Hippo Mock fighting!
One thing about the bush, there is a lot of testosterone going around. These young adult hippos are no exception. There is a strict hierarchy and pecking order and it is to be maintained and followed without question. Except of course when it is challenged. Young males of most species are continuously scuffling, fighting, sparring […]
The baboon Hilton!
While you explore Africa there is one animal that you will find at once endearing and ever present. The ubiquitous baboon. They are gregarious creatures living in troops of up to a 100 and run by a set of males who all have equal status as Dons and yet among equals there is usually a […]
Botshelo at the waterhole
It was early morning in the deep winter and the sun was late rising. We had just entered the Kgalagadi and were heading out on drive with the sun rising to our right, heading north on the Nossob road. The mornings are simply awesome in the Kgalagadi and we were taking it all in. A […]
Caracal on the dunes
The caracal in the Kgalagadi dunes It was the dead hours in the Kgalagadi, sun shining high in the sky, animals looking for cover from the blistering heat, and we were driving along among the dunes just hoping for something interesting to come along. A movement barely visible in the red sand on the left […]
The fast and the hungry
The cheetah family at breakfast. Cheetahs are the fastest land animal and they depend entirely on their speed to hunt. The cheetah kill is one of the most spectacular sights on the plains. As spectacular as it is, it attracts a lot of attention. Every scavenger and free-loader and even predator in the area sees […]
DOVES AT THE WATERHOLE
Sunlit doves in the Kgalagadi When the sun’s rays are at a low angle in the Kgalagadi and the heat of the desert day is dissipating into the cool of the night, animals and birds come for a drink. The waterholes are busy and the unwary are in trouble. We sat by a waterhole before […]
The eland herd escapes the lions.
One hot Kgalagadi morning we saw an amazing sight. A large eland herd was walking along the Auob riverbed. This is a rare sight and eland are not the easiest of antelope to watch, they tend to be skittish and like to watch us from far away. This herd how ever was obviously heading for […]
win some lose some
The huntress and the Go-away bird. One bright winter morning in Kruger we driving along the Sabie river and saw some movement down the slope to the bank from the road. I had a good feeling about this and stopped to check it out and sure enough….. leopard! She was sneaking around the bushes tail […]
The gemsbok baby.
Large plains antelope are found in a whole range of colours, from sable antelope which are black to Gemsbok that are silver grey with fashionable stripes to Hartebeest which are a lovely rusty brown. The amazing thing though is that all their calves are fawn in color. A wildebeest calf looks almost like a Gemsbok […]
The 3 stooges of the Kgalagadi
The badger, the jackal and the goshawk. As the saying goes, ‘there are those who are willing to work, and there are those who are willing to let them’. This is never more true than in the Kgalagadi with the 3 stooges. The honey badger, the black backed jackal and the pale chanting goshawk are […]
