Our winter visit to the Kruger National Park, suffering through one of the worst droughts to hit it in recorded history, provided several excellent sightings of some of the predators for which the Park is renowned. While many of the herbivores are finding survival difficult now with limited water and grazing, the predators are having a royal time, as the movement of prey revolves predictably around the remaining water sources where they can be easily ambushed.
Black-backed jackal at Satara
Black-backed jackal at Tinhongonyeni, near Mopani
Black-backed jackal saying his morning prayer?
Bold honey badger at Nwanetsi Picnic Site
Bold honey badger at Nwanetsi Picnic Site
Foraging honey badger seen between Satara and Tshowane
Foraging honey badgers just north of Satara
Foraging honey badgers just north of Satara
Early morning leopard at Nsemani Dam
Leopard trying to hide among the thorns
Lion pride with buffalo kill
Lion pride with buffalo kill
Lion pride with buffalo kill
Lion pride with buffalo kill
Lion pride with buffalo kill
Lion pride with buffalo kill
Spotted hyena waiting for the lions to have their fill
Another lion protecting his buffalo carcass from vultures near Tshokwane
Another lion protecting his buffalo carcass from vultures near Tshokwane
Another lion protecting his buffalo carcass from vultures near Tshokwane
Lying in wait at the waterhole
Lying in wait at the waterhole
With a belly full of wildebeest, this lion doesn’t have enough energy to get up
With a belly full of wildebeest, this lion doesn’t have enough energy to get up
Lying in wait at the waterhole
Spotted hyena
Spotted hyena along the road
Spotted hyena
Spotted hyenas with porcupine kill
Spotted hyena close-up
The Satara area of the Park is well known for excellent predator sightings, and the guided night drive we took part in there delivered lions, hyenas, black-backed and side-striped jackals and two leopard sightings!
Spotted Hyena on Satara Night Drive
Spotted Hyena on Satara Night Drive
Spotted Hyena on Satara Night Drive
Leopard at Nwanetsi Bridge, on a night drive from Satara
Leopard at Nwanetsi Bridge, on a night drive from Satara in the Kruger Park
Daring jackals at a lion kill, seen on a night drive from Satara
Daring jackals at a lion kill, seen on a night drive from Satara
Daring jackals at a lion kill, seen on a night drive from Satara
Even just walking around the fenceline at Satara could provide close encounters with dangerous predators, though 99.9% of the time seperated by an electrified fence. Spotted hyenas are to be found on most nights, as visitors often feed them scraps from their evening meals. The reason why this is illegal is because the animals become very bold beggars, which often ends in tragedy for the hyenas and sometimes also for the human visitors, as evidenced by a hyena attacking a teenager when it somehow found its way into Crocodile Bridge recently. We therefore expected to find hyenas on our evening walkabouts and weren’t disappointed, but the leopard that unexpectedly appeared in the glare of our spotlight near Satara’s entrance gate, safely on the other side of the fence, caused us great excitement!
Hyena patrolling along Satara’s fence
Hyena patrolling along Satara’s fence
Leopard seen along Satara’s fence
Leopard seen along Satara’s fence
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