All the zebra on the reserve are Cape Mountain Zebra.

There are only three species of zebra in the Equus Genus. Each has a different number of chromosome pairs, so they are clearly genetically distinct.

Only two species are found in Southern Africa, the Plains Zebra and the Mountain Zebra.

The very first zebra to be scientifically classified was the Quagga, a subspecies of the Plains Zebra, and now extinct. Because of naming conventions, the first described is the one retained; and so all Plains Zebra today are Equus quagga. There are (or were) about twelve subspecies of the Plains Zebra. The most common is Burchell's zebra or Equus quagga burchellii and is almost always the one you see in photographs. The extinct Quagga is Equus quagga quagga.

By contrast, the Mountain Zebra is Equus zebra, with only two subspecies, The Cape Mountain Zebra (Equus zebra zebra) and Hartmans Mountain Zebra (Equus zebra hartmannae). Their ranges do not overlap, Hartman's is found in Namibia and The Cape Mountain Zebra is found only in the Eastern and Western Cape.

Nyala are a medium sized South African antelope that have a superficial resemblance to Kudu. Indeed, to the inexperienced, a Kudu cow is often difficult to distinguish from a Nyala ewe.

Kudu are the second largest antelope after the Eland, and are generally quite a bit bigger than Nyala. Curiously, a Nyala male is called a bull while the female and young are described as ewes and lambs. Perhaps because Kudu are larger, they are described as bulls, cows and calves.

Like Kudu, Nyala display obvious sexual dimorphism.

Kudu males are larger than females and carry magnificent horns which are absent in females, but males and females are similarly coloured.

Nyala males are larger than females, carry horns, but also have a completely different coat and colouring to the females. This different colouring is only apparent when the Nyala males reach adulthood. The ewes are a beautiful reddish brown while the bulls are charcoal coloured.

Nyala males can't be confused with Kudu males, because Nyala horns have a slight inward twist only, and are smaller. Kudu can develop truly magnificent horns, the largest horns on any antelope. However, they both have the chevron war paint across the nose!

The kudu on the reserve are all Tragelaphus strepsiceros or the Greater Kudu. This is the second largest antelope after the Eland, and has the largest horns of any antelope.

Like the Nyala, they are woodland and thicket antelope, and are very seldom found in the open, although they also inhabit rocky slopes. They are more difficult to approach than Nyala and seem to be more nimble and quite capable of jumping over bushes to simply disappear into cover.

The Springbok is the national symbol of South Africa and the most abundant antelope in the western parts of South Africa. Both rams and ewes have horns. The horns on the ewes are thinner and shorter than that of the rams. Rams can weigh up to 50kg, whilst the ewes can weigh up to 37kg.

The upper body is cinnamon coloured , the underparts are white and a dark brown stripe on the flanks run from the front to the hind legs. The rump is marked by a triangular shaped white patch, framed by a dark brown stripe.

The Springbok can reach speeds of up to 80km/h and jump up to 10m. They have a peculiar habit of stretching both their front and back legs simultaneously while bending their heads down and bouncing. This is called "pronking".

Springboks are selective feeders and will look for the best fodder available at any given time. They browse in the dry season and graze after the rainy season ,when new growth of grasses are sprouting. They are fond of flowers such as the Acacia and drink water readily, but when open water is scarce, they will meet their water requirements by eating moisture rich plants and roots.

Rams can establish territories for mating opportunities. Mating takes place during a one to two week rut. This takes place throughout the year. The gestation period is 25 weeks and single lambs are born. Lambs are hidden for the first two days after birth and weaned at about four months. Ewes become sexually mature at the age of seven months. The lifespan of this species is ten years. Herds will vary in size between Winter and Summer. The herds are smaller during the Winter months.

The giraffe is the tallest animal in the world attaining a height of 5.5 m. The long neck has resulted in a complex blood circulation system. Big males can reach a weight of up to 1200kg, while females will reach a weight of 900kg. The skin colour is tan with brown patches. The brown patches on the males are normally darker than that of the females. Both males and females have short horns that are covered with hair. In the case of the male the horns are bald.

A series of unusually elastic blood vessels with a series of valves help to offset the sudden buildup of blood when the head is raised or lowered suddenly. This valve system prevents fainting. Due to the sloping shoulders of the Giraffe, the front legs appear a lot longer than the hind legs. In fact the hind legs are only slightly shorter than the front legs. Giraffe have a distinctive gait. Both legs on the same side are moved forward at the same time, while walking, however at a gallop the giraffe will swing the hind legs to the outside of the front legs. They can reach speeds of up to 55km/h.

