Tag Archives: wildlife

Winter in Kruger, Skukuza August 2014

By now you’ll probably know that we were back in the Kruger National Park early in August. We’ve already shared with you our memorable encounter with a pride of lions, and shown you some pictures taken from the brilliant photographic hide at Lake Panic.

Memorable lion sighting near Skukuza, 3 August 2014

An hour or two at Lake Panic

In this post, we’re showcasing more of the amazing diversity of scenery and wildlife that the southern region of the Kruger National Park is renowned for and that we enjoyed during our 5 night stay at Skukuza. Click on any of the images, sit back and enjoy the gallery 😉

The sun rises over a herd of buffalo near Renosterpan

Blue wildebeest at Renosterpan

Black rhino playing hide-and-seek

Dwarf mongoose in Pretoriuskop

Early signs of spring

Young spotted hyena near Transport Dam

“Home Base”: Skukuza’s bungalow 210

Tree squirrel at the day visitors picnic spot

Elephant feeding on the Sand River road

Kudu crossing a sandbank in the Sabie River

Vervet monkey family portrait

Elephants in the Sabie, Skukuza’s iconic railway bridge in the background

Sunrise near Skukuza

Bushbuck are common near Skukuza

Eagle on the lookout

A huge crocodile interfering with the flow of the Sabie River

Banded mongoose in Skukuza

Mannikins making the most of a temporary puddle in camp

Flycatcher in camp

Mother and child on the Sabie River road

Crocodile reflection on Sunset Dam

Yellow-billed stork

Helmeted guineafowl hoping for handouts

Bushbuck are common near Skukuza

Sunrise over the Sand River

Crocodile camouflage

Bushbuck are common near Skukuza

Praying before eating at Afsaal Picnic Spot

Let the feast begin, Afsaal Picnic Spot

Walk around in camp after dark and you're bound to come across the thick-tailed bushbabies

Walk around in Skukuza after dark and you’re bound to come across the thick-tailed bushbabies

Hyenas patrol the fence at night, hoping for (illegal) handouts from campers

Reflections in animal track-puddles

We’ll soon dedicate a post to Skukuza’s rich history, amenities and natural attractions, but next week we’ll be sharing some more from our winter 2014 visit to the Kruger National Park, the three nights we camped at Satara. Look out for lots of predators and more photos of the white monkey 😉

An hour or two at Lake Panic

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Lake Panic is a man-made body of water just outside of Skukuza, the headquarters and biggest rest camp of the Kruger National Park. The dam originally got its name when a flood threatened to destroy it shortly after it was built, but today, being home to enormous crocodiles and cantankerous hippos, the name is still just as apt.

The hide at Lake Panic, situated at the water’s edge surrounded by lush vegetation, is extremely popular with photographers. In the early morning the sunrise over the water, often shrouded in a cloak of mist, is absolutely breathtaking, and there’s a constant processions of birds and animals to focus on throughout the day.

While staying at Skukuza recently, we made sure we popped in at Lake Panic regularly, staying for an hour or two. These are just some of the sights we enjoyed.

Hippo returning home after a night of feeding

Crocodiles at Lake Panic

Grey heron at Lake Panic

Neighbours looking out for each other at Lake Panic

Looking into the hide

Coming in to land at Lake Panic

Hippos at Lake Panic

Lake Panic sunrise

Golden sunrise on the water

Memorable lion sighting near Skukuza, 3 August 2014

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It was late afternoon on the 3rd of August, and the sun was slowly setting on our first day back in the Kruger National Park. We were enjoying a leisurely drive along the Sabie River, taking in the deep calming atmosphere that comes with sunset in a magnificent natural setting like this, about 5km from Skukuza Rest Camp.

Unexpectedly, a young elephant ran across the road towards the river, trumpeting loudly and shaking his ears and trunk around, clearly extremely agitated. From a short side loop, we watched as he flushed a pride of lions from the reeds, quite some distance from the road.

The young elephant that started the show

Noticing that the lions will now be making their way towards the road, we anticipate where they’ll be moving out of the river bed and position our vehicle in that spot. We have to wait only a minute or two before noticing the first feline shapes appearing among the riverine vegetation, much closer to the road already. The lions are coming, and they are heading straight for us!

One by one, the entire pride of about fifteen animals, including three magnificent males, pass right beside us, crosses the road and moves into the bush on the opposite side. We watch enthralled from inside our vehicle as the big cats move by close enough to stroke (though of course, that would be very foolish to even attempt!).

(You can click on the photos to view them in a gallery, for a bigger view – we’re sure you won’t be sorry that you did 😉 )

Moving out of the reeds

The first lioness to cross – notice she’s blind in her right eye

Second lioness to appear

Two cubs making their way out of the river bed

The first male to move closer, jawning after having their afternoon nap so rudely interrupted by the elephant

The smallest cub in the pride

The second male to appear was a beautiful specimen

The third male, apparently a little younger than the other two

Moving into the bush after crossing the road

Kruger welcomed us back in the most emphatic way imaginable. What else did it have in store for us in the nine days ahead? We hope you’ll join us again to find out!

