Nature’s Comeback After the Fires

After the widespread fires, Brunsvigia orientalis have been sprouting throughout the landscape. Typically, they are recognisable for their Candelabra shaped flower heads but these two have just burst through the earth and have yet to fully extend into their full spherical potential!

Mimetes cucculatus (wild pagoda), a member of the Protea family, is a resprouter that attracts nectar-feeding pollinators like sugarbirds by reducing chlorophyll in its leaves, making them turn red. This saves energy for nectar production. Only a few months after the October fires, these colourful resprouters are starting to dominate.

King proteas are also resprouters. These beautiful fractal patterns are where the seeds were held before the fire.

This is Gladiolus martleyi after the rains. Do you notice its little hitchhiker?

This little squirmy creature is not a snake at all. It is a legless lizard that spends most of its time underground. This one was spotted in a recently burnt area.

Our parting shot is almost too pretty to be believed but in a world increasingly full of AI imagery, you can rest assured that this is a real, live Disney moment... a young grysbok relaxes among the bunny tails on the Grootbos Reserve.