| With the arrival of the Dutch in the Cape
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| | Occasionally they venture down from the
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| in 1652 the demise of the wild animals
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| | mountains and prey on cows and sheep
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| that roamed South Africa began.
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| | belonging to farmers. This of course
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| At first the Europeans hunters killed for
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| | brings them into conflict with the
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| food but later when they found their way
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| | farmers who sometimes shoot and kill
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| into the interior of the country and came
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| | them.
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| across large herds of wild animals they
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| | Killing of a wild leopard is frowned upon
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| killed for the sport of hunting.
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| | by the authorities soarrangements have
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| The magnificent Cape lion was one of the
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| | been made with farmers that where a
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| first animals that was hunted into
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| | leopard becomes a problem, a trap will be
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| extinction along with other species such
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| | set for it, and when it is captured the
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| as the Cape Kwagga, a family member of
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| | authorities will have it moved to another
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| the zebra.
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| | area where it will be released back into
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| In the Knysna area there were once great
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| | the wild.
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| herds of elephant and these are no longer
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| | In extreme cases where an animal cannot
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| in existence today as they were killedfor
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| | be caught the farmer will be given
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| their ivory or as Sunday afternoon
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| | permission to shoot the leopard. When
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| entertainment for guests of the gentry of
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| | this happens the farmer is allowed to
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| that time.
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| | keep the skin which will be registered in
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| If it were not for the foresight of a
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| | his name.
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| number of politicians and animal lovers
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| | As the sale of leopard skins is
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| South Africa would not have a single wild
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| | prohibited farmers are not allowed to
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| animal left today.
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| | sell any skins they might have in their
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| To give future generations the
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| | possession.
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| opportunity of seeing wild animals roam
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| | The elephant is the fourth of the Big
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| the plains a number of parks were
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| | Five animals.
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| established around South Africa to
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| | In days gone by elephants roamed free in
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| protect our wildlife heritage.
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| | the Western Cape but these days there are
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| The most well known park in South Africa
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| | none left as the veld is no longer
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| being the Kruger National Park.
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| | suitable for them. The indigenous forests
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| Animals living in the parks are given an
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| | where the elephants once lived were
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| opportunity to breed and this has allowed
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| | destroyed by the early settlers and the
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| many endangered animals to once again
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| | elephants were hunted and killed for
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| establish themselves.
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| | their ivory and for sport.
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| Tourism has placed an even greater
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| | As elephants are destructive animals and
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| pressure on the parks to preserve our
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| | are extremely dangerous most of them are
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| wildlife as it brings in much needed
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| | now kept in our national parks in places
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| capital to improve the parks and create
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| | such as the Addo Elephant Park near Port
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| jobs for the locals.
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| | Elizabeth or the Kruger National park in
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| Most people visiting South Africa have
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| | the north east corner of South Africa
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| heard of our Big Five but for those who
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| | where they are protected from poachers
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| don't know which animals are included I
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| | and where they can be controlled by
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| will discuss them below.
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| | strong fences.
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| Lions are the first of the Big Five
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| | There are a still some wild elephants
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| animals to be mentioned.
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| | living in the deserts of Namibia.
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| To see them in the Cape Town vistors will
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| | The last of the Big Five animals is the
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| have to visit a game farm or a zoo as
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| | rhino.
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| there are no free roaming lions in the
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| | They are well suited to the Cape area and
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| wild anymore.
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| | although they do not roam free in the
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| If lions were to be allowed to roam free
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| | wild a number of game farms have them on
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| people would not be allowed to wonder
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| | display.
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| about in the veld as they might become
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| | There are two types named the white and
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| prey to a hungry lion looking for non
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| | the black rhino. If you put these two
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| existent game.
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| | rhino species together you could not tell
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| Keeping the lions in protective custody
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| | the difference in species if you were
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| also limits their chances of being killed
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| | looking at their colour.
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| by humans who would shoot them on sight.
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| | The black rhino probably derives its name
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| In places such as the Kruger National
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| | from the dark-coloured local soil
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| Park lions roam free as there is an
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| | covering its skin from wallowing.
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| abundance of game for them and large
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| | The main difference however, between the
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| fences to keep them within a specific
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| | two species is their mouths. The black
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| area where they can be protected.
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| | rhino's upper lip is adapted to feed from
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| Buffaloes which are extremely dangerous
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| | trees and shrubs while the white rhino
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| animals are the next on our list of Big
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| | has a wide square upper lip which is
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| Five animals. A buffalo is so powerful
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| | adapted for grazing.
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| that it takes a whole pride of lions to
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| | Unfortunately the black rhino is under
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| bring one down.
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| | serious threat at present as poachers
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| In the wild buffaloes carry diseases so
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| | hunt and kill them for their horns which
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| game farmers together with the National
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| | are considered to be an aphrodisiac in
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| Parks Board have started a breeding
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| | the east.
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| programme to breed disease free animals
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| | When visiting Cape Town you are likely to
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| which are used to restock areas where the
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| | see three of the big five animals in the
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| buffalo has died out.
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| | reserves and game farms within an hour or
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| There are a number of parks in and around
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| | two of the city.
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| Cape Town where one can see buffalo
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| | The two Big Five animals that are missing
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| roaming free..
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| | in the Cape area are the elephants and
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| The leopard is the third of the Big Five
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| | the leopards but not to worry, even a
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| animals and the only big cat that can
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| | visit to the Kruger National Park will
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| still be found roaming free in the the
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| | not guarantee that you will see all of
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| mountains that surround the Cape.
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| | the Big Five.
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| They are extremely shy so are not often
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| | The Cape Town area however has so much
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| seen. To feed themselves they hunt small
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| | other game within its borders that you
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| antelope and hyrax which they find high
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| | won't even miss them.
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| up in the mountains.
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| | We hope you enjoy your visit.
|
