http://www.southafrica.net/blog/en/posts/entry/animals-endemic-to-south-africa

05 July 2015 by Sarah Came

South Africa is known for being a land rich with natural treasures and wonderful wildlife, but did you know that there are creatures that live nowhere but South Africa? Here is a list of some of these animals …

A Cape elephant shrew. Image courtesy of Jacques van Niekerk

Golden mole

Most species of golden mole are endemic to South Africa, and all are limited to southern Africa.

The golden mole is not actually a true mole, but just resembles it due to evolutionary convergence (where similar features have evolved independently in different animals).

Golden moles are blind and their most developed sense is touch; they can sense vibrations in the ground, which lets them know if danger is approaching, although they find their prey – small insects – by hearing.

Golden moles (with the exception of the desert species) construct permanent burrow systems, with separate “rooms”, such as hideaways, latrines and birthing nests.

Many species of golden mole are endangered.

Cape elephant shrew

The Cape elephant shrew is a species of elephant shrew endemic to South Africa. They are found in rocky areas in the south-west part of the country.

Although they look very much like true shrews, elephant shrews are, bizarrely, actually more closely related to elephants.

Elephant shrews move around in a hopping fashion, similar to a rabbit, and can bend their long snouts this way and that to search for food. The Cape elephant shrew is also arguably the cutest thing on Earth.

Riverine rabbit

Riverine rabbit. Image © Tony Camacho

The riverine rabbit is one of the most endangered mammals in the world. It lives exclusively in the central and southern Karoo and is therefore vulnerable to habitat loss, as this land is used for farming.

Cape genet

Genets are nocturnal animals and their primary diet is small rodents, although they are considered opportunistic omnivores. They also eat insects, fish and birds. Cape genets live in a relatively wide variety of habitats, although they prefer riverine areas.

They usually remain hidden and in the shade during the day, and become active at night. Their strong eyesight and sense of smell is used to catch prey in the dark.

Spectacled dormouse

A spectacled dormouse. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/Nicdt

The spectacled dormouse is one of four dormouse species endemic to South Africa. Unlike most mice, its tail is fluffy like that of a squirrel. Its coat has a rather stylish distribution of black, white and grey.

The spectacled dormouse is nocturnal. Its usual diet is seeds, plants and small insects. It is found in the western parts of South Africa and prefers rocky areas, such as the naturally occurring sandstone rock formations, and trees near rocky outcrops.

Unlike northern hemisphere species of dormice, the spectacled dormouse does not usually hibernate, but does become sluggish if the weather is particularly cold or food supply is limited.

A male Cape grysbok. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/Jimfbleak

Also called the southern grysbok, the Cape grysbok is a small buck endemic to the Western Cape. It is only around 50cm tall and weighs between 8kg and 12kg. Males have short horns, about 6cm to 8cm long.

The Cape grysbok is shy and stays hidden in the shade for most of the day, coming out in the evenings to browse and graze.

Sungazer

The sungazer lizard. Image courtesy of Joachim S. Müller

The sungazer (also called the giant girdled lizard) is endemic to the Highveld grasslands of South Africa, and is largest species in the Cordylidae family of lizards. It is usually about 15cm to 18cm long, and is heavily armoured.

The sungazer gets its name from its tendency to lie in the sun, holding its upper half off the ground.

Many, many birds

South Africa is well known as a birding destination, with around 70 species of birds endemic or near-endemic to South Africa. Examples include the Cape rockjumper, the Cape sugarbird, Gurney’s sugarbird (also found in the far south of Zimbabwe), the orange-breasted sunbird (whose habitat is the fynbos region of the Western Cape), and the southern double-collared sunbird (which is breeding-endemic to South Africa), to name but a few.