THE FAUNA OF THE COUNTRY
When first visited by Europeans, South-West Africa was swarmed with
game in unusual number and variety, and the land was a veritable
hunter’s paradise. Lions were a constant source of trouble to
travellers even long after the middle of the last century. Elephants
roamed the country in big herds, and for some years, in the ’seventies
and ’eighties, the trade in ivory from Damaraland was considerable,
many thousands of pounds worth being brought to the coast for export
each year. The black rhinoceros was common. The rare animal known as
the white rhinoceros, _R. simus_, was also found. As stated in a
previous chapter, the first giraffe’s skin ever sent to Europe from
South Africa came from Great Namaqualand in 1763. The buffalo, the
quagga, and the zebra abounded, and the ungainly hippopotamus could
often be seen plunging and splashing in the lower reaches of the
Orange River. But the larger game has been steadily driven to the
north and the north-east, where the elephant, the rhinoceros, and the
hippopotamus may still be found among the nobler South African fauna,
partly as a result of protective measures adopted by the Government
authorities. The Caprivi territory may be regarded as the big game
reserve of the country.
Among the beasts of prey the lion is still found, but only on the
lonely Kalahari border, in the Kaokoveld, and in the far north. The
leopard, _felis pardus_, commonly called the “tiger,” exists in many
parts of the country, and is not by any means a pleasant beast to
encounter. The beautifully-marked cheetah, _Cynoelurus jubatus_, is
sometimes found on the eastern slopes. The red lynx, _felis caracal_,
the Dutch “rooikat,” with the typical tufted ears and short tail, is
fairly numerous. Among the enemies of the stock farmer are several
species of jackals; the powerful spotted hyena, _H. crocuta_, the Dutch
tiger-wolf; and the destructive African wild dog. The wild dogs hunt in
packs, and, as they will pull down anything from a lamb to an eland,
they do a great deal of damage.
The antelopes are well represented. The eland, the largest of all
antelopes, roams the eastern border districts, with the noble koodoo,
_strepsicerous kudu_; the sable antelope, _hippotragus niger_; the
roan antelope, _hippotragus equinus_; the fierce blue wildebeest or
brindled gnu, _connochoetes taurinus_; the handsome oryx, or gemsbok,
_oryx gazella_; and occasionally the giraffe. The giraffe and the oryx
have also been observed on the western plains, and the zebra exists in
the Kaokoveld, north of the Namib.
Large herds of springbuck, _gazella euchore_, roam the inner plains of
the Namib and the open, treeless country to the east. The Waterbuck,
_kobus ellipsiprimnus_, is found in the vicinity of the northern
rivers, while the little Damaraland antelope, _nanotragus damarensis_,
may be seen at rare intervals in the mountain fastnesses near Omaruru.
Among the smaller animals are the fecund steenbuck; the charming little
klipspringer, _oreotragus saltator_, the “chamois of South Africa”;
and the solitude-loving duiker, _cephalolopus grimmi_.
In the order Rodentia there are several hares. The Cape hare, _lepus
capensis_, an animal a little smaller than the English hare, is found
both in open and forest country; the rock hare, _lepus saxatalis_,
is a little larger, and keeps to the hilly country; the spring
hare, _Pedetes capensis_, is really a rodent, and this peculiar
creature, which lives in burrows, has a queer kangaroo-like method of
progression, using its long bushy tail with great skill. The flesh of
all these hares makes good eating.
That strange creature, the ant-bear, or Dutch aard vark, _orycteropus
afer_, which lives entirely on ants and termites, is responsible for
a good deal of damage caused by its burrowing habits. This animal is
confined entirely to Africa. Among other typical African animals are
the porcupine; the dassie, or rock rabbit, _hyrax capensis_, which
very much resembles the guinea-pig in shape; and one or two species of
meercats.
THE BIRDS
Game birds are fairly numerous. The largest bird is of course the
ostrich, which runs wild in many parts of the country. A considerable
trade was done in ostrich feathers from Damaraland for many years;
shooting of the birds has been wisely prohibited under the German
administration. Ostrich-farming has been attempted on a small scale.
There are several species of bustard, notable among them being the big
kori bustard, or Dutch pauuw, _Otis kori_, which sometimes stands as
high as 5 feet and weighs 40 pounds; and one of the lesser bustards
known as knorhaan, _Otis afra_, whose irritating, harsh craak is
all too familiar to the South African sportsman when stalking his
game. The guinea-fowl represents the pheasant tribe, and these fine
sporting birds are very numerous in North Damaraland and parts of
Ovamboland. The so-called Namaqua pheasant is really a francolin
partridge, while the well-known Namaqua partridge is a sand grouse,
_Pteroclurus namaquus_. Soon after sunrise the sand grouse are seen
high in the air in immense flocks, coming from all parts of the compass
to gather around the _vlies_ or pans where they drink. When hunted in
the veld they rise well to the dog and provide excellent sport. It is
a much more difficult matter, however, to flush the bustard or the
guinea-fowl. Several species of snipe and quail are found, but they
are not numerous.
The wild goose, or Egyptian goose, _Chenalopex aegyptiacus_, one of
the most edible of the South African game birds, with several species
of wild duck, frequent the watercourses. Herons, storks, ibises,
flamingos, and spoonbills are among the wading birds; the flamingos are
often in large numbers in North Damaraland and Ovamboland.
Eagles and vultures are among the birds of prey, with owls and
several species of the hawk family. The Secretary bird, _Serpentarius
secretarius_, with its curious quill-like crest of feathers, may
sometimes be seen stalking in characteristic solemn fashion among the
low bush in search of a little animal or a young snake. Those queer
birds, the penguins, with their black coats and white waistcoats,
thickly inhabit the islands off the coast. The gannet, the smaller
cormorant, with the penguin, have been protected by the Cape Government
on account of their importance as yielders of guano, and immense flocks
exist to-day.
