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Morning drive continued

Dad and I had only seen a handful of ostrich in Kruger, so we were delighted to see plenty of them in Karoo NP



Halfway around the loop you come to the Bukraal Picnic spot, so we pulled in for a pit-stop.
I was very impressed. It even had a pool!!
If we'd had more days in the park it would have been lovely to go and have a picnic there

As it was, our tummies were grumbling and our thoughts were on breakfast back at camp

On the way back we saw a cute little steenbok, with an itchy ear by the looks



This was probably the same zebra we saw earlier on in the drive, but now we got a much better look at his quagga-bred characteristics


I also think this was the same gemsbok we saw but he was a bit closer this time.
Such handsome antelope


And our final sighting of the morning drive was another steenbok


By the time we got back to camp it was nearly 8am and we were STARVING!!!

Another reason I chose the Karoo NP was because breakfast was included
And boy was it yummy. Good coffee, bacon, eggs, tomato and mushrooms on toast.
Just what two hungry Aussies needed before heading out on the next drive....

Mel,

Start to the morning drive delivered some special sightings.

Steenbokkie's ear is really positioned at a strange angle... ...the one even looks like he lost the ear.

Gorgeous pic of the close up of the Ostrich ..has a glint in the eye.

Brekkies sound yummy...just what the doctor ordered.

Ready for more.

Not a good post to read before breakfast. Now that has got my tummy going.

More please, Mel.

Hi Mel!

Just loving the Karoo! What a wonderful, magical place it seems to be!
I've never seen a Burchell's zebra - they are quite different, just loved the photos!

Hope your Dad managed a better sleep the next night... Can't wait to hear more!

Sounds like a nice brekkie! Find the Kwagga-like zebbie very interesting...

Thanks for stunning TR and photos........Just shows, Karoo can also deliver

Great that you saw a couple of ostriches - They were also for us only a rarity in Kruger except this year

Cute steenbokkies and great to hear that Breakfast is included - That sounds indeed like a great one

Hi Mel

So glad that I got to catch up on your TR...
Just wonderful and very jealous about the fact that you saw wild dogs twice in one day... Some people only get to see the once every few years And you night drive sighting was sommer lekker close to the road.
I know how you felt when you left KNPit is always sad for me when I have to pack up and say my goodbyes
Now for Karoo NP I have never been there and I'm happy with your sightings so far can't believe that the Park have such a big array of animals, I didn't know that there were lions so maybe a trip in the future will have to be planned for me. I'm waiting for more great sightings that you had at the park and you and your dads adventure in SA...

Yikes! I missed the whole of the before-breakfast-morning-drive!
(Oh, and it's obviously advisable to do the sit-in breakfast. The packed
breakfast didn't impress Spots & me too much, to say it politely )

You definitely had the better and closer sightings.
Or your zoom is just better than mine.

Beautiful!

I remember a long time ago our local environmental tv programme having some inserts on the selective breeding of zebra with quagga characteristics to try and re-create the quagga. I think they said the quagga had the same DNA as the zebra. Perhaps these are they. I can't remember where it was they were doing this breeding programme, perhaps at Karoo or maybe they have released some of them there.

Nice pics Mel, love the ostrich portrait.

Hi Trrp-Trrrrrrrr

The ostrich pic was one of my favourites too
I'm not a photographer by any stretch of the imagination but every now and again my camera took a good photo

Thanks for following my TR

And plenty more ahead

Sorry about giving you a rumbling tummy MM
Did you go and make yourself bacon, eggs and mushrooms that morning?

The included breakfast at the Karoo NP was a real treat for Dad and I as we were running very low on our own food supplies by then

G'day Mel

Thank you for your continued support - it really means a lot to me

In some ways I found the Karoo a bit like outback Oz, especially the vast open spaces.
But of course, with very different animals

I actually wish we'd had a few more days to spend there exploring the park - it really is an amazing place

Hi Bushbuddies

Yes, it sure was a lekker brekkie and just what we needed before our next big drive

I did some reading up on the history of the quagga, and how it went extinct in the late 1800's
Quagga once roamed in huge numbers over the karoo, but they competed with the settlers cattle for grazing opportunities, so they were all shot!

I'll provide a link below in chirinda's reply about the Quagga Project

Hi Philip1

Thanks for following our dad and daughter adventures

Despite the Karoo not having the drawcard animals such as the big cats, ellies, giraffe etc., it abounded with it's own unique animal life, and the scenery was endlessly rewarding