Dangerous Animal Incidents

[H. erectus]

I have my reservations about this whole incident!!!
Not really my worth getting involved here, merely an
observation!!! That be a accident beckoning!!!!

Many situations elsewhere reminding. Besides this,
by mere abuse of the outside "Jeep jockeys": it was
just a matter of time for a incident to occur!!

Once again raw nature was simply accepted as a
common situation regardless the dangers!!!

The way these OSV's go about their daily task, for
entertainment leaves a lot of room for thought!!!

Sanparks will not readily contest this attitude for it
would be looking a gifted horse in the mouth!!!

[nan]

I received a message from a guide... but it seems already known
with always the same picture of the Leopard "post mortem"

[amyk9]

WOW! Loads of professional comments and assumptions from loads of people without being on the scene and trying to play CSI from only watching a video and looking at photos. Imagine how many cases our SAPS can solve using these very evolved and well thought of investigative processes.

Fact is none of us were there, very few of us has met Curtis to comment on his skills and ethics, just about none of us had similar experiences and yet all of us comment, mostly negatively.

I can state a few facts - Curtis completed a 6 month FGASA endorsed training course and thereafter a further 6 month practical work experience program in the Kruger National Park. He started full time guiding in 2011 and in all them time I worked with him always expressed a deep love for the Kruger and at all times acted in a very professional and ethical manner. Roughly a total of 7000 hours guiding without an incident, compare that to a commercial pilot and we would rate the pilot extremely competent.

Not only is he a very professional field guide, he also assisted in numerous counter poaching activities in the Southern region, always willing to assist, if not when we had to do K9 training, then when we needed transport to an active area, needed observation assistance and loads more. He assisted in loads of reserve work that would include clearing fallen trees from roads, clearing debris after the floods and also on more times I could remember, assist with the veld fires in the Numbi, Pretoriuskop and Phabeni areas.

I only viewed the photos and in that he appeared very calm and focussed and I immediately recalled an incident during a runaway fire close to Pretoriuskop where Curtis was also very much under pressure and had to make an immediate decision to protect an area highly valued and he acted on it.

It is amazing to read all the calls for action against the guide - take away his license, suspend him etc. and then also a bit about him not being from South Africa? Why even go down that road, with his hours in the Park, a South African citizen would need to spend 29 days a year from gate opening to gate closing for a 20 year period in the Kruger National Park to achieve the same amount of hours and are you then qualified?

It is a pity we all judge without really knowing a person or the circumstances. Well done Curtis for keeping your cool, this could have turned into a real cluster. Get well mate and a few cold beers going your way.

[Lisbeth]

Not all animals in the park are healthy and well fed,that's why there are rules.This came a long time and next time might not ended as well.If a lion can pull/attack a person in a car (a few weeks ago) imagine what could happen with a situation with a open vehicle.Distance ,respect and discipline are a few key words.

If you have a look at the expression of the eyes, it is clear that this leopard is not well. I had a cat with Alzheimer ( she was put down) and she had exactly the same glance.

P.S. You are completely right, amyk

[Richprins]

More CSI!














Dead leopard's left buttock, followed by Rudi's pic

[Richprins]

She's da same!

[Bushcraft]

She's da same!

Yip

[Alf]

He is still the woman

[nan]

She... the photo seems to proof another

[Bushcraft]

The guide did what was required to save his life after the fact, but reports that the leopard “vanished” and then suddenly appeared and attacked are rather suspect in my opinion.

The OSV was full of guests and in my experience there’s always information flowing because of the number of eyes on an animal.

The guide wanted to give his clients the best possible chance of photo opportunities, hence got close to the leopard, but we all do the same thing don’t we

I have a major problem with the Hyundai driver who then decided he had to also drive over leopard. What makes this driver the leopard expert, judge and jury. I find that fact that SANParks are praising this driver in their report also very disturbing.

Hypothetically, what if an elephant, which looks sickly to me, attacks a car because it got too close. Can I open my sealed bag containing a 357 and open up on the elephant. Surely it’s the same thing.

Are SANParks going to praise me, will the public accept it, etc.



Another thing is why don’t OSV’s have driver and passenger windows that close. I didn’t take notice of this previously, but it seems to be the case, so are they safe. Can I drive a SLK convertible through Kruger if I’m a qualified guide, no, so what’s the difference