50|50 Episode 30 Season 8: 29 October 2017

Doosbenoud: Mozambique spitting cobra

While Christmas is usually a time for celebrations, for Johan Pieterse, a visit from a large cobra last December saw his festivities cut short. He was jolted awake by what he thought was the persistent sting of a wasp. Something more sinister was in fact lurking below his bed and the venomous strike of a spitting cobra, proved to be the unfortunate “gift” that just kept on giving with symptoms that got worse just when he thought he was recovering.

Giant bullfrog rescue: let sleeping giants lie

Giant bullfrogs spend most of the year underground in a state of torpor only emerging for a brief period after summer storms have begun to bellow and breed with much pomp and ceremony. For one unfortunate frog, summer arrived early this year when a bull dozer rudely dislodged it from its underground chamber, but plans are afoot to let this sleeping frog lie a bit longer.

Wonderwêreld: baboons

The beautiful Okavango Delta is the delightful setting against which this week’s Wonderwêreld is set. While baboons have featured many times on our show, it’s always intriguing to discover how their lifestyles differ in different locations. Finding food is a task common to every kind of wild animal everywhere, including baboon troops, but in the changing seasonal conditions in the swamps, these challenges take on a unique flavour.

VeldFokus:

Variety is the spice of life in this week’s VeldFokus episode with a great show of many different habitats and the creatures that call them home. A flower mantis displays its brilliant patterns, a colourful eel finds a fishing buddy, while for black rhinos friendship is most certainly not on the cards!