Dear Readers,
I’m on the move again and apologies if posts and replying to comments becomes a bit haphazard over the next few weeks.
Leaving Cape Town the scenes from the plane window show a grim picture of the drought stricken and parched land. In complete contrast are the rich agricultural fields of the South Downs, East Sussex in England where we are based for the next few days. Hiking on the Wealdway and South Downs trails brings a new vista of awe at every turn!
Finding predators lurking in the garden is not that usual in our neighbourhood, but for a while a female rooikat (Caracal caracal) comfortably took up residence alongside the urban edge rearing her young over a couple of years. Sightings of her and the kits were always thrilling, whether hunting or just passing through.
WPC: Unlikely
The charismatic African penguins living in my neighbourhood are back in the news. A notice was put out last month by the South African National Parks board that a strain of avian influenza virus (H5N8 strain) has been detected in the colony at Boulders Beach. So far penguin eighteen deaths have been noted. The state veterinarians are working to contain the outbreak. Let’s hope they succeed.
