SANParks.org Forums

Hello everyone!

I have only ever posted 2 Trip Reports before, and iv'e been going to Kruger for about 4 to 5 times a year over the past decade!

So, i decided i'll start one thread and share as many of my experiences and pictures with you! (Random)

Nothing in depth, just a description of the sightings and some pics!

Hope you all going to enjoy!

Alrighty then To get things started, im going to share with you all the first few pics taken of what seemed to be like 2 nomadic Male Lions. They were spotted on the H6 Satara-N'wanetsi road just past the Shishangeni waterhole. One youngish male and one slightly older looking fellow, the younger male seemed to be more active and photogenic so it gave me the chance to take a few snaps...
December 2008
















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On that same trip when we were staying at Skukuza, we decided we'll do an early morning drive down towards the Paul Kruger gate and hit a left onto the S3 and take it from there...

We just passed Lake Panic and heard Impala distress calls! It could only mean there was a predator in the area . So i decided to switch the car off and just listen and wait to see what happens...suddenly as i looked into my review mirror i saw a Leopard crossing from behind the vehicle!

She gently walked across into the bush, marked her territory and jumped into a tree scanning the area. It was a matter of minutes before she climbed down and just disappeared...(excuse the poor pic quality, early morning light )










To Be Continued....Impala giving birth

Thanks AKadwa!

Moving on...This particular sighting is one of my most memorable sightings! It is a sighting some people never get to see, and a once in a lifetime sighting for others...An Impala giving birth!
It was December 2008, a time when rainfall is high in Kruger and a lot of babies are born. On this particular day we were travelling along the S28 when we noticed an unusual looking Impala. At first we thought it had some sort of a deformity, but after looking at it carefully, we realised that we were witnessing a live birth!

I’ll let the pictures tell the story...





















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It was a couple of years back when I saw pictures on the forum of a Giraffe kill on the H7 Orpen road, Lions covered in blood and bellies almost bursting! I thought to myself, would I ever see such a thing?
Little did I know, last December when travelling on the S114 down from Skukuza just before Renosterkoppies Dam, a big surprise awaited me...?

Elzet...ameen...Lowveldboy
Thank you guys!

Carrying on from where I left off…


Whilst driving I noticed a huge traffic jam in the distance only a Leopard or Lion could pull off... As I approached nearer to the scene, that foul smell of something dead lurked in the air, vultures were circling and cars were parked in all kinds of awkward positions! What could it be?

As we rolled closer, I could see something huge lying down on the left hand side of the road. It was bulky, orangey/brown and had a long neck!

Than my heart started to skip a few beats! It was a Giraffe Kill with Lions feeding off it!!!Bone crunching…greedy growls…paw swipes and lots of blood! I was witnessing something I thought I’ll never ever see! But at this kill, there was one huge greedy male that refused to share with the rest of the pride and guarded the entire carcass just for himself! Eventually he ate himself sick and moved off allowing the others to feed.

I must say it wasn’t the most pleasant of all sightings! Besides the poor Giraffe being ripped apart, maggots oozed from the carcass every time it was shaken and the most awful nauseating smell came from it!

I'll upload the pics tonight!

Now here are some of the pictures as promised...






























To be continued.... We return to the carcass the next morning!

Continuing from the previous days Giraffe kill...

The next morning we returned to the Carcass and found one very sick looking male Lion, he was badly wounded and looked really weak. We weren’t too sure if he belonged to the same pride? He ate whatever he could muster and moved off before the Hyenas and Vultures arrived to do what they do best...



























(sorry if anyone thought the pics were abit too graphic )

Next a little story about one of the spotted cats on the S28....

Gunner

When we were there they have only eaten the stomach part. Started on one of the hind legs.

Appereantly lions chases the giraffes across the tar roads, because the giraffes don't have any "grip" on the tar surface and they then fall down. Could be that it broke its leg then.

Don't know how they managed to eat meat that rotten, I would defenately not stomach that!!!!

On recent visits to Kruger, the S28 has produced some really awesome sightings for us, especially travelling from Crocodile Bridge to Lower Sabie. On one misty morning while travelling along this famous road, we decided to stop at the Ntandanyathi Hide.

Sightings were good up until then, lots of game and 3 out of the Big 5, but no predators! Our luck was about to change, as we turned onto the road leading to the Hide we noticed a cat like silhouette in the mist! At first I thought Lions! But as they walked closer, they became more visible to see and it became clear that they were indeed CHEETAHS! A mother with 4 sub-adult cubs!

They were walking in the direction of the Hide, and near the Hide there were Impala’s grazing! All of a sudden the mother went into a stalking stance while the cubs followed excitedly! In a quick dash she sprinted towards them, Impala’s scattering all over! I quickly drove towards the Hide and spotted all 5 Cheetah’s looking down into the river below.

