Africa Wild

We found the buffalo kill a bit further along, but apart from a few jackal in the bushes there wasn't any other sign of life around. There appeared to be plenty of meat available on the carcass, so we figured waiting around could be worthwhile... perhaps the lions were close and would get up to feed.

We were all happily chatting in the car, and I had totally forgotten that Valli was walking our direction, so had a bit of a fright when a giant face appeared in my car mirrors



Our car occupants went from noisy to silent in a split second as he walked out from the bushes at the back of our car. I couldn't understand how he wasn't actually touching the car he was soooo close

There was nothing we could do but sit tight and enjoy the moment, as we were blocked in by a car parked right in front of us. Valli then came around the side of our vehicle and stopped right next to us - he seemed to be staring at us! It's rare to be so incredibly close to a giant like this, and I managed to take a few nervous photos of the details on his tusks





Fairly soon he was moving along the road again. We stayed at the carcass for quite a while but there was no sign of any lions We could drop past later in the day and see if that situation changed at all

Continuing along to Hapoor, Valli was still creating a road block but we managed to get past him at one point and get a nice view of him hurtling towards us



At Hapoor we had just missed a buffalo herd drinking as they were departing in a train-like manner



I had a feeling we might be able to catch them by going round Mpunzi loop, and the idea paid off with the herd coming towards us





Once the herd had moved off into the bushes some movement nearby caught my attention and it turned out to be meerkats



There are 2 colonies that I know about in Addo - one of which has its home somewhere near Hapoor, but it's one of those animals that you can go for ages and not see in the park so it was brilliant to see so many of them







The sentry was taking its duty very seriously indeed.... an Addo treekat

Wonderful close up pictures PJL

Stunning close ups...don't think I could have kept silent!

Lovely pics too of the meerkats and buffs.

Superb studies again, Peej!

Wow!

(Didn't know there were meerkat there? )

When did he break his tusk?

Pheeewww... I just realized that I read this episode with bated breath! It was like sitting in your car with that giant right outside myself...
But what an experience it must have been. Makes me instantly think of that couple in that VERY small sedan that was investigated by another rather
impressive bull back on our visit in 2012. That bull put his trunk inside the car and we had a good laugh at seeing some eyes popping out.

Ja, meerkats are rather elusive... We only saw them once so far and that was at quite a distance around Carol's Rest. Those Hapoor ones have eluded
us completely so far. But you managed some very nice shots of them

Sooo, we're still in the park... and it's getting closer to going home time...

Alf wrote:Wonderful close up pictures PJL

Thanks Alf
Almost too close at times

Flutterby wrote:Stunning close ups...don't think I could have kept silent!

Lovely pics too of the meerkats and buffs.

Thank you Flutts
I normally talk when elephants are close, but this was breathtaking

Richprins wrote:Superb studies again, Peej!

Wow!

(Didn't know there were meerkat there? )

When did he break his tusk?

He broke his tusk about 3 years ago I think... quite a shame really. Just one of those things - digging in the ground and it broke off

Mel wrote:Pheeewww... I just realized that I read this episode with bated breath! It was like sitting in your car with that giant right outside myself...
But what an experience it must have been. Makes me instantly think of that couple in that VERY small sedan that was investigated by another rather
impressive bull back on our visit in 2012. That bull put his trunk inside the car and we had a good laugh at seeing some eyes popping out.

Ja, meerkats are rather elusive... We only saw them once so far and that was at quite a distance around Carol's Rest. Those Hapoor ones have eluded
us completely so far. But you managed some very nice shots of them

Sooo, we're still in the park... and it's getting closer to going home time...

That must have been very exciting to have a trunk inside the car
Still in the park... and getting closer to lunch time

From Hapoor we decided to take a trip up to the high ground around Mbabala Loop and Zuurkop. The loops around there are often quiet - particularly in a time of drought as it has been in the park, but Aardlam and her cubs had been seen in those areas so we figured it was worth a try.

Unfortunately there was no sign of Aardlam, but we were treated to a fantastic sighting of a secretary bird



After meandering around a bit, lunch was located and promptly consumed





A bit like the meerkats, we can go for a number of visits in Addo without seeing these fascinating birds, so it was a real treat that it came so close to us





We often use the view at Zuurkop as a quick way of checking for sightings - you can often see cars congregating through binoculars if there is anything interesting going on. Today it was all calm, apart from a dust devil shooting dust high into the air



It seemed like a good time to go take a break at the main camp and enjoy some lunch, but on our way there we had one of the closest views of a yellow mongoose we have ever had in the park

Great shots of the secretary Bird , was this the day we met you?????

Lovely shots of the secretary and nice angle on that dust devil.

PRWIN wrote:Great shots of the secretary Bird , was this the day we met you?????

Thanks
Yes - this was indeed the day we met you guys... was good to meet up