Forest Edge - Mammal List Knysna, Garden Route

Mammals of the Garden Route - although not seen as often as the game in a game reserve, Forest Edge still offers the unique opportunity to spot indigenous mammals, not only the more common monkeys, bushbuck and baboon that wander out of the forest to look for food at the forest's edge, but also the nocturnal porcupine, bushpig, honey badger or caracul. Sunset bats and fieldmouse families, and the Clawless Cape Otter that visitors and scientists come from far and wide to try and see - the thrill of any animal visit is very rewarding for the game-lover.

As one of our guests wrote about Forest Edge "as you slow slow to its rhythm and the beat of its hospitable heart" you will increasingly attune and see more. The remaining 2 out of the Big 5 of the forest, the Knysna forest elephant and the leopard, are hardly ever seen (even by proffesional rangers and researchers), but sometimes grace us with spoor or dung to attest to their exotic survival despite the odds, or show up on motion-detect cameras placed on strategic forest trails. Regrettably, although buffalo used to be abundant, none remain. We also provide up to date information and photos on the Forest Edge eco-trail; we never cease to be charmed by these gifts of the forest. Bring your binoculars, walking shoes, mammal guide, eyes, nose, ears and instinct, and explore to your heart's content on a Forest Walk or from the comfort of your cottage in some cases!

Quicklinks to other Nature-lovers' Lists: Knysna Bird list; Knysna Tree list;

Please see a few of the photos of mammals taken at or near Forest Edge below, before and after the actual Mammal List. Guest photos are acknowledged in the hover-over.

     

