Established
in 1937 to protect the endangered Cape Mountain Zebra, Mountain
Zebra National Park is located in the Eastern Cape Midlands of South
Africa. The park has succeeded in its intial goal: over 300 Cape
Mountain zebras now thrive in the reserve's rolling plains. Cape
Mountain zebras are distinguished by their lack of shadow stripes and
orange facial coloration. They also have narrower stripes than
the more common Burchell's or plains zebras.
But Mountain Zebra National Park isn't just for
zebras.
Cape buffalo, black wildebeest, red hartebeest, black rhinocerous and
gemsbok all make a home here. Predators within the park include
blackbacked jackals, caracals, Cape wild cats, bat-eared foxes, Cape
clawless otters, aardwolves, suricates and several species of
mongoose. Both vervet monkeys and Chacma baboons are here.
And small mammals are numerous: the park provides excellent habitat for
South African hedgehogs, several species of elephant-shrews, rock mice
and gerbils, Cape hares and red rock rabbits, ground squirrels and
common mole-rats.
Raptors
benefitting from the
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park include
Verreaux's and Martial eagles and
jackal buzzards. Other birds to watch for include blue cranes,
secretarybirds,
pale-winged starlings and Ludwig's bustards.
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WHAT TO DO;
Hiking:
You can explore Mountain Zebra by foot on a three day hike, but you
need to make reservations in advance. The huts that Mountain
Zebra
offers to overnight hikers accomodate no more than twelve people.
You
will need to bring your food and sleeping bag, but beds, running water
and showers are provided at the huts. Short nature trails are
another
option.
Auto Tours: You can watch
game from your own vehicle. And the park offers night drives by
reservation.
WHERE TO STAY
More luxurious options include the park's nineteen two bedroom cottages
with partial kitchens and a three bedroom restored Victorian homestead
with full kitchen. Caravan and tent camping is also allowed at
establsihed campsites. To make reservations, e-mail your
request to reservations@sanparks.org.
DIRECTIONS:
Travel 12
kilometers from Cradock on the Middelburg- Graaff Reinett road to reach
the park's access road. The park is
approximately 280 kilometers from Port Elizabeth.
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