A beautiful double rainbow following on a magnificent thunderstorm at Glen Reenen, in the Golden Gate Highlands National Park.
“ROY G. BIV” is the theme for this week’s WordPress Photo Challenge
Seven colours make a rainbow
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Hungry Hungry Hippo!
Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the water…
Well, when it’s Lake Saint Lucia you’re talking about then it is never safe to go into the water, thanks to the hippos, crocodiles and sharks that populate this aquatic environment. Better to be safe ON the water then? Only if you don’t encounter this playful young hippo, seemingly intent on making a meal of the tourist launch!
Hungry hungry hippo!
Luckily for the tourists on the boat, mom intercedes and calls him to order, dispensing quick discipline hippo-style with a bite and a roll on top of the little delinquent.
Hippo showing enormous gape
This delightful scene played out while we were enjoying a guided launch-tour of Lake Saint Lucia aboard the Santa Lucia, during our recent visit to the iSimangaliso Wetland Park. We’ll share more photos and memories from the cruise in an upcoming edition of de Wets Wild.
At the end of a wonderful long weekend…
Our long weekend at the iSimangaliso Wetland Park has come to an end, but please “stay tuned” in the weeks to come as we’ll share some of our latest experiences from this spectacular world heritage site.
No place like Cape Vidal…
Apart for Cape Vidal and the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, we can’t think of any other place in South Africa (or the world) where you can end a day of fun at the beach with a fantastic sighting of a leopard walking mere centimeters away from your car window. And that’s exactly how our day played out!
Grey-headed gull taking flight at Cape Vidal’s beach
Leopard sighting on the Grassland Loop – 15th June 2015
St. Lucia flypast
Today we joined a tour of Lake Saint Lucia aboard the Santa Lucia cruiser, and this low level flypast by an African Fish Eagle was just one of the highlights!
Cape Vidal, 13 June 2015
We were the first car into the iSimangaliso Wetland Park through Bhangazi Gate this morning, before sunrise. And this leopard sighting was just one of the day’s highlights!
We’re spending three nights at picturesque Cape Vidal, and can’t wait to experience all that iSimangaliso has in stall for us tomorrow…
Time off
Time away from work and school.
Time to allow the warm glow of an African sunset to rejuvenate body and mind.
We’re spending a long weekend in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park!
“Off-Season” is the theme for this week’s WordPress Photo Challenge
Waterbuck
Kobus ellipsiprymnus
The Waterbuck is the largest member of the family Reduncinae, which also includes the Southern Reedbuck, Mountain Reedbuck, Grey Rhebok and several other species occurring elsewhere in Africa.
Waterbuck bull
Waterbuck cow
The waterbuck’s most characteristic feature…
Waterbuck
Waterbuck
Waterbuck youngster
Waterbuck close-up
Waterbuck bull
Waterbuck Bull
Waterbuck Cow
Waterbuck Calf
Waterbuck herd at Transport Dam
Waterbuck close-up (photo by Joubert)
Waterbuck youngsters
Waterbuck
Waterbuck Bull
Waterbuck
Waterbuck cow
Waterbuck bull
Waterbuck ewes on the S100
Waterbuck
The race occurring in South Africa, the Common Waterbuck (K.e.ellipsiprymnus) is characterised by a white circle around their tails, distinguishing them from the Defassa Waterbuck (K.e.defassa) which has a solid white patch on their posteriors. These shaggy antelope weigh up to 270kg and adult bulls are up to 1.7m high at the shoulder. The gracefully curved horns of the bulls can reach a meter in length.
Waterbuck cow
Waterbuck bull
Waterbuck cows
Waterbuck bull
Waterbuck bull
Waterbuck bull
Waterbuck at the Mapilini stream just north of Nkumbe
Waterbuck
Waterbuck cow
Showing just how the waterbuck got its name!
Waterbuck bull
Wet waterbuck
Waterbuck
Waterbuck
Waterbuck
Waterbuck
Waterbuck Bull
Waterbuck cows and calves
Waterbuck Bull on the bank of the Sabie
Waterbuck herd on the banks of the Pioneer Dam near Mopani
Waterbuck Bull
Waterbuck
Waterbuck bull(seye)
Waterbuck bull
Waterbuck herd in the eMfabeni Swamp
Waterbuck
Waterbuck family
Waterbuck
Waterbuck
Waterbuck
Waterbuck cows
Waterbuck
Waterbuck
As their name suggests, the waterbuck is seldom found far from a permanent water source, requiring to drink around 9 liters of water daily. Waterbuck inhabit open savannah, grasslands, floodplains, marshes and reedbeds, where they feed predominantly on long grass. They occur in mixed herds with up to sixty members, though normally much smaller. Most calves are born in the rainy season, and remain hidden for up to four weeks before joining their maternal herds. When pursued by predators, waterbuck will often take refuge in deep water, being good swimmers. They’re a favourite prey of lions, though calves fall victim to all of Africa’s large predators, and have a life expectancy up to 18 years.
Waterbuck cow and calf
Waterbuck bull
Waterbuck cow
Waterbuck bull
Waterbuck bulls
Waterbuck calf
Waterbuck
Waterbuck calf
Waterbuck among the spiderwebs
Waterbuck drinking at Zincakeni Dam
Waterbuck
Waterbuck
Waterbuck
Waterbuck
Waterbuck
Waterbuck calves
Waterbuck cow
Dueling Waterbuck Bulls in the Nshawu Vlei (marsh) near Mopani in the Kruger National Park
Waterbuck bull
Waterbuck herd
Waterbuck bull (photo by Joubert)
Waterbuck bull
Waterbuck trio
Waterbuck bulls
Waterbuck herd
Waterbuck
Waterbuck cow
Waterbuck in the mist
Waterbuck bull
Waterbuck bull
The waterbuck is one of South Africa’s most common and well-known antelope, occurring naturally in most of the Northern and Eastern provinces and introduced widely outside its natural range on private land. The biggest population occurs in the Kruger National Park, with sizeable herds also at Ithala Game Reserve, Pilanesberg National Park and the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, among the many private and public protected areas in which they can be found. It is also widespread in the rest of Africa, with the IUCN estimating a total population of around 200,000 for the continent.
Waterbuck Bull
Young Waterbuck bull
Waterbuck bull
Young Waterbuck bull
Waterbuck youngsters
Young Waterbuck rams
Waterbuck
Waterbuck
Waterbuck bull
Waterbuck calf
Waterbuck
Waterbuck with oddly shaped horns
Youngish Waterbuck bull
Waterbuck
Waterbuck on their way to Orpen Dam
Waterbuck at Nsemani Dam
Waterbuck
One of the hides at Vogelfontein in Nylsvley Nature Reserve, with waterbuck in the foreground
Waterbuck cow
Waterbuck bull
Waterbuck visiting Tlopi Tented Camp
Waterbuck
Waterbuck
Waterbuck calf
Waterbuck
Waterbuck
Waterbuck
Waterbuck
Waterbuck
Waterbuck
Waterbuck
Waterbuck
Waterbuck
Waterbuck
Waterbuck
Waterbuck (photo by Joubert)
Waterbuck
Waterbuck
Waterbuck bull
Waterbuck bull
Waterbuck cow and calves
Vivid
The Cape Glossy Starling, as brightly coloured as they come…
“Vivid” is the theme for this week’s WordPress Photo Challenge.
On the way
The scenic route through the Kgaswane Mountain Reserve, which we visited last weekend. If you’d like to learn more about Kgaswane, have a look at the blogpost we dedicated to this special piece of South Africa yesterday.
The scenic route
“On the way” is the latest theme for the WordPress Photo Challenge
