Satara Summer 2021 – Reptilian Encounters

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There’s just something about reptilians that grabs our attention. Maybe it’s the fact that they’re cold-blooded, or covered in scales, or because they remind us of dinosaurs and dragons. Whatever the case might be, if you are as fascinated by reptiles as we are then the Kruger National Park, home to at least 118 species of reptiles, should definitely be on your list of places to visit and perhaps this collection of reptile photos taken during our visit in December 2021 is all that is needed to convince you.

Of course, there’s probably not many people who think of Flap-necked Chameleons as being dangerous. These masters at camouflage whose eyes can move independently to see almost every inch of their surroundings are always a welcome sight. Easy to notice when they cross a road or pathway, they quickly disappear from sight as soon as they reach the vegetation on the verge.

Flap-necked Chameleon
Flap-necked Chameleon
Flap-necked Chameleon
Flap-necked Chameleon

There’s a rich variety of lizards and geckos in Kruger Park, and the best place to see them is undoubtedly inside the rest camps and picnic sites where they’re accustomed to having people around.

Common Dwarf Gecko
Giant Plated Lizard
Male Rainbow Skink
Rainbow Skink female
Variable Skink
Striped Skink
Tropical House Gecko (photo by Joubert)
Tropical House Gecko
Turner’s Thick-toed Gecko
Yellow-throated Plated Lizard

Of course we can’t forget Satara’s show-off Agama King we posted about on the 22nd of January!

Male Tree Agama in breeding colours in Satara Rest Camp
Female Southern Tree Agama (photo by Joubert)

Due to their massive size the two species of monitor lizard that occur in the Park – the Rock and Water Monitors – really are a class apart!

Rock Monitor
Rock Monitor in the process of shedding its old skin
Water Monitor swimming
Water Monitor swimming

We were parked at a leopard sighting when Marilize noticed this Western Stripe-bellied Sand Snake in a bush next to our car. For a while we forgot all about the leopard above our heads…

Stripe-bellied Sand Snake (photo by Joubert)

Tortoises and terrapins too are sure to please the crowd. Often seen crossing the road in hot weather their endearing habit of crawling into their shell when you stop next to them never gets old. Seeing two Speke’s Hinged Tortoises mating – the female munching on flowers through the process – was an unexpected highlight of our latest visit.

Speke’s Hinged Tortoise
Mating Hinged Tortoises
Mating Speke’s Hinged Tortoises
Baby Leopard Tortoise
Leopard Tortoise (photo by Joubert)
Leopard Tortoise (photo by Joubert)
Marsh Terrapin
Marsh Terrapin

To end of this post with, the fearsome Nile Crocodile. Kruger Park is home to some of the biggest specimens of these top predators you could ever imagine seeing.

Baby Nile Crocodile (photo by Marilize)
Nile Crocodile (photo by Joubert)
Nile Crocodile
Nile Crocodile
Nile Crocodile
Nile Crocodile
Nile Crocodile
Big Nile Crocodile (photo by Joubert)

 

23 thoughts on “Satara Summer 2021 – Reptilian Encounters”

    1. de Wets Wild Post author

      Baie dankie, Una, dis regtig gaaf van jou. Ons bankbestuurder snak maar elke keer na sy asem wanneer ek die volgende bespreking betaal.
      😀
      Eendag is eendag dan gaan iemand ons betaal om permanent daar te bly.

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  6. Anne

    Chameleons are so precious! You have put together an interesting array of reptiles here – beautiful photographs that serve as a timely reminder that there are more than the big and hairy to see in nature.

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  8. anne leueen

    Wonderful photos including the ones taken by Joubert . I am spending the winter in South Florida .
    Here we have Alligators that are very large and we have a lot of geckos here of various sizes and skin tones

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