We are very privileged to have several female field guides on our Gondwana guiding team. To celebrate Women’s month we wanted to shine the spotlight on these fabulous females and asked them why they studied to be a field guide. Natasha Smuts Hello, I’m Natasha, a field guide at Gondwana game Reserve. I’ve been working […]
Read MoreThe Queen Bee
Extraordinary Queen Bee Each bee colony consists of one queen bee that rules over her female workers and drones/honey bees (male bees). The queen bee has a very important role to play. She needs to ensure that her colony builds a hive that is strong and well ventilated. The colony also needs to forage for food, take care of the […]
Read MoreMeet Lizaan one of Gondwana’s Field Guides
Gondwana’s Female Field Guide – Lizaan. My name is Lizaan and I am a field guide at Gondwana Game Reserve. My passion for nature grew when my Dad started taking us to the sea, where I explored the rock pools finding many extraordinary little sea creatures and later catching fish with my Dad. Nature is […]
Read MoreGuided Fynbos Conservation Activity
Press release Date: 27th March 2019 South Africa: Gondwana Game Reserve launches a hands-on Botanical Conservation Experience Explore indigenous wild flowers and plants that exist nowhere else in the world With the richest floral kingdom in the world and the recent discovery of the largest known population of a rare orchid thought to be […]
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Leucocelis amethystina
This stunning little Amethyst Fruit Chafer or Leucocelis amethystina is a little jewel in the fynbos. They can be metallic blue or green and the characteristic white dots. Couldn't get enough of this little guy. Read More
Moraea polyanthos
Moraea polyanthos, very confusing to identify at first as this was captured in gusts of wind and initially the characteristic centre of the Moraea flower was not so clear to me... so in the field it looked like Gladiolus stellatus but on close inspection using the photographs to identify it, it is more likely Moraea polyanthos. Also known as Bloutu Read More
Relhania pungens subsp. pungens
Relhania pungens subsp. pungens, is a delightful little plant that grows in a variety of habitats in Fynbos or grassland in stony, sandy or clay soils on flats and lower mountain slopes. This plant was about 30mm tall. The leaves can be quite variable from linear and sharply pointed to slightly softer and wider shape. the flowers appear to have dis Read More
Barleria pungens
Barleria pungens is a very spiny shrub that can grow up to 40 cm tall. The leaves are opposite and very spiny. The blue / purple flowers are about 15mm in diameter and have a long flower tube borne amongst spiny bracts. Flowers seem to shed soon after they bloom and can often be seen dangling on the tip of the style. Plants flower from spring to au Read More
Aspalathus alpestris
Aspalathus, the genus to which the rooibos tea plant belongs, is the largest member of the pea family endemic to South Africa. Aspalathus linearis, commonly known as the rooibos tea plant, is the only species of economic value. This above, is Aspalathus alpestris is a sprawling shrublet with slender branches. The leaves are single flat and narrow Read More
Pelargonium triste
Pelargonium triste also known as kaneeltjies (little cinnamon) grow up to 50cm tall. The flowers are about 15mm in diameter with yellow and maroon or black markings. The flowers emit a lovely cinnamon scent in the evenings are pollinated by months. It has a large tuberous Woodstock that is tannin rich and were used in Namaqualand for tanning leathe Read More
