The week in pictures has tied in quite nicely with “World Photography Day“! Thank you to all of our rangers, photographers and those who capture moments in nature at our camps. Without you, this journey would not be possible.
We certainly have an array of colourful species peppered throughout the Kruger. Their bright display of colours attract potential mates or ward off predators. The more subtle khaki and tan hues of our big cats are a necessity when it comes to hiding in the thickets. This week, we’ve got the full spectrum of colours that make up the safari world. Welcome to the “Week in Pictures”, a kaleidoscope of Kruger colour.
We’ll never of the endless leopard sighting enjoyed by Umkumbe Safari Lodge. This week, firm favourite, Mxabene strolled past the vehicle. The most exciting news of the week is that graceful leopardess Tatowa was caught mating with Mxabene!
The affair has been going on for close to 3 days. In other big cat news, the Mhangeni lionesses were seen relaxing on an elevated area of land and a lone cheetah was conserving its energy while resting under a tree. In other news, Marius managed to photograph a pair of side-striped jackals intertwined while mating. An African scops owl remains well hidden adjacent to the trunk of a tree. These owls are endemic to southern Africa and have quite a distinct call.
Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp
Our Klaserie camps have been monitoring the antics of the Mapoza males quite closely. The one with the thick mane has put on quite a show while mating with one of the Ross Pride lionesses. There’s been plenty of lion activity in the Klaserie. Ranger Bjorn enjoyed his first pangolin sighting, which is incredible news given that these endangered mammals are notoriously shy. This is actually the Klaserie’s third pangolin sighting over the past few weeks. There’s been a flurry of birdlife in the bushveld and Nadia managed to delight us with a few birding photos. Elephants, buffalo and giraffe appear to be enjoying the current Kruger climate. All in all, another epic week in the Klaserie.
Ezulwini Billy’s Lodge and Ezulwini River Lodge
The lion pride dynamics in the Balule have become quite the soap opera. The Mohlabetsi coalition appear to be dominating many turfs and they’re looking for trouble. There are 4 testosterone fuelled males in search of a kingdom. The lion sightings are a regular occurrence, but that doesn’t mean we should let the big cats distract us from the other fantastic sightings.
This week, Ezulwini have had plenty of elephant sightings, with huge bulls visiting camp. A newborn giraffe, still with its umbilical cord in tact, was spotted while on an evening game drive. The pod of hippos together with their young are also seen regularly. The plains game are always waiting to be noticed by our photographers and they make for great subjects when lighting is right.
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