The Iphithi Nature Reserve conserves 12 ha of forest and wetland in the Molweni River's upper catchment in northern Gillitts , KwaZulu-Natal , South Africa. It was founded in 2001 by a group of nearby residents, and is managed by the Gillitts Conservancy, which also oversees the Minerva grassland.
18-496: It is situated in the mPhiti valley, which is flanked by Ashley and Edward drives. A stand of invasive eucalypts was present here for 50 years up to 2001. Residents bordering the valley organised a committee and contracted a logger to fell these. The committee was paid a lump sum for the valuable timber which it used to establish the reserve, fence off additional entrances and pay for the laying of paths, building of viewing decks and planting of indigenous flora. Some residents bordering on
36-527: A "deer". It is generally treated as having eight species, namely: . An alternative classification, supported by genetic data, would recognise 11 species in five groups, which could be treated as subgenera or full genera: (i) Nyala for T. angasii ; (ii) Ammelaphus for T. imberbis ; (iii) Taurotragus for the two elands ( T. oryx and T. derbianus ); (iv) Strepsiceros for T. strepsiceros and (v) Tragelaphus restricted to T. buxtoni , T. spekei , T. scriptus , T. sylvaticus (Imbabala - separated from
54-437: A computer and cell phone system. Phone numbers displayed at the entrance gate can be used upon arrival in order to gain access and again to leave the premises. An Iphithi sundowner stroll is arranged from time to time. Monthly donors have automatic access. [REDACTED] Media related to Iphithi Nature Reserve at Wikimedia Commons Bushbuck The Cape bushbuck ( Tragelaphus sylvaticus ), also known as imbabala
72-420: A northern and southern 'group'. The Ethiopian endemic species known as Menelik's bushbuck or decula was classified as a scriptus group species as opposed to Woodley. In the case of Tragelaphus , these 'species' would be based mostly on geography and pelage as opposed to genetics. These proposals are controversial. In 2018, Hassanin et al. published a molecular phylogenetic study that provided support for
90-544: A separate genus, if the nyala and the lesser kudu are relocated to their own monospecific genera, respectively Nyala and Ammelaphus . Other generic synonyms include Strepsiceros (which applies to T. strepsiceros ) and Boocercus (for T. eurycerus ). The name "Tragelaphus" comes from the mythical tragelaph . Giant eland Common eland Greater kudu Mountain nyala Bongo Sitatunga Cape bushbuck Harnessed bushbuck Lowland nyala Lesser kudu Tragelaphus / t r ə ˈ dʒ ɛ l ə f ə s /
108-775: A southern subspecies T. s. sylvaticus . In the 1780 original description of T. sylvaticus from the Cape Region by Sparrman, no mention was made of striping. According to Moodley et al ., males of type populations in West Africa are more often striped than southern and eastern specimens, although this is not always the case. In 2011, Groves and Grubb advocated recognising eight species of bushbuck: T. scriptus (Pallas, 1766); T. phaleratus (Hamilton Smith, 1827); T. bor Heuglin, 1877; T. decula (Rüppell, 1835); T. meneliki Neumann, 1902; T. fasciatus Pocock, 1900; T. ornatus Pocock, 1900; and T. sylvaticus (Sparrman, 1780), grouped in
126-503: Is a genus of medium-to-large-sized spiral- horned antelopes . It contains several species of bovines , all of which are relatively antelope-like. Species in this genus tend to be large in size and lightly built, and have long necks and considerable sexual dimorphism . Elands , including the common eland ( Taurotragus oryx ), are embedded within this genus, meaning that Taurotragus must be subsumed into Tragelaphus to avoid paraphyly. Alternatively, Taurotragus could be maintained as
144-617: Is a common, medium-sized bushland -dwelling, and a widespread species of antelope in sub-Saharan Africa . It is found in a wide range of habitats , such as rain forests , montane forests , forest- savanna mosaic, savanna, bushveld , and woodland. It stands around 90 cm (35 in) at the shoulder and weigh from 45 to 80 kg (99 to 176 lb). They are generally solitary, territorial browsers . Giant eland Common eland Greater kudu Balbok Bongo Marshbuck Cape bushbuck Harnessed bushbuck Lowland nyala Lesser kudu The taxonomy of bushbuck, and of
