Mountain Zebra National Park

National Park · South Africa

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Photo © Bernard DUPONT from FRANCE

Photo © Bernard DUPONT from FRANCE — CC BY-SA 4.0 — Source: Wikimedia Commons

Across the windswept plateaus and deeply incised valleys of the Eastern Cape's interior, Mountain Zebra National Park unfolds as a landscape of geological drama and ecological resilience. Spanning over 1,000 square kilometres, this IUCN Category II protected area rises from roughly 800 to 2,000 metres, creating a mosaic of grassland, scrubland, and rocky outcrops that shift with altitude and aspect. The park's terrain—sculpted by ancient geological forces into canyons, ridges, and drainage systems—channels water and wildlife through a semi-arid environment where seasonal variation drives the rhythm of life. Predators adapted to open terrain and scattered cover hunt across these ranges, while smaller carnivores navigate the rocky shelters and gullies. Migratory birds move through the region seasonally, taking advantage of temporary water sources and the flush of insect life that follows rainfall. Herbivores grazing the grasslands and browsing the scattered acacia and thorn scrub form the ecological foundation, their movements shaped by water availability and the quality of forage across the park's elevation gradients.

Website sanparks.org/parks/mountain_zebra

White-browed Sparrow-Weaver

Plocepasser mahali

Ant-eating Chat

Myrmecocichla formicivora

Pale Chanting Goshawk

Melierax canorus

Scaly-feathered Weaver

Sporopipes squamifrons

Struthio camelus

Spike-heeled Lark

Chersomanes albofasciata

Large-billed Lark

Galerida magnirostris

Lamprotornis bicolor

Anthus cinnamomeus

Cisticola fulvicapilla

Buteo rufofuscus

Fork-tailed Drongo

Dicrurus adsimilis

African Red-eyed Bulbul

Pycnonotus nigricans

Karoo Scrub Robin

Tychaedon coryphoeus

Helmeted Guineafowl

Numida meleagris

Sagittarius serpentarius

Eupodotis caerulescens

Crowned Lapwing

Vanellus coronatus

Brown-hooded Kingfisher

Halcyon albiventris

Streaky-headed Seedeater

Crithagra gularis

Southern Fiscal

Lanius collaris

Alopochen aegyptiaca

Southern Masked Weaver

Ploceus velatus

Motacilla capensis

Cape Robin-Chat

Dessonornis caffer

Golden-breasted Bunting

Emberiza flaviventris

Red-billed Quelea

African Stonechat

Saxicola torquatus

Grey-winged Francolin

Scleroptila afra

Common Scimitarbill

Rhinopomastus cyanomelas

Southern Grey-headed Sparrow

Passer diffusus

Southern Boubou

Laniarius ferrugineus

Red-winged Starling

Onychognathus morio

Ring-necked Dove

Streptopelia capicola

Black-headed Heron

Ardea melanocephala

Yellow-billed Duck

Double-banded Courser

Smutsornis africanus

Prinia maculosa

Grey-backed Cisticola

Cisticola subruficapilla

African Rock Pipit

Anthus crenatus

Dusky Indigobird

Ludwig's Bustard

Neotis ludwigii

White-necked Raven

Corvus albicollis

Yellow-throated Bush Sparrow

Gymnoris superciliaris

Speckled Pigeon

Spotted Eagle-Owl

Telophorus zeylonus

Myrmecocichla monticola

Black-headed Canary

Verreaux's Eagle

Aquila verreauxii

White-backed Mousebird

Cardinal Woodpecker

Dendropicos fuscescens

Pin-tailed Whydah

Crithagra flaviventris

Blacksmith Lapwing

Vanellus armatus

Streptopelia semitorquata

Tachybaptus ruficollis

Spotted Thick-knee

Burhinus capensis

Fiscal Flycatcher

Falco rupicolus

Eastern Clapper Lark

Corypha fasciolata

Cinnamon-breasted Bunting

Emberiza tahapisi

Sickle-winged Chat

Emarginata sinuata

Speckled Mousebird

Colius striatus

Rufous-eared Warbler

Malcorus pectoralis

Red-headed Finch

Amadina erythrocephala

Zosterops virens

Bar-throated Apalis

Apalis thoracica

Lamprotornis nitens

Passer melanurus

South African Shelduck

Spilopelia senegalensis

Bostrychia hagedash

Scopus umbretta

Red-billed Firefinch

Lagonosticta senegala

Red-billed Oxpecker

Buphagus erythroryncha

Micronisus gabar

Red-backed Shrike

Lanius collurio

Malachite Sunbird

Nectarinia famosa

Red-billed Teal

Anas erythrorhyncha

Three-banded Plover

Thinornis tricollaris

African Fish Eagle

Icthyophaga vocifer

Brimstone Canary

Crithagra sulphurata

Northern Black Korhaan

Afrotis afraoides

Great Cormorant

Phalacrocorax carbo

African Spoonbill

Southern Double-collared Sunbird

Cinnyris chalybeus

Black-winged Stilt

Himantopus himantopus

Melaniparus afer

Pale-winged Starling

Onychognathus nabouroup

Amethyst Sunbird

Chalcomitra amethystina

Polemaetus bellicosus

Red-faced Mousebird

Urocolius indicus

Sombre Greenbul

Andropadus importunus

Oenanthe familiaris

Greater Striped Swallow

Cecropis cucullata

Chestnut-vented Warbler

Curruca subcoerulea

Pearl-breasted Swallow

Hirundo dimidiata

Red-capped Lark

Calandrella cinerea

Hirundo rustica

Buff-streaked Chat

Campicoloides bifasciatus

Anthus vaalensis

Phylloscopus trochilus

White-faced Whistling Duck

Dendrocygna viduata

African Black Duck

Coturnix coturnix

Fiery-necked Nightjar

Caprimulgus pectoralis

Tachymarptis melba

White-rumped Swift

Southern Black Korhaan

Great Spotted Cuckoo

Clamator glandarius

Diederik Cuckoo

Chrysococcyx caprius

Red-chested Cuckoo

Cuculus solitarius

Red-knobbed Coot

Fulica cristata

Greater Flamingo

Phoenicopterus roseus

Common Sandpiper

Actitis hypoleucos

Microcarbo africanus

African Sacred Ibis

Threskiornis aethiopicus

European Honey Buzzard

Pernis apivorus

Brown Snake Eagle

Circaetus cinereus

Hieraaetus pennatus

European Roller

Coracias garrulus

Malachite Kingfisher

Corythornis cristatus

European Bee-eater

Merops apiaster

Trachyphonus vaillantii

Southern Red-fronted Tinkerbird

Pogoniulus pusillus

Lesser Honeyguide

Indicator minor

Greater Honeyguide

Indicator indicator

Ground Woodpecker

Geocolaptes olivaceus

Falco amurensis

Falco biarmicus

Olive Bushshrike

Chlorophoneus olivaceus

Southern Tchagra

Tchagra tchagra

Southern Black Tit

Melaniparus niger

Cape Penduline Tit

Anthoscopus minutus

Grey-backed Sparrow-Lark

Eremopterix verticalis

Mirafra cheniana

Rufous-naped Lark

Corypha africana

Pink-billed Lark

Spizocorys conirostris

White-throated Swallow

Hirundo albigularis

Western House Martin

Delichon urbicum

Long-billed Crombec

Sylvietta rufescens

Levaillant's Cisticola

Cisticola tinniens

Desert Cisticola

Cisticola aridulus

Yellow-bellied Eremomela

Eremomela icteropygialis

Layard's Warbler

Curruca layardi

Wattled Starling

Creatophora cinerea

Chat Flycatcher

Agricola infuscatus

African Dusky Flycatcher

Muscicapa adusta

Spotted Flycatcher

Muscicapa striata

Short-toed Rock Thrush

Monticola brevipes

Cape Rock Thrush

Monticola rupestris

Emarginata schlegelii

Capped Wheatear

Oenanthe pileata

Cinnyris fuscus

Passer domesticus

Ploceus capensis

Yellow-crowned Bishop

Southern Red Bishop

Euplectes capensis

Coccopygia melanotis

Village Indigobird

Vidua chalybeata

Lark-like Bunting

Emberiza impetuani

Black-winged Kite

Elanus caeruleus

African Harrier-Hawk

Polyboroides typus

Western Barn Owl

Spur-winged Goose

Plectropterus gambensis

Southern Pochard

Netta erythrophthalma

African Black Swift

Denham's Bustard

Clamator jacobinus

Chrysococcyx klaas

Cuculus clamosus

Namaqua Sandgrouse

Pterocles namaqua

Emerald-spotted Wood Dove

Turtur chalcospilos

Tambourine Dove

Turtur tympanistria

Gallinula chloropus

Black-necked Grebe

Podiceps nigricollis

Recurvirostra avosetta

Marsh Sandpiper

Tringa stagnatilis

Common Greenshank

Tringa nebularia

Calidris pugnax

Burchell's Courser

Cursorius rufus

Grey-headed Gull

Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus

Ciconia ciconia

Egretta garzetta

Stephanoaetus coronatus

Rufous-breasted Sparrowhawk

Accipiter rufiventris

Giant Kingfisher

Megaceryle maxima

Black-collared Barbet

Lybius torquatus

Knysna Woodpecker

Campethera notata

Greater Kestrel

Falco rupicoloides

Black-backed Puffback

Dryoscopus cubla

Black-headed Oriole

Oriolus larvatus

African Paradise Flycatcher

Terpsiphone viridis

Lesser Grey Shrike

Fairy Flycatcher

Stenostira scita

Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Lark

Eremopterix leucotis

Calendulauda sabota

Pycnonotus barbatus

Pycnonotus capensis

Brown-throated Martin

Riparia paludicola

Lesser Striped Swallow

Cecropis abyssinica

South African Cliff Swallow

Petrochelidon spilodera

Sphenoeacus afer

Lesser Swamp Warbler

Acrocephalus gracilirostris

Little Rush Warbler

Bradypterus baboecala

Rock-loving Cisticola

Cisticola aberrans

Wailing Cisticola

Cloud Cisticola

Cisticola textrix

Wing-snapping Cisticola

Cisticola ayresii

Black-chested Prinia

Prinia flavicans

Namaqua Warbler

Phragmacia substriata

Green-backed Camaroptera

Camaroptera brachyura

Karoo Eremomela

Eremomela gregalis

Acridotheres tristis

Common Starling

Sturnus vulgaris

White-browed Scrub Robin

Cercotrichas leucophrys

Sentinel Rock Thrush

Monticola explorator

White-bellied Sunbird

Cinnyris talatala

Ploceus cucullatus

Long-tailed Widowbird

Euplectes progne

African Pied Wagtail

Motacilla aguimp

Yellow-fronted Canary

Crithagra mozambica

African Palm Swift

Cypsiurus parvus

Temminck's Courser

Cursorius temminckii

Ardeola ralloides

Gyps coprotheres

Black-chested Snake Eagle

Circaetus pectoralis

Buteo trizonatus

Coracias naevius

Pied Kingfisher

Brown-backed Honeybird

Prodotiscus regulus

Black Cuckooshrike

Campephaga flava

Yellow-breasted Apalis

Southern Black Flycatcher

Melaenornis pammelaina

Emarginata tractrac

Spectacled Weaver

Ploceus ocularis

Red-collared Widowbird

Euplectes ardens

Uraeginthus angolensis

Shaft-tailed Whydah

Mountain Wagtail

Motacilla clara

Long-billed Pipit

Suricata suricatta

Syncerus caffer

Antidorcas marsupialis

Black Wildebeest

Connochaetes gnou

Tragelaphus strepsiceros

Alcelaphus buselaphus

South African Ground Squirrel

Geosciurus inauris

Damaliscus pygargus

Chlorocebus pygerythrus

Yellow Mongoose

Cynictis penicillata

Tragelaphus oryx

Cape Gray Mongoose

Herpestes pulverulentus

Hewitt's Red Rock Hare

Pronolagus saundersiae

Black-backed Jackal

Lupulella mesomelas

Phacochoerus africanus

Pelea capreolus

Southern Aardwolf

Proteles cristatus

Procavia capensis

Raphicerus campestris

Hystrix africaeaustralis

Southern African Springhare

Pedetes capensis

Parahyaena brunnea

Orycteropus afer

Otomys unisulcatus

Sylvicapra grimmia

Karoo Four-striped Grass Rat

Rhabdomys intermedius

Xeric Four-striped Grass Rat

Rhabdomys pumilio

Otocyon megalotis

Caracal caracal

Acinonyx jubatus

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