The Soutpansberg and Wolkberg are two of the most diverse regions in the northern province, Holding multiple endemic reptiles and amphibians. This was not my first time exploring these special mountain ranges, however this was by far the most successful trip I have had.

Below is a short collection of images taken over the 2 week trip in the northern region of the Limpopo, Province. This post however displays only the Haenertsburg and Greater Soutpansberg portion of the trip.

SPECIES LIST

Reptiles

Thelotornis capensis (Vine Snake); Telescopus semiannulates (Eastern Tiger Snake) ; Dispholidus typus (Boomslang) ; Dasypeltis scabra (Rhombic Egg Eater) ; Crotaphopeltis hotamboeia (Herald Snake); Naja mossambica (Mozambique Spitting Cobra) ; Naja annulifera (Snouted Cobra); Elapsoidea sundevallii longicauda (Long-tailed Garter Snake); Aspidelaps scutatus scutatus (Common Shield-nosed Cobra); Prosymna stuhlmannii (East African Shovel Snout); Prosymna linneata (Lined Shovel Snout); Duberria lutrix lutrix (Common Slug Eater) ; Psammophis subtaeniatus (Western Yellow-bellied Sand Snake); Lycophidion variegated (Variegated Wolf Snake) ; Boaedon capensis (Brown House Snake) ; Xenocalamus bicolor lineatus (Striped Quill-snouted Snake) ; Atractaspis bibronii (Bibron’s Stiletto Snake) ; Bitis atropos (Berg Adder) ; Bitis arietans (Puff Adder) ; Python natalensis (Southern African Python) ; Myriopholis longicauda (Long-tailed Thread Snake) ; Leptotyphlops scutifrons (Peter’s Thread Snake) ; Afrotyphlops bibronii (Bibron’s Blind Snake) ; Agama atra (Southern Rock Agama) ; Agama armata (Peter’s Ground Agama) ; Chamaeleo dilepis  (Common Flap-neck Chameleon); Bradypodion transvaalense (Soutpansberg) (Nothern Dwarf Chameleon) ; Bradypodion transvaalense (Woodbush) (Northern Dwarf Chameleon) ; Varanus albigularis albigularis (Rock Monitor) ; Scelotes limpopoensis limpopoensis (Limpopo Dwarf Burrowing Skink); Trachylepis damarana (Damara Skink) ; Trachylepis varia (Variable Skink) ; Trachylepis striata (Striped Skink) ; Trachylepis punctatissima (Speckled Rock Skink) ; Trachylepis margaritifer (Rainbow Skink) ; Trachylepis homalocephala (Red-sided Skink); Trachylepis capensis (Cape Skink) ; Mochlus sundevallii sundevallii (Sundevall’s Writhing Skink); Panaspis wahlbergi (Wahlberg;s Snake-eyed Skink) ; Panaspis maculicollis (Spotted-neck Snake-eyed Skink) ; Acontias rieppeli (Woodbush Legless Skink); Acontias richardi (Richard’s Legless Skink) ; Acontias occidentalis (Savanna Legless Skink) ; Acontias kgalagadi subtaeniatus (Stripe-bellied Legless Skink); Matobosaurus validus (Common Giant Plated Lizard) ; Gerrhosaurus flavigularis (Yellow-throated Plated Lizard) ; Platysaurus relictus (Soutpansberg Flat Lizard) ; Platysarus intermedius rhodesianus (Zimbabwe Flat Lizard) ; Smaug depressus (Flat Dragon Lizard) ; Cordylus vittifer (Common Girdled Lizard) ; Cordylus jonesii (Jones’ Girdled Lizard) ; Chamaesaura anguina aguina (Cape Grass Lizard) ; Chamaesaura sp ; Heliobolus lugubris (Bushveld Lizard) ; Pachydactylus vansoni (Van Sons’ Gecko); Pachydactylus punctatus (Speckled Gecko) ; Pachydactylus capensis (Cape Gecko) ; Pachydactylus affinis (Transvaal Gecko) ; Lygodactylus soutpansbergensis (Soutpansberg Dwarf Gecko) ; Lygodactylus nigropunctatus (Black-spotted Dwarf Gecko) ; Lygodactylus methueni (Methuen’s Dwarf Gecko) ; Lygodactylus cepensis (Cape Dwarf Gecko) ; Homopholis wahlbergi (Wahlberg’s Velvet Gecko) ; Hemidactylus mabouia (Tropical House Gecko) ; Chondrodactylus turneri (Turners Gecko) ; Afroedura transvaalica (Zimbabwe Flat Gecko) ; Afroedura multiporis (Woodbush Flat Gecko) ; Afroedura pienaari (Pienaar’s Flat Gecko) ; Stigmochelys pardalis (Leopard Tortoise) ; Kinixys spekii (Speke’s Hinged Tortoise).

Amphibians

Amietia delalandii (Common River Frog) ; Amietophrynus garmani (Eastern Olive Toad) ; Amietophrynus maculatus (Flat-backed Toad) ; Amietophrynus rangeri (Raucous Toad) ; Breviceps adspersus adspersus (Bushveld Rain Frog) ; Breviceps mossambicus (Mozambique Rain Frog) ; Breviceps sylvestris sylvestris (Northern Rain Frog) ; Breviceps sylvestris taeniatus (Northern Rain Frog) ; Cacosternum boettgeri (Boettger’s Caco) ; Pyxicephalus edulis (Edible Bullfrog) ; Poyntonophrynus fenoulheti (Northern Pygmy Toad) ; Schismaderma carens (Red Toad) ; Hadromophryne natalensis (Natal Cascade Frog) ; Hemisus marmoratus (Mottled Shouvel-nosed Frog) ; Hyperolius marmoratus (Painted Reed Frog) ; Kassina senegalensis ( Bubbling Kassina) ; Phrynomantis bifasciatus (Banded Rubber Frog) ; Ptychadena mossambica (Broad-banded Grass Frog) ; Xenopus laevis (Common Platanna) ; Strongylopus grayii (Clicking Stream Frog) ; Tomopterna cryptotis (Tremelo Sand Frog) ; Tomopterna marmorata (Russet-backed Sand Frog) ; Chiromantis xerampelina (Southern Foam Nest Frog).

Special thanks to the Spurway family for assisting us with accommodation during our stay in Haenertsburg and Ryan from the Soutpansberg Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation during the Soutpansberg portion of this trip.