News

The Addo Elephant

Images of elephant have stayed with me since my post of last week and sparked by Buzzerbeezz, who highlighted a wildlife sanctuary for orangutans,  i’d like to pay tribute to these regal creatures and the conservation work of the Addo Elephant Park.

On this particular visit there had been a lack of rain and the herds congregated around the water holes.  As each group made it’s way toward water there was an expectant air of reunion and revelry, which made for some interesting viewing.  I was struck by the greetings between the family units,  but as always it was the boisterous youngsters with their rough and tumble who stole the show.   Well, and as for the littlest…. . he was having problems with his trunk (take a look at the picture where he loses patience and just slings it about)! With over 50 000 muscles to co-ordinate it takes some practice.

The heart of the Park is located in the Sundays River Valley where i still have family ties.  I recall family outings there as a  child when the park had a small herd of ‘problem’ elephant with a deep distrust of people.  In those days visitors viewed the animals from safe vantage points through a specially engineered fence.  To heighten the chances of seeing them the local farming cooperative supplied castoff oranges which were put out in allocated ‘feeding’ areas.   As the elephant came to trust people gradual changes were made.  Tentative measures such as allowing visitors in their cars into certain areas habituated the animals to accepting vehicles as being non-threatening.  Over time a forward thinking conservation ethos allowed for the introduction of a wider selection of species and an expanded conservancy area.  Today the park boasts the attraction of the big “seven”  (elephant, rhino, lion, buffalo, leopard, southern right whale and great white shark) and stretches well over 180 000 hectares encompassing a range of ecosystems, including the coastal water s and two islands.   It provides sanctuary to over 600 elephant, which considering there were only sixteen elephant when it was first proclaimed a park, is a heartening accomplishment.

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Day 4 (17 Nov) of our tour took us from Prince Albert via Meiringspoort, the quaint towns of De Rust, Willlowmore and Steytlerville to Addo Elephant Park where we stay 3 nights.

Meiringspoort Waterfall

Meiringspoort is another spectacular road (13km) through the Swartberg. A highlight is the 55m waterfall that plunges in a crystal clear rock pool. A romantic explanation tells that the road was named after the wife (Maurice) of an ostrich-feather baron who granted a £4000 interest-free loan so that she could reach the waterfall in great comfort.

 

 

Royal Hotel in Steytlerville

 

The last three days in Addo National Elephant Park was once again amasing and the big herds of elle’s up to 80+ were fantastic. Also a huge buffalo herd was a sight not to be missed. A new experience was travelling from the main camp to the southern bottom gate on the N2. The topography, views, vegetation and animal life were great and a road not to be missed when visiting the park.

Addo

Lions – Addo with view of sea

Kudu – Addo

Best German group ever – a friendship est 2002 and our 8th tour together. Photo in the lapa at Addo Elephant Park.

 

Press release from the World Luxury Awards:
                                                      
“It is an honour for us to present to you a World Luxury Hotel Award further to your hotel’s outstanding achievement in service delivery over the past year voted for by your guests and industry consultants in the recent voting poll.

We officially announced that you have won the following category in the 2012 World Luxury Hotel Awards: Luxury Boutique Hotel

The 2012 Gala Ceremony presentation on Saturday the 13^th of October was a successful event and we would like to congratulate your entire team who have worked so hard to reach the top spot amongst all other industry competitors. The property has now set a benchmark as an industry leader with this remarkable outcome and we trust that this Award will be an inspiration to your entire staff compliment for years to come.

Success is all about being committed to the highest standards and therefore we are proud to present you with the well-deserved recognition.”

Article source: http://riverbendaddo.blogspot.com/2012/11/world-luxury-hotel-awardsluxury.html

A friend and I were talking the other day about holidays since it’s that time of the year where holidays are on everyone’s mind. She suggested a safari which came as a surprise because I thought she’d go for a fabulous beach holiday. She’s fallen in love with the Eastern Cape safaris. Not a lot of people (myself included) are aware of this, but the province has a diversified wildlife. There are cheetahs, elephants, black rhinos, eland and white lions.

Usually most people choose to go to the most well-known places such as the Lowveld region and The Kruger National Park. Both of these places are home to the Big 5 however, the Eastern Cape safaris also have a host of parks and reserves some of which are malaria-free. One can choose between private game reserves or well known national parks such as the Addo Elephant National Park. The story behind the Addo elephants is quite a deep one because at one point the fate of the elephants was almost compromised.

During the 20^th century the elephants were almost annihilated but, thanks to committed conservationists the elephants were saved. This also saved other animals including the kudu, black rhino, bushbuck, eland and various antelopes. One thing that makes the Addo Elephant National Park so special is the rare flightless dung beetle, a sight like no other. There are also a number of reserves worth visiting such as the Shamwari Game Reserve.

The reserve is a favourite for international celebrities and is the largest private reserve in the Eastern Cape. The reserve is home to a number of rehabilitated animals some of which were rescued from different parts of the world. Others include the Kwandwe Game Reserve which is a 20 minute drive from Grahamstown. There’s also the Pumba Private Game Reserve which is home to 1 of the only 2 population of white lions in Southern Africa. I guess the an Eastern Cape Safari is not so bad after all.

Visual courtesy of: eyesonafrica.net

Related posts:

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Press release from the World Luxury Awards:                                                       “It is an honour for us to present to you a World Luxury Hotel Award further to your hotel’s outstanding achievement in service delivery over the past year voted for by your guests and industry consultants in the recent voting poll. We officially announced that you have won […]

Port Elizabeth Budget Accommodation

Go to:My Addo

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!– google_ad_client = “pub-8982229653008092″; google_ad_slot = “2158176860″; google_ad_width = 468; google_ad_height = 60; //– Published: November 4th 2012Africa » South Africa » Eastern Cape » Addo Elephant National ParkAugust 10th 2012 Elephants at AddoAfter leaving Shamwari, we made the short drive to Addo Elephant National Park. Addo is different to Shamwari as it is government ran. It is […]

Port Elizabeth Budget Accommodation

Go to:My Addo

The Eastern Cape Province is strikingly varied in its scenic beauty. Its landscape ranges from pristine forest to arid desert, from looming sandstone cliffs to unspoilt emerald green coastline.

The national parks and game reserves are home to a wealth of wildlife including the rare mountain zebra. Over 200 elephants inhabit the Addo Elephant Park and most unusual, are the signs erected in the park entreating visitors to yield to the flightless dung beetle found almost exclusively in Addo. In addition, the black rhino, buffalo, eland and warthog have been reintroduced to the park.

There are various hiking trails that traverse the valleys and cliffs of the mountainous regions with breathtaking views. The Eastern Cape Province also has some of the finest displays of prehistoric art in the form of rock paintings.

Hobie Beach Port Elizabeth

The magnificent shimmering coastline offers splendid opportunities for fishing, swimming and sunbathing. Canoeing, rubber ducking and windsurfing are a few of the many water sport attractions while surfers, in search of the perfect wave, frequent the internationally known surfing spots. The cities, known for their friendliness, are ideal for family holidays – beaches, restaurants, theatres, cinemas, museums and summer entertainment programmes are sure winners to make the holiday-maker’s stay an enjoyable one.

The 2012 Sensus shows that the  Eastern Cape Province has 6.5mil people of which 52.9% are female and 47.1% male. The first language is Xhosa 78.8%.

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River Bend Lodge is a mere 55 minutes’ drive from Port Elizabeth and is an ideal malaria-free safari addition to a Garden Route holiday. Personalised game drives are led by enthusiastic and experienced guides, who will ensure you have a truly memorable safari experience. Article source: http://riverbendaddo.blogspot.com/2012/11/elephants-in-dominance-skirmishfine-art.html

Port Elizabeth Budget Accommodation

Go to:My Addo

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Published: November 4th 2012Africa » South Africa » Eastern Cape » Addo Elephant National ParkAugust 10th 2012 Elephants at AddoAfter leaving Shamwari, we made the short drive to Addo Elephant National Park. Addo is different to Shamwari as it is government ran. It is the third biggest national park in South Africa and was proclaimed as a national […]

Port Elizabeth Budget Accommodation

Go to:My Addo

Article source: http://budget-accommodation-port-elizabeth.com/addo-elephant-np-travel-blog/

River Bend Lodge is a mere 55 minutes’ drive from Port Elizabeth and is an ideal malaria-free safari addition to a Garden Route holiday. Personalised game drives are led by enthusiastic and experienced guides, who will ensure you have a truly memorable safari experience.