Order	English	Afrikaans	Scientific
PROBOSCIDAE - elephant	African Elephant	Olifant	Loxodonta africana
CARNIVORA - carnivores	African Wild Cat	Vaalboskat	Felis lybica
	Cape Clawless Otter	Groototter	Aonyx capensis
	Cape fox	Silvervos	Vulpes chama
	Cape Grey Mongoose	Kleingrysmuishond	Galerella pulverulenta
	Caracal	Rooikat	Felis caracal
	Honey Badger	Ratel	Mellivora capensis
	Large Grey Mongoose	Grootgrysmuidhond	Herpestes ichneumon
	Small Spotted Genet	Kleinkol Muskejaatkat	Genetta genetta
	Large Spotted Genet	Rooikolmuskejaatkat	Genetta tigrina
	Leopard	Luiperd	Panthera pardus
	Serval	Tierboskat	Felis serval
	Striped Polecat	Stinkmuishond	Ictonyx striatus
	Water mongoose	Kommetjiegatmuishond	Atilax paludinosus
PRIMATES - baboons	Chacma Baboon	Bobbejaan	Papio ursinus
	Vervet Monkey	Blou-aap	Cercopethicus aethiops
ARTIODACTYLA - even-toed angulates	Blue Duiker	Blouduiker	Philantomba monticola
	Bontebok	Bontebok	Damaliscus dorcas dorcas
	Bushbuck	Bosbok	Tragelaphus scriptus
	Bushpig	Bosvark	Potamochoerus porcus
	Common Duiker	Gewone Duiker	Sylvicapra grimmia
	Grey Rhebok	Vaalribbok	Pelea capreolus
	Hippopotamus	Seekoei	Hippopotamus amphibius
	Klipspringer	Klipspringer	Oreotragus oreotragus
	Steenbok	Steenbok	Raphicerus campestris
PERRISSODACTYLA - zebra	Cape Mountain Zebra	Kaapsebergzebra	Equus zebra zebra
HYRACOIDAE - dassies	Rock dassie	Klipdas	Procavia capensis
LAGOMORPHA - hares	Scrub hare	Kolhaas	Lepus saxatilis
RODENTIA - rodents	Brant's Climbing Mouse	Brantsse Klimmuis	Dendromus mesomelas
	Cape Dormouse	Gemsbokmuis	Graphiurus ocularis
	Cape Dune Molerat	Kaapse Duinmol	Bathyergus suillus
	Cape Spiny Mouse	Kaapse Stekelmuis	Acomys subspinosus
	Common Molerat	Vaalmol	Cryptomus hottentotus
	Forest Dormouse	Boswaaierstertmuis	Graphirius murinus
	Grey Climbing Mouse	Grysklimmuis	Dendromus melanotis
	Krebs' Fat Mouse	Krebsse Vetmuis	Steatomys krebsii
	Porcupine	Ystervark	Hystrix africaeaustralis
	Pouched Mouse	Wangsakmuis	Saccostomus campestris
	Pigmy Mouse	Dwergmuis	Mus minutoides
	Striped mouse	Streepmuis	Rhabdomys pumilio
	Verreaux's Mouse	Verreauxse Muis	Mastomys verreauxii
	Vlei Rat	Vleirot	Otomys irroratus
	White-Tailed Mouse	Witstertmuis	Mystromys albicaudatus
INSECTIVORA - hedgehogs	Duthie's Golden Mole	Duthiese Gouemol	Chlorotalpa duthiae
	Forest Shrew	Bosskeerbek	Myosorex varius
	Greater Musk Shrew	Groter Skeerbek	Crocidura flavescens
	Hottentot Golden Mole	Hottentotgouemol	Amblysomus hottentotus
	Least Dwarf Shrew	Kleinste Dwegskeerbek	Suncus infinitesimus
	Longtailed Forest Shrew	Langstertbosskeerbek	Myosorex longicaudatus
	Reddish-Grey Musk Shrew	Rooigrysskeerbek	Crocidura cyanea
	Round-eared Elephant Shrew	Ronde-oorklaasneus	Macroscelides proboscideus
	Knysna Golden Mole	Knysnagouemol	Amblysomus iris
CHIROPTERA - bats	Cape Horseshoe Bat	Kaapse Saalneusvlermuis	Rhinolophus capensis
	Cape Serotine Bat	Kaapse Dakvlermuis	Eptesicus capensis
	Egyptian Slit-faced Bat	Gewone-pleutneusvlermuis	Nycteris thebaica
	Egyptian Fruit Bat	Kaapse Vrugtevlermuis	Rousettus aegyptiacus
	Egyptian Free-tailed Bat	Egiptiese Losstertvlermuis	Tadarida aegyptiaca
	Geoffroy's Horseshoe Bat	Geoffroyse aalneusvlermuis	Rhinolophus clivosus
	Kuhl's Pipistrelle	Kuhlse Vlermuis	Pipistrellus kuhlii
	Lesser Long-fingered Bat	Swartvlermuis	Miniopterus fraterculus
	Longtailed Serotine Bat	Langstertdakvlermuis	Eptesicus hottentotus
	Melck's Serotine Bat	Melckse Dakvlermuis	Eptesicus melckorum
	Schreiber's Long-fingered Bat	Schreibersse Grotvlermuis	Miniopterus schreibersii
	Temminck's Hairy Bat	Temminckse Langhaarvlermuis	Myotis tricolor
	Mauritian Tomb Bat	Witlyfvlermuis	Taphozous mauritianus

This official list was obtained from Sanparks in Knysna; please let us know if you spot any errors or ommissions and we'll let them know.

   

     

Extract from an article in "The Edge" newspaper Oct 2010 - LEOPARDS IN THE GARDEN ROUTE: OUR ROLE IN THEIR SURVIVAL
On Thursday 28th October Knysna U3A has the privilege of hearing first hand about the leopards that share our piece of Paradise. Dr Bool Smuts of the Landmark Foundation will discuss the ongoing research being conducted in the area and reveal some interesting and provocative data.

His talk is entitled Confusing dominion with dominance.... focus on the plight of leopard in the region...of interest is the estimated 25 remaining territorial leopard in the Garden Route.


*** Seeing this enticing Forest Edge Mammal List of Knysna forest mammals of the Garden Route, we hope you will visit us for a gamespotting breakaway.
Book a stay and gamespot away!