It’s always a pleasure for me to encounter wildlife in their natural habitat during my hikes along the southernmost shores of Africa. The are no elephants or lions left on this shoreline, but you do still have smaller creatures, like baboons, which I was able to meet recently. It was mostly young teenagers, who seemed as curious about me as I was about them.
Young baboon watching from the cliffs above, with the sea nearby tot he right.
I was actually right down at the shoreline when, for the first time, I saw these young baboons beside the sea on the rocks, with the waves breaking right beside them. They seemed to be foraging for sea food, perhaps some shellfish or snails that inhabit the rock pools here on the Indian ocean shoreline.
They quickly scurried away as I approached, making their way up the steep slope and onto the cliff rocks above, where they felt safer. I never thought of baboons as sea food lovers though it makes sense if they are based by the seaside. Baboons are very territorial and keep to a specific area of roaming. This troop are right on the shoreline and I’ve seen them before over the years.
Mischievous little baboons now happy and harmless in their indigenous territory
The troop always has some young members and looks like a large family on the move when I encounter them. The whole troop moves about, with the one alpha male and numerous other females, young and babies. The photos are from a little distance without a lens so you can only see their general outlines. I will need to invest in a better camera one day.
Queen Protea, from this Fynbos Floral Kingdom, growing wild in their local habitat
The baboons forage among the indigenous Fynbos flora which are endemic to this particular slither of coastline on the southern shores of Africa. One of the most popular flowers is the protea, which is the national flower of South Africa. I came across some Queen Protea, which are not as big as the King Protea, though very similar. They look quite pre-historic generally, and have no aroma, unlike most flowers. However, they are very attractive to look at, and dry out very nicely to become preserved specimens which last for ages.
The pair of crows in the distance flying over the southern Africa shoreline
The other wildlife that I encounter include occasional birds of prey, which always look spectacular and majestic. They apparently mate for life and one can sometimes see them in pairs. Today I only saw a regular pair of crows who sometimes appear when I’m on this particular stretch. I presume it’s the same pair every time.
The beauty of real birds of prey is that they are so powerful in flight, that they hardly need to flap a wing and yet they move at such phenomenal speeds. They are masters of the air without needing to put in much effort at all. Their air superiority is simply obvious. Recently I drove past one such hawk or buzzard of some sort and without hardly flapping a wing, he appeared to keep up with my car which drove at 50km/h for quite some time. He seemed to be shadowing me as I drove by. It was such an inspiring connection.
Rock pools just below the cliffs where the baboons forage
These glimpses of nature and the wildlife that inhabit this indigenous terrain are all easily accessible for outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers on this beautiful southern shoreline of Africa, called the Garden Route. You will be impressed by the beauty of this pure and original habitat that stretches for miles in both directions. The place really facilitates a peaceful experience which is great for physical health and uplifted consciousness.
This is perhaps one of the only places in the world where you had the largest land mammals meeting the largest sea mammals on the planet. You can still see the elephants in a nature reserve nearby, in the forest, and you can catch a sight of the whales when they arrive for our southern hemisphere winter. However, they don’t meet up as they used to when the elephants could come right up to the shoreline or look down from the seaside cliff tops and call out to the whales who could respond with their own powerful sound effects.
Another curious species of the Fynbos Floral Kingdom in bloom
Nevertheless, the indigenous flora and fauna are a beautiful sight to behold, and the terrain and climate are just awesome throughout the entire year. This is an ideal place for travelers and outdoor lovers who wish to explore new far-flung edges of the globe, so be sure to add the Garden Route coastline on the southernmost shores of Africa to your travel itinerary. You will simply love the place.
(photos my own)