Press release from the World Luxury Awards:
                                                      
“It is an honour for us to present to you a World Luxury Hotel Award further to your hotel’s outstanding achievement in service delivery over the past year voted for by your guests and industry consultants in the recent voting poll.

We officially announced that you have won the following category in the 2012 World Luxury Hotel Awards: Luxury Boutique Hotel

The 2012 Gala Ceremony presentation on Saturday the 13^th of October was a successful event and we would like to congratulate your entire team who have worked so hard to reach the top spot amongst all other industry competitors. The property has now set a benchmark as an industry leader with this remarkable outcome and we trust that this Award will be an inspiration to your entire staff compliment for years to come.

Success is all about being committed to the highest standards and therefore we are proud to present you with the well-deserved recognition.”

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Published: November 4th 2012Africa » South Africa » Eastern Cape » Addo Elephant National ParkAugust 10th 2012 Elephants at AddoAfter leaving Shamwari, we made the short drive to Addo Elephant National Park. Addo is different to Shamwari as it is government ran. It is the third biggest national park in South Africa and was proclaimed as a national […]

Port Elizabeth Budget Accommodation

Go to:My Addo

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The H5 diesel long-termer undertook its first long-haul trip recently transporting my family and I on a 1 500 km round trip taking in Knysna, Plettenberg Bay and Addo Elephant Park.

The Knysna leg involved my participation in the Knysna MTB race, so in addition to a family and their associated chattels the H5’s duties included shouldering a bike rack and towing a trailer.

Being four-up (two adults and two kids), carrying three bicycles and packed with winter gear the H5 had its work cut out. Even when we’d reached our destinations and unpacked, we still required a great deal of space for our daily excursions – from cycling activities to game drives in Addo. Although we kept the muddy bikes strapped to the rear rack, we still needed to cart a great deal of clothing and equipment, but the H5’s folding rear seat freed up a great deal of useable loadspace. Despite this considerable workload, the H5 handled everything we threw at it with aplomb and we were never short of space.

There were some doubts about the H5’s ability to cope with this load-lugging exercise, which included towing a trailer in addition to the aforementioned mountain of gear, but apart from a couple of uphill sections when the engine needed some coaxing, it performed well. The additional load and odd bit of right-foot encouragement saw the fuel consumption creep up to 11,4 Litres/100 km, but given the tasks that were thrown the H5’s way, this wasn’t too bad. For a large SUV I was pleasantly surprised by the pliant ride and we were very comfortable on the open road.

We’re all aware of just how well-equipped GWM’s H5 models are, but some of the features at this price point are still well worth a mention. The electric seats and audio system with steering wheel controls and Bluetooth were welcome features, but it was the clear, well-sited reverse camera – an unexpected surprise – that always proved a boon in this type of vehicle.

The H5 recently underwent an ECU upgrade that has now been applied to models across the diesel range. We’ll see how it fares on its next long trip to Matjiesfontein in the Western Cape.

 

Quick facts – GWM H5 2,0 VGT 4×2 Automatic

Mileage on arrival (km):  750

Mileage now (km): 11 368

Fuel consumption (litres/100 km): 11,4

We like:  practical, comfy and not afraid to get its hands dirty

We don’t like: lethargic low-end performance and engine noise

Tags: GWM H5, GWM H5 long-termer

Recently Finweek journalist James Styan challenged the idea that that the proposed Mthombo refinery would be suitable for the Coega Industrial Development Zone (IDZ). He described it as the Eastern Cape’s “White Elephant” with a loose pun on the idea that it would be constructed close to the Addo Elephant National Park.

Ayanda Vilakazi, Head of Marketing and Communication for the Coega Development Corporation (CDC) challenged the article arguing that Coega has been a success story. While he doesn’t address the issues raised by Styan in his letter, the feedback from Vilakazi does suggest that government is getting some things right here from an economic perspective. We are not sure what to make of the invite to the Mail Guardian team, but we have none the less forwarded the invite on to our colleagues.

