ZSSA 2013

The Zoological Society of Southern Africa held its 2013 annual symposium at Tshipise, in the far north-east of South Africa… just shy of the Zimbabwean border and close to the top end of the magnificent Kruger National Park.  A UKZN contingent of 16 students set out at 4am to reach Tshipise after an 11 hour roadtrip.

what... no blue dotted line at the tropic of capricorn?  ... but its on every map

who filled out the registration form?

UKZN campsite

The Zoological Society symposium was hosted by the University of Venda and University of Limpopo, they revealed a wide range of topics and studies, with a particularly large proportion of student presentations this year.  On the third day I presented the results of the first year of Camera-trap nest data. Seemed to go well.

Certainly the highlights were to see some familiar faces including Prof. Ara Manadjem’s plenary talk on the fate of Africa’s Vultures (not good news by the way).  Prof Colleen Downs also presented a plenary talk, covering the ins and outs of physiology, and ecology of the Epaulatted fruit bat. Also of particular interest and relevance was the plenary talk by Dr. Franz Holker on the loss of the night.  How artificial light, especially urban light domes, have a dramatic effect on the biosphere.  This was relevant for two reasons; a) the Durban crowned eagles will likely be influenced by the urban light dome in some way, and b) way out at Tshipise, once the moon set in the early hours of the night, the milky way was so spectacularly smeared across the inky sky (funny how you realize just how fortunate being a kiwi is in a world of light pollution).

In between relevant talks, I would sneak out for an hour at a time and go hunting (with camera) on the Tshipise grounds.  The neighboring koppie was a magnet for soaring raptors, while the aloe gardens on the grounds attracted plenty of birds and butterflies. The resort grounds also home to two large businesses’ of banded mongoose, and these characters provided endless entertainment particularly when twice I watched drawn-out territorial disputes, where front lines were drawn within clouds of dust, behind which the trouble would lay their scent markings on the boarderlands.

Marico Sunbird

Common Orange Tip

Golden Piper

Bearded Scrub-Robin

A business of Banded Mongoose