Fauna

uKhahlamba-Drakensberg · 31 species

The animals you might meet on the trail — from eland on the foothill slopes to bearded vultures on the escarpment.

An eland standing side-on in short highland grassland

Mammal · Valleys · Slopes

Eland

Tragelaphus oryx

  • Largest antelope

The Berg’s signature antelope — and the animal the San painted most.

1,280–2,865 mAll year
A dark Phofung river frog held in a hand beside a mountain stream

Amphibian · Slopes · Summit

Phofung river frog

Amietia hymenopus

  • Endemic to the Drakensberg–Maloti

A frog of the cold high streams, found only on the upper Drakensberg and Lesotho.

1,830–3,480 mSpring and summer
A pale Cape vulture in flight against a grassy Drakensberg slope

Bird · All heights

Cape vulture

Gyps coprotheres

  • Southern African endemic
  • Vulnerable

Pale vultures that ride the thermals in groups along the escarpment.

1,280–3,480 mAll year
A mountain reedbuck ram walking across bare ground

Mammal · Valleys · Slopes

Mountain reedbuck

Redunca fulvorufula

  • Endangered

Reddish-grey antelope of rocky, grassy hillsides — listen for its whistle.

1,280–2,865 mAll year
A male oribi standing in tall grass, facing the camera

Mammal · Valleys · Slopes

Oribi

Ourebia ourebi

  • Endangered in southern Africa

A small, rare grassland antelope that shows best on the green flush after a burn.

1,280–2,865 mAll year
A bushbuck ram with spiral horns standing among trees

Mammal · Valleys

Bushbuck

Tragelaphus sylvaticus

A shy, white-spotted antelope of the forest patches and bushy stream banks.

1,280–1,830 mAll year
A male Drakensberg rockjumper calling from a rock in Lesotho

Bird · Slopes · Summit

Drakensberg rockjumper

Chaetops aurantius

  • Endemic to the Drakensberg–Maloti
  • Near threatened

A bold, orange-bellied songbird that hops between boulders on the high slopes.

1,830–3,480 mAll year
A black-backed jackal standing side-on in scrub

Mammal · All heights

Black-backed jackal

Lupulella mesomelas

More often heard than seen: the wailing call at dusk is a Berg sound.

1,280–3,480 mAll year
A yellow-breasted pipit standing in dry grass

Bird · Valleys · Slopes

Yellow-breasted pipit

Macronyx chloris

  • Vulnerable

A rare, lemon-breasted bird of the tall, tufted grassland high on the slopes in summer.

1,280–2,865 mSummer on the high grassland
A female leopard walking through green grass

Mammal · Valleys · Slopes

Leopard

Panthera pardus

  • Vulnerable
  • Very rarely seen

May still hide in the gorges in tiny numbers — a sighting would be exceptional.

1,280–2,865 mAll year
A male Drakensberg siskin with yellow underparts perched on a rock

Bird · Slopes · Summit

Drakensberg siskin

Crithagra symonsi

  • Endemic to the Drakensberg–Maloti

A small brown-and-yellow finch of the high scrub, flashing white tail sides.

1,830–3,480 mAll year
An adult bearded vulture gliding on long, narrow wings, Giant’s Castle

Bird · Slopes · Summit

Bearded vulture

Gypaetus barbatus

  • Critically endangered in southern Africa
  • Near threatened globally

The bone-breaker: a huge, diamond-tailed vulture of the high cliffs.

1,830–3,480 mAll year
A mountain pride butterfly with wings open on red Crassula flowers

Insect · Valleys · Slopes

Mountain pride butterfly

Aeropetes tulbaghia

A big brown butterfly drawn to red flowers — and their key pollinator.

1,280–2,865 mSummer to autumn
A rinkhals rearing up with its hood spread on sandy ground

Reptile · Valleys · Slopes

Rinkhals

Hemachatus haemachatus

  • Venomous
  • Spits venom

A grassland cobra relative that spits venom at the eyes — and sometimes plays dead.

1,280–2,865 mWarmer months
A black Verreaux’s eagle in flight with wings spread

Bird · All heights

Verreaux’s eagle

Aquila verreauxii

  • Vulnerable in southern Africa

A jet-black eagle with a white V on its back, hunting dassies along the cliffs.

