Kruger National Park
Limpopo · Best Apr to Sep
41 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
Records337 records
Curve from 337 national iNaturalist observations, not from one property. 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 South Africa
Baobab Hill House by RETURN Africa
Kruger National Park
From R 17,120a night
Striped Polecat recorded here
Pafuri Camp by RETURN Africa
Kruger National Park
From R 11,820a night
Striped Polecat recorded here
Nkula Walking Camp by RETURN Africa
Kruger National Park
From R 8,380a night
Striped Polecat recorded here
Hutwini Walking Camp by RETURN Africa
Kruger National Park
From R 11,820a night
Striped Polecat recorded here
Mdluli Safari Lodge
Kruger National Park
From R 10,670a night
Striped Polecat recorded here
Ubuntu Lodge at Elephant Point
Kruger National Park
Price on request
Striped Polecat recorded here
The Orpen Kruger
Kruger National Park
From R 9,024a night
Striped Polecat recorded here
Kruger Shalati: The Train on the Bridge
Kruger National Park
From R 17,400a night
Striped Polecat recorded here
Marataba Mountain Lodge
Marakele National Park
Price on request
Striped Polecat recorded here
Kruger Untamed - Satara Plains Camp
Kruger National Park
From R 11,980a night
Striped Polecat recorded here
Kruger Untamed - Tshokwane River Camp
Kruger National Park
From R 17,500a night
Striped Polecat recorded here
Lion Sands Tinga Lodge
Kruger National Park
Price on request
Striped Polecat recorded here
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
Marataba Safari Lodge
Marakele National Park
Price on request
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
Lion Sands Narina Lodge
Kruger National Park
Price on request
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
Hinkwenu Villa, Lion Sands
Kruger National Park
Price on request
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
Marataba Villa
Marakele National Park
Price on request
Striped Polecat recorded here
The Drakensberg
Next stop
Sandstone amphitheatres and cool mountain air
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 Kruger National Park, uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park and Cederberg Wilderness Area.
When to go, park by park
Here all yearEasiest viewing
| Park | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kruger | Here | Here | Here | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Here | Here | Here |
| uKhahlamba-Drakensberg | Here | Here | Here | Here | Easiest viewing |
Darker months are each park's own best season, when thinner bush or scarce water makes viewing easier. A sighting is never guaranteed.
Where to base yourself
Limpopo
Kruger · Marakele
LimpopoBig FiveSelf-driveStays in LimpopoWestern Cape
Cederberg Wilderness Area · Table Mountain · Agulhas
Western CapeSelf-driveMalaria-freeStays in Western Cape
Northern Cape
Kgalagadi · Ai-Ais/Richtersveld · Augrabies Falls
Northern CapeSelf-driveStays in Northern Cape
KwaZulu-Natal
uKhahlamba-Drakensberg
KwaZulu-NatalStays in KwaZulu-Natal
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 South Africa?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Striped Polecat at stays in or beside Kruger National Park, uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park, Cederberg Wilderness Area, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Addo Elephant National Park and Marakele National Park and other reserves. 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. 97 places to stay on Spekboom in South Africa 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. Kruger National Park: Apr-Sep; uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park: year-round, dry season May-Sep; Cederberg Wilderness Area: Sep-Apr, flowers Aug-Oct; Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park: Aug-Oct, flowers, Mar-May. 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".