Animals of Kruger National Park

by Keith Barnes

Overview

South Africa's Kruger National Park is one of the largest and most diverse conservation areas in Africa, and a hugely popular visitor attraction. Animals of Kruger National Park is a compact and beautifully illustrated guide, and the essential companion for any safari to the region. With an eye-catching design, authoritative and accessible text and easy-to-use format, this detailed photographic guide provides information on identification, habitat, behaviour, biology and conservation for all the mammals, reptiles and frogs likely to be seen. Introductory sections provide background information on the park and its habitats, when to visit and where to go, and other practical considerations that will help to enhance your understanding, appreciation and enjoyment of the animals of this incredible region.

• The essential all-in-one Kruger safari companion, ideal for all visitors
• Unique and attractive layout, featuring 216 stunning colour photographs, 116 track (spoor) illustrations and two maps
• Covers 57 mammals, 17 reptiles and eight frogs
• Features the ‘Big 5’—elephants, leopards, lions, rhinoceroses and buffalos—as well as other iconic and charismatic animals
• Provides key information on identification, behaviour, biology and conservation

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780691161785
Publisher:	Princeton University Press
Publication date:	10/18/2016
Series:	Wildlife Explorer Guides , #50
Pages:	176
Product dimensions:	5.80(w) x 8.30(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Keith Barnes, a native of South Africa, is a founder and director of Tropical Birding—a birdwatching, wildlife and photography tour operator. He holds a PhD in zoology from the University of Cape Town and is a coauthor of the companion volume, Birds of Kruger National Park (Princeton WILDGuides), and Birding Ethiopia, among other books. He grew up in the bushveld of the Magaliesberg and fondly remembers his early visits to Kruger National Park.

Table of Contents

The region 7

The aim of this book 8

How to use this book 10

Glossary of terms 12

Kruger’s importance for biodiversity 14

The seasons and timing your visit 15

Considerations for your visit 16

The habitats 17

Characteristic plants 18

Map showing the distribution of habitats in Kruger National Park 22

Map of Kruger National Park and adjacent private concession areas forming the Greater Kruger National Park conservation area 23

How, where and when to watch animals in Kruger National Park 24

The ten best wildlife-watching routes 28

MAMMALS 31

Mammal tracks 32

Lion Panthera leo 40

Leopard Panthera pardus 44

Cheetah Acinonyx jubatus 48

Serval Leptailurus serval 52

Caracal Caracal caracal 53

Wild Cat Felis sylvestris 54

African Civet Civettictis civetta 55

Common Genet Genetta genetta 56

Large-spotted Genet Genetta maculata 57

Spotted Hyena Crocuta crocuta 58

Aardwolf Proteles cristata 62

Banded Mongoose Mungos mungo 64

Common Dwarf Mongoose Helogale parvula 65

Common Slender Mongoose Herpestes sanguineus 66

White-tailed Mongoose Ichneumia albicauda 67

Zorilla Ictonyx striatus 68

Honey Badger Mellivora capensis 69

Black-backed Jackal Canis mesomelas 70

Side-striped Jackal Canis adustus 71

African Wild Dog Lycaon pictus 72

Temminck’s Ground Pangolin Smutsia temminckii 74

Aardvark Orycteropus afer 75

Spotted-necked Otter Hydrictis maculicollis 76

African Clawless Otter Aonyx capensis 77

African Elephant Loxodonta africana 78

White Rhinoceros Ceratotherium simum 82

Black Rhinoceros Diceros bicornis 84

Hippopotamus Hippopotamus amphibious 86

Common Warthog Phacochoerus africanus 90

Plains Zebra Equus quagga 92

Giraffe Giraffa camelopardalis 94

African Buffalo Syncerus caffer 98

Common Eland Tragelaphus oryx 102

Greater Kudu Tragelaphus strepsiceros 104

Common Duiker Sylvicapra grimmia 106

Sharpe’s Grysbok Raphicerus sharpei 107

Steenbok Raphicerus campestris 108

Klipspringer Oreotragus oreotragus 109

Southern Reedbuck Redunca arundinum 110

Bushbuck Tragelaphus scriptus 112

Nyala Tragelaphus angasii 114

Roan Antelope Hippotragus equinus 116

Sable Antelope Hippotragus niger 118

Waterbuck Kobus ellipsiprymnus 120

Impala Aepyceros melampus 122

Tsessebe Damaliscus lunatus 124

Common Wildebeest Connochaetes taurinus 126

Scrub Hare Lepus saxatilis 128

Springhare Pedetes capensis 129

Rock Hyrax Procavia capensis 130

Cape Porcupine Hystrix africaeaustralis 131

Vervet (Monkey) Chlorocebus pygerythrus 132

Chacma Baboon Papio ursinus 134

Southern Lesser Galago Galago moholi 136

Thick-tailed Greater Galago Otolemur crassicaudatus 137

Smith’s Bush Squirrel Paraxerus cepapi 138

Epauletted fruit-bats Epomophorus spp. 139

REPTILES 140

Nile Crocodile Crocodylus niloticus 142

Leopard Tortoise Stigmochelys pardalis 144

Serrated Hinged Terrapin Pelusios sinuatus 145

Water Monitor Varanus niloticus 146

Rock Monitor Varanus albigularis 146

Puff Adder Bitis arietans 148

Mozambique Spitting Cobra Naja mossambica 149

Black Mamba Dendroaspis polylepis 150

Southern African Python Python natalensis 151

Common Flap-necked Chameleon Chamaeleo dilepis 152

Southern Tree Agama Acanthocercus atricollis 153

Rainbow Skink Trachylepis margaritifer 154

Striped Skink Trachylepis striata 155

Variable Skink Trachylepis varia 156

Common Tropical House Gecko Hemidactylus mabouia 157

Common Giant Plated Lizard Matobosaurus validus 158

Rough-scaled Plated Lizard Broadleysaurus major 159

AMPHIBIANS 160

African Bullfrog Pyxicephalus edulis 162

Southern Foam-nest Frog Chiromantis xerampelina 163

Banded Rubber Frog Phrynomantis bifasciatus 164

Snoring Puddle Frog Phrynobatrachus natalensis 165

Bubbling Kassina Kassina senegalensis 166

Plain Grass Frog Ptychadena anchietae 167

Bushveld Rain Frog Breviceps adspersus 168

Painted Reed Frog Hyperolius marmoratus 169

Further reading and online resources 170

South African National Parks (SANParks) main regulations 171

Rhinos on the edge 172

Acknowledgements and photo credits 173

Index 174

Editorial Reviews

"Barnes, a founder and director of Tropical Birding, a wildlife tour company, has produced a stunning guide that details the animals found within South Africa's Kruger National Park. . . . The species accounts featured in this full color, glossy page guide are eye-catching and informative."

Choice

"Animals of Kruger National Park, by Keith Barnes, is the animal guide I wish I had when I visited South Africa."—-Donna Lynn Schulman, 10,000 Birds

From the Publisher