Years of habitat destruction, poaching and development had a huge impact the Reserve's mammal life. However with improved management and the official proclamation as a Reserve the Vervet monkeys and banded mongooses, Genets, Dassies and Blue Duiker are being regularly observed

Cape Clawless Otter Aonyx capensis
Overall length 100 - 150cm.Small rounded ears. Long whiskers,white cheeks and throat. Dark brown coat of sleek, dense water repellent fur. Front feet not webbed. Long thick tail. Females smaller than males. Diet consists of crabs small fish water insects and even water birds. They use their paws to feel for prey under stones and their long whiskers help to navigate muddy water. Their front paws are extremely dextrous and are used for carrying food to their mouths. The Cape Clawless Otter gives birth to about three young in underground tunnels, rock overhangs or dense vegetation called "Holts" The female takes care of the young with the male leading a solitary life. Preyed upon by pythons. Very rarely seen.

Water Mongoose Atilac paludinosus
A large mongoose, weighing up to 5 kgs and can reach 97cm in length. The body is covered in a reddish-brown to black coarse shaggy coat. The tail has longer hairs at the base than the tip giving it a sharply tapering profile. It is mainly crepuscular and can be seen in the early morning and evening especially on overcast days. Diet consists of crabs,freshwater mussels, frogs, fish small reptiles,ground nesting birds, insects and fruit. Crabs are eaten piece-meal with the hard carapaces of large crabs left intact. Mongoose tracks along the Palmiet River are common as they seldom venture far from the water. Water mongoose are solitary animals and will mark their territory with a strong musky odour as well as for defence purposes much like a skunk.

ROCK DASSIE Procavia capensis
Distribution: Found in South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe and small parts of Botswana and Mozambique.
Diet: They browse on bushes, trees, fruit and succulents.

Habitat: Rocks of all kinds, from small kopies to mountain peaks and gorges.Locations must offer vegetation, sunning places and cavities for shelter and refuge.

Habits: Although rodentlike in appearance, hyraxes are hoofed mammals, or ungulates (see Chordata ), most closely related to elephants and sea cows. The hyrax, also called coney, has a squat, furry body, with short slender legs, short ears, and a short tail. It has small hooves on its toes, and moist padded soles that cling to steep surfaces by suction, making it an excellent climber. There are about 14 hyrax species, classified in two genera. The genus Procavia includes the ground-living species, sometimes called dassies. Dassies are rock dwellers and live in colonies of up to 50 animals; they are found especially in deserts and hills. Most species of the genus Dendrohyrax are arboreal and are known as tree hyraxes; they are the only tree-dwelling hoofed mammals. Tree hyraxes are solitary and nocturnal; they are confined to forested regions of Africa. Hyraxes feed on seeds, fruit, and leaves, and in large numbers can be serious agricultural pests.
They are classified in the phylum Chordata , subphylum Vertebrata, class Mammalia, order Hyracoidea, family Procavidae. The Rock Dassie is the most arid adapted Dassie These animals minimise exposure to predators by visiting pastures as a group and eating rapidly for only an hour each morning and afternoon.Rock Dassies are polygynous. The number of females in a harem depends on the size of the home range and available resources, it can vary from two to 26 females and young.

Breeding: Most births take place during September and

October, 1-6 young are born after a 7 month gestation period.

Predators:Pythons and Eagles,

Banded Mongoose

Slender Mongoose

Bats

Bush Babies

Palmiet Nature Reserve
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17/01/12