At the hide there was a couple sitting inside and witnessed the whole scene! According to them, the Cheetahs chased the Impala into the river, and as it struggled and splashed in the water a Hippo attacked and ate it! Wish I had been quick enough to have witnessed that!
But at least I got to see some Cheetahs which always makes a trip that much more special! Here are the pictures….

























There comes a point when one becomes so desperate for a particular sighting, that the person will virtually drive the whole day, till gate closing time looking, scanning and hoping to just have a glimpse of “that” special animal!
To be Continued....

I don’t usually stay at Crocodile Bridge, but my reason for this one night stay was specifically aimed at seeing the famous Painted Dogs! There were reports that a pack of about 22 Wild Dogs were frequenting the Croc Bridge area, more specifically on the S25. Since I had never ever seen a Wild Dog before I made sure I scanned every road around the S25! From Hippo Pools to Gardenia and back!

Like faith would have it, I didn’t see a single dog from the time I went out early in the morning up until 2:30pm! By then it was boiling hot, so I decided to head back to camp feeling a bit disappointed. After a nice nap, at about 4:30 I headed back out in search of the dogs. I decided I’ll give the S25 one more try.

As I travelled I hoped at the next corner I would see them on the road, but nothing! It was fast approaching gate closing time, so I decided to head back to camp. Then, within 5km before the S25/S27 junction, the perseverance paid off! I got my Wild Dogs at looong last…..

Baboons…what is it about these buttock protruding animals that fascinates us so much? Is it there human like behaviour? I for one will always enjoy a good sighting of these primates! On every trip to Kruger without fail, I’ll always stop at a Baboon sighting and just observe them.

At one particular Baboon sighting, like many others in Kruger, there was a dominant male that was throwing his weight around! Mishandling the youngsters and harassing the females. He was quite an impressive looking male, judging from the size of the canines he showed me when he yawned!

There were also other scenes of comedy like, the way they sat … the human like gestures they showed …the bark the male let out to send a warning to his rivals … and even the way they mated! ......interesting I tell you!

Pics to follow soon…

Pictures of the Baboons...Enjoy

Here’s the male harassing a little one...




Showing off...








Erm...

Look one hand...

Feeling sorry for himself

Showing some muscle

...and then showing whose Boss!

Bored out of her mind!

In Kruger no trip is complete without a sighting of Elephants. I don’t think there’s been a case where someone has visited the park without seeing a single Ellie, be it from the big bulls to the little innocent trunk swaying babies. They are the heavyweight sighting we all like to see!

On our most recent trip, we came across a breeding herd of Elephants between the Malelane gate and the H3/S110 junction. They were quite a big family of mothers, aunts, sisters and babies. The baby Ellie’s seemed to be in a playful mood running at each other, bumping one another and trying to pick up sticks with their little trunks. It was such a pleasure just watching them. Luckily the mommies seemed calm and allowed me to take these pics….




















Happy now LQ?

Next up...a certain Big Cat which rules the Animal kingdom. We hear them calling at night and sometimes we get to see them in the distance. In some instances we can almost touch them as they walk past our vehicles....

This is another Lion sighting of mine in Kruger, one that lasted for about 20 minutes. I stayed at Skukuza, and with all the possible routes around the camp to take I decided to take the H1-2 to Tshokwane. It was a good decision because smack right on the S83/H1-2 junction I came across a nice Lion pride relaxing on the road. A few females, with some young looking males as well as cubs!

One of our fellow forumites, OWN was also at the very same sighting, but we only learned about it after posting our pics on his thread, “THE ALL-MITEY KRUGER-PARK TRIP REPORT”. You can view our very similar looking pics here

Here are some of my shots…

Buffalo’s...the muzzle warriors of the Animal kingdom. 1 of the Big Five and one of the most dangerous. They look like docile herbivores, but when they give you that stare, you can see the ruthless intentions in their eyes! But i guess the law of the animal kingdom applies, you respect their space and they won’t harm you!

Like their heavyweight grass-eating neighbours the Elephants, Buffalo’s are very commonly seen in Kruger. You’ll usually find them in big herds or little bachelor groups. On every trip to Kruger I encounter these tanker driven beasts on one or more occasions.
These are pics of a herd i saw on the on H3 going to Skukuza....

Zebra’s...the black and white horses of Kruger, however, they are more closely related to donkey’s! Even though they are black and white, others claim they are actually white and dark brown? Whatever colour you want them to be, they always add that kaleidoscopic balance in nature.

Every one of us returns home with pictures of Zebra’s in Kruger. I like photographing them because they always seem keen to “pose” for a picture. Of all the animals they have the best hairstyles, Mohawk sleek hair always in place! As for the baby Zeb’s, they are cute with their big heads on their small bodies.

These are few random pics of Zebra’s I took all around Kruger...