Great Habib Eco system and biodiversity

 

Great Habib restaurant is located in seeta kasangati, Uganda. It’s a popular local dining spot known for its diverse dishes and international cuisine. Seeta is a growing suburb in wakiso district close to Kampala the capital city of Uganda. This area is known for its growing markets, local businesses  and vibrant local community life!

The restaurant offers a cozy ambiance making it favorite for both locals and visitors looking to enjoy good food in a relaxed green environment with the great pond and its natural scent with amazing mute swans enjoying the crystal clear natural waters.

 

This information has been generated for the nature enthusiastic people who are offering their time to study nature and who are finding environment and its creations an important aspect that needs to be conserved and protected for the future generations. It teaches about climatic changes, Eco systems, mammals, butterflies and largely explains bird life and behaviors because Great Habib is a home of birds both wild and domestic!

OK anyone ready? Lets go!

 

To begin with climate, this is the long term change in weather patterns caused by a gradual heating of the earth’s surface and atmosphere. The climate change that we are experiencing now is a result of what we call green house effect, it is caused by an increase in certain gases in the atmosphere, they  absorb the sun’s energy and trap it in the atmosphere just as heat is trapped in a green house. Green house gases include carbon dioxide(CO2) , methane(CH4), water vapour(H2O), ozone(03), and nitrous oxide(N20) some of these are produced naturally but human activities have caused a great increase. Here at Great Habib we reduce these toxic gases by ensuring environment conservation, proper waste disposal and management, proper waste management, tree planting and various trees have been planted like, ficus natalensis, prunous africana, termineria Amazonia, macadamia nuts, moringa and much more trees to give you comfort and natural taste of a greener environment.

 

Lets analyse Eco systems at great Habib

Eco system is unit made up of living(biotic)and non living(abiotic) things that interact and depend on each other. Great Habib has mainly two Eco systems that is; swamp and forest. In the forest here we find a rich number of birds, mammals, mongooses, monkeys among others.

In the swamp here we find fish like tilapia, frogs,birds like cormorants and marbled crayfish.

Here is some information about marbled crayfish, it is also called marmorkrebs this species was discovered in German in 1996 by pet trade. Scientifically it is called procambarus virginalis, this fish is not only notable for its distinctive marbled appearance but also for its unique reproductive abilities and adaptability which have significant ecological implications.

 

Now unlike most crayfish, which produce sexually, marbled crayfish can produce asexually, this means all individuals are females and produce clones of themselves without the need for a mate. Isn’t this very interesting?

Parthenogenesis in marbled crayfish allows a single individual to rapidly populate on an area and they are adoptable to different environments. Their ability to adopt to different environments combined with their rapid reproductive rate, has led to their classification as am invasive species in many regions.

 

Marbled crayfish live to be about 3 years, they live best in medium hard to hard water with a PH in the neutral to alkaline range. They sleep between 5 and 20 minutes and can live for about 5 to 7 days out of water.

A single female can lay between 50 to 400 eggs and the size of the female determines the number of eggs it lays. Big female marbled crayfish can lay up to 650 eggs at a time. Mating for marbled crayfish lasts approximately 15 minutes.

Please if you would love to gaze at this amazing crayfish visit great Habib pond at around 8:00 pm.

Photo of Marbled crayfish

 

 

Water resources in Uganda cover about 15.4% of total land surface area of which Kazinga swamp is inclusive. This swamp is highly conserved and protected for you and the future generation to enjoy. Human activities such as pollution from urban centers, sand mining, agricultural expansion, industrial development and  urbanization have greatly affected the state of aquatic Eco systems in Uganda.

 

Ecological collaboration

In any ecosystem, various organisms interact with each other and with the environment to form a stable and self perpetuating system.

The common ecological interactions include;

  1. Competition

This is the struggle between organisms for limited resources in a given environment.Intra-specific competition occurs on  members of the same species compete for resources in the environment. This is evident on the vervet monkeys in the forest.

Inter-specific competition occurs on members of the different species compete for resources in the environment, like birds in the forest compete with monkeys over fruits.

  1. Predation

This occurs when an organism hunts and feeds on  another organism of different species for example the pied kingfishers perch on the eucalyptus tress near the pond and plunge bellow water surface to catch small tilapia fish and marbled crayfish in the Great Habib pond.

