Each of our core and seasonal brews have been inspired by a different animal on the endangered species list. This includes the following amazing creatures:
Geometric Tortoise
Our iconic Slow Beer was inspired by the Geometric Tortoise.
The geometric tortoise is a critically endangered species of tortoise and one of three members of the genus Psammobates. It is found in a very small section in the South-Western Cape of South Africa - including the area around our Darling, where our brewery is based.
Conservation status: This species is protected under the Nature Conservation Ordinance of the Western Cape Province and Schedule I of the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). It is also listed as one of the top 25 most endangered tortoises and turtles in the world.
Spotted Hyena
The Bone Crusher was inspired by the Spotted Hyena.
The spotted hyena, also known as the laughing hyena, is a hyena species, currently classed as the sole extant member of the genus Crocuta, native to sub-Saharan Africa
Conservation status: Although the Spotted Hyena is currently categorised as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, the population is rapidly decreasing outside protected areas. Their status is threatened by deforestation and hunting.
Black Rhino
Warlord was inspired by the Black Rhino. The black rhinoceros or hook-lipped rhinoceros is a species of rhinoceros, native to eastern and southern Africa including Angola, Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Eswatini, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Its primary habitats are grasslands, savannahs, and tropical bush lands.
Conservation status: The species overall is classified as critically endangered (even though the south-western black rhinoceros is classified as near threatened).
Roan Antelope
Gypsy Mask was inspired by the Roan Antelope. The roan antelope is a savanna antelope found in western, central, and southern Africa. The roan antelope is one of the largest species of antelope; only eland, bongo and large male greater kudu can exceed them in weight.
Conservation status: Although currently categorised as 'least concern' there are only an estimated 60,000 roan antelopes remaining in Africa. One-third of these are concentrated in four countries: Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Zambia, and Tanzania. About 60% of them live in protected areas.
Plains Zebra
Rogue Pony was inspired by the Plains Zebra. The plains zebra, also known as the common zebra, is the most common and geographically widespread species of zebra. Its range is fragmented, but spans much of southern and eastern Africa south of the Sahara.
Conservation status: Each species of zebra has its own conservation status. According to the IUCN's Red List of Threatened Species, the plains zebra is near threatened, but has a stable population at the moment.
Cape Honeybee
Pixie Dust was inspired by the Cape Honeybee. The Cape honeybee is the southern South African subspecies of the Western honeybee. The Cape honeybee plays an important role in human lives as it is managed by beekeepers to allow for honey harvesting and to provide a pollination service to farmers of pollinator-dependent crops.
Conservation status: While the Cape honeybee is officially classified as not threatened, they are experiencing threats, including diminishing forage resources, pests, and diseases, as well as problems arising from misuse of pesticides and insecticides in the environment.
Panthera Leo
Long Claw was inspired by the king of the jungle (and grasslands) - Panthera Leo. African lions in most of sub-Saharan Africa except in desert and rainforest habitats. Lions were once exterminated from South Africa, where they remain in Kruger and Kalahari Gemsbok National Parks and possibly some other protected areas. Lions once also ranged throughout southwest Asia and north Africa.
Conservation status: Currently listed as 'Vulnerable' on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, lion populations continue to plummet across Africa. In some parts of the continent, this species are now classified as 'Critically Endangered'.
Verreaux's Eagle
Black Mist was inspired by the Verreaux's Eagle.
The Verreaux's eagle is a large, mostly African, bird of prey. It is also called the black eagle, especially in southern Africa. These epic birds live in the hilly and mountainous regions of southern and eastern Africa (extending marginally into Chad), and very locally in West Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and the southern Middle East. It is one of the most specialised species of accipitrid in the world, with its distribution and life history revolving around its favourite prey species, the rock hyraxes.
Conservation status: Its populations are stable and have been less impacted by human encroachment due to the isolation and the inaccessible terrain of its habitat.
The Sungazer (Giant Girdled Lizard)
Our DB Light Lager was inspired by the Sungazer. Named after its relative size in the group of girdled lizards, the Giant Girdled Lizard is the biggest species in the group. The genus, Smaug, is named after the legendary dragon of the same name in the novel ‘The Hobbit’ by J.R.R. Tolkien.
Conservation status: Smaug giganteus is classified as vulnerable under the IUCN Red Listing criteria (Bates et al. 2014). This is because the creature is under threat of habitat loss from agriculture and mining. It is also constantly being collected from the wild, because of the difficulty of captive breeding, for pet trade and muti-markets.
Namaqua Arrowhead
Arrowhead was inspired by the Namaqua Arrowhead butterfly. Phasis clavum, the Namaqua arrowhead, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in South Africa and Namibia. The wingspan is 29-39.5 mm for males and 35–44 mm females. Adults are on wing from September to November and sometimes January.
Conservation status: It is not currently endangered – YAY!
Secretary Bird
Blood Serpent was inspired by the Secretary Bird. It is a large, mostly terrestrial bird of prey. Endemic to Africa, it is usually found in the open grasslands and savanna of the sub-Saharan region.
Conservation status: Secretary birds have been listed as 'Vulnerable' by the IUCN Red List since 2011 with large declines in their available habitat and the numbers of birds seen across Africa.
Disclaimer: The statistics mentioned on this page were accurate as of April 2022.