Night time sights

As darkness fell our tracker Chris pulled out his spotlight to search for the nocturnal animals.

The first creature we came across was a flap-necked chameleon. These cool reptiles are known for their ability to change color to blend into their surroundings, which helps them evade predators and catch prey.

Theses guys are not strictly nocturnal, nor are they strictly diurnal (active during the day). Their activity patterns vary among species. They are influenced by habitat, temperature, and food availability.

Chameleons seen in South Africa are typically found in a variety of habitats. They are arboreal creatures, meaning they spend much of their time in trees and shrubs. Their specialized feet allow them to grip branches and move slowly and deliberately. Some cool facts about theses interesting looking animals is that they  have sticky tongues to capture insects and they have independently mobile eyes, giving them a wide field of vision and allowing them to focus on prey.

We also saw a super relaxed Spotted Eagle Owl. Could it have been Sebwig? If you have tuned into Wild Earth’s SafariLive, you will know who I am talking about!  

The Spotted Eagle Owls are primarily nocturnal and very skilled hunters and have keen hearing and excellent night vision, which helps them locate their prey. They are truly stunning to see.

When doing some reading about the owls I learned that in some South African cultures, the Spotted Eagle Owl is associated with superstitions and is believed to bring bad luck or misfortune. But it also holds symbolic value in other contexts, representing wisdom and knowledge! I am going to believe that was the case for us!