Browns in Kruger October 2017

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Mel
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Re: Browns in Kruger October 2017

Post by Mel »

I've been catching up all the way from page 12 and let me tell you... your trip certainly wasn't a not great one due to the lack of cats.
Au contraire - quite a few of them, and that's including leopards. Methinks that your respective fevers makes you believe that it wasn't
such a great trip. Which I can well understand. 0*\ But sightingwise... oh, my gosh! Cats, cats and then some more cats. Even with a
pretty good cheetah sighting. :-0

Strangely, the leopards look rather well, but the lions are so much slimmer compared to their KTP cousins. And we're not only talking
about those living in huge prides like the Lubyelubye family. -O-


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Re: Browns in Kruger October 2017

Post by Bushcraft »

Thanks Flutts, Lisbeth, RP and Mel for posting \O

Ya, while posting I see it wasn't such a bad trip sighting wise, so the fever thing definitely put a damper on the holiday \O

6th Lower Sabie continued and then home

Later that afternoon we had a family debate about whether we should go on another drive or not, but as it was our last afternoon we decided to all chow a few more pills and drive to the causeway and back.

The Lubyelubye pride was back again on the other side of the river about 300m from the rocks and they were plotting a buffalo herd. It was almost exactly the same as the previous day right down to the gang of cars, so I stopped for a quick pic and moved on.
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As we went past the little loop next to the rocks Bushpig chirped “LEOPARD!” which caused me to hit a wobble

“Where!”

“There on the rock!”

I glanced backwards and a leopard was busy getting comfortable on the rock, so while trying to remain calm I slowly reversed back into the loop and expected to find numerous cars already checking the leopard out, but much to my surprise there was only one car in the loop and they hadn’t see the leopard yet because they were parked on the wrong side of the loop.

We have seen a leopard on these rocks a couple of times before so we have learnt that there’s a particular spot with the best view and it’s not an obvious spot because it’s slightly back from the closet part of the loop to the rocks, so I immediately pulled into that spot and switched off.
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In seconds the other car in the loop picked up that we were on to something and they came driving up and 5 minutes later the entire loop and bridge was choked and we were totally parked in which didn’t bother me that much because we had a leopard in front of us, but the crowd was starting to make the leopard restless as plenty people were now hanging out of sun roofs and windows to try and get a view.
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Minutes later I heard shouting from behind us and at the same time the leopard jumped up and ran down the back of the rocks. I looked around in anger and a Sanparks ranger was out of his car and shouting at people. I was mad that he had chased the leopard, but glad that he was taking action because his book was out and he was issuing all the rule breakers with fines.

While this was going on the leopard had charged down the riverbed, under the bridge and into deep bush, so minutes later the gang had cleared enough for us to move on.

As we reached our normal S79 “100m section” I slowed to a snails pace and checked out all our normal spots, but no luck, however as we started to exit the section Albert casually said

“Don’t you want to stop!”

So I stopped slightly confused and Albert continued

“I think there was a tail hanging down from a tree back there.”

To appease the situation I agreed to reverse with Albert providing the stop/start details.

“Stop……..there…….LEOPARD!”

I couldn’t believe my eyes as there was a small gap in the bush only as wide as 2 windows of a car and there was a leopard sleeping in a tree in the middle of the gap.
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Albert had a massive cheesy as Bushpig had found 2 leopards on the trip now so she needed this 1 to equal Bushpig. I tried some forwards and backwards manoeuvring to see if there was perhaps a better spot up or down the road, but eventually ended up back in the same place and switched off.

“There’s nobody here so I’m going to switch off and just “park” until it’s time to go back to camp”

Around 15 minutes later the leopard started to stir and check us out a little, but each time curled up again, so we just waited and chatted about other things.

A few cars came past during this time and everybody slowed but nobody stopped, so my teeth were secretly hanging out, however an elderly couple had arrived and they were going backwards and forwards all around us, so the Cow looked pleadingly at me and then shouted instructions to them which didn’t work until she gave a long detailed speech about the gap in the bush, the tree, etc.

The leopard had woken up while this was going on and it caught us by surprise so some camera juggling started. Something had gotten the leopard’s attention and it looked like a plot was developing so I was getting hyped up, however it turned and curled up again 5 minutes later.
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2 more cars arrived so we decided to continue on and waved a lady with a combi full of kids into our spot.