Silhouette

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An early morning encounter with a territorial black wildebeest bull, in the Golden Gate Highlands National Park.

Silhouette

“Silhouette” is the theme for this week’s WordPress Photo Challenge

And we’re back!

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We’ve just returned from ten wonderful days in the Kruger National Park, and we’ll be telling you all about it in upcoming editions of de Wets Wild.

We hope this little albino vervet monkey we saw near the Timbavati picnic spot will convince you just how special our sightings were, and make you come back for more soon!

Albino Vervet, KNP Timbavati, August 2014

Texture

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The weathered face of a buffalo bull, living a hard life in the Kruger National Park

Textures

“Texture” is the theme for this week’s WordPress Photo Challenge

Lion

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Panthera leo

The lion. Such a short name for such a magnificent creature.

If there’s one animal that draws people from all over the world to our country’s wild places more than any other, it has to be the “King of the jungle”.

Lion

Lioness

Lion Kings of Addo

The King and Prime Minister of Imfolozi

Beautiful male lion (photo by Joubert)

Young male lion on the move

Male white Lion in the Johannesburg Zoo

White Lioness

The lion is Africa’s biggest cat; males weighing over 200kg and standing up to 1.2m high at the shoulder.

Mating lions

Snarling Lion (photo by Joubert)

Mating lions (photo by Joubert)

Lion (photo by Joubert)

Tawny Lion

White Lion

Four lionesses owning the road

Lioness close-up

Mating pair of lions

Lazy lionesses

Lioness

Lion

Domestic violence, lion style…

Lioness

Angry lioness

More lions!

Proud male lion

Huge pride of lions

Lions in the dark, just outside camp

Lioness

Lionesses seeking shade

Lion cubs

Lazy lionesses

Lion cubs and one of the pride females

A lonely and scared little Lion cub

Lion brothers

Lion

Lioness

Lioness close-up

Lion

They’re very adaptable creatures, inhabiting almost any habitat where there’s enough prey to sustain them. They’ll prey on anything from insects to crocodiles, buffaloes, rhinos, hippos and even elephants, and can consume up to 40kg of meat in a single sitting. And despite their association with royalty, they’re not above stealing carcasses from other predators, or taking carrion. They’ll drink regularly if water is available, but otherwise can go without it for extended periods.

Lion Jarvis

Well-hidden lion

Lioness feeding from the carcass of a poached rhino

Young male lion at Marakele

Lioness (photo by Joubert)

The two Kings of Babalala

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

Watchful Lion (Photo by Joubert)

Beautiful male patrolling his territory at Red Rocks

Big male lion in the bed of the Mphongolo River

Beautiful male patrolling his territory at Red Rocks

Lioness

Two of the Kambula Lions at Manyeleti

One of the males from the Kambula Breakaway pride

Lions after dark

Young male Lion

It is well known that lions are the most sociable of cats, living in prides that can number over 30 animals where food is abundant. These prides are controlled by single or coalitions of up to 6 adult males, defending territories in which the core of the pride, the adult females, can safely raise their cubs. The strength of the pride lies in the defending of territory, hunting of large prey animals, and communal care of the cubs. Depending on the availability of food, the territories can cover areas as large as 2000 square kilometres, scentmarked by animals of both sexes and loudly proclaimed by their distinctive roaring. Neighbouring prides will get involved in serious fights over territory, and when new males take over a pride it is seldom a bloodless affair, more often than not killing the cubs sired by the ousted males (who themselves are lucky if they escape alive). All in all, the life of a lion is not an easy one, and their lifespan is limited to only 12 to 15 years in the wild, if they reach adulthood at all.

Lion, Kruger National Park

Lion, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi

Lion, Kruger National Park

Sand River Lion

Kings of Addo

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

Kings of Addo

Lion pride with buffalo kill

Lion love at Lower Sabie

Lioness and mate

Male lion

Pride of lions at Kumana Dam

Lioness pacing the H4-1 between Skukuza and Lower Sabie

Lion with his zebra meal, just outside Satara

Lion near Skukuza

Lion

A lion in the light of early morning, searching the Nshawu Marsh for easy pickings

Today, despite all the reverence afforded to it through the ages as a symbol of nobility and bravery, the lion is a species under threat. Ever increasing human populations, and their accompanying livestock, is shrinking the habitat and prey available to these powerful cats by the day. They are being persecuted as livestock killers. They’re being poached for their skin and heads as trophies, and for their bones, used in traditional Asian “medicine”, “tiger wine” and “love potions”. There’s many so-called “captive-breeding facilities” where lions are exploited for the same purposes. To top it off, the dwindling populations are susceptible to disease and inbreeding. Though estimates range widely, there’s probably no more than 30,000 wild lions remaining in Africa (maybe as few as 10,000), and perhaps 400 in India. In South Africa, there’s sizable populations finding protection in the Kruger National Park and the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, with smaller numbers in several other reserves, including Pilanesberg, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi, iSimangaliso, Tembe, Mapungubwe, Marakele, Addo, Karoo and Mountain Zebra.

