Reptiles
Yes, they do occur at Ngwenya - in all shapes and sizes!   There are Tortoises, Terrapins, Lizards, Snakes and last but not least the Nile Crocodile.

Unfortunately most people have an inherent fear of reptiles - snakes in particular - and many prefer to see them dead than alive.This lack of appreciation and fear is a reflection of ignorance, misconception and mythTo echo the words of the reputed South African Herpetologist, Bill Branch,there is no reason why reptiles cannot be enjoyed in the field as much as birds or mammalsAfter all they are an integral part of the ecosystem! Snakes, although common, are hardly ever encountered. This is because they are well camouflaged, timid and elusive creatures which avoid confrontation with humans. Of the 130 species of snakes in Southern Africa only 14 species have been recorded as having caused human death. To put the threat of snakes into perspective it should be realized that the chance of dying from a snakebite is extremely small. In South Africa there is only one reported death from snakebite every 2 to 3 years while every year in excess of 200 people are killed in road accidents over the Easter weekend alone. Snakes need to be respected rather than feared. They perform a valuable ecological role and need to be conserved. They must definitely not be interfered with, teased, injured or killed.

Black mamba - the most dangerous snake found at Ngwenya
In the unlikely event that you happen to encounter a snake at close quarters try not to panic, scream, jump or make any other rapid movements - simply keep still and the snake will invariably go on its way. While crocodiles and terrapins are common in the river and are frequently seen, lizards are the most obvious group of reptiles at Ngwenya and can be seen almost everywhere. For this reason examples of those most likely to be seen are given here.

Female rainbow skink
The most common species of lizard at Ngwenya is the Five-lined or Rainbow Skink. These tame colourful lizards can be seen almost everywhere as they hunt insects or bask in the sun on the verandas and paved walkways. Juveniles and females have blue tails and obvious cream coloured body stripes while the males have orange tails and less obvious body stripes.

Male Rainbow skink
The largest species of lizard at Ngwenya, and indeed in Africa, is the Nile or Water Monitor(Leguaan).

Nile monitor
These lizards are frequently encountered in the vicinity of the dam or may be seen basking on clumps of dead reeds along the edge of the river. The Nile Monitor is one of the major predators of crocodile eggs.

They will not attack humans unless provoked. Once provoked, however, the Nile Monitor is a formidable fighter and will not hesitate to defend itself.

Giant plated lizard
Second in size to the Nile Monitor at Ngwenya is the Giant Plated Lizard which looks somewhat like a baby crocodile. At Ngwenya there is a highly visible colony living in the rocky outcrop between chalets 1 and 4. These harmless vegetarians can be seen sunning themselves on the rocks in front of these chalets on most days.

Rough scaled plated lizard
Rough-scaled plated lizards may also be seen in the same areas as the Giant Plated Lizards.

Agama
Tree Agamas may be seen scurrying up tree trunks along the walkways and in the gardens. You need to be vigilant to spot them because they try to keep the trunk of the tree between themselves and potential sources of danger. During the breeding season males develop particularly beautiful blue backs with coppery green heads.

Bibron's Gecko
As night falls Geckos emerge to take up positions near light sources on the chalets and along the walkways to capture their insect prey. The most common species of Gecko at Ngwenya is the large stout Bibron's Gecko and the somewhat smaller Cape Dwarf Gecko.

Cape Dwarf Gecko

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