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Hi guys. A short and sweet little trip report.

So on the 21st I popped into the park for the day. It wasa quiet day as far as sightings go but ehre are some of the highlights.

We entered at Numbi gate and saw many of these
spiderwebs.

The entire veld near was full fo them. In the morning sun with the dew it was amazing to see literaly HUNDREDS of these webs glistening in the sun.

We had a quiet day so here are some of the better pictures that we got:


Hippo at Sunset Dam
Zebra
Giraffe
The ussual Impala

Near Thsokwane we found this little guy
Mini me Giraffe

And then finaly later in the day (I was running very late for Malelane Gate) we spotted this little one. He was in no mood to do anything else but look for milk with mom and this was the best picture I could get.

Rhino Calf

So thats it.. Short and sweet.

Baffs

Hey guys.

Went tripping into Kruger Park on Good Friday.
We left Nelspruit real early (4:45). It was a mission as I have the inlaws here and it is a custom for my inlaws to do makeup before they go to Kruger. The more I tell them people are there to look at all the animals the more base gets hauled out the vanity case...

Anyway we started the day really early and quiet. We didnt see even an impala on the road until we were half way to Skukuza. I must add that the road looked like a highway so if I was a four legged creature I might also have avoided the road.

At least we managed to see some other interesting things like this Golden Orb Spider. Note the allready eaten prey but also the other two spiders on the web. I cannot be sure if those are "mini me golden orbs" or some other species of spider. I had to crop the poor picture to oblivion as it was taken from about 10 meters away. Perhaps someone could shed some light onto the other two spiders on the web.

A surprise sighting was this secretary bird about 8 kiloteres before Skukuza. It was a it far away so i couldnt get a much better picture than this even though it was a very good sighting. (unusual I guess)


We also saw this Slug. I despertaly wanted to put a matchbox or a ten rand note or something there to show the ratio. The photo does not show it but this fellow is about the size of a mans hand. perhaps even larger.

A little later we saw a Molesnake. At least I assume its a species of molesnake. Beautiful markings and shiny. Almost like it was slimmy. it was about 20 cm in length and even though it was wriggeling like mad in what appeared to be a great effort to get accross the road it wasnt moving forward at great speed.

We stopped at Skukuza for breakfast and after we left again we spotted this Monitor. It wasn't to pleaed to be close to the road and the car and crawled into the ditch next to the road. It then promptly poceeded to come back out. At least far enough to watch us with suspicion. If look close enough you can see the claw next to the head. On the photo it looks like a mean spider next to the head.

Our day continued quiet for a long time and then we started the lion sightings. We saw so many on so many occasions that I am not going to bother giving them one by one. Have a look at this album for some of the better photo's. Note the young male that had eaten waaayy to much. He was so uncomfortable it was actually funny to see. The stomach reminds me of some sightings on the cricket day (including me)

As ussual it was a great day. We had the misfortune of spotting a lioness in very very bad shape. Looks like bad TB. I sent the pictures to protection services and will post them in a while. It was sad to see as she was weak and could amost not stand up. All wobley and weak in the knees.

More of that a bit a later. For now I have to take the "inflaws" to Sudwala Caves...

Male lion looks like he has had enough to eat....... eyes bigger than his tummy

It was a bit funny. He went down to the water hole... stopped half way and "waddled" back to try and get some more of the kill. Or at least make sure no one else got more than him. We couldnt see what they brought down as it was a bit of long grass.

He was VERY uncomfortable...

A sight to behold.

Ok as promised I had some pics to sort thru of a lioness suffering from BTB. Well at least it appeared to be BTB.

We spotted them on the Muntshe Loop near Mlondozi dam.

You can have a look at her here. She was a not at a good angle so pardon some of the images.

In the same pride there was a much better looking specimen. As can be seen in album mentioned above.

Also got a good
"face shot" of her.

It was sad to see. The sick lioness was really ill and stumbling along. Was a bit nasty.

Hi Freda I thought so to but since there is two of them I was wondering if it wasnt "babies". The legs (shape) looks the same but I cant be sure.

I am trying to read up on google but no luck so far.

I thought I would comment on a recent trip to the park in this thread since I don't think it warrants a new thread.

Went for the day on Saturday the 29th of April. Came in at Numbi. Saw 3 rhino's and then ALL the way to lower Sabie via Skukuza I saw absolutely NOTHING accept the highway of cars.

Not even an elephant. 3 times we saw vervet monkeys. It was the most crowded I ever saw the park. Had a good time with the guys that went with us though.