1,280–3,480 mAll year
A jackal buzzard perched on top of a bare bush

Bird · All heights

Jackal buzzard

Buteo rufofuscus

  • Southern African endemic

A slate-and-rufous buzzard that hangs on the updrafts and yelps like a jackal.

1,280–3,480 mAll year
A southern bald ibis with a red crown walking in short grass

Bird · Valleys · Slopes

Southern bald ibis

Geronticus calvus

  • Southern African endemic
  • Near threatened

Glossy dark ibis with a bald red crown, feeding on short and burnt grassland.

1,280–2,865 mAll year
A rock hyrax crouched on grey rock

Mammal · All heights

Rock hyrax

Procavia capensis

Rabbit-sized rock dwellers that sunbathe in colonies on boulders and cliffs.

1,280–3,480 mAll year
A ground woodpecker with a red belly standing upright in grass

Bird · All heights

Ground woodpecker

Geocolaptes olivaceus

  • Southern African endemic
  • Near threatened

A woodpecker that never needs a tree — it digs for ants among the rocks.

1,280–3,480 mAll year
A Cape clawless otter walking over a grassy bank

Mammal · Valleys · Slopes

Cape clawless otter

Aonyx capensis

  • Near threatened

A big otter of the mountain rivers, catching crabs and frogs among the boulders.

1,280–2,865 mAll year
A green male malachite sunbird calling from an orange pincushion flower

Bird · Valleys · Slopes

Malachite sunbird

Nectarinia famosa

A brilliant metallic-green sunbird working the proteas, aloes and red-hot pokers.

1,280–2,865 mAll year
A patterned berg adder stretched across a rock

Reptile · Slopes · Summit

Berg adder

Bitis atropos

  • Venomous

A small, well-camouflaged adder of the high grasslands. Watch your step.

1,830–3,480 mWarmer months; basks on paths and rocks
A grey rhebok ram on a steep grassy slope against a blue sky, Drakensberg

Mammal · Slopes · Summit

Grey rhebok

Pelea capreolus

  • Southern African endemic
  • Near threatened

A woolly grey antelope of the high slopes, usually in small family groups.

1,830–3,480 mAll year
A mottled Natal ghost frog on a wet, mossy rock

Amphibian · Valleys · Slopes

Natal ghost frog

Hadromophryne natalensis

A flattened frog of waterfalls and cascades, with tadpoles that cling to rock.

1,280–2,865 mAll year
A male Drakensberg crag lizard, yellow and green, basking on a rock near Sani Pass

Reptile · Slopes · Summit

Drakensberg crag lizard

Pseudocordylus melanotus subviridis

  • Endemic to South Africa and Lesotho

A chunky crag lizard sunning itself on the high rock outcrops.

1,830–3,480 mSunny days, warmer months
A Drakensberg dwarf chameleon on a dry plant with Drakensberg cliffs behind

Reptile · Valleys · Slopes

Drakensberg dwarf chameleon

Bradypodion dracomontanum

  • Endemic to the Drakensberg
  • Near threatened

A small brown chameleon of the central and northern Berg, easily overlooked.

1,280–2,865 mWarmer months
An adult male chacma baboon walking on a sandy track

Mammal · Valleys · Slopes

Chacma baboon

Papio ursinus

Troops forage the slopes and cliffs — and know exactly what a backpack is.

1,280–2,865 mAll year
A male sentinel rock-thrush with blue-grey head and orange belly on a rock

Bird · Slopes · Summit

Sentinel rock-thrush

Monticola explorator

  • Southern African endemic
  • Near threatened

A blue-grey and orange thrush keeping watch from a rock on the high grassland.

1,830–3,480 mAll year
A spotted serval standing on a road, looking at the camera

Mammal · Valleys

Serval

Leptailurus serval

  • Near threatened in southern Africa

A long-legged spotted cat that hunts vlei rats in the foothill wetlands.

1,280–1,830 mAll year
A Gurney’s sugarbird perched on an orange aloe flower spike

Bird · Valleys · Slopes

Gurney’s sugarbird

Promerops gurneyi

  • Near threatened

A long-tailed, russet-capped nectar feeder that lives among the silver proteas.

1,280–2,865 mAll year
A round, grey-brown ice rat sitting among rocks

Mammal · Slopes · Summit

Ice rat

Otomys sloggetti

  • High-altitude specialist

A chubby, short-tailed rodent that lives year-round on the cold high slopes and plateau.

1,830–3,480 mAll year