funfrogr's Favorites

*this appears to be a released pet leucistic axolotl, which we were able to capture, and are holding until pick up by someone locally who can care for it properly

Update :( unfortunately the person who took over caring for this little guy let us know that he passed away overnight on 18June - they had eaten, but were unable to keep food down (also, it was in rough shape when we found them - gills looked terrible, emaciated, and one eye was damaged/partly missing)

Some context/further details:
We found them in the creek behind where we live, which is a highly populated residential area. It seemed like they were “stuck/scared” (if we hadn’t found them I think they would have just stayed there until they died or were predated), and when we went down with a bucket they crawled right in. While waiting for the person we had found who has experience with them, they seemed to be accustomed to people/were approaching us in the temporary tub we’d set up for them. Also, my spouse had seen someone the previous day (it may have been 2 days prior) down in the creek (like maybe 10 metres away from where we found this wee one), which is not normal (we’re usually the only nature nerds around here!) and thinks they had an emptied bag when they left.

All that to say that although we have no proof that this was a very recent release of an already ill pet, it seems unlikely that they’d been living in the creek for much more than 24 hrs before we found them. I’m still glad we tried to help <3

Gutteral Invasion

Seen on the night excursion. in a ditch in the events parking area.

Bad news. We dont know what these will do with the Western Leopard Toads: compete with them? hybridize with them? share/spread diseases? Not a clue. Best to remove them ASAP.
And we dont know what they will do with the really rare Cacos and Micros in the area: will they eat them as well? This is the only place on the Cape Flats with Micros, so best to remove these invaders ASAP.
We know who introduced them to Cape Town. We know that they are now spreading in plants from a few nurseries. And probably also down stream.
But how this one got into Kenilworth is a mystery: it is not known from within 2km of here.

Perhaps some kid releasing a grown up tadpole in a nature reserve. Dumping alien animals in nature reserves seems to be a national past time. At best it creates an alien problem. At worst the poor animal starves to death. Rather donate them to the SPCA.

Arthroleptella draconella
Klein Drakenstein Moss Frog. From Drakenstein, Western Cape.

https://www.tyroneping.co.za/amphibians-of-southern-africa/arthroleptella-draconella-drakenstein-moss-frog/

With @olvr_a

Underwater recording of Weddell Seals by the McMurdo Oceanographic Observatory (www.moo-antarctica.net). Of potentially soniferous marine mammals, only Weddell seals occur in the area at this time of year. Verified also by regular visual/video observation. Hydrophone at 21m deep. (Attached photo is example of Weddell seal near the observatory site, but was not taken at the same time as the audio recording).