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Hi Everyone.

This is my first posting on the forum. I hope many more to follow. We recently returned from a fantastic trip to KNP where we saw a phenomenal amount of game in one week.

For regular forumites, you already have a very good idea of what we saw, as I was in the same vehicle with a regular forumite, WILDCHILD, who has started posting already.

Now, when WILDCHILD enters the KNP, the animals have already been informed of his arrival and start manoeuvring to take a glimpse of him, hence the large number of sightings of all animals, especially the cats and dogs (not the domesticated type).

What made the trip extra special for me was that it was my first sighting of cheetah since my recent attraction to the bush starting since 2004.

After being back in the concrete jungle for 2 weeks now, I yearn to return to the bush soon. Until then I hope the forum provides me with some wild inspiration.

Bye for now.

Bushkid.

Hi.

Thanks to everyone for the welcome.
Elsa: Yes, I do travel in good company (Wildchild) and I cant compete with the reports so I leave that to the expert.

Below is my first attempt at posting some pics. Lets start with ...

Hi BBozo. We were in the southern part, SKUKUZA, CROC BRIDGE, MALELANE area. S65, S112, S114 were good roads with plenty of Big Five sightings.

The 6 leopards we saw were as follows:
- 2 on on the H3 (Crossing Road) @6:45 in the morning.
- One on the S110 during the night drive from Malelane.
BushBaptist: This one also crossed the Road! I guess the trick to the Road Cross sighting is early morning or later evening and being at the rigth place at the rigth time. I wish you better luck on your next trip
- One on the S21 sitting at the waters edge under the tree. This one has an interesting story which I will relate later.
- One on the S21, 500m from the previous sigthing but on the next day
- One on the S3 along the river.

While I sort and load the pics for the "Leapard at the water Incident" find some general pics for your viewing pleasure.

Giraffe on Road - S65


Impi Eating - could be anywhere in the park


Rhino sitting - Saltjie Pad


Hyena


Croc on the Rock

Ok, here's the story....

We were driving along the S21, hoping for some cat sigthings, it seems our prayers were answered as a gentleman told us that there was apparently a sighting a few km's up. So off we went. When we arrived at the scene, there was the usual traffic jam but soon the unpatient crowds left as the sighting was not a clear one.


Can you see it? Try using your Binos

Fortune favours the patient one. We caught a glimpse of the leopard who was low down under the tree at the waters edge. It really took a while to spot. Minutes later.....



The car was abuzz with an expectation of a KILL.
It was not to be as the 5 bushbigs went on their merry way after quenching their thirst. A few minutes later...


Now it could sense somethings down there...


But the thirst got the better of him/her.


Shortly after the Giraffe left the scene...

..as if to say, "Did you guys see that? the nerve they have disturbing my rest.."

From here on, the leopard come out went around the bush, did a roll for us and we watched it for a long period. Later a group of impis on the far end of the water caugth his attention and it started crouching and moving slowly towards the left.........Unfortunately time was not on our side and we had to start making our way to the gates.

On our way we had taken in a wrong turn (our thougths pre-occupied with what migth have been going on at the leopard scene) and ended up on the H5. The wrong turn turned out to be a bonus as we stumbled along 5 Wild Dogs.


.

A nice surprise. We spent a few minutes admiring these awesome predators and continued on our way. Our main aim was to get to the CB gate before closing. But...there was one more surprise in store for us that day ................ (To be continued)