  1. Symbiosis

This means living together regardless the nature of relationship. It includes all species interaction except predation and competition. Example of symbiosis;

  • Mutualism ,

This is the interaction between organisms of different species where all parties benefit for example the swans at Great Habib harmoniously interact with Joan (great cormorant) however much they are all birds, Joan is wild and the swans are domesticated.

  • Commensalism,

This is the interaction between organisms of different species in which one benefits and other is either harmed nor gains a benefit. This is evident in the swans and the small tilapia fish in the pond, the swans supplement their diet on small fish but since the number of swans is limited and the number of fish is deluge, the swans’ feeding on these small fish becomes negligible!

  • Pollination and dispersal,

Many plants depend on animals as agents for pollination and dispersal and these agents may derive nourishment from the host. Many wild animals eat wild fruits and are subsequently involved in dispersal. Initially the location of Great Habib was was dominated by velvet monkeys, it is believed that these monkeys led to diverse dispersal of local guavas in the far south of Great Habib restaurant. And this brings the impact of diversity to the well being of the nearby people who feed on these guavas and other fruits to supplement on their diet.

 

Now here is what we all have been waiting for, the BIRDS’ Corner

We all know birds have wings, feathers, feet and a bill and some one can say they have different colors that’s what most people know about birds but here is some precious information I have gathered for young and up coming birders.

Birds are also called Aves and fall in phylum chordate in kingdom animalia. The fore limbs for birds are modified into wings which is a major adaptation of birds for flight.

Great Habib is a home for over 120 bird species.

In the last couple of decades, birding focused on predominantly on identification and rarities. But currently the development of a more enlighten attitude of getting in touch with nature to recognize and understand how different bird species behave.

 

Lets analyse some of the bird behaviors

  • Movement

Here we look at flight, swimming and diving, walking and running, flocking, roosting and sleeping.

  • Feeding

Food types and feeding modes, birds of pray and how they use their talons to tear flesh, specialized feeders like kingfishers and obtaining water.

  • Breeding

Timing territory and bird songs, courtship displays and nest building, egg laying and incubation.

  • Migration and navigation

Why they move, where they go, migration strategies and unusual migrations and likely cause.

  • Distribution and home range

Habitat influence on behaviour, range and distribution.

  • Life and death

Mounting and plumage, bathing, preening and feather care, sight, hearing and smell, body movements, excreting waste, temperature regulation, birds and weather, disease and death.

 

Bird watching tools

Although a number of birds can be seen at close range, it is always advised to be ready for birding activities, therefore a pair of binoculars is a must when bird sighting. Telescopes can also be used and in fact are better especially when it comes to identifying small and distant birds.Birding hours are always during morning from as early as 6:00am to 10:00am, evening from 5:00pm to as late as 7:00pm and after every rain one can go for birding!

Always take a note book and a pencil on any birding expedition, when you come upon an unknown species take note of the following features;

Colour of feathers, color of the eyes, color of the feet, genuine size of the bird, size of the bill, flying mode if the bird is in flight, perching mode if you see it perched and any other feather that might take your interest, then you can explain this information to your birding teacher they will definitely help you.

 

When bird watching, you should try to be as silent as possible and you should try to avoid sudden movements and finger pointing. Always avoid unnecessary whistling unless when calling a certain bird.

Note that bird watchers are advised to wear dull-colored clothes.

 

 

 

 

 

Explanation of bird parts

 

Here is a detailed information of the bird species found at  Great Habib Wellness Resort. The information has been categorized on bird behavior and facts then further detailed for new birders to learn it quickly. Ooh lets begin!

  • Swimming and diving

This implies to water birds whose flight techniques are adopted to swimming in or under water. Their poorly developed wings are a modification of efficient ‘propellers’ qualifying them into water masters. Ducks and swans have adaptations like webbed feet and oil glands plus streamlined bodies to remain aquatic masters. Great Habib has two mute swans and one black swan, swans are birds of the genus cygnus within the family Anatidae. The swans’ closest relatives include the geese and ducks. Swans are grouped with the closely related geese in the subfamily Anserinae where they form the tribe cygnini, some times they are considered a distinct subfamily cygninae.

Swans usually mate for life although separation sometimes occurs, particularly following nest failure, and if a mate dies, the remaining swan will take up with another. The number of eggs in each clutch ranges from 3 to 8.

 

IMAGE OF THE SWANS

 

    MUTE SWANS

BLACK SWAN

  

Great Habib also has a long tailed cormorant named JOAN, she always perch on the metallic bars that extend into the water. Cormorants stand for long hours with wings outstretched to have them dried since they don’t have water proof feathers. You will closely look at Joan she always portrays herself when the wings are lifted high.

