What you can see, in the bush and in the sea
Explore the wildlife of the Eastern Shores by category, from nesting turtles and passing humpback whales to the zebra, kudu and buffalo of the grassland loops.
Mammals & Reptiles
Buffalo
Heavyweights of the pans and grassland
Buffalo are among the animals that make the protected landscape behind Cape Vidal’s dunes feel genuinely wild, sharing the gr…
Mammals & Reptiles
Bushbuck
Slipping between the trees around camp
Bushbuck slip quietly between the trees around the camping ground, and they are one of the pleasures of simply sitting still …
Marine Life
Dolphins
Working the backline at first light
Dolphins work the backline at Cape Vidal at first light, and they are one of the reasons an early walk on the beach is worth …
Mammals & Reptiles
Forest monkeys
Vervet and samango monkeys around camp
Vervet and samango monkeys live in the forest around the camping ground, and they keep a close eye on your lunch. They are en…
Mammals & Reptiles
Hippo
Resident of the lake and estuary systems
Hippo live in the protected landscape behind Cape Vidal, sharing the grasslands, forest and water of the Eastern Shores with …
Marine Life
Humpback whale
Winter migrants passing remarkably close inshore
From June to November, humpback whales stream past Cape Vidal on their winter migration from the cold feeding grounds of the …
Mammals & Reptiles
Kudu
A browser of the forest edge
Kudu are part of the everyday rhythm of the Eastern Shores, moving along the grassland loops by mid-morning and standing at t…
Marine Life
Leatherback turtle
One of the largest reptiles alive, nesting on these beaches
The enormous leatherback shares the loggerhead’s summer season at Cape Vidal, hauling out of the surf on warm nights to lay a…
Birds
Livingstone’s turaco
A flash of colour in the forest canopy
For birders the Eastern Shores are a treasure box, and Livingstone’s turaco is one of its most sought-after residents. Watch …
Marine Life
Loggerhead turtle
A summer nesting visitor to Cape Vidal's beaches
From late November to March, the beaches of Cape Vidal become a nursery, and the loggerhead is one of the two ancient species…
Birds
Pink-throated twinspot
One of the coast’s sought-after specials
The pink-throated twinspot is one of the specials that draw birders to Cape Vidal, part of the sought-after cast held by the …
Mammals & Reptiles
Red duiker
A small forest antelope of the dune bush
Red duiker share the dune forest around camp with bushbuck, appearing and disappearing between the trees. They are among the …