Cederberg Wilderness Area
Western Cape · Best Sep to Apr
9 places
Wildlife
Striped Polecat
Ictonyx striatus
The striped polecat (Ictonyx striatus) - also called the African polecat, zoril, zorille, zorilla, Cape polecat, and African skunk - is a member of the family Mustelidae that resembles a skunk (of the family Mephitidae).
Species insights
When to visit
Recorded year-round
Recorded in every month, so no month is the wrong month to look. We would rather say that than invent a best time.
Best monthsAny month
Recorded in Western Cape~175 records
Curve from 337 national iNaturalist observations, not from one property and not from this province. Single-month spikes are discarded as upload artefacts, and below 50 records we show no curve at all.
Where you'll find it
Western Cape and beyond
Provinces where Striped Polecat is most recorded. Tap one to find places to stay.
337 records, iNaturalist
Parks where hosts record the Striped Polecat
Stays that give back
Across the Western Cape
Cederberg - Kliphuis
Cederberg Wilderness Area
From R 180a night
Striped Polecat recorded here
Algeria Cottages
Cederberg Wilderness Area
From R 1,990a night
Striped Polecat recorded here
Rietdak Cottage
Cederberg Wilderness Area
From R 1,580a night
Striped Polecat recorded here
Waenhuis Cottage
Cederberg Wilderness Area
From R 960a night
Striped Polecat recorded here
Garskraal Cottage
Cederberg Wilderness Area
From R 2,310a night
Striped Polecat recorded here
Uitkyk Cottage
Cederberg Wilderness Area
From R 1,510a night
Striped Polecat recorded here
Peerboom
Cederberg Wilderness Area
From R 1,490a night
Striped Polecat recorded here
Sas se Werf
Cederberg Wilderness Area
From R 1,490a night
Striped Polecat recorded here
Prik se Werf
Cederberg Wilderness Area
From R 1,490a night
Striped Polecat recorded here
Smitswinkel Tented Camp
Table Mountain National Park
From R 965a night
Striped Polecat recorded here
Overseers Mountain Cottage
Table Mountain National Park
From R 4,009a night
Striped Polecat recorded here
Slangkop Tented Camp
Table Mountain National Park
From R 770a night
Striped Polecat recorded here
Olifantsbos Guest House
Table Mountain National Park
From R 4,859a night
Striped Polecat recorded here
Wilderness Ebb-and-Flow Rest Camp
Garden Route National Park
From R 287a night
Striped Polecat recorded here
Karoo Rest Camp
Karoo National Park
From R 437a night
Striped Polecat recorded here
Agulhas Rest Camp
Agulhas National Park
From R 1,643a night
Striped Polecat recorded here
More stays nearby
Coastal Retreat
Benguela Cove, Hermanus
From R 26,450a night
Thabile Lodge
Oudtshoorn
From R 1,400a night
Bitou River Lodge
Wittedrift, Plettenberg Bay
From R 2,250a night
Bartholomeus Klip Farmhouse
Riebeek Valley, Riebeek West
From R 5,636a night
Welgelegen House by RETURN Africa
Gardens, Cape Town
From R 2,800a night
Babylonstoren
Klapmuts, Simondium
Price on request
An African Story by RETURN Africa
Bakoven, Cape Town
From R 9,900a night
Schoone Oordt Country House
Swellendam
From R 4,355a night
The Cape Winelands
Next stop
Stellenbosch and Franschhoek vineyards, an hour up the N1
See places that give backPlanning a trip
When and where to find the Striped Polecat
Hosts have recorded the Striped Polecat at stays in or beside Cederberg Wilderness Area, Table Mountain National Park and Agulhas National Park.
When to go, park by park
Here all yearEasiest viewing
| Park | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cederberg Wilderness Area | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Here | Here | Here | Here | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing |
| Table Mountain | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Here |
Darker months are each park's own best season, when thinner bush or scarce water makes viewing easier. A sighting is never guaranteed.
Ways to look
Drive yourself
Your own vehicle and pace, on the park's roads.
Where hosts record it
IUCN Red List
Least Concern
Species
Ictonyx striatus
Records
337
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Striped Polecat on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Striped Polecat in Western Cape?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Striped Polecat at stays in or beside Cederberg Wilderness Area, Table Mountain National Park, Agulhas National Park, Garden Route National Park and Karoo National Park. A record means a host has seen it on the property or nearby, which makes these the places to base yourself; it is never a guarantee of a sighting on any given day.
Where can you see the Striped Polecat in South Africa?
The Striped Polecat is most recorded in Western Cape (52% of records), Northern Cape (24% of records), Eastern Cape (7% of records), based on 337 iNaturalist observations. 16 places to stay on Spekboom in Western Cape have recorded the Striped Polecat on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Striped Polecat?
The Striped Polecat is recorded throughout the year, so no month is the wrong month to look for it. For the parks where hosts record it most, these are the best seasons they give. Cederberg Wilderness Area: Sep-Apr, flowers Aug-Oct; Table Mountain National Park: Sep-Apr, flowers Aug-Oct; Agulhas National Park: Sep-Apr, flowers Aug-Oct; Garden Route National Park: Sep-Apr, flowers Aug-Oct. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.
What is the conservation status of the Striped Polecat?
The Striped Polecat (Ictonyx striatus) is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
What is the Striped Polecat?
The striped polecat (Ictonyx striatus) - also called the African polecat, zoril, zorille, zorilla, Cape polecat, and African skunk - is a member of the family Mustelidae that resembles a skunk (of the family Mephitidae). The name "zorilla" comes from the word "zorro", which in Spanish means "fox".