Just as we exiting the S79 a young couple waved us down and starting jabbering about the lack of sightings for the day, so I told them about the leopard and lion up the road and the leopard caused the couple an overexcited semi panic because they hadn’t seen a leopard on their trip yet, so the questions started flying and I soon realised that this detailed explanation would take too long, therefore I stopped talking and said “I will turn around and take you there”

The young lady driving must have been afraid of losing sight of us because she was sticking to the back of our car and I got a little nervous that she was going to drive into us, so I slowed gradually as we neared the leopard spot and pointed out the leopard without totally stopping.

Just after exiting the S79, on the way to Lower Sabie, the road gets fairly close to the riverbed for a section and the Cow spotted some new arrivals which weren’t around on the way up to the causeway.
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We were rather “wobbly” upon arriving in camp and the fever story was on the go again, so nobody was really keen on sitting around a braai, however the energetic lesser bush baby pulled in again which resulted in a more co-ordinated camera attack, but I still only got 1 pic as it jumped.
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Bushcraft
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Re: Browns in Kruger October 2017

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We woke the next morning with rather large beaks as it was time to go home and we had all gotten worse, so our coughing and spluttering while packing the car certainly woke those who weren’t keen on an early start.

The plan was to simply make it home as the Cow and I were both battling with a raging fever that wouldn’t break, so we didn’t stop for much on the way to Croc Bridge, but I see that the Cow took the odd pic.
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Around 70km into KZN I couldn’t see straight anymore, so pulled over and the Cow took over for the last 250km.

We all ended up in the Medi-clinic on the Monday totally out of it. They tested for malaria first which was fortunately negative and then some other flu test for a H something N something virus which has something to do with pigs, then a variant which has something to do with birds. I initially thought the doctor had smoked something, but it’s supposedly a fairly dangerous flu.

I hadn’t been to a doctor for flu in at least 20 years however this was something totally different and we ended up having fevers for 9 to 10 straight days. I will head for the hills now if I hear someone mentioning H or N in a sentence with flu.

In conclusion, it was a Kruger holiday where we were plagued with flu, however it’s still Kruger.

Lastly, thanks to all of you guys who have shared our adventure with us.


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Re: Browns in Kruger October 2017

Post by Flutterby »

Wow, more great leopard sightings!! ^Q^ ^Q^ Just sorry you guys were all feeling so horrible...not nice when you're in Kruger! :no: But you had great sightings and can remember it through the pics! \O Thanks for sharing. ;-)


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Re: Browns in Kruger October 2017

Post by Richprins »

What exquisite leopard specimens as a "farewell"! ^Q^

I think the first one is a male! :yes:

Ja, the wife is at least getting practice driving the bakkie now, with your emergencies! \O

Thanks for a great report as always, Boet! X#X X#X X#X


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Mel
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Re: Browns in Kruger October 2017

Post by Mel »

Thanks for sharing your trip with us again, BC! X#X

Just a shame that you weren't able to enjoy it to the full. Hopefully next time there will be no dramas whatsoever.
Would make a nice change ^Q^


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Re: Browns in Kruger October 2017

Post by ExFmem »

I would have considered this a GREAT trip (except for the flu :-( ) - you really know Kruger, inch by inch. ^Q^ ^Q^ O:V

Love the hornbill eyelashes, and of course the totally regal leopard pics. Imagine how fabulous your photos would be if you didn't just have a "point and shoot" variety O** O** NOT! They are really beautiful captures - you all seem to know your craft well.

As always, thanks for taking us along on another VERY eventful holiday ^Q^ ^Q^ O\/ O\/ O\/


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Re: Browns in Kruger October 2017

Post by harrys »

Wonderful Leopard and Lion sightings ^Q^ ^Q^ some other sightings where just as good but I think being in Kruger is always cool ^Q^ O:V

Just not so nice when your'e not feeling well :O^

Thanks for a wonderful TR O/\ O:V X#X X#X


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Re: Browns in Kruger October 2017

Post by RogerFraser »

^Q^ ^Q^ Wow and wow .You really have the luck with the Leopards . O\/

Pity that the fever made you all feel so badly . :-(

X#X :yes: Enjoyed the TR BC ,thanx for sharing \O


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Re: Browns in Kruger October 2017

Post by Lisbeth »

Two more leopards :shock: :shock:

That flu was an ugly beast and ruined your trip, but thank you for telling us about your sightings all the same and making us all :-0 :-0 over all the leopards that you saw ;-)


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