SANParks.org Forums

Hey all
Been looking over the forum and landed up on the fish pages through the index (I have an interest in fish). I notices that there were one or two stories about fish sightings in Kruger, but generally its a rather unused topic on the forum. I want to invite anybody and everybody to place there fish photo's here and share with us any fish and fish related stories that you may have. If you place a pic, tell us where it was taken and add any details you wish.
I though I had a pic somewhere of catfish foraging for pray in shallow water. I saw these catfish by shining the night-drive light into the water as we crossed the Letaba River during a night drive near Shimuwini. But after some serching I have not found the pic in question.
So to all of you (also the bird guys that often have pics of birds that caught fish) please:

POST YOU FISH PHOTOS

Lets see what we get - perhaps we can even look out or vote for the best fish pic!!!

I don't have any fish photos to post at the moment, but seeing that you mentioned Catfish and Shimuwini, I have one fish story recently which interested me big time.

Beginning of Feb we were staying at Shimuwini and at the first lower water bridge on the Shimuwini private road there were two small pools with hundreds of catfish trapped in them. Various birds, including Black Stork and an immature African Fish-Eagle took the opportunity to get their fair share of sushi! A water monitor also got into the act! Of interest were the 5 hyenas that also caught fish. They would catch several one by one and place them on the bridge. A youngster grabbed one and ran back to his den where he continued to enjoy his portion.

Similar incident. In August last year we came across a Honeybadger fishing in small pool near Transport dam. It is always great to see a Badger, but one fishing makes it just more special! It was totally oblivious of our presence, so hard it concentrated to catch something.

Knowing that you have a special interest in Pel's Fishing-Owl. In 2007 I was told the story by an Olifants guide that he was conducting a night drive with a group of foreign visitors. On the low water bridge leading to Balule he came across a Pel's sitting on the side of the bridge, eating a fish. He explained to the tourists the absolute rare sighting to which they replied: "That's nice, can we go look for lions now?"

My best fish story is perhaps the Bull(Zambesi) Shark that was caught in the confluence of the Limpopo and Luvuvhu Rivers in July 1950 in Pafuri.

50 species of fish can be found in Kruger.

Thank you for the great fish stories Wiltuinman. I have a feeling this is going to be a slow thread given that many people unfortunatelly dont regard their sightings of fish in Kruger as that significant. Maybe I am just a fish-head, but I'm certainly going to keep the thread going and hope to get some pics of KNP fish on here soon.

I've also come across that account of the Bull-shark / Zambezi in the Limpopo at the Kruger boundary (1950) and looked into it a bit. I came accross this interesting reseach map showing where Bull-sharks have been reported inland - quite interesting:

Biyamiti Weir - 2009

gREAT GREAT great GrRreat

Our first official fish photograph on this thread

These fish are quite clearly of the family Cichlidae and probably Banded Tilapia (Tilapia sparrmanii) or Mozambique Tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus). Be this as it may, what a great photograph - I am still trying to figure out from which angle or direction it was taken.

I hope this inspires more fish pics and stories!!

Interesting map Etienne and great shot Madach!

Sorry to those that could not see my pic of the map that shows where Zambezi sharks have been found in freshwater. Imagine finding one in northern Kruger today

Hey Kruger and other SANParks Fans
I knew I was up for a challenge in calling people to post fish stories and photos. But I'm not gonna give up . Thanks so far for the great stories by Wiltuinman and the incredible pic by Madach.

Now, I thought I'll try and wet your appetite and get your interest in the topic by telling you a little bit about a fascinating fish that occurs in the seasonal pans in the north-east parts of Kruger. It is called the Rainbow Killifish (Nothobranchius rachovii), and to be deadly honest, there is still some doubt as to whether the fish in Kruger (which are darker in colour) are the same species as those found in Mozambique. These little fish are listed in the "Least Concern" category in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, but I haven't been able to find much on their exact and current status in Kruger. Attempts have been made in the past to translocate some of these fish to other pans in the park, but little seems to be known regarding their current status.

The fascinating thing about these fish are that they occur in temporary pans. They lay their eggs in the sediment and when the pan dries out they die. The eggs enter into a phase of suspended development and can lay dormant for a number of seasons before hatching, when the pans fill again

I may be locked up for posting a picture from the internet here, but even finding a picture of this fish (of the Kruger strain) is a challenge. And for those that thought we only have boring drab coloured fish in SA, look at this and tell me you won't be wondering if these little jewels are not perhaps swimming around when next you stop at a seasonal pan in Kruger.



Hopefully you've found this interesting enough to encourage you to post your fish related pics and stories here. I'll try and find out more about the status of these fish in Kruger and perhaps even push for a survey to be done at some stage.

This was taken at Mooiplaas. My tribute to this thread...


101_0144 by yvdmerwe, on Flickr

Thanks for the great photo Eagle Owl... ...one more Kruger fish pic in my long term goal to get people to look at elements in the ecology other that the Big Five (not that I have anything against these great animals).
The fish in your picture could be one of a number of species, possibly Lowveld Largescale Yellowfish, Rednose Labeo, Silver Labeo with one or two other options also on the cards.

Nice catch

These are not as great as the other ones you got, but these are what we've seen

These were seen at Lower Sabie bridge





And this one at the Biyamiti bridge

Lion Queen..... you've made my day. Fantastic pics!!! Its the content of the pics rather than the quality that thrills me. Must say I was not expecting to get a pic of a Tigerfish from Kruger this soon. The red coloration on the tail fin of the fish seen at the Lower Sabie bridge is a sure giveaway - THE TIGER IN KRUGER! Swimming at the surface like that is however not typical behavior for a predatory fish like the Tiger and it seems at a glance to be ill / distressed / injured. I am wondering if the Tiger in the claws of the fish eagle is not perhaps the same one???
Your Biyamiti fish: the largest fish in the pic is probably Mozambique Tilapia (not a 100% ID), but the slightly smaller fish to the bottom of the pic are possibly one of the Yellowfish species (possibly the Lowveld Largescale Yellowfish).
Thanks for the pics - hope we get plenty more

Oh my! Is that a Tiger fish?
What a spot, lion queen!

I'll keep my eyes peeled for fish is Kruger this coming weekend!
Great thread, Etienne!!

Etienne, thank you for starting this thread

I grew up with a father who was a great lover of fishing. My father would buy books on angling and different kinds of fish. I would spend hours as a child looking at pictures of beautiful creatures. I loved some of their splendid colours and strange shapes.

As I grew older, I started to get rather distressed at the fish caught in his fishing basket. He stopped taking me with him after I secretly emptied his basket. It was in an angling competition, which made me even less popular.

I can be grateful now that it awakened in me a keen love for nature and it took me to many parts of the country. I am also gratified to see how fishing has become so much more ethical with strict rules about returning fish not meant for the pot.

If at all possible, I still don't eat fish.

Say What!!!!!!!!!!!

I thought I snapped a few cute fishies!!!!

If you thought I know little about birds................my fish knowledge is next to none!!!

Glad I could make your day!!!

There was a lot ( 6 if I remember right) of Juv Fish Eagles and they where fishing the whole time...........so the fish might have been injured from a "previous" catching attempt. The one who is flying off with the fish in his claws, stole it from one of the others when he dropped it.

When I have more time I'll go through the other trips, maybe a few more.