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Thanks for your warm and nice comment.
I try to do my best with the tuskers , without being fascinated by them I could not do it and it is great so many like it. Looking at the Impala pics...yes it still has impact at ourselves thinking back of that sighting. I had to keep my eyes dry while making the pictures , that was not that easy...

Hi anne-marie,
greetings from a cold and "snowy"netherlands. With this weather I am missing Kruger once more and our tuskers friends even more.... it's so great to see them , to wait for them and being impressed every time

Thanks and glad you found it

Bushbuddies,
It was a great great pleasure to meet "my" boys whispering with low voice is the tactic , they understand all you say

Hey aat I just read your TR that birth is something spectacular to have witnessed you and your wife were exceptionally blessed with such a special sighting! Your tuskers are beautiful I've got to say im not an elephant fan but in pictures they are gorgeous lol cos i don't hang around long enough to take pictures myself of them im too afraid of them lol well im on board for your trip looking forward to reading some more

Thanks Sharifa
Before I get closer I observe them for some time in what "mood" they are... If I don't trust it I don't take any risk

Thanke S L,
Next time you see a tusker, take your time, keep distance and enjoy the sighting... you don't have to get close if you don't feel safe.

Really wonderful photos of the gentle giants. It looks like they know you will post them on the internet and showing themselves off for you, like with Hahlaleni getting on the road to pose better for you. Is it all just luck or ?? something to do with whispering

ahh distance now that's a word I love next to the word elephant lol believe me if I can wide berth them i do lol my SO was laughing at me with our last trip cos we were driving on a dust road and came across a massive bull in the middle of the road I stopped, turned the car around and went around via another road that interlinked that dust road beyond that elephant

Be carefull but enjoy

Thank you for the beautiful photo's and stories of the "Big Boys" - they are truly magnificent!

Eshter thanks,
It's all just being lucky

Thanks naomi,
you're welcome

*** NEW Stories ***
Like my previous TR’s, this is not going to be a day to day TR, but a series of stories about animals and special situations based on our last trip from november 11th 2012 till december 9th 2012.

Story 03 – BC Diaries Cheetah (part I)


Hi all,
It’s time again for a new story. I think I said some time ago we have seen a lot of Big Cats so time to start off with let’s say a Big Cats Diary.

We were staying in Mopani, always been a special place for us because of all the great sightings we have had in this area. It was very early when we left the gate and like always the decision “where to go”. Let’s go to Mooiplaas waterhole first, may be we see a tusker ?
Still waking up in the car, a bit yawning and nothing near the waterhole. So let’s move on to Tihongonyeni. Following the road for a few minutes and huhhhhh…. Still sleeping or is it real…. A cheetah just near the road

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A male cheetah and just in front of us… deciding to get on the road.

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Well, nothing better to do so let’s follow this guy and see what he is going to do
With open windows we could hear him calling… another cheetah around ?
I remember that I have seen two of them in that same area more then a year ago so what happened…
He went to a roadsign and was sniffing around.

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Always nice to see him on the roadsign

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Sniffing and looking around and calling…. We really got the impression he lost his friend / brother

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and more close up

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Off the roadsign and walking on the road again… such a wonderful sighting just for our eyes..
I was just thinking… such a sighting in the south and many cars around you.. this is what I like in the north …

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On his was to another roadsign

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Mhhhh sniffing… was my friend here ?

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No…no sign of him so what to do…. I have to think about the situation

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and searching for a place to think…..

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As a good cat the best way to think is laying down

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Yawning is good for activating my brains….


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and again….

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Let me roll on my back … maybe I can think even better this way….
** I must say we have seen cheetah’s many times but never seen one posing this way… we had to laugh thinking about our cats at home doing this almost daily. One of the funniest cheetah pictures I could make so far**

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After some thinking I know where to go so time to stand up again and going to the place my friend might be…I hope…

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Well… after a long time following this beautiful Cheetah he went into the bush. What a start of the day in Mopani. Not a sighting you normally expect in this area.

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The sighting was wonderful but we could feel the sadness of the cheetah missing his friend... he was restless...calling...and not feeling happy....
The follwing days we were thinking of him and asked ourselves ..is he re-united with his friend ??

As said… this is part I of the Big Cats (Cheetah). This story about this Cheetah will be continued later on….

Preparing these pictures I still have to think about his calling for his friend… I am curious if he found him again.

Hope you liked it… and till next story


Aat & Elly


Many other pictures of last en other trips:
My Wildlife Photography Site
http://www.awv-photography.com

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magnificent, certainly this one I miss... once upon a time...

what a chance, what beautiful cat, I sincerely hope he will find his mate/brother
and can't wait

thank you Aat for reminder me THERE IS CHEEATAHS in the North