Category Archives: Memorable sightings

Drakensberg Dwarf Chameleon

Bradypodion dracomontanum

Just as we arrived at Royal Natal National Park in the Drakensberg for our visit in December, Joubert noticed this laid-back little chameleon resting an elbow on a fence post in the campsite at Rugged Glen.

Turns out he (or she) is a Drakensberg Dwarf Chameleon, a species found only in the Drakensberg mountain range in Kwazulu-Natal Province, where they inhabit sheltered forests and bushes in alpine vegetation at altitudes of between 1,500 and 2,500m and feed on small insects. They grow to a length of only about 14cm. Interestingly, dwarf chameleon females give birth to between 5 and 20 live young that develop in eggs inside the female (known as ovivivipary).

The Victor and the Vanquished (Duel at first light – the series)

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Early into our December holidays, we came upon two black wildebeest bulls squaring off in a territorial tussle near the Basotho Cultural Village in the Golden Gate Highlands National Park. At the onset they appeared evenly matched, sometimes wrestling each other right to the ground with their horns interlocked, entirely oblivious to the human spectators. Reasonably quickly one triumphed and sent his rival running, the entire fight lasting all of one exhilarating four minute long round.

Walking to the battle ground

Sizing up one another

Round 1! Black Wildebeest Duel

The victor and the vanquished

Golden Gate has a substantial population of black wildebeest, and is one of the best places to go searching for these endemic South African creatures.

Territorial Black Wildebeest bull that’s lost the tips of both his horns in fights!

Black wildebeest on the trot along Golden Gate’s game viewing circuit

Black wildebeest herd on a plateau

Black wildebeest calves

Kings of Addo

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Two male lions waited for us next to the road as we were driving from Addo‘s new, soon to be opened Nyathi Camp early on Friday morning. We may only have spent a few minutes in their audience, but the experience will remain a thrilling memory forever.

Kings of Addo, seen near Addo’s new Nyathi Camp

Kings of Addo

Lion Kings of Addo

Kings of Addo

Addo wouldn’t be Addo without the elephants…

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Last week I had the pleasure of a quick visit to the Addo Elephant National Park, and of course the Park’s star attractions delivered wonderful performances! Every herd had the tiniest and cutest of babies in attendance, and the massive aggregation of literally hundreds of elephants milling around Hapoor Dam is a spectacle I will never forget.

A lone bull drinking from the trough at Peasland

Protective cow at Lismore waterhole

Elephant family at Lismore waterhole

Calf suckling at Marion Baree waterhole

Big herd drinking at Spekboom

Tiny calf staying close to mom at Spekboom

Enormous aggregation of elephants at Hapoor

Jackal facing up to an elephant family at Hapoor

Elephant interaction at Hapoor

Young bull walking to his drinking spot at Hapoor

Dominant bull striding up to welcome a newly arrived family group at Hapoor

Very thirsty calf running for the water

Another herd of elephants arriving at Hapoor

Three sisters walking away from Hapoor Dam

Time for a bath at Hapoor

Elephants everywhere you look (Hapoor)

More cows and calves at Hapoor

The next day, as we passed Hapoor, the elephants were getting together again

Big bull standing tall at Lismore waterhole

Them Big Old Bulls

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What better way to wrap up the report back on our winter visit to the Kruger National Park‘s Satara and Mopani Rest Camps, than to appreciate those majestic elephant bulls that roam the Lowveld!

Nothing like an evening dustbath…

… and a bit of a scratch!

Drinking from an “elephant well”

The old guys don’t mind a bit of shade

Impressive Tusker

Just look at that bulk!

Obviously a very gentle individual

Armada approaching over the waving landscape

Ndlovane (2016/07/02)

Regal procession

Taking in the Kruger’s amazing scenery

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Our recent winter visit to the Satara and Mopani areas of the Kruger National Park provided constant reminders of just how privileged we are to have this amazing natural area in our country. While it is the astounding bird and animal life that find a home here that draw people from all over the world, that would not have been possible had it not been for the incredible landscapes that has now been protected from human exploitation for over a hundred years.