Cows are courted by adult bulls. The gestation period is about 15 months. Single calves are born weighing about 100kg. The calves are weaned between 6 -8 months. Sexual maturity is reached between 4 to 5 years. Lifespan is 28 years.

Giraffes stick together in herds and are nomadic. Males fight for the right to mate with females. They will strike at other males with their necks to the body of opponents. The loser is pushed off balance, but serious injuries seldom occur.

Due to their height, they are able to spot predators over great distances and are therefore often used by other animals as an early warning system against danger. Giraffes are normally quiet animals and will only snort and bellow when attacked by predators. Because of their height giraffe are able to feed on foliage of trees that are inaccessible to other herbivores. The long prehensile tongue is used to pull leaves into its mouth which are stripped from the stems using its teeth.

The gemsbok is one of the largest antelope. There is a defined pattern of black and white markings in its face. Broad black stripes extend from the base of the horns over the eyes and cheeks. The head is further market with black triangular patches. The bulk of the body is fawn coloured, with a black stripe that runs along the spine. Black stripes also run along the flanks, separating the fawn colour and the white underparts of the body. The black tail tassels reach down to the hocks of the gemsbok.

Spear-like horns can grow up to 107cm. The females often have longer, thinner horns than the males. These horns make formidable weapons. They have a very good sense of smell, hearing and sight. Gemsbok do not shy away from bigger predators. They lunge at predators or alternatively can outrun most predators.

Gemsbok live in herds of 10-30 and are often found among other species of antelope or zebra. During the rainy season they can group together in herds of up to 200 animals. A dominant male leads the herd. Calves test one another on a regular basis in what appears to be a game, but in reality it is a test of strength and this sorts out the hierarchy. The fighting subsides once the hierarchy has been established. The average weight of a gemsbok is 240kg. They feed mainly on grass and leaves, during the early morning or late afternoons. They are able to survive for long periods without water. In cases where water is a premium, breakaway groups are formed that will go to the water fist, while females and the young will follow at a slower pace. Batchelor herds are rarely found amongst this species.

Females come on heat just after giving birth, after a 9 month gestation period. Single calves are born. These are hidden for between 3 - 6 weeks from the herd. The horns of the young grow very fast giving the impression that they are born with horns, as the horns already show when they come out of concealment.

The Waterbuck is a large antelope with a brownish grey shaggy coat. The shoulder height can be up to 1.4m. The eyes are patched with white and they often have a white collar and the characteristic white ring on its rump. Urban legend has it that this ring was caused because it sat on a toilet seat while the paint was still wet.

Only the bulls have horns, that are ringed and will grow up to 80cm long. The tips of the horns are smooth. Male can weigh up to 270kg, while female are lighter at 200kg. Mating takes place all year round, with an increase in Winter. The gestation period is 9 months and a single calf is born, however occasionally twins are born. Calves will hide in dense vegetation for the first few weeks of their lives and later follow the cows out of seclusion. The lifespan is 18 years

Waterbuck have to drink daily and will normally be found close to water. They feed mainly on grass, but will browse in cases where the grass is in poor condition. They will hide in dense brush or long grasses/ swamps.

Dominant bulls will defend their territory with vigour and even get involved in serious fights for dominance. Waterbuck will stick in herds of up to 30, but will move freely away and join the herd again. They are strong swimmers and will take refuge in water in cases when they are seriously threatened. The waterbuck is not the most favourite prey of predators as it secretes an oily, waterproofing lotion from its sweat glands. This smell makes predators choose other prey.

The species of Letchwe found on the farm is the Kobus Letchwe. These normally inhabit the Caprivi in Namibia & the swamps of Botswana. Reddish in colour, with white bellies. The front of their legs are black with a line of white on the sides of the shin.

Letchwe are normally found in marshy and swamp areas where they feed on aquatic plants and grasses. They grow up to 1m shoulder height and can weigh up to 120kg. The hind legs are slightly longer and much stronger to propel the animal through marshy soil for long distances.

Letchwe stick close to water to enable them to escape their predators. The bottom part of their legs have a water repellant coating, which give them the ability to run very fast in knee deep water. If threatened they can also go into deeper water to escape attack.

Only males have horns & they can get up to 90cm. The horns are ridged, with the tips being smooth.

Gestation period is 8 months after which a single calf is born. Mating takes place throughout the year, with most offspring being born in July/August. Females & young mainly stick together and herds of up to 200, is not uncommon. Due to their soft hooves they prefer to stick to floodplains. Mature males will often be found in pairs or solitary in dryer areas.