Lion on a dune in the Kgalagadi

Lion watched by wildebeest

Lioness at Nossob’s fence

Lion close-up

Lioness peaking over a ridge

Lions at sunrise

Kalahari lioness

Lion pacing the Nossob

Kalahari Lioness

Kalahari lioness

Lazy lioness (photo by Joubert)

Lioness

Rietvlei’s lions live a life of leisure

Male lion at Mountain Zebra National Park

Lions on a distant hillside

Lioness eyeing us and the buffaloes from the grass (photo by Joubert)

Lioness

The 10th of August has been designated World Lion Day; “An independent campaign working to highlight the importance of the lion globally and to raise lion conservation awareness worldwide“

Lions preying on buffalo in the Pilanesberg National Park

Mating lions at Mankwe Hide

Beautiful Pilanesberg lion (photo by Joubert)

Beautiful Pilanesberg lion

Young lioness at the Rhino & Lion Nature Reserve

Big male lion at the Rhino & Lion Nature Reserve

Feeding time at the Rhino & Lion Nature Reserve

Energetic female lions at the Rhino & Lion Nature Reserve

Feeding time at the Rhino & Lion Nature Reserve

Lion at the Rhino & Lion Nature Reserve, April 2021

Male White Lion

Lion roadblock (photo by Joubert)

Lion roadblock

Lion pride at Lubyelubye

Lionesses and cubs laying claim to a Sand Bank in the Sabie River

Young male lion

Lion just outside Pretoriuskop

Lioness in the minutes before dawn (photo by Joubert)

Pregnant Lioness

Lion (photo by Joubert)

Lion (photo by Erlo van Aswegen)

Back in Kruger, and what a welcome!

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We’ve arrived back at the Kruger National Park, and ended our day with a magnificent lion sighting near Skukuza; males, females and cubs crossing the road all around our vehicle.

Here’s a little teaser 😉

Lion Sighting 03Aug2014

Baobab

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Adansonia digitata

African legend has it that God got upset with the baobab and kicked it out of heaven. It smashed into the earth upside down, with its roots sticking into the air.

Due to its size, an adult baobab cannot be mistaken for any other tree. They reach heights of over 20m, with trunks sometimes more than 10m in diameter. Trees this size are estimated to be between 2000 and 4000 years old and have served as landmarks in the vast African wilderness for centuries.

Baobab, Mapungubwe (near Leokwe)

Baobab, Kruger (Pafuri)

The baobab in Mopani Rest Camp, Kruger National Park

Baobab landmark near Mopani, Kruger Park

Von Wielligh’s baobab, between Olifants and Letaba in the Kruger Park, in the dry season

Baobab with Buffalo Weaver nests

Baobab

Baobab with Buffalo Weaver nests

Baobab in a see of mopane, on the way to Bateleur

Small Baobab next to Rentmeester Guest House in Shingwedzi

Baobab on the way to Kubu Island

Kubu Island

Baobabs are deciduous trees, covered in dense green leaves during summer and completely devoid of their foliage in winter. The wood is very soft, and when the tree dies disintegrates quickly into a heap of fibres.

Baobab flower

Unfortunately, elephants have a particular fondness for the baobab and especially the bark, often causing the death of the trees by their very destructive feeding habits. Several other animals, including baboons, monkeys, birds, and predators use the tree for food or shelter.

Mapungubwe National Park scenery

Baobab forest at Pafuri

Baobab

Baobab and elephants

Baobab fruit

Baobab flower

von Wielligh’s Baobab

Baobab at Timbavati in the Kruger Park

The baobab has many traditional uses: the fruit can be used to make a most refreshing cooldrink with water or milk, the seeds roasted as a coffee substitute, the roots can be used to make a kind of porridge, young leaves cooked like vegetables, and the fibrous bark, apart from being used in traditional medicine, can be woven into mats used to build shelter or as floor covering.

In South Africa, the baobab occurs naturally only in the extreme northern and eastern parts of the Limpopo Province, with magnificent specimens to be found in the Kruger and Mapungubwe National Parks.

Summer Lovin’

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The midday heat of a Lowveld summer can get exceedingly oppressive. If you can muster the courage to keep yourself out of the swimming pool and head to a waterhole, you may just be lucky enough to enjoy the antics of a herd of elephant playing around in the refreshing water. These shots were taken at the Klopperfontein Dam, near Punda Maria in the Kruger National Park.