Animals of Kruger National Park

Keith Barnes, a native of South Africa, is a founder and director of Tropical Birding--a birdwatching, wildlife and photography tour operator. He holds a PhD in zoology from the University of Cape Town and is a coauthor of the companion volume, Birds of Kruger National Park (Princeton WILDGuides), and Birding Ethiopia, among other books. He grew up in the bushveld of the Magaliesberg and fondly remembers his early visits to Kruger National Park.

• The region 7 The aim of this book 8 How to use this book 10 Glossary of terms 12 Kruger's importance for biodiversity 14 The seasons and timing your visit 15 Considerations for your visit 16 The habitats 17 Characteristic plants 18 Map showing the distribution of habitats in Kruger National Park 22 Map of Kruger National Park and adjacent private concession areas forming the Greater Kruger National Park conservation area 23 How, where and when to watch animals in Kruger National Park 24 The ten best wildlife-watching routes 28 MAMMALS 31 Mammal tracks 32 Lion Panthera leo 40 Leopard Panthera pardus 44 Cheetah Acinonyx jubatus 48 Serval Leptailurus serval 52 Caracal Caracal caracal 53 Wild Cat Felis sylvestris 54 African Civet Civettictis civetta 55 Common Genet Genetta genetta 56 Large-spotted Genet Genetta maculata 57 Spotted Hyena Crocuta crocuta 58 Aardwolf Proteles cristata 62 Banded Mongoose Mungos mungo 64 Common Dwarf Mongoose Helogale parvula 65 Common Slender Mongoose Herpestes sanguineus 66 White-tailed Mongoose Ichneumia albicauda 67 Zorilla Ictonyx striatus 68 Honey Badger Mellivora capensis 69 Black-backed Jackal Canis mesomelas 70 Side-striped Jackal Canis adustus 71 African Wild Dog Lycaon pictus 72 Temminck's Ground Pangolin Smutsia temminckii 74 Aardvark Orycteropus afer 75 Spotted-necked Otter Hydrictis maculicollis 76 African Clawless Otter Aonyx capensis 77 African Elephant Loxodonta africana 78 White Rhinoceros Ceratotherium simum 82 Black Rhinoceros Diceros bicornis 84 Hippopotamus Hippopotamus amphibious 86 Common Warthog Phacochoerus africanus 90 Plains Zebra Equus quagga 92 Giraffe Giraffa camelopardalis 94 African Buffalo Syncerus caffer 98 Common Eland Tragelaphus oryx 102 Greater Kudu Tragelaphus strepsiceros 104 Common Duiker Sylvicapra grimmia 106 Sharpe's Grysbok Raphicerus sharpei 107 Steenbok Raphicerus campestris 108 Klipspringer Oreotragus oreotragus 109 Southern Reedbuck Redunca arundinum 110 Bushbuck Tragelaphus scriptus 112 Nyala Tragelaphus angasii 114 Roan Antelope Hippotragus equinus 116 Sable Antelope Hippotragus niger 118 Waterbuck Kobus ellipsiprymnus 120 Impala Aepyceros melampus 122 Tsessebe Damaliscus lunatus 124 Common Wildebeest Connochaetes taurinus 126 Scrub Hare Lepus saxatilis 128 Springhare Pedetes capensis 129 Rock Hyrax Procavia capensis 130 Cape Porcupine Hystrix africaeaustralis 131 Vervet (Monkey) Chlorocebus pygerythrus 132 Chacma Baboon Papio ursinus 134 Southern Lesser Galago Galago moholi 136 Thick-tailed Greater Galago Otolemur crassicaudatus 137 Smith's Bush Squirrel Paraxerus cepapi 138 Epauletted fruit-bats Epomophorus spp. 139 REPTILES 140 Nile Crocodile Crocodylus niloticus 142 Leopard Tortoise Stigmochelys pardalis 144 Serrated Hinged Terrapin Pelusios sinuatus 145 Water Monitor Varanus niloticus 146 Rock Monitor Varanus albigularis 146 Puff Adder Bitis arietans 148 Mozambique Spitting Cobra Naja mossambica 149 Black Mamba Dendroaspis polylepis 150 Southern African Python Python natalensis 151 Common Flap-necked Chameleon Chamaeleo dilepis 152 Southern Tree Agama Acanthocercus atricollis 153 Rainbow Skink Trachylepis margaritifer 154 Striped Skink Trachylepis striata 155 Variable Skink Trachylepis varia 156 Common Tropical House Gecko Hemidactylus mabouia 157 Common Giant Plated Lizard Matobosaurus validus 158 Rough-scaled Plated Lizard Broadleysaurus major 159 AMPHIBIANS 160 African Bullfrog Pyxicephalus edulis 162 Southern Foam-nest Frog Chiromantis xerampelina 163 Banded Rubber Frog Phrynomantis bifasciatus 164 Snoring Puddle Frog Phrynobatrachus natalensis 165 Bubbling Kassina Kassina senegalensis 166 Plain Grass Frog Ptychadena anchietae 167 Bushveld Rain Frog Breviceps adspersus 168 Painted Reed Frog Hyperolius marmoratus 169 Further reading and online resources 170 South African National Parks (SANParks) main regulations 171 Rhinos on the edge 172 Acknowledgements and photo credits 173 Index 174

"Animals of Kruger National Park, by Keith Barnes, is the animal guide I wish I had when I visited South Africa."--Donna Lynn Schulman, 10,000 Birds blog "Barnes, a founder and director of Tropical Birding, a wildlife tour company, has produced a stunning guide that details the animals found within South Africa's Kruger National Park... The species accounts featured in this full color, glossy page guide are eye-catching and informative."--Choice