Trappieskop Bonus #1:
Verreaux’s Eagle – Dassies’ Dread!
This is the 1st of three caches hidden to encourage geocachers and their hiking buddies to visit this easily accessible, modest but impressively rocky small peak, with its numerous interesting features, including amazing weathered rock shapes, ancient caves, wonderful fynbos, and stunning 360o views from the summit.
The cache, a small flip-topped dispensing pot, is hidden in a distinctively marked rock formation on a trail heading up to join the main trail up and over the nek and then on by a side trail up to Trappieskop.
As you make your way up the trail, if you keep scanning the rocky cliffs of Trappieskop you may be lucky enough to spot this magnificent large raptor – the dread of the local dassies!
To Reach the Cache Location: park roadside @ or near S 34 07.565 E 18 26.729 before the corner at the start of Boyes Drive. Ascend the steps and follow Godfrey Rd left as far as the corner. Turn right up the firebreak and instead of following this around the corner, continue straight up along the trail to the cache location.
Verreaux’s (or Black – old name) Eagle (Aquila verreauxii) is a spectacular member of the booted eagles and large bird of prey that is highly specialised, with its life history and distribution revolving around its main prey of rock hyraxes (up 90% or more of its diet) and preferred habitat of hilly and mountainous terrain. They must eat a hyrax/day to survive.
It is widespread throughout Africa and occurs as far north as Eritrea and as far south as South Africa. It also preys on other small mammals, birds and reptiles. Its populations are stable and have been less impacted by human encroachment due to the isolation and the inaccessible terrain of its habitat.
The genus name Aquila is Latin for eagle, and the species name verreauxii comes from the 18th century naturalist, Jules Verreaux from France, who visited southern Africa in the first half of the 18C.
When perched or at rest adults are all black, except for a white ‘V’ above the wings on the back and yellow feet/talons and cere (waxy layer covering the base of the upper beak). In flight, the unfolded wings expose a white rump and whitish panels on the outer wings.
The wings have a distinctive shape that is broad in the middle and tapering at the tips. Sexes are similar, but females are slightly larger than males. Juveniles have a yellow-brown plumage and the head and back of the neck have a distinctive reddish-brown colour. The face and throat are black. Juveniles achieve adult plumage in 4 years.
It is the 6th longest eagle in the world, 75-96cm from the bill to the tip of the tail, and weighing just over 4kg on average – the female is the larger. Its estimated average lifespan is 16 years.
They are often seen in pairs, perched on a prominent lookout or soaring and gliding around hilly and 
mountainous terrain. The shape of their wings facilitates gliding up drafts created when wind strikes mountain cliffs and this allows the birds to stay airborne for long periods or travel great distances. Unlike other birds, they are able to fly into strong winds and still maintain aerial control.
They adults seldom call as they rely more on visual communication. But the young are very vocal and continuously calling out for food and protection with a penetrating yieup-yieup–yieup whenever the parents are in sight.
They are habitat specific and occur in hilly and mountainous terrain with cliffs, rocks ledges and caves. They may occur in dry savannah, woodland, desert and high rainfall areas and wherever rocky outcrops, gorges or mountain ranges provide nesting sites and prey. It is often found in dry areas with under 60cm average annual rainfall.
Where rock hyrax (Procavia capensis) are scarce, they will eat fowl, cane rats, scrub hares, and also small livestock like lambs and goats if accessible.
They breed with one partner for life, only replaced in the event of death. Nests are built on rock faces and cliffs to minimise nest predation. Mating occurs all year and egg-laying from April- July. 1-2 eggs are produced per clutch with incubation lasting 38–41 days - done by the female with the male bringing food.
If 2 eggs are laid, they usually hatch about 4 days apart. Then the older chick usually attacks and harasses the younger chick until it dies. The survivor leaves the nest after 12 weeks and is forced out of the territory by the parents.
Bonding plays a significant role in their daily lives. They can be seen perching, preening and flying together in perfect unison. A pair is often seen flying together and they probably hunt in pairs, with one distracting the prey while the other attacks.
Verreaux’s Eagles are top predators in the ecosystems where they occur and they play an important role in maintaining ecosystem health – eg. in farming areas they control hyrax numbers and prevent possible competition with livestock for grazing.
Where hyraxes are hunted for food and skins, eagle populations have declined due to scarcity of prey. 
Future threats include habitat overlap with wind farms likely to be placed windward of areas like mountain ridges.
See here for more detailed and comprehensive info on this impressive avian hunter, here for a detailed and fascinating expert interview on the current state of knowledge about the bird.
See videos here (aggression) and here (fledgling’s first flight).