The letter is published in full below:

Dear James

The Coega Development Corporation note’s with interest your article on October 25 titled: “E Cape’s Massive White Elephant” in FinWeek.
The CDC has long tried to shirk the image of being a white elephant, something it has successfully achieved with sustained and growing investor commitment over the past three years in particular.  Therefore to have the phrase ‘white elephant’ attached to us again, albeit in relation to Mthombo, sets us back unnecessarily, especially coupled with a very old image of the Port of Ngqura. We appreciate your commitment to analysing the feasibility of Mthombo, but at the same time would like to provide a balanced perspective.

There have been three major investments at the CDC since April 2012:

•     The first is a R634-million investment by AfriSam Pty Ltd to establish a greenfield cementitious mixing and blending plant in Zone 5 of the Coega IDZ. The investment will see the creation of 400 jobs in construction phase and 90 jobs in operation phase.  
•     Secondly a partnership between Famous Brands with the Coega Dairy will see Coega Dairy Company expanding its operations to supply cheese products to the group (which supplies inter alia Steers and Debonairs). A joint valued investment of R45-million will pour into the Coega IDZ as a result. To date the Coega Dairy has created 40 permanent jobs.
•     The third major investment comes from APM Terminals which has invested R25-million in first phase and R50-million in total for a full-service depot to meet the needs of shipping lines and cargo owners. Twenty full-time jobs will be created and space for approximately 15 seasonal workers on short-term contracts. There would also be a series of opportunities open for local service providers, and SMEs in particular, to benefit from the investment through various contracts.

During the 2011/12 financial year seven new investors committed to the Coega IDZ and the Nelson Mandela Bay Logistics Park (NMBLP) – a figure greater than the targeted number of investors.

They are:

•     GDF Suez (Energy) R2.7 billion
•     EAB (Renewable energy) R270 million
•     FAW (Automotive) R600 million
•     DCD Dorbyl (Energy – Component Manufacturer) R100 million
•     Tyre Energy Extraction (Logistics) R30 million
•     OSHO Cement (Metals) R380 million
•     Newco Cheese Factory (Agro-processing) R30 million

While the latest job creation figures for the 2012/2013 financial year will only be available at the end of March a total of 8 898 jobs were created in the course of the 2011/2012 financial year. Small, micro and medium enterprises benefited from a 31% overall share of procurement, meaning that SMMEs developed both from practical experience and financially as a result of the CDC. The CDC trained 10 826 people as part of its Human Capital Development programme in the financial year adding to people’s abilities to leverage work opportunities based on better skills.

In total the CDC has created 6875 construction jobs, 3484 permanent Coega IDZ jobs and 44 786 indirect jobs since inception. It has also trained 25586 people as part of its skills development programme.

The Coega IDZ is home to 22 operational investors with a total investment portfolio of R140-billion. Operational investors amount to R1.2-billion in investment. A further R7.5-billion in investment is in implementation stage. Projects in negotiation stage are valued at R8.1-billion and those under feasibility account for R116.3-billion. The noteworthy number of investments secured in the last 13 years is a testament to implementation and delivery. They also represent the appearance of a highly competitive offering at the Coega IDZ.

A series of investments are at various stages in the pipeline. There are also a number of major investments situated in the Coega IDZ.

The AgniSteels investment of R400-million is in the first phase of construction of its steel melting plant in Zone 6 of the Coega IDZ. The construction phase is in advanced stages and the plant should come online in the first quarter of next year with the steel billets produced being exported to India and other African countries during the first phase of the project.

Leading Chinese vehicle manufacturer First Automobile Works (FAW) will invest R600-million in the Coega IDZ, through joint funding provided by FAW and China-Africa Fund. The truck plant, the first phase of FAW’s  development in the Coega IDZ,  will be built on 400 000 square meters of land in Zone 2 and is expected to produce 5 000 trucks annually, as well as light commercial vehicles and passenger cars in the second phase.  The truck assembling facility is expected to create over 1000 jobs, with further job creation opportunities evolving when FAW starts production of an additional 30 000 passenger vehicles annually during the second phase of the development. Construction will start mid-November when WBHO Construction, FAW’s appointed construction company, moves onto site.

Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) is also growing as a result of Discovery Health situating its operating in the BPO Park in the Coega IDZ. The opening of the service centre, in November 2011, has created sustained employment opportunities and development within the city.  Employment figures show a sustained rise from a staff complement of 60 when it opened to 336 currently. This figure is expected to grow to 400 at the end of 2012.

Please see a full list of investors in the Coega IDZ on the website: www.coega.co.za; http://www.coega.co.za/Content2.aspx?objID=93; http://www.coega.co.za/Content2.aspx?objID=209

Coega continues to draw international interest and remains South Africa’s most successful IDZ. In 13 years the Coega IDZ has grown to become one of the biggest drivers of the Eastern Cape economy and job creation in the region thanks to both local and foreign direct investment. Currently, the Coega IDZ contributes an estimated 5.9% to the provincial gross domestic product (GDP) and 0.5% to the national GDP, a figure the CDC would like to enhance as investment prospects arise.

We would like to use this opportunity to invite the Mail and Guardian to visit the Coega IDZ and see our success, progress and plans.

We request that you publish the information provided.  Should you need to contact the CDC at all for comment or input, please feel to call me.

Kind Regards,

Mr. Ayanda Vilakazi

Coega Development Corporation: Head of Marketing and Communication

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Addo Elephant Park was proclaimed in 1931, as a safeguard for the last 11 wild elephants roaming the area. It is now home to over 350 elephants and numerous other species. Addo Elephant Park was so successful that it started to get overcrowded, so surrounding land needed to be acquired. With local co-operation, adjacent farms […]

Port Elizabeth Budget Accommodation

Go to:My Addo

Article source: http://blogg.yacht-jennifer.nu/?p=1218

River Bend Lodge is a mere 55 minutes’ drive from Port Elizabeth and is an ideal malaria-free safari addition to a Garden Route holiday. Personalised game drives are led by enthusiastic and experienced guides, who will ensure you have a truly memorable safari experience.

Addo Elephant Park, South Africa

“This bull walked right by the car. If I had kept the window open I could have touched it. We had been told that if we stayed in our car we would be OK. A Japanese tourist had got out of his car the previous week and had been killed by an elephant.”
– Brian Snelson (via flickr) 

Now the third largest national park in South Africa, Addo Elephant National Park has expanded to conserve a wide diversity of biodiversity, landscapes, fauna and flora. Stretching from the semi-arid karoo area in the north around Darlington Dam, over the rugged Zuurberg Mountains, through the Sundays River valley and south to the coast between Sundays River mouth and Bushman’s river mouth, Addo covers about 180 000 hectares (444 700 acres) and includes the Bird and St Croix Island groups.

The original elephant section of the park was proclaimed in 1931, when only sixteen elephants remained in the area. Today this finely tuned ecosystem is sanctuary to over 550 elephants, lions, buffalo, black rhino, spotted hyena, leopard, a variety of antelope and zebra species, as well as the unique Addo flightless dung beetle, found almost exclusively in Addo. And their Addo has only just begun, with plans to expand the Park into a 264 000 hectare (652 300 acre) mega-park.

In addition, plans include the proposed proclamation of a 120 000 ha (296 500 acre) marine reserve that includes islands that are home to the world’s largest breeding populations of Cape gannets and second largest breeding population of African penguins.

 Download the Jetpac iPad app to see your friends’ best travel photos from South Africa!

Article source: http://www.jetpac.com/blog/post/28705478339

Addo Elephant Park, South Africa. Photo: exfordy/ Foter/ CC BY

Hong Kong customs officers have intercepted almost four tonnes of illegal ivory in October, making the past  two years among the deadliest for elephants. Mary Anne Ghobrial reports.

Elephants are an endangered species and need to be protected. Photo: Mary Anne Ghobrial

Travelling aboard shipments from Tanzania and Kenya, the smuggled ivory contained a total of 1,209 elephant tusks and ivory fragments, and was stored in containers marked plastic scrap and rose coco beans.

