Grass Owl chicks rescued from a raging veld fire TEXT & PHOTOGRAPHS TYRONE MCKENDRY On Wednesday night, 13 July, I received a WhatsApp message saying that baby Marsh Owls had been rescued from a veld fire in the Greater Kyalami conservancy (GEKCO). The message was accompanied by some photos and I immediately recognised that the […]
Steyn City equestrian centre sparks K56 debate
Steyn City equestrian centre sparks K56 debate KYALAMI – The launch of Steyn City’s equestrian centre has been met with mixed feelings from residents, who believe that Steyn City is intent on building the K56 which they believe will destroy Kyalami’s greenbelt and horse industry. The K56 road, which would provide an east-west link from […]
Bounteous biodiversity in Kyalami- 22 August 2014
Bounteous biodiversity in Kyalami KYALAMI – A year’s worth of images from a camera trap in the Greater Kyalami Conservancy (Gekco) reveals that the area is home to a wide variety of wildlife. This despite the urbanisation that destroys habitats and threatens the survival of local fauna and flora. Tyrone Mckendry of the Gekco committee […]
A Spiky Sighting in Kyalami- 9 October 2014
A Spiky Sighting in Kyalami The conservancy is a peri-urban area located between Pretoria and Johannesburg. The large open spaces promote a healthy outdoor lifestyle, and while Kyalami is the centre for equestrian activities in South Africa, it also hosts a variety of species. “I was thrilled to finally find one of these cute mammals […]
Request for Brief Interviews with Residents
The value of a peri-urban conservancy – effects of varying levels of disturbance on small mammal populations Good day, My name is Tyrone Mckendry and I am an Honours of Science student at the University of the Witwatersrand. As part of the degree, I am conducting research on the effect of varying levels of […]
Blue Hills development threatens birds – study- 4 March 2014
Blue Hills development threatens birds – study- 4 March 2014 BLUE HILLS – An updated version of the Grass Owl Sensitivity Survey for the proposed development on the corner of the R55 and Summit Road in Blue Hills has been released. Lukas Niemand of Pachnoda Consulting conducted the study for Landscape Architects and Environmental Assessment […]
Caution: Bullfrog crossing! – 11 March 2014
Caution: Bullfrog crossing! – 11 March 2014 GLEN Austin Conservancy warned motorists and residents to keep their eyes peeled for the African Giant Bullfrogs GLEN Austin Conservancy warned motorists and residents to keep their eyes peeled for the Giant Bullfrogs who are lapping up the wet weather and gravitating to the road for food and […]
Diversity in Kyalami- 17 January 2014
Diversity in Kyalami- 17 January 2014 KYALAMI – The Greater Kyalami Conservancy’s latest biodiversity project revealed the wide range of animals that roam the conservancy. Tyrone Mckendry, who heads up the biodiversity section for the conservancy, borrowed a camera trap from a resident who was interested in documenting the wildlife in the area. Mckendry […]
Image captures biodiversity threat- 20 February 2014
Image captures biodiversity threat- 20 February 2014 KYALAMI – They say a picture captures a thousand words, and Tyrone Mckendry’s photo of an African grass owl fleeing flames of a veld fire, did just that. His photographs appeared on the front page and page 3 of Midrand Reporter, with the story Red data species […]
Red data species lose home in flames- 19 November 2013
Red data species lose home in flames- 19 November 2013 BLUE HILLS – ‘HELPLESS’ is how the Greater Kyalami Conservancy’s Tyrone McKendry described how he felt while watching a pair of African Grass- Owls flee from flames as a veld fire destroyed the land next to their nesting site. McKendry, who is the co-ordinator of […]
African Grass-Owl- Future in Flames?
African Grass-Owl- Future in Flames? We stood helplessly watching a pair of African Grass-Owls (Tyto capensis) fleeing from the ferocious flames as their nesting site was completely destroyed in a matter of minutes. This was the scene in Kyalami on Friday afternoon, 8 November 2013. A fire that was mysteriously started on the vacant land […]
Kyalami conservancy mapped- 19 August 2013
Kyalami conservancy mapped- 19 August 2013 KYALAMI – The Greater Kyalami Conservancy is being mapped to justify why development should not take place in the area. The conservancy spans the area of Kyalami within the perimeter of the Jukskei River which separates Lonehill and Glenferness, Main Road to the R55, Summit Road and the R511. […]
