SOME OF THE MAMMALS OF THE GARDEN ROUTE

Nearly seventy species of mammals occur naturally in the Garden Route, but many of them are shy and very difficult to see. Just some of the better-known species are described below.

AFRICAN ELEPHANT

Large herds of elephant roamed the Cape until well into the nineteenth century and in an 1876 report the local Forestry Officer wrote that there were between 400 and 600 of them in the Knysna Tsitsikamma district alone. But hunting, poaching, the Great Fire of 1869 and human encroachment on their environment almost wiped out the elephants of the Southern Cape. A few survivors still range freely in the Knysna area, and although they're associated with the forests, Reay Smithers noted in his Mammals of The Southern Africa Sub-region that "elephants are not a forest species, and their occurrence in the Knysna Forest appears to be due to their being forced into this unnatural environment by man."

Elephants browse and graze off a wide variety of plant material, eating leaves, small branches, bark and grass.

BLUE DUIKER

In her novel Circles in a Forest, Dalene Matthee described these smallest of Southern African antelope as "the most beautiful of them all...So tiny, so nimble of foot..."

Their habit of following defined paths through the forest and thick coastal bush has made them susceptible to poachers, and their vulnerability prompted the owners of Knysna's Featherbed Nature Reserve to institute what has become a successful a breeding programme. They are difficult to study in the wild but observers at Featherbed have learned that they form permanent mating pairs which produce a single offspring about twice a year. They browse on shoots and leaves and will also take fruit which has fallen naturally or which has been discarded by monkeys or baboons.

BUSHBACK

Are generally found in underbush close to rivers and other permanent water. They occasionally venture into clearings to browse and their diet includes leaves and fine twigs as well as flowers, fruits and grass.

CAPE CLAWLESS OTTERS

Always live near water (fresh or salt) and are often seen playing and hunting in the breakers. They do sometimes wander onto dry land in search of food, which includes crabs, frogs, fish, small mammals, insects and birds.

CHACMA BABOONS

Are found in many different habitats, but are largely associated with forests and krantzes. They are omnivorous and will eat almost anything. Please note that it is dangerous and illegal to feed baboons.

DUTHIE'S GOLDEN MOLE

Is found in alluvial sand and sandy loam. Although they are intriguing and beautiful, almost nothing is known of their habits or diet.

HONEY BADGERS

Live in almost any habitat. They eat insects, wild berries and fruit and will often follow honey guide birds to bees nests, where they take both the honey and the larvae. They are threatened by unscrupulous beekeepers who hunt and trap them to protect their hives. The public is therefore requested to buy honey only from 'badger-friendly' suppliers.

LARGE GREY MONGOOSE

(Cape Ichneumon) - are not confined to any vegetation type, but are always associated with rivers. They feed on rodents, birds, reptiles, snakes, frogs and insects. Also fairly common in this area are the Cape grey mongoose and the water mongoose.

LARGE-SPOTTED GENETS

Are associated with fynbos in the Southern Cape. They feed on insects, rodents, birds and reptiles.

LEOPARDS

Are associated with forests and rocky mountain ranges. The feed on any mammals and will take prey up to twice their size.

PORCUPINES

Are found in most habitats (except deep forest) where good cover is available during the day. Porcupines are largely vegetarian, but will feed off carcasses and, more especially, will gnaw on bones when their diet is lacking in phosphorous. Destructive feeders, they are often considered a problem by crop farmers.

VERVET MONKEYS

Are usually associated with forests. Vervet monkeys are predominantly vegetarians although they will also eat insects and the chicks and eggs of some bird species (such as cattle egrets and weaver birds).

Vervet monkeys should not be fed as they will quickly become pests.

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