Matthew Collins, campaigner for the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) said: “What we’re now seeing in Asia is a growing affluent middle class … and as that Asian middle class grows, [ivory] demand grows with it.”

Made from an elephant’s teeth and tusks, the demand for elephant ivory has now become an investment vehicle in China, coveted as a form of white gold.

According to Mr. Collins, ivory in China is often perceived as a status symbol for the wealthy.

While Mr. Collins credits the Australian government for taking a stance against the illegal importation of ivory, he says IFAW would also like to see the government take a stance on an international scale.

“We’d now like to see them have an international convention to discuss issues like this one, and to make sure they say no to any of the other countries wanting to open the ivory trade,” Mr. Collins said.

Taronga Zoo volunteer, Sophia Lay, has also worked closely with these animals. She believes the slaughtering of elephants is worse than ever before, with elephant tusks occasionally used in traditional medicines in the Middle East and Asia.

Sophia said: “This ivory trade means our elephants are under more threat today than they’ve been in decades.

“Protests to stop this treatment of elephants should most definitely be looked at, as well as government intervention in Australia and other nations … to stop what’s been happening.”

An issue of concern now is that the buying and selling of ivory has also been extended to unregulated territory online. This makes it harder for governments to charge those who buy and sell ivory over the internet.

While the Chinese government has ordered the removal of these websites, an IFAW investigation still found there were many more stores in China selling ivory without authorisation.

In 2011, authorities seized more than 24.3 tonnes of illegal ivory, the largest amount in 23 years. In January to May of 2012, poachers in Cameroon had also slaughtered as many as 650 elephants.

As a result, the trafficking of illegal ivory is seeing a steady decline of the elephant population, with few animals as threatened today by wildlife trafficking as elephants.

As was released by the Hong Kong customs department, the total ivory seizure on October 20 had been worth HK$26.7 million. Under Hong Kong law, anyone found guilty of importing ivory into South China could face imprisonment of up to seven years, with a maximum fine of approximately US$258,000.

IFAW is currently training law enforcement officers in wildlife trafficking prevention throughout Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and the Caribbean to prevent this trade and the smuggling of ivory.

Published: November 4th 2012Africa » South Africa » Eastern Cape » Addo Elephant National Park
August 10th 2012

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Elephants at AddoAfter leaving Shamwari, we made the short drive to Addo Elephant National Park. Addo is different to Shamwari as it is government ran. It is the third biggest national park in South Africa and was proclaimed as a national park in 1931, when there was only 16 elephants left. Now there are approximately 550 elephants, as well as a myriad of other types of wildlife.

We checked into the Aardvark guesthouse, then after some lunch, we went down to the park to join a game drive. The game drive was pretty interesting. We saw quite a few zebra, antelopes and elephants. Other than that, our guide spotted a leopard tortoise and later we saw a jackal howling, which was definitely one of the most remarkable things I have seen on safari.

The next day we decided to a self drive safari in Addo. This is very easy to do. The roads are all tarred and you are given a map, which together with the signposts on each junction, makes it very easy to navigate. I drove before lunch time and it was very enjoyable to be in control, look out for animals yourselves and stop to watch for as

Bull Elephant Coming at uslong as you want. We saw a lot of what we saw the day before. We also had a 5 minute stop to observe a tan coloured shape in the distance, which turned out to be a rock instead of the lion, we hoped it might be.

We got some lunch just outside the park and afterwards Dad took over the driving. Almost straight away we saw a herd of buffaloes crossing the road to get to a watering hole. Later, we saw plenty more elephants, but didn’t stop for long as we drove down to the part of the park, where people had indicated on a map outside that they had seen lions and leopards earlier that day. Unfortunately, we had no joy in trying to find any cats. We did come across some of the more unusual smaller animals though, such as a dung beetle, a scrub hare and more jackals.

We were almost at the gate of the park on the way out, when we had some drama. We noticed a few cars stopped up ahead of us. We presumed they were loking at some elephants, which we had seen plenty of that day, so

Staring Buffalowe began to go around them. Next thing, we were confronted by a big bull elephant, pacing down the road towards us. Other cars, were beginning to reverse back and other off road vehicles, went into the bush to go around it, which left us first in line as the bull advanced. After a shaky few moments, Dad managed to get the car into reverse and we pulled back and down a side road, waiting until the elephant had passed by.

