Addo Elephant National Park (January 2011) *

Ronnie
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Joined: Thu May 31, 2012 9:48 pm
Location: Port Elizabeth, South Africa
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Re: Addo Elephant National Park

Post by Ronnie »

Early morning ellie sighting soon after entering the park this morning

Mel do you recognize those bushes in the background?

That's where you met Gina the lioness with her two big boy cubs :wink:

Yes the ellie walked right up to the car and then veered to the right past the rear of my car :shock:

All I saw was trunck and legs :shock:

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Ronnie
Posts: 90
Joined: Thu May 31, 2012 9:48 pm
Location: Port Elizabeth, South Africa
Contact:

Re: Addo Elephant National Park

Post by Ronnie »

steamtrainfan wrote:I have just spent the most amazing last few hours reading this TT from page 1. I could have read through it a bit faster but a lot of my time was spent retrieving my jaw from the keyboard where it had dropped in utter amazement when looking at and admiring the most amazing photos by Peter Betts and Ronnie.

Thanks so much guys for sharing these.

I grew up in PE from 1950 until 1960. Can you believe that not once did we visit Addo during these 10 years.

I can remember one trip we did in 1963 when we visited PE to look up old friends and stayed with my elder brother who stayed on in PE when I moved with my folks to Johannesburg. I must admit that it was a real disappointment as all we saw were huge numbers of dung beetles but none of the fellas that create the dung.

Now Addo has joined my wish list of things to see before I am 70.
Hi steamtrainfan :)

Quote "I grew up in PE from 1950 until 1960."

Can I say "welcome back home steamtrainfan" :D

Thanks for taking the time to go through all the posts and I am pleased that you enjoyed them. \O

Please do come and visit Addo again and remember to give me a shout or a trumpet call :wink:

I also have a thread going on the other side called "Addo Park Experiences"

Here is the link http://www.sanparks.org/forums/viewtopi ... 40&t=48980

It has been going for a little longer and has more about my experiences in Addo

I take it that you are a steam train fan

You can PM me if you are interested and I can let you have info on the Apple Express Narrow Gauge Steam Train \O


Ronnie
Posts: 90
Joined: Thu May 31, 2012 9:48 pm
Location: Port Elizabeth, South Africa
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Re: Addo Elephant National Park

Post by Ronnie »

Penga Ndlovu wrote:
Ronnie wrote:
Flutterby wrote:The ellies in Addo are obviously a lot more agreeable than the Kruger ellies!! :shock: :shock:
Fluts I can not agree with you more. \O
As Lis mentioned they kinda ignore you -O
Could that be because of the memory from the Moz war still lingers within the Kruger Ellies?
In my HMHO that has got something to do with it.

Although the Addo ellies were nearly hunted to extinction in the early 1900's

Addo Park was proclaimed in 1931 to preserve the remaining 17 ellies which declined to 11 ellies.

In 1953 they were safely enclosed in the Armstrong fenced enclosure and they saw or encountered no more human hostilities.

All those old ellie which saw or experienced the human hostilities have died off naturally.

Addo is also comparitively a small park so the ellies often come into vehicle contact.


Ronnie
Posts: 90
Joined: Thu May 31, 2012 9:48 pm
Location: Port Elizabeth, South Africa
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Re: Addo Elephant National Park

Post by Ronnie »

I took this photo of a young ellie crossing the road with only a few minutes of sunshine remaining in the "golden hour"
before the sun dipped below the horizon .
Take note of the long thin shadow cast in the road by his trunk

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Ronnie
Posts: 90
Joined: Thu May 31, 2012 9:48 pm
Location: Port Elizabeth, South Africa
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Re: Addo Elephant National Park

Post by Ronnie »

I had this brilliant sighting early in the morning soon after entering the park.
This Blackbacked Jackal was having a feast on the remains of a fresh kill.
I was the only person there and sat very quietly.
In the beginning the BBJ was a bit nervous of my presence but soon settled.
I was able to watch the BBJ till she had had her fill and trotted off.

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Ronnie
Posts: 90
Joined: Thu May 31, 2012 9:48 pm
Location: Port Elizabeth, South Africa
Contact:

Re: Addo Elephant National Park

Post by Ronnie »

A little way from the BBJ sighting I found this loan Dagga Boy
Looks like he had a bath in some white mud after the recent rains

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Then a little further down the road another loan Dagga Boy
Just a question,
"Have any of you ever found a happy smiling Dagga Boy?" :D

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Ronnie
Posts: 90
Joined: Thu May 31, 2012 9:48 pm
Location: Port Elizabeth, South Africa
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Re: Addo Elephant National Park

Post by Ronnie »

I have created a slide show from the pics I took of the BBJ

Here is he link for the slide show

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I also took a short video of the BBJ at the scene

Here is the link for the short video

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Ronnie
Posts: 90
Joined: Thu May 31, 2012 9:48 pm
Location: Port Elizabeth, South Africa
Contact:

Re: Addo Elephant National Park

Post by Ronnie »

While driving along slowly and quietly with my vehicle’s windows open I stopped when I heard a branch cracking.
I knew that there were some ellies close by and waited.
My patience was soon rewarded as a small family group of ellies emerged from the bush and continued feeding
I watched in absolute amazement as the ellies started feeding on the Prickly Pear Cactus which has very sharp spiny thorns.

Pics of the ellies eating Prickly Pear Cactus

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Here is a link to a short video I took of the ellie eating the Prickly Pear Cactus.


Ronnie
Posts: 90
Joined: Thu May 31, 2012 9:48 pm
Location: Port Elizabeth, South Africa
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Re: Addo Elephant National Park

Post by Ronnie »

I watched this small breeding herd of ellies come down to Domkrag Dam Waterhole for a drink.

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Here is a linki to a short video I took


Ronnie
Posts: 90
Joined: Thu May 31, 2012 9:48 pm
Location: Port Elizabeth, South Africa
Contact:

Re: Addo Elephant National Park

Post by Ronnie »

A watched these ellies from the hide at Spekboom cooling themselves down at the waterhole

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