Unusual or Interesting Sightings in the Kgalagadi

[Richprins]

Nice, Mello! New member...flying wildcat!

But Duke, that sequence is breathtaking!

Thanks so much!

I'm directing old SP people here...will PM you about media?

The Black-backed jackal follow the badgers, and some birds too are involved with honey! A symbiotic relationship.

[Amoli]

Duke and Mel, you had wonderful fox sightings...

I don't think I have seen a fox in real life..

[ExFmem]

I have some of a PCG following a honey badger around, which is not unusual, but it is interesting. Will post them when I get time to find them, along w/ some brief information, if this hasn't already been posted somewhere on the Forum.

[Lisbeth]

That would be very welcome, ExF It certainly has not been posted here, where it belongs

[Peter Connan]

Wow!

Can't wait for this TR!

[ExFmem]

Honey Badgers and Pale Chanting Goshawks - An Example of Commensalism

There are many examples in nature of two organisms living in close association. A few of the most common words used by biologists to classify such inter-relationships are:
• Symbiosis: Interactions between 2 organisms where at least 1 benefits
• Mutualism: Both species benefit
• Parasitism: One species benefits, one species is harmed
• Commensalism: One species 'success' is increased (one benefits) and the other species 'success' is not effected (neither benefits or loses)

In the southern Kalahari alone, two mammals and five birds were observed to follow foraging honey badgers with the most common associations between honey badgers and pale chanting goshawks. In the Kalahari study, honey badgers caught more than 80% of their prey through digging, and small mammals and small reptiles were the most common prey items caught. When digging for these small prey items more than 40 % of the lizards and rodents escaped above ground and it is these escaped prey items that are available for capture by the associating species. These associations appear to be a form of commensalism where other opportunistic predators key into the opportunities provides by the hunting efforts of the honey badgers, and this appears to have few direct costs or benefits to the badgers.







African wildcat, Ethiopian wolves, and black-backed jackals have all been observed following honey badgers during both the day and the night. In the Kalahari, black-backed jackals are frequently seen following badgers whilst they foraged. Similar to the goshawks, jackals wait to pounce or strike on fleeing rodents and reptiles that have been flushed by the badger's considerable digging efforts. The relatively slow badger is powerless to prevent these hangers-on and seems to gain no advantage from their company. This relationship changes during the jackal breeding season when pups are potential prey of honey badgers, and during this time jackals chase and nip at badgers that come close to their den. Likewise when badgers have a young cub in the den, jackals are chased off as they have been known to take badger cubs.



(Spotted eagle-owls have been recorded following honey badgers in the Kalahari as well. More info. here: http://www.honeybadger.com/associations.html)

[Duke]

Thanks ExFmem

[ExFmem]

My pics are obviously less than stellar, but I posted them as a start, so I would like this to be an open topic where anyone with photos depicting this interaction can upgrade the quality of such a sighting.

[Flutterby]

I think your pics are great!!

[Lisbeth]

I knew about the goshawks, but not about the others.

Your pics are an excellent demonstration