Category Archives: Memorable sightings

First time ever!

I have been visiting South Africa’s wild places for all my 40+ years, and yet there’s still many of their treasures I am yet to see. Following our September visit to the Kruger National Park I can now finally tick my first ever encounter with a leopard cub! We found the little one lazily watching the passing vehicles from a rocky outcrop along the main road between Tshokwane and Skukuza.

What luck!

Leopard cub (photo by Joubert)

Leopard cub in a rocky outcrop between Tshokwane and Skukuza

Going in search of rare antelope in Northern Kruger

21 Replies

The northern parts of the Kruger National Park harbours populations of antelope rarely seen in the wild elsewhere in South Africa, and of course the Wild de Wets just love going in search of these special creatures. Our recent visit during the winter school holidays, basing ourselves for nine nights at Shingwedzi Rest Camp, yielded wonderful encounters with Eland, Nyala, Sharpe’s Grysbok and Tsessebe (and we’ll just have to get back there soon to find the roan antelope, sable antelope, lichtenstein’s hartebeest and reedbuck that eluded us!)

Eland gathering at a watering hole north of Babalala

Eland in the mopane bush

We found this Eland near the Mphongolo River

Eland in the mopane bush

Beautiful nyala bull

Nyala ewe and lamb

Splendid Nyala bull

Stately Nyala bulls

Sharpe’s Grysbok

Tsessebe herd grazing on the plains north of Shingwedzi

Predator sightings in Northern Kruger

49 Replies

The northern parts of the Kruger National Park suffers from an inaccurate perception that predators there are fewer and harder to find, and consequently that part of the Park sees far fewer visitors than the area south of the Olifants River. It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy – fewer people looking for predators means fewer people finding predators – that suited us just fine when we visited the area around Shingwedzi Rest Camp during the winter holidays. We returned home bragging about several splendid encounters with lions, leopards, spotted hyenas and both side-striped and black-backed jackals and hardly ever having to share the experience with other visitors. Please don’t let the secret out though – we’re only telling you! 😉

Black-backed Jackal at Shipirivhiri Waterhole

Spotted Hyena seen at night right from Shingwedzi’s fence

Spotted Hyena scavenging from a buffalo carcass in the Mphongolo River

Serene leopard near Punda Maria

Catnapping leopard near Punda Maria

Beautiful leopard encountered near Red Rocks

Lioness in the early morning twilight, just a stone’s throw from Shingwedzi’s gate

One of the two Kings of Babalala

The two Kings of Babalala

The two Kings of Babalala (Photo by Joubert)

One of the two Kings of Babalala

Beautiful male patrolling his territory at Red Rocks

Watchful Lion (Photo by Joubert)

Getting up is hard work for this Lion (Photo by Joubert)

Ready to tackle the day ahead!

Beautiful male patrolling his territory at Red Rocks

Big male lion in the bed of the Mphongolo River

The lady that stops traffic

37 Replies

This lioness was using the bridge outside Lower Sabie in the Kruger National Park as her own personal catwalk, settling down to give her adoring fans some close up views of her beauty – and I was lucky to get a front-row seat!

Lioness on her way to the bridge at Lower Sabie

Weighing up her options

The Queen of Lower Sabie

Lioness on the bridge with her adoring fans

Lioness on the bridge at Lower Sabie

But lions aren’t always such show-offs – sometimes they like to keep their distance, and other times they lie hidden in plain sight…

Lions in the grass next to the Crocodile River

Well-hidden Lion

Painted Wolves on the move (and quickly!)

38 Replies

Coming across a pack of Painted Wolves, also known as African Wild Dogs, on the road to Skukuza was another special encounter from my solo visit to the Kruger National Park in May 2019. These animals are highly endangered – it is thought that fewer than 7,000 remain in the wild with the estimated 200 living in the Kruger National Park representing South Africa’s biggest population of the species. Seeing these energetic and attractive animals is therefore always thrilling!

African Wild Dog, or Painted Wolf, on the lookout for prey

Heavily pregnant female African Wild Dog

African Wild Dog on the run

Pack of Painted Wolves, or African Wild Dogs, near Skukuza

African Wild Dogs

Tiny Quarrels

21 Replies

Dwarf Mongooses live in close-knit clans, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t the occasional squabble between family members! While walking around Pretoriuskop Rest Camp on a recent visit to the south of the Kruger National Park, I spied two of the tiny tykes continuously working on each other’s nerves, until eventually and inevitably the fight escalated into blows.

A Dwarf Mongoose searching for food in Pretoriuskop

Dwarf Mongoose eyeing another one in the camping area at Pretorkiuskop

The conversation turns heated

And that’s how the fight started!

Dwarf Mongooses settling an argument in the camping area at Pretoriuskop

One of the combatants calling “Uncle!”

Argument settled?

Francolin Families

22 Replies

We were really surprised at all the Swainson’s and Natal Spurfowl (both formerly known as francolins) families with tiny chicks that we encountered during our recent visits to the Kruger National Park in May and June, supposedly well into our austral winter (and dry) season.

Natal Spurfowl hen

Immature Natal Spurfowl

Natal Spurfowl hen with chicks

Natal Spurfowl chicks

Natal Spurfowl hen with chick

Natal Spurfowl chick

Swainson’s Spurfowl hen with her brood

Immature Swainson’s Spurfowl

Love Bites

16 Replies

Well, apparently, if your a Striped Skink love should bite if you’re doing it right! This couple was having their honeymoon right outside my vehicle in the parking area at Lower Sabie Rest Camp in the Kruger National Park, but then headed for the privacy of a crevice in the concrete when the scene was threatening to turn too steamy…

Striped Skink courtship

Striped Skinks courtship

No denying that Hyena cubs are cute!

35 Replies

During my visit in May 2019, along the main road between Pretoriuskop and Skukuza camps in the Kruger National Park, I was lucky to come across two different spotted hyena clans with youngsters – one group had three babies and the other no less than eight bouncing bundles of joy! And they were bouncing, and biting and bullying, to their hearts content, causing me great amusement but obviously not impressing their mothers very much with their antics…

Spotted Hyena youngster bullying a sibling

Rambunctious Spotted Hyena cubs

Spotted Hyena trying to discipline one of her cubs

Running around your aunt while your smaller cousins are trying to suckle is great fun apparently in Spotted Hyena families

Spotted Hyena cubs and mother

Female Spotted Hyena

After sending the cubs back into their den, Mom Spotted Hyena can finally take a closer look at potential prey some distance away.

Rambunctious Spotted Hyena cubs

Spotted Hyena mothers apparently make great jungle gyms!

Rambunctious Spotted Hyena cubs

One of the Spotted Hyena moms trying to restore peace. The other has seemingly given up!

Rambunctious Spotted Hyena cubs

Alert Spotted Hyena youngster

Tired Spotted Hyena cubs – aren’t they sweet!?

And just to remind you that spotted hyenas are actually very efficient hunters, I came across this fellow devouring a freshly killed impala very close to Lower Sabie: