Wildlife

Birds

Tygerhoek is a haven for birds and has so much to offer for birdwatching enthusiasts. The peace and stillness of the retreat is often punctuated by the beautiful sounds of birdsong.

Expect to see rare lifers, Karoo Korhaans, Karoo Robins, Mousebirds and Starlings, to name a few. There are also three breeding pairs of black eagle (Verreaux's eagles) in the area, and these and many other species can be spotted on walks around the retreat.

Download this PDF for a list of birds that you can spot in the area.

Download the PDF

  • Yellow Canary
  • Cape Robin Chat
  • Cape Wagtail
  • Familiar Chat
  • Karoo Chat
  • Karoo Prinia
  • Karoo Scrub Robin
  • African Shell Duck
  • Grey Heron
  • Karoo Korhaan
  • Black Crow
  • Bokmakerrie
  • Cape Bulbul
  • Cape Bunting
  • Mountain Wheatear
  • Cape Weaver
  • Fairy Flycatcher
  • Fiscal Fly Catcher
  • White Backed Mousebird
  • Fiscal Shrike
  • Namaqua Dove
  • Rock Pigeon
  • Pale Winged Starling
  • Rock Martin
  • Southern Double-collared Sunbird
  • Southern Pale Chanting Goshawk
  • Verreaux Eagle



Mammals

Being so far from the civilised world, Tygerhoek is perfectly situated in nature, amongst the beautiful and varied animal species of the Karoo.

There is an abundance of wildlife on the reserve. Many species of predator and prey have been spotted, from leopards to aardvark, porcupines, wildcats and many species of buck. The reserve is also home to the endangered Riverine rabbit.

Download this PDF for a list of mammals that you can spot in the area.

Download the PDF

  • Aardvark
  • Aardwolf
  • Bat-eared Fox
  • Black Backed Jackal
  • Cape Fox
  • African Wildcat
  • Cape Mountain Leopard
  • Caracal
  • Grey Mongoose
  • Honey Badger (Ratel)
  • Small Spotted Genet
  • Small-Spotted Cat
  • Striped Polecat
  • Water Mongoose
  • Yellow Mongoose
  • Brants' Whistling Rat
  • Cape Golden Mole
  • Common Mole-Rat
  • House Mouse
  • Karoo Bush Rat
  • Namaqua Rock Mouse
  • Reddish-Grey Musk Shrew
  • Round-Eared Elephant Shrew
  • Spectacled Dormouse
  • Striped Mouse
  • Vlei Rat
  • Cape Grysbok
  • Common Duiker
  • Gemsbok
  • Grey Rhebok
  • Klipspringer
  • Kudu
  • Springbok
  • Steenbok
  • Cape Hare
  • Riverine Rabbit
  • Rock Hyrax
  • Scrub Hare
  • Smith's Red Rock Rabbit
  • Cape Serotine Bat
  • Common Slit-Faced Bat
  • Egyptian Free-Tailed Bat
  • Chacma Baboon
  • Porcupine



Reptiles and Amphibians

There are many species of reptiles and amphibians in the area. Snakes in particular are prevalent in summer, but those looking to see the various species of frogs, toads, snakes and tortoises native to the Karoo are likely to see these creatures at Tygerhoek, living in the wild as nature intended.

Download this PDF for a list of reptiles and amphibians that you can spot in the area.

Download the PDF

  • Angulate tortoise
  • Boulenger's Padloper
  • Karoo Padloper
  • Leopard / Mountain tortoise
  • Marsh / Helmeted Terrapin
  • Parrot-Beaked Tortoise
  • Tented Tortoise
  • Bibron's Thick-Toed Gecko
  • Burchell's Sand Lizard
  • Cape Skink
  • Cape Thick-Toed Gecko
  • Ground Agama
  • Karoo Dwarf Chameleon
  • Karoo Girdled Lizard
  • Marico Thick-Toed Gecko
  • Namaqua Chameleon
  • Namaqua Plated Lizard
  • Namaqua Sand Lizard
  • Robertson Dwarf Chameleon
  • Southern Rock / Knobel's Agama
  • Spotted Sand Lizard
  • Variegated Skink
  • Western Rock Skink
  • Western Sandveld Lizard
  • Boomslang
  • Brown House Snake
  • Cape Cobra
  • Common / Rhombic Egg Eater
  • Coral Snake
  • Delalande's Beaked Blind Snake
  • Karoo Sand / Whip Snake
  • Mole Snake
  • Puff Adder
  • Rhombic Night Adder
  • Rinkhals
  • Skaapsteker
  • Spotted Harlequin Snake
  • Spotted House Snake
  • Spotted / Rhombic Skaapsteker
  • Sundevall's Shovel-Snout
  • Cape River Frog
  • Common Caco
  • Common Platanna
  • Karoo Toad