Cape Town

Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa.  It is the legislative capital of the country.  Located on the western cape of South Africa, is is famous for its natural harbors and mountains.

Attractions in Cape Town

Table Mountain was recently named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.  Table Mountain consists of layers of Sandstone and Cape Granite.  It was formed by volcanic and glacial action 520 million years ago.  Table Mountain is at least 6 times older than the Himalayas, making it one of the oldest mountains in the world.

heading up to the top of the mountain via a cable car

view of Cape Town looking down from the mountain

Boulder Beach has become famous for its thriving colony of African Penguins.  It is one of the few sites where this endangered bird can be observed at close range, wandering freely in a protected natural environment.  From just two breeding pairs in 1982, the penguin colony has grown to about 2,200 in recent years.

Cape Point/Cape of Good Hope is the most south westerly tip of Africa.  It marks the point where ships begin to travel more eastward than southward.  The first modern rounding of the cape via a ship was in 1488, when Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias sailed and established direct trade relations with the far east.

Shark cage diving is a popular, adventurous experience to do while visiting Cape Town.  Travel a few hours outside of Cape Town and one can enter what is called the Great White Shark capital of the world.  The Great White Shark is mainly known for its size.  A mature shark can reach lengths up to 21 feet.  Visitors of Shark Alley can be lowered into the ocean in a steal cage which. Once in the cage, divers can experience sharks swimming right next to the cage!

 

Rhino and Lion Nature Reserve

White Bengal Tiger
The white bengal tiger is not an albino.  They have beautiful blue eyes, with an unusual white pigmentation.  A recessive gene causes the rare white/ivory coat color.

White Lion

Cheetah

Nile Crocodile
The nile crocodile is the oldest surviving animal on earth.

Pygmy Hippo
When they are newly born, they weigh about 5 to 6 Kg's.  Their lifespan is between 30 and 50 years.

White Lion

White Lion

Wildebeests and Zebras

Waterbuck

Ostrich
The Ostrich is the largest bird and can run at 70km/h.

Wild Dogs
Wild dogs are an endangered species.

Cheetah
Cheetahs are an endangered species.

 White Lions
White lions are not albino.  Albino's are white but have pink eyes and cannot breed.  White lions have blue eyes.  Their white coloring is the result of a recessive gene.

White Rhinoceros
A white rhinoceros is larger than the black rhino.  They have two horns on the their face with the front horn being longer.





 

Sterkfontein Caves

The Sterkfontien Caves are home to some of the most significant

palaeoanthropological finds ever made; with thousands of discoveries made there since excavation began in 1935. The caves are also the site of the longest-running continuous palaeoanthropological dig in the world.

During the late 19^th and 20^th century, caves in the area were mined for limestone.  This mining unearthed fossils that attracted the interest of scientists. Significant finds made in the Sterkfontien Caves include the discovery of a fossilized early hominin skull (nicknamed Mrs Ples) by Dr. Robert Broom in 1947, and Little Foot, a complete hominin skeleton discovered in 1997 by Professor Ron Clarke.

The fossils excavated from the Sterkfontein Caves and their surroundings, along with the fossilized remains of plants and animals, have allowed scientists to reconstruct past habitats and speculate about what the Cradle of Humankind might have been like at our very beginnings, right through to present times.

The links below will provide more information pertaining to the three most famous finds discovered at the Sterkfontein Caves; "Mrs. Ples," "Little Foot," and "Taung Child" :

http://www.gauteng.net/cradleofhumankind/the_destination/fossils/famous_fossil_finds_of_the_cradle_of_humankind/mrs_ples_1947/

http://www.gauteng.net/cradleofhumankind/the_destination/fossils/famous_fossil_finds_of_the_cradle_of_humankind/little_foot_1997/

http://www.gauteng.net/cradleofhumankind/the_destination/fossils/famous_fossil_finds_of_the_cradle_of_humankind/the_taung_child_1925/

The following pictures were taken during my visit to the site:

inside the museum

current excavation site within the cave

eventually, those three sections will erode away and cause an opening to the ground above

site of the first major discovery; Mrs. Ples

Students from Holy Family College

The students at Holy Family College go to school year round with mini breaks throughout the year.  Their school day starts at 8:00 am and ends at 1:00 pm.  After school the students attend extra murals.  Extra murals would be similar to the sporting activities and challenge classes that the students at St. John's participate in.  During the school hours, the students learn math, reading, writing, science, and social science (studies); plus go to computer, music, P.E., and religious education classes once a week.

