25/11/2017
Another earlier morning, I photographed and caught a few Namib Rock Agama’s, Boulton’s Day Geckos and Barnard’s Namib Day Geckos and a few more Marbled Rubber frogs. Then released all of the geckos and agamas headed to the main house and chatted with Rene over some tea. We then walked around where she often see’s large lizards. Turns out they are the resident Ovambo Tree Skinks but where quite high up in a dead tree so I was unable to get any photos or catch one. Living in the guttering was a small monitor lizard apparently, I took a quick look it was yet another Ovambo Tree Skink but again I was unable to grab any of them far too quick!
A great selection of Tandy’s Sand Frogs, these frogs where quite common amongst the rocks of teh dry river bed. We walked these dry riverbeds torching the cracks for snakes and reptiles whilst being mindful of the Elephants, Lions and who knows what else was roaming around. Thankfully we only encountered the sand frogs.
Tomopterma tandyi
Tandy’s Sand Frog.
Tomopterma tandyi
Tandy’s Sand Frog.
Tomopterma tandyi
Tandy’s Sand Frog.
Tomopterma tandyi
Tandy’s Sand Frog.
Tomopterma tandyi
Tandy’s Sand Frog.
Tomopterma tandyi
Tandy’s Sand Frog.
Tomopterma tandyi
Tandy’s Sand Frog.
Tomopterma tandyi
Tandy’s Sand Frog.
Pachydactylus scutatus – Large Scaled Gecko.
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These Barnards Day gecko s were really common on the stones around the cottage.
These geckos covered the inside and outside walls of our accommodation in the background. Chondrodactylus turneri –
Turners Gecko.
Pachydactylus bicolor – Two-coloured Gecko.
We packed up our things and had more tea with Rene and her daughters for a good hour or so before actually making our way. It is a good hours drive to get from the farm house to the main road.
We headed out a good hour drive back to the main road and then it was into Otjiwarongo to drop some documents off and headed to Ethne’s farm to collect a few snakes and off back to Windhoek. We arrived at around 5:40, picked up a few call out snakes and was off to a local pub for dinner. At one of the legitmate German bars in town as Francois suggested.
A pretty darn huge pizza and Francois with something!
We set out for a road cruise to Dorribis an area where we had cruised last year and whereFrancoisi frequently drives for snakes. We drove 120km round trip but failed to get any live snakes.
Telescopus semiannulatus polystictus – Damara tiger snake a little flat.
Headed back to Francois and got to bed before 12 a miracle really!
26/11/2017 – The last day in Namibia.
Had a good night sleeping in a real bed for the first time in 8 days – never underestimate the importance of a good bed! I photographed a few specimens before Francois and I headed off to the local nature reserve to release some specimens we collected late the previous day.
These Spotted Bush Snakes are quite something, compared to the animals I am used to seeing back home. The South African specimens are long slender, bright green animals whereas these Namibian specimens are robust, olive green and bronze in colour and reportedly feed on mice. Although their attitude was the same, nervous and quick to bite.
A much larger Zebra Snake as they’re commonly called.
After a few hours in the blazing sun, we headed back to Francois place and I had the mammoth task of trying to pack and repack my bag which was tremendously overpacked with the addition of a new pair of vellies from Swakop Vellies
Can’t forget this amazing sighting
Packed up and was forced to wear my parka jacket in the 30 degree plus weather – not ideal! We headed to the airport waited close to an hour to get checked in due to some new process. Another 45 mins or so to get through emigration. The Flight was delayed 30 mins so had some time to kill in the rather tiny departure lounge and burn some leftover NAM $. Finally, take off and a quick 2-hour flight back off to South Africa and spent the next two days in Johannesburg, it’s good to be back home and see Skye after close to two weeks.
Namibia was incredibly tiring and exhilarating and already we’re planning another trip towards the end of 2018. The South of Namibia seems like a good idea!
Thanks for reading.
Loving it, glad you guys got to see so much. Jealous of the garter snake. If you guys do south Namibia…hope you find some black spitters and ideally even an integrade.
Thanks Ipinge! We had a fantastic trip even with the Zebra snakes 😉
Incredible finds. Very cool geckos though. I live near western ghats and herps especially geckos are quite a bit different compared to desert dwelling ones.
Thank you, they sure are. Gecko species are plentiful in the dry arid regions of Namibia.