World Wildlife Day!

Today is ‪#‎WorldWildlifeDay‬ ! It is a day to appreciate the amazing wildlife on this planet, to remember how lucky we are to have these creatures around us, and to create awareness about the threats facing it.

Zululand is home to all sorts of wildlife. It is the most diverse area in South Africa, with many, many weird and wonderful species occurring in the region. This, of course, applies to amphibians and reptiles. Few appreciate these beautiful, ecologically important animals. Many of which, are feared, due to a lack of education.

Here are a few fun facts about some of the reptile and amphibian species occurring in Zululand.

The Greater Zululand area is home to:

Africa's largest crocodile species (and reptile species for that matter!) - The Nile Crocodile.

Southern Africa's largest snake species - The Southern African Python (Rock Python).

The longest venomous snake in Africa- The Black Mamba

Africa's largest Cobra species - The Forest Cobra

The snake with the longest fangs in the world- The Gaboon Adder

Africa's largest lizard- The Nile/Water Monitor.

Southern Africa's largest tortoise species- The Leopard Tortoise.

The World's largest turtle species- The Leatherback Turtle

Four Dwarf Chameleon species, three of which are endemic to their respective areas in Zululand.

The highest diversity of frogs in South Africa, with over 40 species!

Unfortunately, many of the above species are killed for muthi, out of fear, and due to a lack of respect and education. Their habitat is constantly being destroyed. We can't let this happen anymore! It's time to start educating people about amphibians and reptiles, so that we can prevent them from being completely wiped out!