bionerds.co.za

Keir, Alouise and Cian Lynch photodocumenting a biography of Biodiversity on our #EcoExplorations on the Southern tip of Africa.

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This is such a charismatic species... and they are super docile. Opistacanthus capensis is a large scorpion species, getting up to 90mm in length, and they are nocturnal. They are found in a variety of habitats and are not uncommon in towns and homes. They really are a very calm and docile species and stings are rare. Overberg, Western Cape, South Africa. #canon #ishootwithorms #bionerds #biodiversity #planning #surveys #support #EcoExploration #animalsofinstagram #scorpion #scorpions #sting #venomous #naturephotography #nature #wild #wildlifeofinstagram #southafrica #africa #westerncape #overberg (at Western Cape)

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Look at that nose!!! 😍 To get a photograph of these mammals is not easy at all... Round-eared Elephant Shrews inhabit the more arid regions of the South, Western and Northern Cape. They forage on insects as well as roots and tubers - and they have been documented feeding on fallen berries as well. They are solitary animals, believed to be monogamous. They live in burrows that they expropriate from other rodents, reuse or dig themselves. Macroscelides proboscideus, somewhere dry, Western Cape, South Africa. #canon #canonmacro #macro #ishootwithorms #bionerds #biodiversity #planning #surveys #support #ecoexploration #mammal #mammals #mammalsofinstagram #shrew #shrews #shrewsofinstagram #elephantshrew #Macroscelidesproboscideus #nature #wildlife #arid #cute #longnose (at South Africa)

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This beautiful Baboon Spider and her whole hatch of spiderlings have been illegally collected 🙁 Today was a sad day, and a stark reminder of how destructive our species is. One of our monitoring sites close to home has been pilfered. At first we thought that it might have been the local troop of Chacma Baboons, but then we saw the size of some of the rocks that had been moved and shifted... too large for anything but a human. In this monitoring site of ours was this female Harpactira cafreriana and roughly 30 spiderlings (which we have been monitoring for many months), Red-sided Skinks, Cape Skinks, Common Slug Eaters and Agama atra. We could not find a single thing today. The stark reality of this is that we are seeing local populations of various species teetering on the edge of localized extinction due to various factors, including illegal harvesting for the pet trade. One messed up site - Overberg, Western Cape, South Africa. #canon #canonmacro #macro #ishootwithorms #bionerds #biodiversity #planning #surveys #support #ecoexploration #illegal #harvesting #spiders #spider #arachnids #snake #snakes #lizard #lizards #reptile #reptiles #herps #monitoring #nature #wildlife #poaching (at Napier, Western Cape)

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This is a Striped Legless Skink 💟 They are harmless little reptiles which are often confused with snakes. Acontias lineatus is a fossorial species, spending their lives underground, mostly in loose sand at the base of shrubs - foraging for tiny invertebrates. Cederberg, Western Cape, South Africa. #canon #canonmacro #macro #ishootwithorms #bionerds #biodiversity #planning #surveys #support #ecoexploration #reptile #reptilesofinstagram #reptiles #lizards #lizard #lizardsofinstagram #skinks #skinksofinstagram #skink #herps #herpetology #nature #wildlife #southafrica #westerncape (at Cederberg)

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Some of the best times in nature is spent slowing down ones pace... observing the smaller things... and being rewarded with amazing sightings like these. This is a Robber Fly with a small wasp in its clutches. Robber Flies are very aggressive hunters. They will chase down and catch their prey, or steal prey from spiders webs before these spiders get to the prey to encase it in silk. When they have caught their prey they will jab them with their proboscis, injecting their prey with a strong neurotoxin and protyeolitic enzyme. This will then paralyze and turn their prey's innards to liquid. The feast begins and the prey will soon be no less than an empty shell... This species has very dense bristles on its 'head', which is believed to afford it some form of protection against its voracious prey - bees and wasps. Asilidae - most probably Daspeltis - Overberg, Western Cape. #canon #canonmacro #macro #ishootwithorms #bionerds #biodiversity #planning #surveys #support #ecoexploration #diptera #insect #insects #insectsofinstagram #fly #flies #robber #robberfly #daspeltis #nature #wildlife #invertebrates (at Overberg)

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The Knysna Leaf-folding Frogs are dainty endangered amphibians. As the name suggests, this species folds a leaf (grass or reed) and deposits its eggs in the 'leaf pocket'. When the eggs hatch the tadpoles slip out of the egg mass and drops into the water, where it develops to maturity. We were very fortunate to find this gorgeous Afrixalus knysnae outside of Wilderness on the Garden Route, South Africa. #canon #canonmacro #macro #ishootwithorms #bionerds #biodiversity #planning #support #surveys #ecoexploration #frog #frogs #frogsofinstagram #amphibian #amphibians #amphibiansofinstagram #afrixalusknysnae #leaffoldingfrogs #southafrica #endemic #endangered #nature #wildlife (at Garden Route)

