South Africa’s array of endearing animals Posted on 29 April 2020 South Africa’s abundance of wildlife is admired and appreciated the world over. With a strong focus on the mighty Big Five, very little limelight is left for the smaller, yet equally as relevant and adorable, animals. Here we cast a spotlight on some of our country’s unsung animal heroes, which will definitely make you want to say ‘agh moeder‘. Nagaapies, or bush babies View this post on Instagram A post shared by Johannesburg Wildlife Vet (@johannesburgwildlifevet) on Mar 11, 2020 at 9:14am PDT These tiny creatures are without a doubt one of Africa’s most adorable creatures. If you have had the luck of seeing one up close, their big eyes will captivate your heart and their tiny hands will make you smile. These little guys often land themselves in predicaments which require human intervention, like falling out of nests or missing a jump. Wildlife hospitals across the country are known to have taken in a nagaapie or two. Pangopups View this post on Instagram A post shared by IUCN Pangolin Specialist Group (@pangolinsg) on May 13, 2019 at 6:50am PDT The Temminck’s ground pangolin is one of the four pangolin species found in South Africa. Their babies don’t promise hope for the future of the species but are simply too adorable for words. Hippo calves View this post on Instagram A post shared by Roie Galitz – Wild Photography (@roiegalitz) on Apr 17, 2020 at 12:39pm PDT Happening upon a hippo out of the water can really be quite perplexing. The pace with which these water-loving mammals move seems contradictory to their size. What can be even more baffling is seeing a fully grown adult hippo next to a calf. These tiny tots will make even the toughest person melt in adoration. Cape dwarf chameleon View this post on Instagram A post shared by MOC Reptiles (@mocreptiles) on Aug 5, 2015 at 7:22am PDT These creatures are equally curious and endearing. Commonly found in residential gardens among other places in the Western Cape, these chameleons face a population threat. People pruning their gardens can unknowingly throw out Cape dwarf chameleons along with their garden waste. If you live in the Western Cape, be vigilant and check your disposable garden waste for any casualties and re-release them into your garden. Aardvark View this post on Instagram A post shared by A farm in the Klein Karoo. (@lulufontein) on Apr 25, 2020 at 1:28pm PDT While it is no easy feat to just find an aardvark in the wild, these nocturnal animals are just too sweet, resembling a pig, anteater and armadillo all at once. These nocturnal animals can make a mean underground burrow, where they generally spend their time sleeping and waiting out the sunnier hours. Porcupines View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mark Winckler (@markbushlife) on Sep 13, 2019 at 11:09pm PDT Another nocturnal beauty you won’t just find on any given day, quill pigs, or porcupines, are a feast for the eyes. These prickly rodents are a force to be reckoned with, especially when a pesky leopard tries to make a meal out of them. Meerkats View this post on Instagram A post shared by @kalium_puceon on Apr 28, 2020 at 1:56am PDT You could spend hours marvelling at a meerkat. These animals are incredibly interesting. Though they are small, with adults standing between 25–35 centimetres tall, meerkats sure know how to dig in to their meals. A fully grown meerkat can eat up to one kilogram of food a day. Some adorable animals from around the world The Arctic fox Image: Unsplash Tree kangaroo View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lauren Sumner (@_lauren_siobhan) on Mar 7, 2020 at 1:15am PST Kinkajous View this post on Instagram A post shared by Wildlife Wonderland INC. (@wildlifewonderland) on Oct 20, 2015 at 5:13am PDT Slow loris View this post on Instagram If looks could kill, Slow Loris would be a terminator. This cute little animal is the only venomous primate that uses its face mask to ward off its predators. #ThingsAnimalsDo . #SlowLoris #cuteanimals #primate #venoumous #predator #prey #AnimalPlanet #AnimalPlanetIndia #AnimalPlanetUpclose #animals #wildlife #nature #animalkingdom #wildanimals #wildkingdom #animallovers #wildlifephotography #wildlifeofindia #animalsofinstagram #animaloftheday A post shared by Animal Planet India (@animalplanetindia) on Oct 4, 2019 at 8:30am PDT Fennec fox View this post on Instagram A post shared by Fennecfox (@fennec___fox) on Jan 6, 2019 at 10:00am PST Image: Instagram/ johannesburgwildlifevet Related Posts Cape Town’s sustainability: Leading the way in environmental initiatives 1 June 2023 As National Environmental Month commences in South Africa, Cape Town stands proudly at the forefront... read more Kapama to host Safari Guide of the Year Awards 2023 1 June 2023 Kapama Private Game Reserve near Hoedspruit will host this year’s Safari Guide of the Year... read more Blood Lions relaunches for public viewing on YouTube 1 June 2023 Award-winning documentary feature film Blood Lions has been relaunched on YouTube for public viewing, creating... read more PREV ARTICLE NEXT ARTICLE
Cape Town’s sustainability: Leading the way in environmental initiatives 1 June 2023 As National Environmental Month commences in South Africa, Cape Town stands proudly at the forefront... read more
Kapama to host Safari Guide of the Year Awards 2023 1 June 2023 Kapama Private Game Reserve near Hoedspruit will host this year’s Safari Guide of the Year... read more
Blood Lions relaunches for public viewing on YouTube 1 June 2023 Award-winning documentary feature film Blood Lions has been relaunched on YouTube for public viewing, creating... read more