 

Image of JOAN

 

Among the encountered wild species include kingfishers, Hamerkops, Egrets, storks, Heron, crakes and cranes! All these are water loving birds.

 

Kingfishers

These are medium-sized bird with large heads, long pointed bills, short legs and stubby tails. Kingfishers sit on perches above ponds and streams then plunge below  water surface to catch small fish. They are stocky,dagger-billed and colorful. Displays and calls make some conspicuous but forest species are very shy and cryptic despite their bright colors. Great Habib has the following kingfishers;

Malachite kingfisher

Woodland kingfisher

Pied kingfisher

Striped kingfisher

African pygmy kingfisher

 Photo of pied kingfisher

 

Hamerkops

The hamerkop is a medium-sized bird with a long shaggy crest. The shape of its head with a curved bill and crest at the is reminiscent of a hammer, hence its name.

Its plunge is a drab brown all over. It is only one bird in its family. This makes it interesting. its incubation lasts for 30 day. It lays 3 to 7 eggs.

Hamerkop is the smallest African stork, it is famous foe its strong, three tiered nests.

The nest is up to 180cm (6ft)high, 180cm (6ft)wide and can weigh 24-49kg.

It is made up of sticks, reeds grass and dead plant stems placed in a tree fork or on a cliff or on  the ground.

Photo of a Hamerkorp

Egrets, Herons and Storks

These are medium to large sized wading birds with long necks and legs. Storks are large long- legged, long necked with long stout bills, they are mute, bill clattering is an important of stork communication at the nest. Their nests can be large and ,may be re-used for many years. Most species are migratory.

At Great Habib we have a rich number of them they include;

Little egret

Black Heron

Gray Heron

Black-headed heron

Purple heron

African openbill

Western cattle egret

White stork

Yellow billed stork

Goliath heron

Marabou stork

Note;

Herons are widespread in wetlands(but black-headed herons is frequently also seen in open grasslands) all are easily identified. Sexes are alike. They have loud throaty calls when disturbed, but are otherwise largely silent. Flight is powerful and leisurely, with necks retracted onto shoulders!

 

Photos of herons, egrets,and storks

heron

egret

storks

   

Crake

Great Habib has this distinctive bird called black crake. It is small with yellow-green bill and red eyes and legs. Sexes are alike. Immature is browner above and grayer below with whitish throat and duller bill and legs. They always walk at any time of the day.

 

 

 

 

                       Image of black crake

 

 

 

Cranes

These are attractive, tall birds of wetlands and moist agricultural land. They can easily be identified if seen well. Great Habib has one species of cranes. Most people know it as crested crane (the Uganda’s national bird). The name crested crane was named locally but the true name of this bird is called gray crowned crane scientifically it is called  Balearica regulorum.

 Adult is largely gray with dark chestnut, black and white wings, a bristly golden crown and white cheeks edged above with red. Flight looks hunched and laboured with lowered neck and bowed wings revealing extensive white on upper wing contrasting with black-and-chestnut flight feathers. Immatures are smaller than adults with short crest, rufous head and neck.

Grey crowned cranes mate for life and males always dance around females . Couples preen one each other’s necks which helps strengthen their bond. These birds are highly territorial during the breeding season, which usually takes place in the rainy months when wetlands are less accessible to predators. Breeding couples build nests in or along the edges of the wetlands where they lay up to four eggs at a time. They live in a range of 3000m from the sea level.

                               Image of gray crowned crane

 

 

2)Walking and running

For terrestrial (land) birds, the best way to travel short distances without use of too much precious energy is by walking, hopping or running for example as in finches, sparrows, manikins, thrushes and wagtails.

 

Wagtails

Great Habib has only one wagtail called pied wagtail. This is the only black and white wagtail in Africa shows a bold white eyebrow and wing panels and a broad black throat patch. Pairs and groups  frequent a broad range of habits including human altered environments. The species run on the ground foraging for insects, characteristically wagging its tail up and down in an exaggerated motion.

                           Photo of pied wagtail.

 

Mannikins

These are  small in appearance with blackish heads and flanks. They occur in small flocks, feeding in long grasses on the ground. Their size is about 9cm and 3.5 inches. Great Habib has;

Bronze manikins

Black and white manikins

              Image of  black and white mannikin

 

Sparrows

These are well known small, stubby birds with predominantly brown and gray plumages. Some with a small amount of black on the head. All frequently feed on the ground. This bird is called( nkaza lugya in Luganda) they have strong bills that enables them to pick food and break seeds on the ground. At Great Habib we have the northern Gray headed sparrow and in kasangati town there is are house sparrows, for these ones only live in urbanized centers, they are city birds!

