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The weather turned out to be far cooler than I would have imagined for this time of year, but I guess winter holds on a little longer in the cape. Despite the cool weather conditions in the area over the past few weeks I did manage to find some reptiles and amphibians. The first was a little Reed Frog that came into the flat I am staying in.
While on a hike in the surrounding hills I came across three Rhombic Skaapstekers under the same log laying together (11 October). I found them late in the afternoon and the temperature was relatively low. I managed to capture two for photographs, but one got away. The bigger of the two was in the blue and I would estimate that it was about 80 centimetres long the other one was about 50 or 60 centimetres long. I took them home because I never had a camera on me and released them and photographed them the next day exactly where I found them.
The next day while on a hike in the same hills I came across this Puff Adder (12 October). It was about forty centimetres long and basking along the foot path. The snake was very calm and never striked nor did it hiss. It did try and get away and taking photos was a little difficult.
This is an image of the environment in the hills around Grahamstown where I found these snakes.
On Sunday 14 October I went out to Greater Fish River Reserve. It is a good place and was very quiet. Without even looking for reptiles I came across two Leopard Tortoises. One was very large and the other was comparatively small. They were foraging along the river bank and the bigger one was right up against the waters edge in some reeds.
