Here's one plus with the town clearing out, the wildlife moves back in. Here is a female Jackal with her 2 young uns. Took the photo from my office window this morning in broad daylight, I think they were trying to break into my car (a la Madagascar Penguins). My daughter, Kayla said she saw one at school during break and I also saw another one running across Goerge Square after work yesterday... lovely sight but is it a sign of things to come?
That's wonderful! I remember them coming into our yard in 11th avenue to steal our dogs' food. Miss their cries at night.
Methinks more a case of them getting more and more used to human presence ,, something that ocurs over generations .. the younger ones observed many years ago the cautious reaction of their parents ,, beacame abit more courageous , their young in turn observe the less cautious more courageous action of their parents .. and so it goes on .... take the gemsbuck ... when I returned after 28 years in november last year it was fascinating seeing them casually moving around town in broad daylight ... back then they would only generally venture in at night to graze on all our luverly green lawns in the town .. now its broad daylight ...
You're right Sandy, I found it strange when I read your first post about the Gemmies roaming the streets in broad daylight. I also only remember seeing them in town at night.
The jackals are living in the yard next to the Power Station. Last year Mike saw the mother on one of his walks with Shadow, then when my mom and I took Shadow for a walk we saw her as well - she seemed a bit crazy as she would sit there wagging her tail but making this horrible noise. We saw her a couple of evenings in the same spot - the grass in front of the power station and then the next evening we saw two jackal pups playing behind the fence - really cute. We saw them a couple of times then didn't see them for a while then when driving home from the POH (reunion week-end) the girls and I saw the pups playing on the grass - this was at about 21h00. That was the last time I saw them until yesterday morning at the school. The two pups left the school at 07h00, made their way down past the NG church, I dropped off the girls and drove around - only to see a joyful reunion of the pups with their mom on St George's square.
policedog-small
There was a mother & two pups living under the Archive caravan out side the Chief Draughtsmans office just before I left
About wild animals - I asked my old toppie to start to think about Oranjemund stories and history to post on the site. I told him about the recent posts and the animals so close to people.
He told me just after he moved to Oranjemund in the early 60's, a worker was almost completely scalped when he was attacked by a leopard close to North Hostel. Anybody know if there's still any leopards around? cuqui
I remember the leopard incident .. .. it put the fear of all hell in me ... I practiced scaling lamp posts so that if the dreaded leopard ever chased me I could scale to safety ... must say my pole climbing skills became very good ... affe-red
Don't want to scare you some more, but all the skills in the world will not save your butt from being chewed up by a hungry leopard! I think those catties top you on the scale of skills a little....
I can imagine you on top of a pole shouting: Voertsek, bliksem!
At least my at the time sweaty and very sticky if chased by leopard palms would get me to the top of the lamp post record time .. remember my story of the drunken night pole climbing .. I was good at it .. never forgot that skill ... ha ha and the leopard got claws .. no good for climbing steel poles .. and yes I could spend the night shouting voertseck blicksem !!!
Thanx Sandy for confirming it, now we know Dad wasn't dreaming! cat1.gif
Me to,me to I remember as well
I don't, but I sure would like someone to take a pic of Sandy and his spotted friend competing for top pozzie on the pole when it should occur ..... ha ha ha ha ha
Give the leopard magnetic shoes only way he gonna climb a lampost ...
Don't want to be left out...I have an idea that security went and shot said leopard. A big Shoo away would have worked? Anyone remember the story of Roger Burchell in a helicopter and coming home with leopard scratch marks on the paint work of the Jet Ranger? Don't know if its true and probably was filled to the brim with bandewyn when he related the story. Anyne in contact with him??
John
I'm a bit young for the leopard stories but I do remember Roger rescuing a gemsbok during the 1988 floods. It was amazing to watch!
That story is absolutely true John. Roger had/has some polaroid shots of the attacking leopard and the scratches on the chopper. I think the chopper pilot was either Hein Neser or the guy before him.
I don't think Roger or Beverly are on the site too often but I will ask my son to get the pics from his dad and I'll scan and post - no promises though.
I would like to contact Roger again. I am on jlcreedy@shaw.ca if you see/hear from him. the pictures and the story would be interesting.
Sent you a pm John.
OK so I know I know this is no big deal to the people still living here, but to those who have moved on, you've just gotta love the Gemmies in town. Now in line with the Jackels getting braver, so are the gemmies. The photo next to the road I took while walking to work this morning. The other group photo's are of a herd of gemmies that spent all day hanging around the grass patch between the company flats an George Square. I mean people (me included) were walking within arms reach of them and they weren't particularly bothered... No telescoping lense used here people all taken on my lame Samsung E250...
Gotta love it...
Pc #40 is of the jackels again
Thanks, Paul. Beautiful!
They so cool , just carrying on with their lives in peaceful coexistence with their human brothers and sisters ...