                          Image of a northern gray headed sparrow

 

Thrushes

These are well-known genus of larger thrushes, several are similar looking but most have different ranges, habitat preferences and attitudinal limits. Sexes are alike. Juveniles are are rather like adults; but have small sports on the breast. Thrushes are good eaters of chilli and they are good at chilli dispersal in the forests. Great Habib has , an African thrush

                               Image of African thrush

 

Fire finches and wax bills

A similar group of small red and brown wax bills. Different races complicate Identification but can be separated by I attention to bill color, extent of red, and presence or lack of black on the vent. All these birds are hosts to brood-parasitic indigo birds. Wax bills are congregate in large flocks. Sexes are alike. Whereas cordon bleus are slim blue and brown wax bills usually found feeding on the ground in pairs and small flocks. These are available at Great Habib

Red billed fire finch

African fire finch

Yellow billed wax bill

Common wax bill

Crimson-rumped wax bill

Black crowned wax bill

Red cheeked cordon bleu

 Image of red billed fire finch

 

 

Now lets also analyse the tree dwelling (arboreal) birds

Some birds tend to hop while on the ground while terrestrial pipits and larks walk or run .Game birds, rails and crakes spend much time on the ground and are adopted to walking and running  but only flying as a last resort.Among the arboreal we have the following;

 

The double toothed barbet

this is an impressive, black above ( with white centre to back) and bright red bellow with white crescent patches on lower flanks; creamy-white eyes are ringed by yellow skin double notch on the either side of upper mandible. Pairs and families are wide speed in range of woodlands, wooded grass, gardens and scattered fig trees. Great Habib has only this type of barbet.

 

Photo of a double toothed barbet

 

Lets also analyse the weavers’ family

These are social birds that are usually seen in crowds at around our compounds, school compounds and mostly in laces where there are people. The reason as to why weavers always make their nests  around peoples homes is that they are looking for protection from their predators. The predators whenever they see people around they find it hard to eat these weavers.

They build tightly woven nests, varying from small-shaped onion to large round structures with long vertical entrance tunnels. Male weavers are brightly colored and the females are dull, this is because males have to attract females in order to copulate. Males always build the nests during breeding time and females inspect the nests when they find them not attractive, the females pluck them down and males have to re-build the nests again.

        Great Habib has these weavers;

Village weaver

Vieillot’s black weaver

Holub’s golden weaver

Compact weaver

Little weaver

Black headed weaver

Black necked weaver

 

                                    Photo of village weaver

                      

Turraco family

These are an endemic African family, musophagidae. Great blue turracos that that we have here have predominantly blue plumage. Like other turracos they in habit forest and woodland and are most frequently seen in the canopy, running and jumping along large branches before gliding to nearby trees.

Both males and females are alike. The eastern plantain eater is also part of the turracos, sometimes it is referred to as gray turraco.the species we have here always move in pairs and always perch on the tree next to dog house at around 9:00am to 11:00am almost every day.

Image of great blue turraco

 

Sunbirds

These are very attractive in appearance and are always found on flowing plants, they suck nectar using their long curved bills. Many have brightly coloured pectoral tufts that are hidden except when used in displays

Songs are typically fast and musically complex; their distinctive calls are useful for identification, Great Habib location has;

Bronze sunbird

variable sunbird

Collard sunbird

Scarlet chested sunbird

Red chested sunbird

 

        Photo of red chested sunbird

 

Parrots

Parrots are small to large birds with a characteristic curved beak shape. Their upper mandibles have slight mobility in the joint with the skull and have a generally erect stance all parrots are zygodactyl, having the four toes on each foot placed two in front and two at the back. Most people refer to these birds as talking birds, to some extent it might be true but literary parrots mimic the sounds they hear from the environment they live in. Here our parrots mimic the dogs’ barking sound and sometimes you might think it’s the actual dog barking but when it’s a parrot, their ability to talk requires constant training all have far-carring calls made frequently during long flights over the forest canopy, usually seen in pairs but may gather at fruiting trees and often follow regular paths to roosting and feeding areas. Here we have one domesticated Grey parrot.

In the wild we have Meyer’s parrot.