162-431: Is a genus in the tribe Tragelaphini and the family Bovidae . The genus authority is French zoologist Henri Marie Ducrotay de Blainville , who first mentioned it in the journal Bulletin des Sciences, par la Société Philomatique in 1816. The name is not of modern scientific invention, but comes from ancient Greek τραγέλαφος ( tragélaphos ), from τράγος ( trágos ), meaning a "male goat", and ἔλαφος ( élaphos ), meaning
180-499: The Tragelaphini tribe in general, has been contested. Bushbuck have been fractured into over 40 subspecies in the past. mtDNA profiles of a large number of samples were resolved in 2009 as belonging to 19 groups, some corresponding to previously described subspecies, while others were previously unrecognised and remained unnamed. These groups were then organised into two taxa - a nominate northern subspecies ( T. s. scriptus ) and
198-434: The scriptus and sylvaticus species, with a divergence time of at least 2 million years, albeit with considerable genetic diversity within each of these groups. Cape bushbucks stand around 90 cm (35 in) at the shoulder and weigh from 60 to 80 kg (130 to 180 lb) in males and 25 to 60 kg (55 to 132 lb)in females. They have a light brown coat, with up to seven white stripes and white splotches on
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#1733085123590216-530: The Cape Colony. Bushbuck browse on trees, shrubs, and forbs; they rarely if ever eat grasses. Studies of free-ranging bushbuck in various parts of southeastern Africa using DNA metabarcoding show that bushbuck frequently forage on acacias ( Senegalia , Vachellia ) and other legumes, along with mallows ( Grewia , Hibiscus ), bushwillows ( Combretum ), buckthorns ( Berchemia , Ziziphus ) and various other plants. Bushbuck are active throughout
234-553: The Cape in South Africa to Angola and Zambia and up the eastern part of Africa to Ethiopia and Somalia, according to one interpretation. Other interpretations restrict the taxon to Southern Africa sensu stricto or consider them sensu lato to occur in the above range except eastern Sudan, Ethiopia, and Somalia. The first Latin name that can be attributed to the Cape bushbuck was Antilope sylvatica after Sparrman (1780), described from
252-588: The bushbuck may compete with the closely related, larger nyala when they tried to introduce the two species to the same area. However, the two species are often found in close proximity in natural communities (e.g., in Gorongosa National Park , Mozambique ). Tragelaphus Tragelaphus angasii Tragelaphus buxtoni Tragelaphus eurycerus Tragelaphus imberbis Tragelaphus scriptus Tragelaphus spekii Tragelaphus strepsiceros Tragelaphus sylvaticus Tragelaphus
270-447: The day, but tend to be nocturnal near human habitations. Bushbuck are solitary animals, but are not aggressively antisocial, and individuals sometimes forage in close proximity. Bushbuck live within a "home" area, which is usually around 50,000 m on the savannah and much larger in the forest, that they will not normally leave. These areas usually overlap other bushbuck home areas. Some game farmers in southern Africa discovered that
288-479: The reserve have pulled their fences back increasing the overall size of the reserve. Its indigenous forest, wetland and grassland are home to many species of birds and small mammals, and the small dam which was built is populated with fish. Bushbuck , blue duiker , porcupine , dassies and mongooses are resident and some 47 species of bird have been recorded. The plant life is diverse but many exotic species are present. The walks and park benches are popular with
306-462: The residents, especially on weekends. The pathways meander around the reserve, and includes a boardwalk over the wetland. Lawn areas around the dam are suitable for picnics, and a small gazebo and deck near the entrance are available for a braai. Since May 2013 the entrance gate in Edward drive is however closed at all times due to crime issues and inconsiderate revellers, and access is arranged by means of
324-581: The sides. The white patches are usually geometrically shaped and on the most mobile parts of their bodies, such as the ears, chin, tail, legs, and necks. The muzzles are also white. Horns, found only on the males, can reach over half a metre and have a single twist. At 10 months old, young males sprout horns that are particularly twisted and at maturity form the first loop of a spiral. The Cape bushbuck has on average less striping and more uniform colouration than populations in West Africa. Cape bushbuck occur from
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