Harry Bolus: A Botanical Artist in S. Africa

Englishman Harry Bolus, described more Cape orchid species than anyone (except orchidologist John Lindley of the Royal Botanic Gardens).
Disa racemosa
He became the greatest authority on South African orchids.
Disa elegans and Monkey Beetle (Petrichia sp.)

The Serval or Tierboskat: S. African Wild Cat

Known in Afrikaans as "tiger forest cat", Servals have the longest legs of any cat relative to their body size!

The Serval can make a vertical jump of up to 3m and a horizontal jump of 3.6m.

The CaRaCaL or Desert Lynx: S. African Feline

The Battle of Isandlwana, South Africa

Fought on 22 January 1879, this was the first major battle in the Anglo-Zulu War between the British Empire and the Zulu Kingdom. 
Eleven days after the British began their invasion of Zululand, a Zulu force of some 20,000 warriors attacked a part of the British main column of about 1,800 colonial, native troops and around 400 civilians. 

The Zulus were equipped with the traditional Assegai iron spears and cow-hide shields, but also some muskets and old rifle. 
The British and colonial troops were armed with the state-of-the-art Martini-Henry breech-loading rifle and two 7 pounder artillery pieces as well as a rocket battery. 

James McConnell (1973)
Zulus killed over 1,300 british troops. The Zulu army suffered around a thousand deaths. 
The battle was a decisive victory for the Zulus and caused the defeat of the first British invasion of Zululand. 

Brian Palmer

The British army had received its worst defeat against a technologically inferior indigenous force. 
 Isandlwana resulted in the British becoming much more aggressive leading to a second invasion and the destruction of King Cetshwayo's hopes of a negotiated peace.

The MOSCHOPS

Moschops (meaning calf face) is an extinct genus of therapsid that lived in the Middle Permian, around 255 million years ago. 
Therapsids were proto-mammals and the dominant land animals. 

Five meters long, Moschops was the largest land animal of its time, a herbivore preyed on by other Therapsids. 
Its remains were found in the Karoo region of South Africa. 

Claude Gibney Finch-Davies´ S. African Ornithological Paintings

Yellowbilled Stork (Mycteria ibis)

The Benjamin Gate: S. Africa

Mahlathini & The Mahotella Queens

Endemic Flora of South Africa

Amaryllis is a genus of just two species!

Amaryllis belladonna

Amaryllis paradisicola or Paradise inhabitant, described in 1998 and limited to Namaquland.  

Carnivorous Plants of S. Africa: King SunDew

Drosera regia is derived from the Greek word droseros, meaning "dew-covered". 
It is endemic to a single valley and has only ever been found at two sites (Bainskloof Range) at altitudes of 500 and 900 metres!  

A leaf wrap around  prey (beetles, moths or butterflies).

The Drosera regia flowers in January and February.

The fastest antelope on the S. African plains! (80 km p/hour): The Sassaby or Tsessebe

There is an ancient story told about this antelope. At the time of creation the tsessebe arrived late for the ‘ornamental’ presentation, irritating the great creator for this lack of timeliness.

As a punishment the great creator picked up two sticks from the ground and stuck them on the tsessebe’s head, rubbed dirt on the animal's body and told him to go away.

When the other animals saw the tsessebe they began to mock him.The great creator felt sorry and granted him a wish. The tsessebe chose to be the fastest antelope on the plains.  

The tsessebe lives in small herds controlled by a territorial bull. 
Young males will form batchelor herds until they are strong enough to challenge for their own herds. 
VIEW VIDEOS: http://www.arkive.org/topi/damaliscus-lunatus/video-09b.html 

Jan Ernst Abraham Volschenk: South African Painter

The Valley of the Kaffirkuils - near Riversdale 

RocK ArT: San People S. Africa

The SuNi Dwarf Antelope: South Africa

Only measuring between 30- 43 cm and weighting 4.5- 5.4 kg.

Suni eat leaves, fungi, fruits and flowers, and need almost no water! 
They are shy animals that sleep during the day in a shady, sheltered area. They are social but males defend a territory of around 3 ha with their lacrimal gland´s secretions.