Plant and Animal Life in Lesotho

Lesotho is a small land-locked country in sub-Saharan Africa. It is completely enveloped by the country of South Africa.

A bit about plants and medicine:

Plants have long provided mankind with a source of medicinal agents, with natural products once serving as the source of all drugs. Dependence on plants as the source of medicine is prevalent in developing countries where traditional medicine plays a major role in health care.

Infectious and inflammatory disease treatments from plants:

Herbal therapy is well established in some cultures and traditions, and has become a way of life in almost 80% of the people in rural areas. Infectious and inflammatory diseases are among those treated using traditional remedies. Infectious diseases are enhanced by factors such as inadequate sanitation, poor hygiene and overcrowded living conditions. As a developing country, Lesotho experiences the situation where traditional medicines play a vital role towards the well-being of the rural population, with knowledge being passed on by traditional healers and herbalists. Twenty-three plants used for the treatment of inflammation and bacterial infections were collected from Mohale’s Hoek and Qacha’s Nek districts in Lesotho during Spring 1998.

Some specific plants and their uses:

• Schkuhria pinnata leaves are used to treat stomach-aches
• The whole plant of Senecio sp. is used to treat mouth and throat sores, as well as hot baths for joint pains
• Euphorbia clavarioides roots are used to help treat body rashes, sores and wounds
• Pachycarpus rigidus (Seen below) roots are snuffed as a powder to help treat headaches and decoctions made from roots are drunk for colds and stomach-aches
• The whole plant of Monsonia brevirostrata is powdered and applied on to sores resulting from sexually transmitted diseases
• The whole plant of Solanum aculeatissimum is used after a miscarriage for internal cleaning and dry powder can be rubbed into wounds or placed on painful teeth

Overview of animals in Lesotho:

Lesotho is home to 339 different species of birds as well as 60 different species of mammals. Among these combined 399 species are at LEAST 10 globally threatened species. The national animal of Lesotho is the Black Rhinoceros, which is sadly one of the endangered species.

Endangered animal species:

Six of the endangered animal species include but are not limited to:

• The Black Harrier
• The Blue Crane
• The Cape Vulture
• The White Tailed Mouse
• The Largemouth Yellowfish
• The Yellow-breasted Pipit

Images of the species listed above:

The Blue Crane:

The Blue Crane (can be seen above) is one of the endangered species mentioned above. Blue Cranes stand about 110–120 cm in in height, and weigh about 4.5–5.1 kg. Their wingspan is 180–210 cm. The plumage color is pale grey, lightest on head and darkest on the tertial plumes. They fly at as much as 60–70 km/hour, sometimes in a V-formation, and walk on the ground while foraging. When threatened or disturbed, they may adopt a stiff, strutting walk while shaking their head and flicking the bill from side-to-side. They often forage in old lands and feed on spilled grain and they may be helped through the lean winter months because of this food source; at times, especially in spring, they are liable to be a pest in lands where crops are sprouting. The Blue Crane is a bird of open grasslands and other upland habitats. They are mostly found in natural vegetation in the eastern parts of their distribution, but where shallow wetlands are available, Blue Cranes will roost and feed in them. (Jobe 2018)

The Bearded Vulture:

The Bearded Vulture, or Lammergeier, (can be seen below) is an intense bird. Bearded Vultures are big birds weighing approximately 6 kilograms (or 13.2 pounds), with wingspans extending 2.6 meters (or 8.5 feet). Born dark & changing color gradually, adults are black in color with pale heads & bellies. Bearded vultures vary in color, from pure white to orange-red. This rusty orange brown color is the result of iron oxide from soils stains. As a result of its appearance and diet, the vulture has a nasty reputation of carrying away lambs, calves, and even children. This is, of course, disputable; the birds are not known to be hostile toward (living) humans. (O'Connell 2014)

Where to find these birds:

Reflection:

As stated above, Lesotho is a country that is less than 12,000 miles squared, and yet it contains nearly 400 different species of animals, as well as over 2000 different types of plants. Among these species of plants and animals are over 10 endangers animal species and 4 endangered plant species, practically making Lesotho a "safe haven" for a handful of endangered creatures around the world. Personally, I would love to travel and visit Lesotho one day.