SOUTH AFRICA - GREATER ADDO NATIONAL PARK
In
depth guide to the seasons, animals, birds and wildlife
habitats of Addo Park in South Africa
To
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Addo
Elephant Park was proclaimed in 1931,
as a safeguard for the last 11 wild elephants
roaming the area. It is now home to over 350
elephants and numerous other species. Addo Elephant
Park was so successful that it started to get
overcrowded, so surrounding land needed to be
acquired. With local co-operation, adjacent
farms were purchased and the new Greater
Addo National Park will soon cover
1.2 million acres (492,000 ha).
This
will become an extraordinary park, because
the terrain will go from the dense inland
valley bushveld of the Sundays River, all
the way until it reaches the sea. It will
also include a 296,500 acre (120,000 ha) marine
reserve encompassing islands containing Africa's
largest populations of penguins and gannets.
This park will be one of the few places on
earth containing the 'Big 7'; elephants, lions,
buffaloes, leopards, rhinos, whales and great
white sharks!
ANIMALS
& BIRDS
Elephants
are wondrous creatures to watch especially
at a waterhole. Some facts about elephant's
digestion may help to demonstrate why the
dung beetle is so important to this park ,and
why rangers were very worried about their
decline.
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An
adult elephant deposits upwards of 330 pounds
(150 kilos) of dung every day - about one consignment
every 15 minutes. Prior to the expansion of
the park, this meant that the dung beetles had
an enormous clearing up job, and they were just
not coping. The flightless dung beetle is found
almost exclusively in this park (other dung
beetles can fly), and are important to the ecology
of the area.
No
citrus fruits may be taken into Addo as elephants
have such a craving for them, that one whiff
of an orange could send them crazy, and could
mark the end of you and your car. The cruellest
irony is that the region has many citrus groves
- which is an unkind twist of fate for the Addo
elephants!
Black-backed
jackal are commonly seen in Addo, and evenings
are punctuated by their strident howls. Cape
buffalo, black rhino, kudu, eland, red hartebeest
and springbok all graze on their preferred grasses
or bushes and highly adaptable leopards are
there but rarely seen. With the consolidation
of the land expansion, lion will be reintroduced
to complete the 'Big Five'.
Furthermore,
with the park now stretching to the shores of
the Indian Ocean, whales and dolphins will swell
the viewing opportunities.
Addo’s birding opportunities are accentuated
by the contrasting habitats of dense thickets
interspersed with open grassy areas and wooded
kloofs. Look out for martial and crowned eagles,
olive bush shrikes, yellowthroated warblers,
Cape batis, black korhaan and secretary birds. |
SEASONS
This region's temperate climate is influenced
by the Indian Ocean, providing rain in equal
measures throughout the year.
Spring: Spring is in the air
by the end of August and into September. October
gets much warmer with the feeling of summer
around the corner.
Summer: November to March are
hot, and temperatures peak from December to
February at around 75°-86°F (24-30°C)
or more.
Autumn: Temperatures start
cooling down from about April but it can still
be very pleasant until June.
Winter: June, July and August
are mid-winter months but the days may still
be bright and warm, but it gets cold in the
evening.
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ADDO
SPECIALITIES
· Elephants
· Flightless dung beetles
· Black rhino
· Raptors
· Unique
· Private lodges and
national parks chalets
FACTS
Addo is approximately 45m (73km) from the major
Garden Route city of Port Elizabeth.
This is a non malarial area
Contact Details: South African National Parks
- telephone: +27 12 343 1991, fax: +27 12 343
1905,
email: reservations@parks-sa.co.za
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Follow the links below to South Africa's premier wildlife
regions and game reserves.
PRIVATE
SAFARI LODGES WE RECOMMEND IN THE GREATER ADDO NP
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