Image of Grey parrot

           Lets now look at this large family of doves and pigeons

You know as I told you earlier that ,great Habib is a home of birds, now this becomes evident here! To begin with pigeons, we have a deluge number of them here being domesticated, this could be your chance of glancing at these amazing pigeons with their eye catching facts! We have various pigeons in our care.some of them include,

French modem pigeon

Fantail pigeon

Frill back pigeon

Speckled pigeon

African green pigeon

Pouter pigeon

Cappucino pigeon

And many various local pigeons

Lets analyse the fantail pigeon

The fantailed pigeon is a popular breed of fancy pigeon. It is characterized by a fan-shaped tail composed of 30 to 40 feathers, abnormally more than most members of the dove and pigeon family, which usually have 12 to 14 tail feathers. The breed is thought to have originated in Pakistan, India , china, japan or Spain,

 

Charles Darwin used this species as the one of the examples in the first chapter of his book “on the origin of species” he believed it was a descendant of the rock dove(columba livia). there is a further mutation called silky that gives an interesting lace effect to a fantail’s tail feathers. Fantails with this mutation are known as silky or lace fantails. Fantails are often used by pigeon flayers in the training racing pigeons and tipplers. They are used as droppers in that they are placed on the loft landing board as a signal to the flying birds to come in and be fed.

 

Image of a fantailed pigeon

 

 

On the doves’ corner, Great Habib has no domesticated doves however we have many that are wild. Doves are small, delicate brown with banded rumps, rufous wing patches and iridescent spots on their wings characterized by attractive long cooing songs, which die away( and can be hard to distinguish) these doves can be seen every evening on electricity wire.

Great Habib has;

Tambourine dove,

Emerald dove

Ring necked dove

Red eyed dove

Laughing dove

                                           Photo of ring necked dove

 

 

BIRDS OF PREY

These refers to day flying raptors and owls that feed on other living creatures for example eagles, hawks, buzzards, harriers kites, falcons and osprey.They all share characteristic traits of fierce talons to catch or grip prey and sharp hooked beak to tear flesh apart during feeding. Various species have different array of feeding methods for example kestrel often hunts by hovering motionlessly over grass verge the plunging down to catch its prey (vole)  un suspectedly.

The hobby catches insects for example dragon flies and small birds like martins and swallows in mid air while peregrine falcons hunt by stooping from great heights down onto prey.

Sparrowhawks have shot wings and long tails to help them maneuver their way through dense vegetation and also ambush their pray while eagles and buzzards fly high in the sky while searching for for food. The osprey hunts in a specialized manner for a raptor. It plunges its feet into the water to grab large fish with its talon. Owls for example the African wood owl however much we don’t have it here but they hunt by watching and waiting for pray from a tree or stump/post while the barn owls glide low over open ground to

Search for the slightest small animal movements. At Great Habib we have no owls encountered yet, but we have the following birds of prey.

Black kite

Long crested eagle

African fish eagle

African harrier-hawk

African marsh Harrier(but very rare)

Palm-nut vulture

Hooded vulture

Black winged kite

Lizard buzzard

Shikra

Grey kestrel (also very rare)

Photo of long crested eagle

 

Now lets look at birds and weather and lastly we analyse diseases and death!

Birds are more influenced by weather than any other living organisms on the earth and have thus earned a reputation as excellent weather forecasters. Birds change their behaviour following changes in weather and these observations can help in predicting the on coming weather.

Insectivorous birds like martins and swallows which feed high in the atmosphere due to settled weather of high pressure but feed low during low pressure spell.

Some birds for example woodpeckers are associated with rain. They become more active in calling and pecking or drumming before the arrival of the rains. This behaviour has earned them a special name as “rain birds” in many parts of Europe and British. At Great Habib we have  an African gray woodpecker but it is very rear.

Extreme weather highly affects bird behaviour. For example in winter small birds for example Robins must one quarter of their body weight daily in order to survive and when the snow covers the ground and tree branches or twigs are iced over,they are denied seeds or insects thus the need to change behavior. At great Habib we have one robin-chats;

White browed robin-chat

 

 

 

Image of white browed robin-chat

 

Weather also affects bird feeding. For instance, wet weather reduces food supply and chances of egg hatching for example( in warblers or insect eating species such as Tits)

Migratory species become disoriented by wind and may perish, falling exhausted beneath the waves. Global warming is presumed birds long term threat as currently little egrets and Mediterranean gulls have already started shifting their range north wards due to climatic change.

