Browns in Kruger September 2019

[Bushcraft]

26th Skukuza continued

It was now around lunch time so we said our goodbyes to the hyena, turned and headed back towards Skukuza.

5 minutes later we stopped again as another car’s occupants were photographing something in a tree that was hanging slightly over the road.

The strange shape in the tree initially caused major confusion and then we realised that it was a spotted genet having a snooze in the middle of the day in a semi open tree. I was very surprised because it was a fairly easy target for any passing bird of prey.

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When we arrived in camp the Cow cooked us a late eggs, bacon, mushrooms, minute steak, etc breakfast/lunch and after chow everybody did their own thing around camp.

At around 3pm everybody was keen for another drive, so this time we decided to head down towards Lower Sabie.

A few km from the H12 we found a lioness and a youngish lioness checking some impala out in the riverbed; however after 5 minutes it started to get a little crowded around us, so we quickly moved on.

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There wasn’t much happening for the next half an hour so I started stopping for different things.

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[Bushcraft]

The plan was to drive to Lubyelubye and turn back even though we still had plenty time as I wanted to fiddle around closer to camp but around 100m from the rocks the plans got adjusted as “Sausage” appeared under a tree right next to the road.

The potential for chaos was high because of the location and in minutes “Sausage” had plenty eyes on him.

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We took our pics fairly quickly, turned back towards Skukuza and moved on, but I stopped 50m up the road.

“He’s getting restless and he’s going to move!”

I was stressing, but the Cow convinced me to rather head back towards Skukuza though as there were already too many cars, so it would have got nasty as soon as “Sausage” moved.

We only stopped for pics again at an ellie roadblock and for some boons around the H12 Bridge area.

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[Bushcraft]

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It was our last night at Skukuza and my mom had given the Rats some money for a chow at Cattle Baron, so they were hyped up, therefore I reluctantly pulled out and put on my emergency flip flops to avoid a family embarrassment.

The walk to the restaurant produced a bush baby outside the shop and we had another 1 in the tree outside where we were sitting.

While sitting there Hawkeyes noticed a handbag lying under one of the benches along the walkway, so we started discussing what to do about it when Hawkeyes noticed a person with a ponytail standing a few meters away and loudly announced

“It must be her handbag!”

Well the person with the ponytail turned around and it was a man and the table behind us who had also heard burst out laughing.

Hawkeyes looked like a lighthouse, the younger Rats were howling with laughter and the Cow and I were trying to slide down our chairs to hide. Come to think of it, I have no idea what happened to the handbag after that because I was too embarrassed to look that direction again, however it was gone by the time we left.

I like the braai thing in Kruger, but it was awesome to have a break from cooking and the chow Cattle Baron produced was very good even though it was crowded, but I just wish I didn’t have to wear shoes.

To be continued

[Mel]

I wouldn't have know that genets are prey to some raptors - they seem way too big for those birds

What I definitely know is that I'd go mental if I had found myself a leopard so close to the road with a pretty
decent visibility too but you can't hang out with him because others are practically chasing you away, just
by their sheer numbers

Sorry to hear that you had to wear flip flops

[Pumbaa]

Caught up again, Bushcraft,

again amazing number of leopards you saw - love the younger one in the smaller tree with the giant paws

and birdies (what great shots) and even a genet in a tree Not to forget the cute hyena youngsters

Love the story of the ponytail and the handbag

[Alf]

a Genet in a tree

Sausage again

[Flutterby]

Great spot of the leopard in the tree!! I'm still trying to spot my own LIT!

Fantastic sightings all round!

[Richprins]

Extremely rare to see a genet out in the bush at mid-day like that, Bushy!

put on my emergency flip flops to avoid a family embarrassment.
Good!

Embarrassment nonetheless at the restaurant, though!

Sausage looks like leppie in his prime!

[Lisbeth]

How on earth can anyone, even if a genet, fall asleep positioned like that on three twigs Good sighting though

To me, sausage looks more like a slightly overweight middleaged single with a beer tummy ready for his afternoon nap

I am happy that you have learnt the "shoe" lesson

[Bushcraft]

I wouldn't have know that genets are prey to some raptors - they seem way too big for those birds

What I definitely know is that I'd go mental if I had found myself a leopard so close to the road with a pretty
decent visibility too but you can't hang out with him because others are practically chasing you away, just
by their sheer numbers

Sorry to hear that you had to wear flip flops

Martial and Bateleurs chow genets The average genet weight is around 2kg and the average weight of a Martials prey is 2.5kg and up to 12kg has been reported, including BBJ's.

There are too many people in the south Mel, but 70% are day visitors so it's easy to solve, double the entrance fee and halve the numbers, but promises have been made to franchises like Mugg & Bean, Cattle Baron, etc regarding foot count so