The following are pictures of the students while they are learning and playing.

Grade K-3 all go to lunch and recess together.  They eat lunch outside or in their classroom if it is raining.  The students have 30 minutes of break during the late morning and a 15 minute break at noon.

The grade two classroom: (I was trying to take the pictures without the students knowing.  As you can see, clearly that didn't happen.)

Number chart 1-10 in English, Afrikaans, and Zulu:

The second grade students attending computer class:

  

During this lesson, they were learning basic keyboarding skills.  There is not enough computers for each student, so most have to share a computer and take turns completing the exercises.

A grade one classroom: (Expect for grades K and 5, every other grade in grades 1-6 has two sections per grade with approximately 15-20 students in each class.)

  

During my time at the school, I have been assisting in grades K-5 and if one of the teachers is ill or gone I have been the students' substitute teacher for that day.  So far, I have substitute taught in grades K, 1, and 2. 

Kruger National Park

Kruger National Park is one of the largest game reserves in Africa.  It covers an area of 7,580 square miles.  It became South Africa's first National Park in 1926.  The park is home to Africa's Big Five.  In Africa, the Big Five game animals are the African lion, African elephant, Cape buffalo, African leopard, and White/Black rhinoceros.  The term big five game was coined by big-game hunters and refers to the five most difficult animals in Africa to hunt on foot.  The animals of the Big Five were chosen for the difficulty in hunting them and the degree of danger involved, it is not based on the size of the animal.

While I was visiting the park, I was able to see four of these five animals.  I did not see a leopard during the few days I was at the park.


The following is only a few of the pictures that were taken during my trip to Kruger National Park.  I will be updating this post soon with the rest of the pictures.

Skeletal head of a rhinoceros:

Skeletal head of an elephant:

A baby hyena, walking in the road in front of our car: 

(As of 2009, there are approximately 2000 spotted hyena found in the park.)

One can easily spot Impala running throughout the park.

In South Africa, zebra is pronounced with a short e sound.  (It is the British english pronunciation of the word.)

Fun Facts about Elephants -

* Elephants have strong social bonds and good memories, but it is not known whether they can experience grief in the same way as humans. 

They certainly seem to have a fascination with their dead. They will approach carcasses, touching and smelling them and sometimes trying to revive them. Mothers have been seen carrying their dead babies around for several days. Elephants will investigate old bones, pick them up and move them around. 

They are also known to cover their fallen comrades with branches and debris. Other dead animals, including lion or even trampled hunters, may also be treated in this way.

* Elephants sleep for a total of four to five hours during a 24 hour period. They will normally sleep for a number of short periods rather than several hours in one go.

Rhino populations are facing serious threats from illegal pouching.  The Rhino horns are being sold predominantly to Asia where it is used for traditional Chinese medication.  Between the months of January and August of 2014, 631 rhinos had been killed by pouchers.  Four Hundred and eight of those were killed in Kruger National Park.

Waterbucks have a brownish-grey shaggy coat. The eyes and nose are patched with white, and there is a white collar under the throat. The rump has a characteristic white ring. The large rounded ears are a prominent feature. Only the bulls have long, forward curved horns. 

Kudu's horns are spectacular and can grow as long as 72 inches, making 2 1/2 graceful twists. These beautifully shaped horns have long been prized in Africa for use as musical instruments, honey containers and symbolic ritual objects. 

Cape buffalo are mainly preyed upon by lion. When a herd member is attacked, others will rush to its defense.  Together, a group of Cape buffalo are more then capable of defending off an attack from an entire pride of lions.

This video clip was filmed by a visitor of Kruger National Park and it depicts an attack between lions, buffalo, and a crocodile.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LU8DDYz68kM

Giraffes are the world's tallest mammals, thanks to their towering legs and long necks. A giraffe's legs alone are taller than many humans—about 6 feet (1.8 meters). These long legs allow giraffes to run as fast as 35 miles (56 kilometers) an hour over short distances and cruise comfortably at 10 miles (16 kilometers) an hour over longer distances.

Scenic Pictures:

Daily Social Studies Question:

Who formed our National Park system and what was the first National Park in the U.S.?

Stay tune for more pictures from my visit to Kruger National Park.