During the course of 2017 we learnt about the presence of the Western Forest-king Charaxes (Charaxes xiphares occidentalis) in the Grootvadersbos Forest, near Heidelberg in the Western Cape. Hours were spent pouring over our “Conservation Assessment of Butterflies of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland” that evening, and the Bionerds.co.za team was excited to have the opportunity to head off on an ecoexploration in search of this range restricted beauty. We had to wait till t
Having lived at Sanbona Wildlife Reserve, situated between the towns of Barrydale and Montagu in the Little Karoo, we have spent many hours flying along the R62 headed past the towns of Ladismith, Calitzdorp and Oudtshoorn. As one nears Ladismith the majesty of the Swartberg Mountain Range begins to truly make an impression with the peaks of Towerkop looming above you. It was a site we knew well, having spent many mornings at Sanbona watching the sun make its appearance ove