Reptiles - Sounds of the African Bush
These short recordings are of individual species – for listening pleasure and identification.
Snouted Cobra
Many snakes give a warning hiss when cornered or threatened. This Snouted Cobra gives two warning hisses followed immediately by a loud hiss as it strikes. The Cobra repeats this a second time.
Puff Adder
The Puff Adder gives a series of warning hisses when annoyed and if not left alone will coil up with the head raised and then strikes rapidly with no other sound.
Rock Monitor
This is a very large lizard reaching up to 1 metre in length when adult and is very widespread in the savanna and semi-desert regions of southern Africa. When disturbed or cornered it hisses loudly and lashes out with its powerful tail and a strike from the tail of an adult can be very painful!
Leopard Tortoise
This is the largest tortoise in southern Africa and occurs in a wide variety of habitats. When cornered it will retract its head back into the shell and hiss loudly in an attempt to scare off what is troubling it, often humans.