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Puff Adder ! ! ! It is always awesome to see these heavily built, bulky snakes in their natural habitat. They always look so menacing... This species is very common throughout South Africa. They are slow moving, well camouflaged ambush hunters... and they are very seldomly seen in their natural habitat. This species is of medical significance. Bites should be considered as life threatening and immediate medical attention is advisable. Bitis arietans, Overberg, South Africa. #canon #canonmacro #macro #ishootwithorms #bionerds #biodiversity #planning #surveys #support #snake #snakes #snakesofinstagram #reptile #reptiles #reptilesofinstagram #adder #puffadder #bitis #bitisarietans #venomous #southafrica #wildlife #nature (at Overberg)

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Puff Adder ! ! ! It is always awesome to see these heavily built, bulky snakes in their natural habitat. They always look so menacing... This species is very common throughout South Africa. They are slow moving, well camouflaged ambush hunters... and they are very seldomly seen in their natural habitat. This species is of medical significance. Bites should be considered as life threatening and immediate medical attention is advisable. Bitis arietans, Overberg, South Africa. #canon #canonmacro #macro #ishootwithorms #bionerds #biodiversity #planning #surveys #support #snake #snakes #snakesofinstagram #reptile #reptiles #reptilesofinstagram #adder #puffadder #bitis #bitisarietans #venomous #southafrica #wildlife #nature (at Overberg)

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This Southern Elephant Seal was far away from home... Luck was on our side when this large subantarctic mammal hauled out on Vermont beach in Hermanus. We arrived just in time to spend a few minutes observing and photographing this huge, rare vagrant species. Mirounga leonina is widely distributed throughout the Southern Hemisphere. Males can reach sizes in excess of 6m in length and 3500kg's in weight, whilst females reaches up to 4m in length and 800kgs. They feed on fish and cephalopods taken from deep water, with depths of more than 1400m recorded. They were almost hunted to extinction in the 19th and 20th century - but are now protected at majority of its breeding local. Vermont, Hermanus, Western Cape - South Africa. #canon #canonphotography #ishootwithorms #bionerds #biodiversity #surveys #support #ecoexploration #mammals #mammal #mammalsofinstagram #sealife #seal #elephantseal #miroungaleonina #nature #wildlife #subantarctic #antarctic #nikon #iamnikon (at Vermont, Western Cape, South Africa)

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Such a typical bat pose... we fell in love instantly... Cape Horseshoe Bats are found from the Eastern Cape, through the Western Cape to the Namibian border. They inhabit caves and mine tunnels, with an estimated 19,000 bats roosting in singular caves along the Western Cape coastline. This species have been recorded feeding on beetles and moths throughout the year. They do not go into a very deep hibernation. We found this Rhinolophus capensis co-habitating with Geoffroy's Horseshoe Bats as well as Natal Long-fingered bats. Gansbaai, Western Cape, South Africa. #canon #canonphotography #ishootwithorms #bionerds #biodiversity #planning #surveys #ecoexploration #bats #bat #batsofinstagram #horseshoe #mammalsofinstagram #mammals #mammal #rhinolophus #rhinolophuscapensis #capensis #capehorseshoebat #vlermuis #nature #wildlife #endemic #southafrica (at Gansbaai, Western Cape)

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What a lucky day, for us - and this immature Ground Woodpecker! Ground Woodpeckers live in tight-knit family groups. This species lives and forage on steep rocky terrain. They are one of three terrestrial woodpecker species across the globe, and the largest woodpecker in South Africa (up to 30cm total length). We were driving along the pass and there was this youngster sitting in the middle of the busy road! We thought it had already been hit by a car... there wasn't time to debate our options, the bionerds swerved, the bionerds jumped, and we had a spectacular bird in hand. Which turned out to be fine, just a bit lost having strayed from its family group, and unable to fly up high enough to clear the verge to get back to safety... We could hear its family foraging and calling on the rocky slope further up away from the road. We carried it closer to where we could hear them, and set him free again, he wasted no time in getting back to them - and away from us! One lucky Geocolaptus olivaceus, Tradouw Pass, Western Cape. #canon #ishootwithorms #bionerds #biodiversity #planning #surveys #support #ecoexploration #bird #birds #birdsofinstagram #birdlife #avian #feathered #woodpecker #woodpeckers #woodpeckersofinstagram #nature #wildlife #southafrica (at Tradouw Pass)

