other species

 

The area holds so many species that to go into detail on them all would be a website all of its own.  So just for some extra information:

 

The system holds about 41 species of reptiles from the tortoises to the snakes.  In summer one really needs to keep a lookout for snakes and can call on the LBRC to remove one should you have one visiting your house.  Summertime is the best time to see reptiles as these are cold blooded creatures that are mainly active in the hotter months and hide away from the cold in winter.

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE SNAKES IN OUR AREA

 

SPECIES	DANGER TO MAN
Puff Adder	Very dangerous, it has cytotoxic venom and is resposible for most bites in Africa due to its laziness, it will wait for you to come too close
Cape Cobra	Very dangerous, it wil stand its ground and has a higly neurotoxic venom. The colour of this cobra does vary making it tricky to idenitfy, but it is the only cobra we have here so look out for its hood
Berg Adder	This is a particulary venomous snake with a neurotoxic venom. No fatalities have been recorded.
Common Night/Rhombic Adder	It has a cytotoxic venom, but poses no real danger of fatlity to man though the bites must be treated
Southern Adder	Basically nothing is known about this snakes venom or its effects on man, treat this snake with caution
Rinkhals	Very dangerous, it has a neurotoxic venom but bites are rare and fatalities are even more so. Be careful of this snake's habit of playing dead.
yellow Bellied Sea Snake	Very dangerous, it has a neurotoxic venom, but very few bites have ever been recorded. There is no anitvenom for this snake in South Africa.
Spotted Harlequin Snake	Not really considered dangerous, no antivenom is required but it will make you feel quite ill.
Boomslang	It is a dangerous snake with heamotoxic venom, but it is a shy snake and very seldom bites.
Brown House Snake	None - this is a common house guest
Aurora House Snake	None
Blind Snakes	None
Cape Wolf Snake	None
Cape Worm Snake	None
Common Brown Water Snake	None
Common Egg Eater	None
Common Slug Eater	None
Crossed Whip Snake	None
Delalandes Beaked Blind Snake	None
Green Lipped Herald Snake	None - but my snake handling friends say it can give you quite a headache
Karoo Whip Snake	None
Mole Snake	None - but big snakes can bite like a dog
Olive House Snake	None
Spotted Rock Snake	None
Spotted Skaapsteker Sundevalls Shovel Snout Yellow Bellied House Snake	None - its venom is not thought to be harmful to man None None

 

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About 28 species of amphibian call this river home and to the keen frogger, it’s a great challenge and the prizes are good.  Some you will find include the Arum Lilly Frog, Cacos, 3 rain frog species, Painted Reed Frogs and a few of the toads just to name a few.

When it comes to spiders and Butterflies the area has about 103 species. You will be happy to know that most of that 103 species are the butterflies and moths.

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For the keen fisherman, it’s probably great to know that the estuary has a number of bait species.  These species include the much loved pencil bait, mud prawn and bloodworm. Sometimes when looking for this bait one may have to seek advice from a local, but truth be told, it’s often a well guarded secret.  One can also find other bait-type species such as swimming prawn, shrimp, octopus and red bait.  It’s all about what the fish you’re after enjoys eating.

 

see our GALLERY for more images>

 

 Two of our many tortoises