Among the smaller birds are the wattled starling, _Dilophus
carunculatus_, two pratincoles, _Glareola melanoptera_ and _G.
pratincola_, all locust birds, which pursue their prey high in the air,
wheeling and darting and turning in wonderfully attractive fashion;
hoopoes, honey-guides, swifts, woodpeckers, hornbills, and weavers.
The honey-guide (_Indicatoridæ_) is a most interesting bird. Its
intelligence is as remarkable as its pertinacity, and it will give the
sportsman no rest until he has followed the twittering creature to the
bees’ nest. The remarkable-looking hornbills, with their huge bills,
very soon attract the attention of the traveller. The social weaver,
_Philetaerus socius_, is famous for its peculiar nest-building habits.
The birds are sociable little creatures and live together in colonies
of several hundreds. The nest, really a bird city, is generally a
huge mass of grass and sticks, cunningly arranged in a camelthorn
tree, and is often as big as a small haystack. A colony of 500 birds
may sometimes be found in the nest. The entrance is from beneath as
a protection against tree snakes, and there are generally several
“doors.” Inside there are a number of “streets” and “compartments,”
with individual nests in rows like little homes on each side of a
street. The nests are added to year by year, and sometimes they become
too heavy for the branches, with the result that the branches give way
and the “city” falls to pieces.
THE SNAKES
The reptile world is represented by a number of exceedingly venomous
snakes, but fortunately they are not numerous, and deaths from
snake-bite are of rare occurrence. There is the ferocious cobra, one
of the most deadly snakes in South Africa, of which there are several
species. Anchietas cobra, _Naia Anchietæ_, attains to an average length
of 5 feet, and the well-known Cape cobra, _Naia Flava_, is about the
same length. These reptiles are as active as they are venomous.
With the characteristic hood raised and eyes glittering with fierce
anger, an enraged cobra is a fearsome sight. A couple of drops of its
venom are quite sufficient to kill a giant. The Ringhals cobra or
Spitting snake, _Sepedon haemachates_, is not quite so long as its
cousin, but is highly venomous and very ferocious when roused. The name
“ringhals” means “ring-neck,” and has reference to the whitish band or
bands across the throat.
Not only has this reptile the power to inflict a deadly bite with its
poison fangs--it is able to spit a stream of venom into the eyes of a
person standing some feet away. Dogs and calves are often blinded in
this way.
The puff-adder, _Bitis arietans_, is an important member of the
viper family. This flat-headed, repulsive-looking creature, with its
thick, dark-brown body, is highly venomous and exceedingly dangerous,
as it coils up and lies quite still in the open until touched or
roused. Although extremely sluggish in nature, it lunges with
amazing rapidity. When its warning hiss is heard a hasty retirement
is expedient. Among the other dangerous adders are the Night adder,
_Causus rhombeatus_, which lays eggs; the small Peringuey’s adder,
_Bitis Peringueyi_; the queer Hornsman or Horned adder, _Bitis
cornuta_, which has two or more erect horn-like scales over each eye,
like little horns; the West African adder, _Bitis gabonica_, which will
bury itself in the sand for hours, with only the head visible; the Berg
adder, _Bitis atropos_, which keeps to the mountain regions; and the
Oviparous adder, _Atractaspis bibronii_, which is rarely found, since
it burrows in the sand after the manner of the blind burrowing reptiles.
All the snakes mentioned above belong to the front-fanged variety,
which are all poisonous. The back-fanged snakes are more or less
poisonous. These include in South-West Africa the Herald or Red-lipped
snake, _Leptodira hotambaeia_, with a speckled body, glossy head, and
red upper lip; the Whip snake, _Psammophis jurcatus_, a thin brown
reptile with a brittle tail; the Spotted Schaapsteker, _Trimerorhinus
rhombeatus_, well-known, too, on the Karroo; the small Damaraland
many-spotted snake, _Rhamphiophis multimaculatus_; the Dapple-backed
sand-snake, _Psammophis notostictus_; and the Namaqualand sand-snake,
_Psammophis trigrammus_.
None of these back-fanged reptiles are to be greatly dreaded; they will
rarely attack a person; but it is not wise to take liberties with them.
Even a snake will turn.
All the solid-toothed snakes are as harmless as worms, and may be
freely handled. Quite a number of these are found in the country.
The remarkable egg-eating snake, _Dasypeltis scabra_, has a
highly-specialised egg-breaking mechanism. A sawing apparatus in the
backbone serves the purpose of teeth. The egg-shell is cast up after
the contents have been sucked down. There are several species of the
small Coppery snake; one or two of the House snake, of the genus
Boodon, often found near dwelling-houses. House snakes can easily be
tamed, and they may become more useful than cats, and much less harmful.
The non-venomous python is found occasionally in the rocky valleys.
Anchieta’s python, _P. anchietæ_, is the only species. This reptile
has an average length of about 16 feet, and kills all its victims by
constriction. The female python lays her eggs and then hatches them
like a broody hen.
The dreaded scorpion is also a habitat of the country. Tortoises are
found. Swarms of the migratory locust cause much damage when they
descend upon the vegetation. Among the smaller but not less troublesome
creatures are the many beetles, spiders, ticks, and mites.
In the coast waters the ungainly seals have their home, and off Cape
Cross they are found in very large numbers. Whales are not so numerous
as in former years, but several whaling stations are in existence along
the shore. Altogether, South-West Africa has an uncommon variety of
individuals in the animal world.