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Knysna Dwarf Chameleons are found in the Southern Cape around George and Knysna. This species prefers fynbos as well as afromontane forest, but can also be found in gardens. Bradypodion damaranum is endemic to South Africa and we found this one in the Garden Route, Southern Cape. #canon #canonmacro #macro #nikon #nikonphotography #ishootwithorms #bionerds #biodiversity #planning #surveys #support #ecoexploration #chameleon #chameleons #chameleonsofinstagram #reptilesofinstagram #reptile #reptiles #herping #herps #herpetology #nature #wildlife #southafrica (at George, Western Cape)

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Photographing this specimen was such a treat! Herald Snakes are spectacular, with their orange to red lip(not always present though), black brow and cheeks and olive grey bodies mottled with white. Amphibians are their favourite prey, but they will hunt lizards and even small rodents if the opportunity arose. You are most likely to find Heralds in damp and moist habitats, throughout South Africa. They are absent from arid dry regions. This species is mildly venomous. Crotaphopeltis hotamboeia, Overberg, South Africa. #canon #canonmacro #macro #ishootwithorms #bionerds #biodiversity #planning #surveys #support #ecoexploration #snake #snakes #snakesofinstagram #reptile #reptiles #reptilesofinstagram #herps #herpetology #nature #wildlife #southafrica #redlipped #redlippedherald #heraldsnake #crotaphopeltishotamboeia (at Overberg)

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With the beautiful comes the ugly... This beautiful Water Wolf Spider was our first sighting of this genus - next to a beautiful stream in a spectacular setting - and she was sitting on a piece of ugly broken glass 🙈 They are also called Pirate Wolf Spiders, they live next to streams and hunt in the water. This amazing species can dive under the water surface and stay submerged whilst hunting!!! They are part of the Lycosidae family of spiders. Lycosid is derived from the Greek word lycosa, meaning wolf. This refers to their hunting behaviour of running down their quarry - using their superior eyesight to locate and keep an eye on their prey. Pirata africana, Tradouw Pass, Western Cape. #canon #macro #canonmacro #ishootwithorms #bionerds #biodiversity #planning #surveys #support #ecoexploration #spiders #spider #spidersofinstagram #arachnid #arachnids #wolfspider #lycosid #pirate #pirataafricana #waterwolfspider #nature #wildlife #southafrica (at Tradouw Pass)

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Meroles knoxii is known as 'Naelloper Akkedisse' in Afrikaans - translated to 'Sprinting Lizards' in English. And do they run... all you see is a blurry flash as they run from vegetation cover to their next hiding spot. Their lifestyle requires it. For foraging as well as evading predators, and to get over the hot sandy patches quickly! They live in sandy soil areas amongst loosely scattered shrubs, and they hide and sleep in burrows excavated at the base of this vegetation. They are active hunters, which hunt down insects, bugs and beetles over open sandy stretches in their territories. Knox's Desert Lizard, Cederberg, South Africa. #canon #canonmacro #macro #ishootwithorms #bionerds #biodiversity #planning #surveys #support #lizards #lizard #lizardsofinstagram #reptilesofinstagram #reptile #reptiles #herping #herpetology #herps #nature #wildlife #southafrica #westerncape (at Cederberg)

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Did you know that Southern Rock Agamas are related to chameleons? They are both of the suborder Iguania, and tgese two families share similar traits. Obviously agamas tongues are much shorter than that of chameleons, but agamas deploy the same feeding action when they use their tongues to lap up ants and other insects. Male agamas also has a limited ability to change colour! This little Agama atra misjudged his meal, and ended up with an ant stuck to his back leg - the ant was long dead and dried out completely when we came across this young lizard. Hopefully it will fall off when next the agama sloughs. This species is diurnal and an active hunter, and lives in small colonies on rocky outcrops and areas. Both males and females are territorial, with one males territory overlapping with that of several females. Tradouw Pass, Western Cape, South Africa. #canon #canonmacro #macro #ishootwithorms #bionerds #biodiversity #planning #surveys #support #ecoexploration #lizard #lizards #lizardsofinstagram #reptile #reptiles #reptilesofinstagram #herps #herpetology #nature #wildlife #southafrica (at Tradouw Pass)

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Bibron's Geckos are one of the largest gecko species in South Africa, and are quite common in the western drier areas of the region. They are regularly found on the walls of sheds on farms, where security or floodlights shine, as these provide ample feeding opportunities. This is a communal species with 10+ individuals documented in colonies. Chondrodactylus bibronii, Cederberg, South Africa. #canon #canonmacro #macro #ishootwithorms #bionerds #biodiversity #planning #surveys #support #ecoexploration #lizard #lizards #lizardsofinstagram #gecko #geckos #geckosofinstagram #reptile #reptiles #reptilesofinstagram #herps #herpetology #nature #wildlife #southafrica #chondrodactylusbibronii #bibronsgecko (at Cederberg)