We went on our first visit to the Addo Elephant National Park on a wet, windy and chilly day. Our last day on holiday was well spent and we got to see the elephants just as I gave up hope and headed to Cattle Baron Grill & Bistro for lunch.
Now the third largest national park in South Africa, Addo Elephant National Park has expanded to conserve a wide range 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 eleven elephants remained in the area. Today this finely-tuned ecosystem is sanctuary to over 600 elephant, lion, 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. The park can exclusively claim to be the only national park in the world to conserve the “Big 7” – the Big 5 as well as the southern right whale and great white shark off the Algoa Bay coast.Plans are currently afoot to include the proposed proclamation of a 120 000 ha (296 500 acre) Marine Protected Area which includes islands that are home to the world’s largest breeding populations of Cape gannets and second largest breeding population of African penguins.
Five main attractions/things to experience:
Lion (found mostly in the southern section of the park)
Herds of elephant at Hapoor dam
The Interpretive Centre at main camp
The picturesque Zuurberg Mountain
The rolling sand dunes of the Woody Cape section
We were a little disappointed that we didn’t get to see any of the wild cats, but we got to see some animals and a lot of bird life.
As I write this, Uncle Brian lies in ICU after being hit by a drunk driver while on his early morning cycle. He will be going into surgery tonight. Please keep him, Aunty Nan and their daughters, Heather and Liz in your thoughts and prayers.