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Addo Elephant Park, South Africa

“This bull walked right by the car. If I had kept the window open I could have touched it. We had been told that if we stayed in our car we would be OK. A Japanese tourist had got out of his car the previous week and had been killed by an elephant.”
– Brian Snelson (via flickr) 

Now the third largest national park in South Africa, Addo Elephant National Park has expanded to conserve a wide diversity of biodiversity, landscapes, fauna and flora. Stretching from the semi-arid karoo area in the north around Darlington Dam, over the rugged Zuurberg Mountains, through the Sundays River valley and south to the coast between Sundays River mouth and Bushman’s river mouth, Addo covers about 180 000 hectares (444 700 acres) and includes the Bird and St Croix Island groups.

The original elephant section of the park was proclaimed in 1931, when only sixteen elephants remained in the area. Today this finely tuned ecosystem is sanctuary to over 550 elephants, lions, buffalo, black rhino, spotted hyena, leopard, a variety of antelope and zebra species, as well as the unique Addo flightless dung beetle, found almost exclusively in Addo. And their Addo has only just begun, with plans to expand the Park into a 264 000 hectare (652 300 acre) mega-park.

In addition, plans include the proposed proclamation of a 120 000 ha (296 500 acre) marine reserve that includes islands that are home to the world’s largest breeding populations of Cape gannets and second largest breeding population of African penguins.

 Download the Jetpac iPad app to see your friends’ best travel photos from South Africa!

A poignant picture of a baby elephant taken at Addo Elephant Park by Port Elizabeth photographer Stan Blumberg

Addo Elephant Park was proclaimed in 1931, as a safeguard for the last 11 wild elephants roaming the area. It is now home to over 350 elephants and numerous other species. Addo Elephant Park was so successful that it started to get overcrowded, so surrounding land needed to be acquired.
With local co-operation, adjacent farms were purchased and the new Greater Addo National Park will soon cover 1.2 million acres (492,000 ha).
Elephants are wondrous creatures to watch especially at a waterhole. Some facts about elephant’s digestion may help to demonstrate why the dung beetle is so important to this park ,and why rangers were very worried about their decline.
An adult elephant deposits upwards of 330 pounds (150 kilos) of dung every day – about one consignment every 15 minutes. Prior to the expansion of the park, this meant that the dung beetles had an enormous clearing up job, and they were just not coping.
The flightless dung beetle is found almost exclusively in this park (other dung beetles can fly), and are important to the ecology of the area.
No citrus fruits may be taken into Addo as elephants have such a craving for them, that one whiff of an orange could send them crazy, and could mark the end of you and your car.
The cruellest irony is that the region has many citrus groves – which is an unkind twist of fate for the Addo elephants!
Black-backed jackal are commonly seen in Addo, and evenings are punctuated by their strident howls.
Cape buffalo, black rhino, kudu, eland, red hartebeest and springbok all graze on their preferred grasses or bushes and highly adaptable leopards are there but rarely seen. With the consolidation of the land expansion, lion will be reintroduced to complete the ‘Big Five’.
Furthermore, with the park now stretching to the shores of the Indian Ocean, whales and dolphins will swell the viewing opportunities.
Addo’s birding opportunities are accentuated by the contrasting habitats of dense thickets interspersed with open grassy areas and wooded kloofs. Look out for martial and crowned eagles, olive bush shrikes, yellowthroated warblers, Cape batis, black korhaan and secretary birds.

This region’s temperate climate is influenced by the Indian Ocean, providing rain in equal measures throughout the year.
Spring: Spring is in the air by the end of August and into September.
October gets much warmer with the feeling of summer around the corner.
Summer: November to March are hot, and temperatures peak from December to February at around 75°-86°F (24-30°C) or more.
Autumn: Temperatures start cooling down from about April but it can still be very pleasant until June.
Winter: June, July and August are mid-winter months but the days may still be bright and warm, but it gets cold in the evening.

Article source: http://goafrica.netscype.com/article/addo-elephant-park-interesting-facts