Category Archives: Kruger National Park

Our experiences in the Kruger National Park, South Africa

Waterhole meeting

There is always something interesting to see along the Mphongolo River, north of Shingwedzi Rest Camp, and the final afternoon of our recent visit to the Kruger National Park delivered another memorable sighting in this area. At one of the few pools remaining in the rived bed, and with temperatures peaking at a sweltering 40°C, a large herd of elephants and an equally sized herd of buffaloes were converging, and jostling for position at the water and mud (with the elephants obviously winning the contest). Hiding in the middle of the pool was a single crocodile, probably hoping and praying that none of the behemoths notice it!

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Almost orphans

On the 15th of December, making our way to Olifants Rest Camp, in fact just about a kilometer before the camp’s gates, we came across two tiny warthog piglets, probably not any older than a day or two. They were frantically running around in the road, squeeling to high heaven, and approaching every passing vehicle seemingly hoping that it was their mother.

It seemed they were abandoned and they were clearly in distress.

However, after spending a few minutes at the scene we noticed their mother hiding in the thickets, grunting to her little ones but probably frightened of the vehicles gathered around her babies. We decided to leave then, hoping that as soon as there were no more cars around she’d come and collect the errant piglets and take them back to the safety of her burrow.

When we passed the scene again a little later, the warthog family was nowhere to be seen and we hoped that the story had a happy ending.

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If you enjoy de Wets Wild as much as we enjoy sharing our love for South Africa’s wild places and their denizens with you, please vote for us in the 2015 South African Blog Awards.

We’ve entered the categories for “Best Travel Blog” and “Best Environmental Blog”, and you are allowed to vote for us in both. Clicking on the badge below will bring you to the voting site.

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Surprise osprey at Shingwedzi

We were most excited to find an osprey, a rather uncommon bird in South Africa, fishing at a pool in the Shingwedzi River, just a few kilometers north of Dipene along the S50-route, during our recent visit to the Kruger National Park.

Osprey

It was just one of almost 200 bird species we identified on the ten day trip, and we’ll be telling you all about our visit and sharing many of the special wildlife encounters we enjoyed in the days and weeks ahead here at de Wets Wild!

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If you enjoy de Wets Wild as much as we enjoy sharing our love for South Africa’s wild places and their denizens with you, please vote for us in the 2015 South African Blog Awards.

We’ve entered the categories for “Best Travel Blog” and “Best Environmental Blog”, and you are allowed to vote for us in both. Clicking on the badge below will bring you to the voting site.

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Off air

We arrived at Shingwedzi Rest Camp yesterday and had more wonderful sightings on the way and around here. Unfortunately cellular signal here is not good enough to post a daily photo, so that’ll have to wait ’til we’re back home.

Windblown Kings

It;s not easy keeping a regal pose when battered by a howling gale, but these two lions seem to be doing a fine enough job of it!

Windblown Kings

(We encountered them on the S90 between Satara and Olifants Camps in the Kruger Park this morning)

Get lost!

Ever wondered what a lion’s face looks like when you disturb him and his lady love?

Like this!

Get out of my face

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If you enjoy de Wets Wild as much as we enjoy sharing our love for South Africa’s wild places and their denizens with you, please vote for us in the 2015 South African Blog Awards.

We’ve entered the categories for “Best Travel Blog” and “Best Environmental Blog”, and you are allowed to vote for us in both. Clicking on the badge below will bring you to the voting site.

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Pigeon quarrels

This morning we were entertained by the constant bickering between the members of a flock of beautiful African Green Pigeons.

Squabling

 

Lion love at Lower Sabie

This evening we were welcomed back to Lower Sabie Rest Camp by a pair of mating lions!

Lion love at Lower Sabie

This little piggy…

Day one of our annual December bush pilgrimage, this year to the Kruger National Park, and despite all the lions, jackals, elephants, rhinos, hippos, giraffes, buffaloes, zebras and antelope that crossed our paths today it was this tiny little warthog piglet and his siblings that were the real crowd pleasers!

This little piggy

 

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If you enjoy de Wets Wild as much as we enjoy sharing our love for South Africa’s wild places and their denizens with you, please vote for us in the 2015 South African Blog Awards.

We’ve entered the categories for “Best Travel Blog” and “Best Environmental Blog”, and you are allowed to vote for us in both. Clicking on the badge below will bring you to the voting site.

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Eye Spy

An irritating fly homing in on its target; the eye of an impala ewe in the Kruger National Park.

Impala being targeted by a biting fly

Impala being targeted by a biting fly

Eye Spy” is the theme for this week’s WordPress Photo Challenge

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If you enjoy de Wets Wild as much as we enjoy sharing our love for South Africa’s wild places and their denizens with you, please vote for us in the 2015 South African Blog Awards.

We’ve entered the categories for “Best Travel Blog” and “Best Environmental Blog”, and you are allowed to vote for us in both. Clicking on the badge below will bring you to the voting site.

SA Blog Awards Badge

Thank you very much for your support!