 

Diseases and death

Disease  is one of the three causes of death in wild birds after killing by predators and lack of food. Diseases are more common in colonial or social birds like weavers, starlings and house sparrows.concentration of birds in areas of human habitation or humans feed them has increased prevalence of salmonella.

Many birds also carry endoparasites for example liver flukes or tapeworms and ectoparasites such as fleas, feather lice and mites. Nevertheless, most parasites co-exist with birds(occupational hazards) for years; they cause harm and even lead to death in  a few particular situations.

Longevity,  the larger the bird the longer it lives. Average longevity is correlated with body weight, following a complex mathematical formula for example a species weighing 20 times as much as another will live twice as long.

Most song birds are known a mean longevity of 1-2 years and life span in a few cases of 7-10 years but they are more perhaps a few exceptions to the rule of “live first, die young”. surprisingly the oldest recorded wild bird was oystercatcher – 36 years ringing.

Birds of prey like eagles do not mature quickly in 5years of more after hatching thus live longer(20-30years).

Lets now look at the whole checklist of biodiversity found at Great Habib wellness Resort.

The bird checklist

Hadada ibis

Sacred Ibis

Long tailed cormorant

Grey heron

Black headed heron

Purple heron

African openbill

Western cattle egret

White stork

Yellow billed stork

Goliath heron

Marabou stork

African pigmy kingfisher

Striped kingfisher

Woodland kingfisher

Malachite kingfisher

Black crake

Grey crowned crane

Black kite

Long crested eagle

African fish eagle

African marsh harrier

African harrier-hawk

Palm-nut vulture

Hooded vulture

Black winged kite

Lizard buzzard

Shikra

Grey kestrel

Red billed fire finch

African fire finch

Yellow billed wax bill

Common wax bill

Crimson-rumped wax bill

Black crowned wax bill

Red cheeked cordon bleu

Eastern plantain eater

Great blue turraco

Ross’ turraco

Hamerkop

Village weaver

Vieillot’s black weaver

Compact weaver

Little weaver

Black headed weaver

Black necked weaver

Grosbeak weaver

White browed robin-chat

Snowy caped robin-chat

Tambourine dove

Emerald dove

Ring necked dove

Red eyed dove

Laughing dove

Bronze Mannikins

Black and white Mannikins

Pied wagtail

House sparrow

Northern gray headed sparrow

French modem pigeon

Fantail pigeon

Speckled pigeon

African green pigeon

Pouter pigeon

Cappucino pigeon

Mayer’s parrot

Grey parrot

Scarlet chested sunbird

Red chested sunbird

Bronze sunbird

Variable sunbird

Collard sunbird

Double toothed barbet

Pied wagtail

African palm swift

Blue napped mouse bird

Winding cisticola

Black headed gonolek

African gray wood pecker

Black cuckoo

Black headed paradise flycatcher

Helmented guineafowl

Purple headed starling

Ruppell’s starling

Splendid starling

Red faced cisticola

Yellow rumped tinkerbird

Pied crow

Tawny eagle

Broad billed roller

Green backed camaroptera

Egyptian goose

Rock pigeon

Blue sported wood-dove

Barn swallow

Angola swallow

Blue-headed coucal

White-browed coucal

Klaas’s cuckoo

Red chested cuckoo

White throated bee-eater

Crowned hornbill

Black and white casqued hornbill

Yellow-fronted tinkerbird

Common bulbul/ yellow vented bulbul/ dark capped bulbul

Towny-flanked prinia

Green white eye

Pin-tailed whydah

Fork tailed drong

Yellow fronted canary

Mute swans

Black swan

Pekin ducks

Local pigeons

Local ducks

Frogs

Pond frog

African dwarf frog

Goliath frog

Northern leopard frog and many more

Mammals’ corner

Vavet monkeys

Side striped jackal

Banded mongoose

Ground pangolin

Straw colored fruit bat

Western ground squirrel

Cape hare

Nile grass rat

 Butterflies

African queen butterfly

Green banded banded swallowtail

Broad-bordered grass yellow butterfly

Common grass yellow butterfly

Mocker swallowtail butterfly

Scarlet tip butterflies

Lizards

African five-lined skink

Red-headed rock agama

Common house gecko

Peter’s bent-toed gecko

Forest chameleon

 Thank you for your patience, lets try to prevent species extinction as we look towards planting more trees and further spreading the good news of conservation everywhere!