Michael Hickman
19.05.21
please visit my websites
as well as my other blogs at
Michael Hickman
19.05.21
please visit my websites
as well as my other blogs at
Methuselah's beard lichen, Usnea longissima, a well know medicinal plant is a lichen in the family Parmeliaceae grows epiphytically on trunks and branches of trees in the eMalangeni forest.
Usnea longissima is a pale grayish-green fruticose lichen that grows like leafless tassels which anchored themselves on bark or twigs.
Like other lichens Usnea longissima is a symbiosis of a fungus and an alga. In the genus Usnea, the fungus belongs to the division Ascomycota, while the alga is a member of the division Chlorophyta. The branches of Usnea have an inner central cord which is elastic when wet.
Michael Hickman
10.05.21
please visit my websites
as well as my other blogs at
The Gaboon Adder Bitis gabonica is a large, colourful and highly venomous snake that with a measure of good luck can be seen in the eMalangeni Peat Swamp Forest in the southern portion of the Kosi Bay System.
The Gaboon Adder Bitis gabonica
Although the Gaboon Adder has a wide distribution throughout the tropical rainforests of Africa, in South Africa they are confined to the hot and humid coastal forests that stretch south from the Mozambique border to the Mapelane Nature Reserve which is the southern most reserve within the iSimangaliso Wetland Park just South of lake St. Lucia then further south to Mtunzini being their southern limit.
The Gaboon adder is the largest of the adders in Africa, weighing up to 20 kilograms and reaching lengths of up to 1.8 meters, with a head up to 15 cm across at the widest point. In South Africa they are a little smaller averaging from .90 to 1.20 meters in length. The fangs which are the longest of any venomous snake may reach a length of 55 mm. Unlike most snakes the Gaboon Adder gives birth in late summer to up to 60 live young.
The colouration is a striking combination of light and dark brown, pink and purple arranged in diamonds and stripes along its back. Light and dark lines radiate from around its small eyes. The broad head mimics a fallen leaf, right down to the central vein, this striking pattern is excellent camouflage in the snake's native habitat, helping it blend into the leaf litter on the forest floor.
Michael Hickman
06.05.21
please visit my websites
as well as my other blogs at
What is a peat swamp forest?
Peat swamp forests known as idobo in the Zulu language are moist forests that are formed where waterlogged soil prevents dead leaves and wood from fully decomposing. Over time, this creates a thick layer of acidic peat inhabited by unique plant communities adapted to these wet, acidic, nutrient and oxygen poor soils.
Swamp fig Ficus trichopoda growing on the banks of the aManzimnyama river in the eMalangeni peat swamp forest
Peat swamp forests form in areas where saturated soils or frequent flooding prevent organic material from fully decomposing. As this organic material slowly accumulates, it retains even more water through capillary action, up to 13 times its weight, acting as a giant sponge that holds in the moisture. Peat swamps known as ixhaphozi in the Zulu language eventually form a dome of wet organic material that can rise above the surrounding flood levels.
It takes thousands of years for peatlands to form, with organic matter accumulating at 0.5 – 2 mm per year . Peat layers over 4 meters are common, while depths of up to 20 meters have been reported.
The unique hydrology of this habitat provides a critical buffer against flooding during the wet season, and insurance against drought in the dry season. The swamp retains heavy rainfall and slowly releases the moisture over an extended period of time. As climate change results in more extreme weather events and irregular precipitation, this ecosystem service is becoming even more critical.
Guided excursions that offer far more scientific knowledge and interesting facts in regards to the plants birds animals and other creatures encountered in the forest than the usual guided can be conducted in English, Zulu and German into the eMalangeni Swamp Forest and surrounding area including the nearby Tembe Elephant Park can be arranged and tailored to the individual needs of the client/s no matter at which establishment one will be staying at while at Kosi Bay. Please visit one of my websites for contact details.
Michael Hickman
29.04.21
please visit my websites
as well as my other blogs at
Here are some the most colourful of the birds to be found in the eMalangeni Forest and forest margins that we will endeavor to show you when you book to be taken on an eco-excursion through the Forest and explore the surrounds.
Guided excursions
Please visit one of my websites for my contact details.
Gonatopus angustus is an interesting plant belonging to the plant family Araceae closely related to and often found growing alongside Zamioc...