s Dolphin; Brants’s Whistling Rat colony.
  • Wilderness (2019-2021): Cape Dune Mole-rat, Common Mole-rat, Brants’ Climbing Mouse, Woodland Thicket Rat.

Northern Cape Province

  • Augrabies Falls NP (2020 Dec).
  • Kgalagadi NP (2020 Dec).
  • Marrick Safari (2020 Dec).
  • Skilpad and Namaqua NP (2020 Dec).

B. Mammal Species Reports

Bryde’s Whale (Balaenoptera brydei) in False Bay. Updated Oct 2021.
Brants’ Climbing Mouse (Dendromus mesomelas). Posted 20 Feb 2021.
Woodland Thicket Rat (Grammomys dolichurus). Posted 4 Mar 2021.

C. Mammal List

Data not yet entered

D. Reptile list

Data not yet entered

E. References and Links

  • Apps P (2012). Smithers’ Mammals of Southern Africa. A field guide. By Smithers RHN; updated and revised by Apps P. Struik Nature. Kindle Edition.
  • de Graaff G (1981). The Rodents of Southern Africa. Butterworths, Durban, South Africa.
  • Monadjem A, Taylor PJ, Cotterill FPD, Schoeman MC (2010). Bats of Southern and Central Africa: a biogeographic and taxonomic synthesis. University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
  • Monadjem A, Taylor PJ, Cotterill F, Schoeman MC (2020 June). Bats of Southern and Central Africa: A biogeographic and taxonomic synthesis, 2nd edition. pp640. Wits University Press. ISBN-10:1776145828. https://doi.org/10.18772/22020085829 .
  • Stuart C, Stuart M (2015). Stuarts’ Field Guide to Mammals of Southern Africa including Angola, Zambia and Malawi. Struik Nature.

Links: