Bushman Paintings ~ Eland Affects Today Like Yesteryear

Mighty Mountain Eland (Antelope)

Bushman Paintings most probably painted 130 to 500 years ago (may be even older), clearly indicate the presence of Eland. Described as a blend between a deer and an ox has been used by humans for many years for leather, meat and nutritious milk, domesticated in some areas. Following two photo's taken on a previous visit hiking to caves clearly shows the hunter hunting Eland off the land in the valley.

Most art is found painted on sandstone under waterproof overhangs, where the paint used will sink in and does not peel off, very few paintings are found in actual caves. There is no value one can put to cultural paintings representing an otherwise lost culture, many paintings found in weatherproof overhangs, well worthwhile the hike.

The Drakensberg is most probably the largest open-air art gallery in the world, what you need is a pair of good hiking boots and more often than not... a guide.

Bushman paintings with Eland taken in 2010 - f/2.6 1/200 sec ISO-80 - Canon PowerShot A530

Bushman Rock Art, photo taken during 2010

Do my eyes deceive me, one of the largest antelope in the world, it has been a long time since we last saw these big herbivores moving quietly through this area (at least 14 years).

Rising early to watch the sunrise slipping onto the mountain I noticed movement about one hundred meters away, a small herd of Eland grazing, came down during the night to graze on the golf course.

Eland grazing early morning with Hadeda bird, African alarm clock early morning call, actually all day noisy (which is a relatively big Ibis bird)_. Photo f/6.9 1/50 sec ISO-800 - Canon PowerShot SX730 HS

Soft grey dewlap folds under the neck of both sexes, body is mainly tan with thin white stripes running vertically down their flanks - f/6.3 1/10 sec ISO-80 - Canon PowerShot SX730 HS

Eland males rutting practice for later in life, bent forward one can see their ridge - f/8 1/8 sec ISO-80 - Canon PowerShot SX730 HS

Slowly the morning sun starts to soak into the wooded area

Eland translates from Dutch word Elk, Zulu name Impofu - Photo f/6.9 1/60 sec ISO-80 - Canon PowerShot SX730 HS

Eland fertilizing the ground after nights grazing, early morning call... Photo f/6.3 1/320 sec ISO-800 - Canon PowerShot SX730 HS

Slowly the sound of humans rising the females start to lead the young ones further away from civilization. Photo f/6.9 1/60 sec ISO-80 - Canon PowerShot SX730 HS

Eland half the herd moving off on higher ground during the day. As quietly as they had arrived they were leaving, after so many years of being hunted who would blame them, this is not a big herd of antelope we only saw 8.

Standing tall on back hill later in the day.

Eland male on the ridge on the back hills later that same morning, not sure if it is a male but looked sizable. f/8 1/60 sec ISO-80 - Canon PowerShot SX730 HS

Late afternoon we sighted them on the opposite hills, they must have crossed the river looking for fresh grazing, avoiding humans at all cost.

Graceful, safer in numbers moving along climbing steadily during the day - f/8 1/100 sec ISO-80 - Canon PowerShot SX730 HS

Group move away together enjoying the afternoon sun on the other side of the valley - f/8 1/100 sec ISO-80 - Canon PowerShot SX730 HS

Two mornings we woke up to find contended grazing Eland, here are some prints in the mud, that was the last we saw of the Eland, back over into the next mountain ridge or up a valley, it is good to know some of the animals are still showing up high in the Drakensberg mountains.

Substantial weight indicated in the mud print, males can weigh up to 800kg, yet are surprisingly agile able to jump 2 meters high clearing farm fences in their stride. - f/3.3 1/50 sec ISO-80 - Canon PowerShot SX730 HS

So very glad to know these animals are still living up in the Drakensberg - f/3.3 1/50 sec ISO-80 - Canon PowerShot SX730 HS

Hope you enjoyed the outing, Eland are found further down the mountain in farming district quite often, it was seeing them roaming the foothills of the mountain that made this exiting to see them in an area where many years ago Bushman paintings have been seen.

The afternoon climb up the opposite hill the Eland took - go over that hill down again and up the next ridge to hopefully see the rock art as shown in the first two photographs.

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