Stop the World I Wanna Get Off: My Escape to KTP

[Lisbeth]

The wind most likely did not help the number of sightings Not even many birds Knowing you, it is certainly going to get better

The meerkats are always fun. Ear-biting is the new game



I too was hoping to be able to escape the cold and go to Kruger, but it looks as if it is not going to be

[RogerFraser]

Catching up again.

The boredom photos are the ones that keep a trip interesting especially to find and unusual insect or animal behavior

100% agree the wildlife should try to stay outside the human sleeping spaces

[Richprins]

A ripping installment, Ex! I love the bat training!

Those meerkat are always photogenic, as is the red shrike!

Off days create anticipation and are necessary!

[ExFmem]

Sis, yes, the wind was “above average” almost the entire trip, based on all our previous visits. Don’t give up too soon on your trip - this MIGHT be a more contagious, but milder strain. Time will tell, probably in the next few days/weeks.

Roger, yes, “boring” days make one appreciate the sightings, when they come, even more . I think, to be honest, I was in the bat’s sleeping space, rather than the other way around.

RP, seems I’m not as much of a bat trainer, as I am an enabler, as they never changed their behavior, merely waited for me to open the sliding doors each night. They trained me .

[ExFmem]

After the extremely quiet first few days, the activity began to pick up over the next few…

A heavily pregnant (?) hyena with a sagging lower jaw and missing part of its upper lip labored up to the waterhole.











At first, it seemed a sad state of being, but upon closer look, and reflection, it seemed the injury had completely healed a while ago, and the hyena had adapted quite successfully. I can’t even begin to imagine the struggles and hardships some of the animals in the wild have to endure.


Vertiende had a Black-headed Heron that was present on several visits.












I had seen a number of snakes already on the trip,






with the final tally as follows:















Previously during this trip I had seen 2 different pairs of cheetahs, as well as a single one, but all were very far away, under trees, and no chance of a pic. I was slightly luckier with a sighting of Corinne and her 3 cubs at Craig Lockhart, tho’ I had arrived after they had their drink at the waterhole and were way up the dune, about to cross over. I only got a pic of one of the cubs.

[ExFmem]

On the very last day of my 7 day stay, my luck improved dramatically.

At Vertiende I spotted not one, but two, leopards under a fallen branch beyond the waterhole. Turns out, it is Tsamma and her son Thabiso, already as big as his mom.






YAY! A little bit later another car pulled up, and asked me if I had seen the “cheetahs”? I told them it was 2 leopards, They expressed polite skepticism, but after the leopards emerged further into the open, they smiled and gave the thumbs up. We all were pleasantly surprised at our good fortune.










The poor gemsbok just wanted a drink, but the leopards were having none of it, alternately allowing it to come closer, then backing it away.




















This cat and (mouse ) game went on for a very long time, until it seems the leopards decided they had no chance of making it their breakfast, so retreated into the grasses.








After about an hour and forty minutes, the gemsbok was able to quench its thirst. Again, reminding me of the daily challenges of wildlife.

[Lisbeth]

That was a lot of snakes

Wonderful leopard sighting

There is always one black-headed heron around. It cannot be the same, because I saw one allmost10 years ago

[harrys]

Lots of snakes , Wonderful Leopards sighting

[Richprins]

Astounding luck all round, Ex!

So many snakes!

And a pretty heron.

Those hyena fight a lot!

And of course two leopard!

Amazing how often tourists confuse them with cheetah!

[Lisbeth]

Not only tourists or maybe those coming from Joburg etc. are tourists too