Lifespan is 15 years.

Impala are among the dominant species of savannas and are adaptable to being both grazers and browsers.

Impalas are reddish brown in colour with lighter brown on the flanks and white bellies and the characteristic M on its rump. This colouring has lead to the Afrikaans name of Rooibok. Only the males have horns that are lyre shaped and can grow up to 90cm long. They can weigh up to 75kg.

When startled the whole herd will start jumping so as to confuse the predator. Jumps can be up to 9m far and 2.5m high.

Impala will use specific areas for their excrement. They are active during both day and night. Their presence normally indicates that water is nearby.

When food is plentiful males will form bachelor herds of between 6 to 8 rams. Horn duels take place to determine the hierarchy. Dominant males will challenge other males of neighbouring areas. Ewes will stick to herds of between 10 to 50 females and young. Dominant males will mate with all the females in its territory and will try to keep them in this territory by feigning danger just outside their territory.

Lifespan is 12 years. The gestation period is 6 to 7 months after which a single fawn is born. An Impala can prolong the birth by up to a month when grazing conditions are not ideal.

The Eland is not only the biggest antelope in the world. The name Eland was derived from the Dutch for Moose. In Dutch the Eland is called Eland Antilope, to distinguish it from the Moose. Both bulls & cows have horns. Cows weigh up to 600kg whilst bulls can weigh up to 1000kg.

Both males & females have horns of about 65cm. The females horns are wider apart & thinner than that of the males. Females have a tan coat, while the males are darker in colour and turns to a grey colour as they grow older. Some of the real old bulls have been found to turned black The males also develop a dewlap, a piece of loose hanging skin with tufts of hair along it's neck.

The Eland roam plains areas and will move from one herd to another. They will eat grasses, leaves and branches. During the heat of day they are largely inactive. Although Eland are not fast runners, they have the endurance to hold a steady trot indefinitely.

Gestation period is 9 months after which a single calf is born. These animals can live up to 20 years.

Calves are born all year round. Calves are fond of grooming one another and strong bonds are formed between calves. Calves are weaned after about 3 months, after which they will be taken up in nursery groups up to the age of about 2 years old. After this they will form loose herds of the same sex.

The mere size of the Eland is a deterrent for predators.

The blue shiny coat has given rise to the name of the Blue Wildebeest . It is also known as the Brindled Gnu, due to the varying colours of its coat. Both males & females have horns and are very similar in size this makes it very difficult to determine the sex of these animals at a distance. The horns of the female will be slightly thinner & narrower than that of trophy bulls. They stand about 1.7m high at the shoulders and weigh on average about 290kg.

They have large humped shoulders, slender legs.

The gestation period is 8.5 months after which a single calf is born. The newborn is tawny brown in colour and is able to stand within 5 minutes and can run within a couple of hours. Calves will stick close to their mothers who will help to protect them from predators. Cows do not leave the herd to give birth. Males will fight for territory and will round up herds of female in its territory during the mating season. Mating takes place between April and June Mature males are normally solitary animals. They will mark their territory by leaving Young males will form small bachelor herds, as they are evicted from the herd at 2 years of age.

Wildebeest are grazers and eat most types of grasses. Impala & Zebra are often found sharing the habitat with Wildebeest. The short nose makes it ideal for grazing. They can mainly be found on plains, but will also venture into woodland areas. Wildebeest are often found in areas where the veld has burnt, as they are after the new grass shoots that will sprout. They graze mainly during the early mornings and afternoons, while taking shelter under trees during the heat of day. Wildebeest will snort and blow through their nostrils when they are threatened. Despite their appearance they are very agile and will run away from danger. As they are very inquisitive animals, they will not run far before they can turn back. They may also run in circles while snorting, while swishing their horse like tail.

The lifespan of the Wildebeest is 20 years.

The Red Hartebeest stand 1.5 m high at the shoulder and can weigh up to 180kg. While the male is dark brown in colour, the female is a yellow brown. Both sexes have horns that can grow up to 70cm in length.

Hartebeest can be found mainly on plains where they will eat grasses. Most of the grazing will take place early morning or late afternoon. They graze only and can go without water.

Males will show their dominance by getting onto mounds that will show them off better to the other animals. Often an animal use a vantage point to look for predators. This antelope can reach speeds of up to 65km/h and is able to maintain this speed for prolonged periods of time. After a gestation period of 8 months a single calf is born. This calf is hidden in dense vegetation before joining the herd. Lifespan is 16 years.