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Matthew Patay's
Note of the Month
October 2005
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Map and flag images provided by Graphic Maps
This month's featured note
is from the country of the South Africa.
The denomination is 50 Rand and the Standard Catalog of World Paper Money
(SCWPM) Number is P-125.
The note is not dated but was printed in (1992) & (1999).
(front)
The banknote is maroon, brown and deep blue-green on multi-colored underprint.
Lions, with their cub, are drinking water at center. A male lion head is at
right and is also the watermark.
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The following information
was obtained from:
Wikipedia.com, the free encyclopedia
African Lions
The Lion (Panthera leo) is a mammal of the
family Felidae. The male lion, easily recognized by his mane, may weigh up to
250 kg (550 lb). Females are much smaller, weighing up to 180 kg (400 lb). In
the wild lions live for around 10–14 years, while in captivity they can live
over 20. Lions are predatory carnivores who live in family groups, called
prides. The family consists of related females, their cubs of both sexes, and
one or more unrelated males who mate with the adult females. The females do the
hunting for the pride while the males are largely occupied with maintaining the
borders of their territory. Males are expelled from the pride when they reach
maturity. When or if a male coalition takes over a pride and ousts the previous
coalition, the conquerors often kill any cubs that they did not father.
Lions in the wild
Like all other cats, lions are superpredators, but unlike all other cats they are social hunters and take prey too large and dangerous to overpower singly, including adult zebras, cape buffalo, giraffes, hippopotamuses, and even sub-adult elephants. Lions in Botswana have been known to have killed adult elephants. Singly, a lion kills with the neck bite that breaks the neck or severs vital blood vessels; several lions may pin a large prey animal while another delivers the lethal neck bite or suffocates the prey by covering the victim's muzzle, preventing breathing. Lions are not averse to scavenging, and they frequently drive off smaller or outnumbered predators from kills and take the prey. Lions too can be driven off from prey by such competitors as hyenas and wild dogs in overwhelming numbers. Like other cats they have superb night vision that makes them more effective at night. They can sleep as many as 20 hours in a day.
The lionesses, despite modest size, do the bulk of the hunting and killing. As a rule, all of the females of a pride are related (grandmothers, aunts, mothers, sisters). Male lions exist largely to defend the pride; they are excellent fighters (the mane on lions may be an evolutionary adaptation to fighting; the mane would absorb bites and scratches that might otherwise be lethal), but due to their large size and difficulty at concealment, they are ineffective predators. The male lion gets his share of all kills by his pride. Lionesses 'own' their hunting grounds.
Most prey animals remain calm if they spot a lion; the lion lacks the stamina for a sustained chase, in contrast to wild dogs. Natural enemies include such competitors as crocodiles, hyenas, and wild dogs, but especially other lions. Some of the prey animals (zebras, hippopotamuses, and elephants) can deliver crippling or killing blows by kicking or stomping.
Lions are one of the most sexually active cats. During a female's oestrus cycle, a male and female will mate unabated every 10 to 20 minutes for 5-7 days. However, it takes 6-9 oestrus cycles for the female to become pregnant.
Lions are found throughout South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana and Mozambique. They are mainly found in woodland type areas but can survive in semi desert or bush areas. In August 2005 a group of scientists proposed introducing lions into North American wildlands in order to replace ancient populations and to curb the danger of extinction.
Baby or young lions are called cubs. Females give birth to 1-5 youngsters, after a gestation period of three months. The cubs can suckle for as long as 18 months but are normally weaned by 8 weeks. They face a high mortality rate from starvation, attacks by other large predators, and especially by male lions killing the younger ones while taking over a pride.
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(back)
Sasol oil refinery is at lower left center.
The following information was obtained from:
Sasol Oil
Sasol Oil is responsible for the marketing of Sasol's liquid fuels and lubricants, manufactured by SSF (Sasol Synthetic Fuels) and the crude oil refinery Natref (National Petroleum Refiners of South Africa) which is a joint venture.
The company oversees Sasol's interests in Natref as well as Tosas (another joint venture) which manufactures and markets bitumous products.
Sasol supplies 40% of all the petrol in South Africa. 70% of our fuels are sold to other oil companies in this country, including BP, Caltex, Engen, Shell, Total and Exel, who then add their own additives.
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For more information about South Africa visit:
South Africa Government Online
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