Sunset at Satara

Looking up into the branches of a fever tree

Lazy winter morning sun above a pool in the Nwanetsi

Sweni stream crossing

Gnarled Leadwood stump

Taking in the wildlife and scenery from Satara’s boundary fence

Herds of game congregating near Satara

Taking in a Satara sunset

Satara sunset

WInding roads and beautiful scenery

Congregating at the waterhole

Kudu in the mist

Misty sunrise

Sweni stream crossing

Satara sunrise

Windpump at sunset

Sunrise at Tinhongonyeni

Sunset at Shipandani

Gathering at Tinhongonyeni

Breaking through the clouds at Tinhongonyeni

Finding Mopani’s rare antelope

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The Kruger National Park‘s Satara Rest Camp is known for its abundance of predators, but when you visit the Mopani area, you should keep your eyes peeled for some of South Africa’s rarest antelope species, which are regularly seen here. Along the roads to the east of the camp, past Mooiplaas and Tinhongonyeni waterholes and along the Nshawu marshes, there’s always an excellent chance of encountering Tsessebe, Lichtenstein’s Hartebeest, Southern Reedbuck, Eland and Roan Antelope, while Sable Antelope is regularly reported from the Shongololo Loop and H1-6 tar road to the west and north of camp.

A big herd of eland we saw in the distance at Tinhongonyeni

Reedbuck are often encountered along the Nshawu Marsh

Roan Antelope Cow near Mopani in Kruger Park

Juvenile Roan Antelope near Mopani in Kruger Park

Roan Antelope Bull along the Nshawu marsh in Kruger Park

Roan Antelope herd along the Nshawu marsh in Kruger

Roan Antelope Cow along the Nshawu marsh in Kruger Park

Roan Antelope herd along the Nshawu marsh in Kruger

Roan Antelope Cow and Calf along the Nshawu marsh in Kruger

Roan Antelope herd along the Nshawu marsh in Kruger

Roan Antelope calf near Mooiplaas in the Kruger Park

Roan Antelope cow near Mooiplaas in the Kruger Park

Roan Antelope cow near Mooiplaas in Kruger Park

Tsessebe along the Nshawu Marsh in Kruger National Park

Tsessebe on the road to Makhadzi Picnic Site

Tinhongonyeni is a reliable spot to find Tsessebe

Tinhongonyeni in Kruger National Park is a reliable spot to find Tsessebe

Posturing Tsessebe Bull at Tinhongonyeni in the Kruger Park

Tinhongonyeni in Kruger Park is a reliable spot to find Tsessebe

Tinhongonyeni is a reliable spot to find Tsessebe

Tinhongonyeni in Kruger National Park is a reliable spot to find Tsessebe

Tsessebe along the Nshawu Marsh

Baobabs and Owls in Mopani

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Inside Mopani Rest Camp in the Kruger National Park grows a most impressive specimen of a Baobab, which has now been selected as a nesting site by a pair of barn owls. During the day they remain well hidden, but during a night-time walkabout we were thrilled to see one of the pair pluck a thick-knee out of the air in mid-flight!

Mopani Baobab

You’d think the sign should not be required…

Mopani Baobab

Bountiful Birding in Kruger, even in winter

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The Kruger National Park has a list just short of 500 bird species recorded there. Many of these are summer migrants, while a few others are rare vagrants to these parts. Even in winter however, the Park abounds with feathered life, and here’s just a few of the 115 species we managed to tick in our recent eight day visit to the Satara and Mopani areas of the Park.

African Mourning Dove

African Spoonbill

Black Crake

Cape Glossy Starling

Chestnut-backed Sparrowlark

Chinspot Batis (male)

Coqui Francolin (male)

Double-Banded Sandgrouse male

Double-Banded Sandgrouse female

Great White Pelicans in flight over Mopani

Grey Heron using a hippo as an island

Grey Heron

Hamerkop

Kori Bustard

Ostrich female

Senegal lapwing

Southern Black Tit

Southern Grey-headed Sparrow

Southern Ground Hornbill

Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill

Red-billed Hornbill

Tawny Eagle

Verreaux’s Eagle Owl

African Barred Owlet

Lilac Breasted Roller silhouette

Water Thick-Knee

White-Headed Vulture

Black and Woolly-necked Storks

Saddle-billed Stork

Yellow-billed Stork

Creepy Crawlies

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When out and about in the Kruger National Park, even in winter, there’s always a chance of spying some cold-blooded creatures, many of them extremely dangerous to humans!