Walking in the Drakensberg. Jeff Williams
posture. This is a scary moment. However, generally it tries to escape when disturbed. Like most cobras it has neurotoxic venom and its bite must be considered serious.
It is unusual in two respects. Firstly it is a ‘spitting’ snake and can project venom for up to 3m very accurately towards the eyes. This is only harmful if it actually gets into the eyes (see ‘Immediate Action’ box, below). Secondly, it has a defensive tactic of playing dead (thanatosis), mouth often open with tongue hanging out. Don’t be fooled: it can be very convincing. Move away and never pick up apparently deceased serpents.
Rinkhals – a spitting snake
Birds
The Drakensberg has an extensive bird list, often quoted as over 300 species. However, this includes vagrants and some birds that are only very rarely seen. Realistically, if any visitor ticks more than 200 species in the Drakensberg then she or he is doing well. For committed birders there are a number of ‘Drakensberg specials’, that is, species that are more easily seen here than elsewhere. At lower altitudes you will see a lot of birds wherever you walk, but fewer in autumn and winter than in spring and summer.
Apart from the ubiquitous Cape Sparrows and Southern Grey-headed Sparrows you will see particularly Greater Double-collared Sunbirds, Red-winged Starlings, Cape White-eyes, White-necked Ravens, Hadeda Ibis and various doves almost everywhere. Many will find a bird identification book indispensable.
Bearded Vulture
Originally known as the Lammergeier, this is the most famous bird of the Drakensberg. There may only be 60 breeding pairs remaining. Here and neighbouring Lesotho are the only sites in South Africa where it can be seen.
If you’re close the identification is straightforward. The black wings, orange-brown neck, underparts and legs, yellow eyes and red eye-ring are characteristic. The ‘beard’ is more of a black, drooping feathered moustache. In flight from underneath note the rich orange-brown underparts, black pointed wings and long, black, wedge-shaped tail. The birds feed on carrion which they drop repeatedly from a height onto rocks to break up the bones with their constituent marrow.
This is a great and rare bird to see. A major conservation effort sponsored by KZN Wildlife is in place, which encourages observers to report sightings. (A copy of their promotional poster is reproduced with their permission on page 24.)
The frequently seen Greater Double-collared Sunbird
The endangered Bearded Vulture
Jackal Buzzard on the Sani Pass
The South African endemic Ground Woodpecker living up to its name
The habitats
Glossy Berg Bottlebrush (Greyia sutherlandii) – a small tree with beautiful flowers on high rocky slopes
Fortunately, most of the original Drakensberg habitat hasn’t changed significantly over the years, except in respect of the composition of some of the grassland. What you see today is to a large extent what was there a long time ago.
Grassland, rich in flowering plants, accounts for more than half of the area. This is important in the maintenance of a stable population of antelope, and for the birds, large and small, who favour this habitat. Their specific distribution is dictated by the height of the grass, so diversity is crucial.
Patches of woodland, including scrub, are scattered throughout, especially, but not invariably, close to watercourses. There is little grass within woodland, which reduces the risk of fire damage. This is also a bird-rich environment. The wooded areas as well as the cliffs are the domain of the troops of Savanna Baboons which every walker will see or at least hear.
Gurney’s Sugarbird
The Drakensberg is studded with streams, but there are no true wetlands because of the excellent drainage of the steep ground. Streams are usually fast-flowing because of the gradient, with pools, waterfalls and steep rock walls. Some specialised flora cling precariously to these walls and flourish there. This is the home of the Cape Clawless Otter, the Drakensberg being its best-known territory. You may notice its scat, studded with white crustacean shell fragments, but to see the animal itself a dawn start and some luck are required.
Wild Dagga (Leonotis leonurus), much-favoured by Malachite sunbirds
Everywhere you look you see rocky outcrops. Where they occur on grassland slopes they make for a small ecosystem of their own. They act as a safe haven for a number of specialist plants. The widespread Rock Dassie lives here and it is the haunt of some specialised birds, including the Ground Woodpecker. At higher altitudes you may see the colourful and endemic Drakensberg Crag Lizard sunning itself on warm boulders.
Some visitors are disappointed in the Drakensberg when they visit in spring and do not see it alive with colourful flowers. This is particularly true if they compare it with the magnificent floral wealth of, say, the Western Cape. But the Drakensberg is almost unique in its geology, site and particularly altitude, which makes for difficult comparisons. Also, the area is dominated by extensive grassland and flowers are often difficult to see. Nevertheless, the altitude rises from 1280m to almost 3500m so there is an opportunity to see a rich variety of plant life. With well over 2000 species of plants recorded, over 300 of which are endemic to the area, it is not exactly a desert.
The hallmark genus of the Drakensberg for many tourists is the Protea with its six local species. There can be no finer sight than a mountain hillside covered with flowering Protea. The Common Tree Fern (Cyathea dregei) is relatively easy to see in many areas, but in others it has become extinct after being extensively pillaged for planting in gardens. It is now protected by law. Up to 5m in height with a crown of arching fronds, it tends to be found in full sun, especially in gullies with a stream close by.
Fire as an ecological tool
When walking in the Drakensberg you will frequently come across areas of burnt grassland. It can look awful. There are three principal causes of fire: lightning, arson and planned burns.
The use of fire in grassland management is long-established and, when used appropriately, of proven scientific value. It removes dead organic material in the winter (the dry season) and prevents or removes encroachment by undesirable plants. In the Drakensberg the main aim is to maintain or develop grass cover for soil and water conservation. Firebreak creation is an important concomitant strategy for limiting the spread of natural or deliberate fires. The creation of firebreaks is a skilled business needing much care and a lot of tough work. Indeed, originally it was done with a hoe!
A firebreak seen from the summit of Sterkhorn (Walk 32)
Major planned grass burn at Cobham
GETTING CLEAR OF A FIRE
In the unlikely event of encountering such a fire at close quarters (a very alarming experience) remember that