Katinka Klipspringer – the Ballerina of the Berg

I am Katinka Klipspringer, the ballerina of the berg, I dance in the mountains, springing up and up and up to the highest crag.

I balance on my little rounded hooves, just like a ballerina on point, about to soar into a jetté which will take me to the next rock.

You might have seen me in the <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /> Swartberg Pass , but perhaps you drove past me and my family and never noticed me at all, because I am a mistress of disguise. My coat is dappled grey and brown, with just a touch of yellow and when I stand still, as still as can be, I simply disappear into the background - isn’t that clever?

There’s something magical about my coat – every hair is hollow. So in winter air is trapped in each hollow and my body warms it up and my coat becomes a luxurious blanket keeping me warm on the coldest days. In summer the layer of hair and air keeps me from getting too hot under the baking sun.

I am a glamorous lady, a mysterious lady, a lovely lady and I celebrate my glamour and mystery and loveliness in dance.

Every season brings something to celebrate with a dance of joy!

In the Spring many of the little succulents that we eat send forth new shoots. They are crisp and juicy and delicious – so I dance for joy! What do you like about the Spring?

In the summer the days are hot and our large, lovely ears act like little air conditioners to keep us cool – so I dance for joy! What do you like about the Summer?

In the Autumn the mountain fynbos glows with colour as the proteas and erica’s flower, the sunbirds flit among the blooms and the bees have a feast day – so I dance for joy! What do you like about the Autumn?

In the Winter snow covers the highest peaks and we must dig through its icy crispness to find shoots to eat – but the sun shines and melts the ice – so I dance for joy! What do you like about the Winter?

What ever it is that you like about the Spring and the Summer and the Autumn and the Winter make sure that you celebrate it with a dance of joy!

Nature has given us another present – another reason to dance for joy – Water. We don’t drink it like you humans - we get all the water we need from the delicious little shoots we eat. No, we enjoy water for the sparkling light it gives us in the mountains. There is rushing water and seeping water and gentle flowing water.

Have you ever played in a mountain stream? The silvery water rushes over slippery rocks and sparkles in the sun. It makes a happy sound and it makes our hooves glossy and shiny just like jewels.

Sometimes the water seeps gently from the rocks and the rocks change colour from a soft pink to a rich orange and little plants that are food to eat grow at their feet.

Sometimes the water flows across the land like a silver necklace among the green, ‘biessies’ grow at its side – a place for us to hide and nibble tasty little titbits.

Water makes us dance for joy!

Next time you visit the Swartberg Mountains keep a look out for me and my family. My husband Ivan is a handsome fellow. He has two small horns between his lovely large ears. He can dance just as beautifully as me, climbing effortlessly to the highest peak.

When you see us you might think we are kissing each other – but what we are doing is sniffing at the lovely scent that comes from little brown pockets just beneath our eyes. I carry my scent all around me like an expensive perfume so that Ivan always knows where I am and I can raise my lovely, elegant nose and take a sniff – and know that he is near.

Last Spring we had our first little fawn – we called him Boris. While we were waiting for him to be born and while he was nursing, I had to eat lots of food – can you guess what Ivan did? He stood guard, watching out for our biggest enemy – leopard, while I ate my fill. Our males never eat as much as we girls – nature is clever that way.

If you see us on a rocky slope stand still and listen. If Ivan thinks you are too close he will whistle – and if he is really worried he can ROAR!  And if he roars we head for a higher peak – leaping into the air with our four little feet tight together - landing so gracefully all on point. For we are klipspringers, the elegant, glamorous, beautiful, dainty ballet dancers of the berg!