Browns in Kruger October 2022

User avatar
RogerFraser
Site Admin
Posts: 5359
Joined: Wed Sep 18, 2013 9:36 pm
Country: South Africa
Location: Durban
Contact:

Re: Browns in Kruger October 2022

Post by RogerFraser »

^Q^ Wow what lovely time with the young pups and then the adults and trust the Browns to run into a Leopard in the middle of a pack of wild dog hunting party . :shock:
The commentary when they all running chasing sounds exactly like what goes on in our vehicle trying to decide which dog/s to follow . lol

\O


User avatar
Bushcraft
Posts: 13629
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 2:59 pm
Location: KZN, South Africa
Contact:

Re: Browns in Kruger October 2022

Post by Bushcraft »

Richprins wrote: Mon Jul 10, 2023 6:11 pm Page 6! ^Q^

What luck to see Casper, plus a stream of other predators! 0:

No leopard that page, not good enough, Bushy! :X: lol

Ja, one can often book in early, they just check if the unit has been made up! \O

Porcupine! O/\

You should rent yourself out as bat control...strange the staff can't plug the holes? 0-

0()
Ja, we hadn't seen Casper yet, so it was a box to tick :O^

I stress when we don't see a leopard every day =O: :twisted:

That porcupine is a local O:V

Staff don't seem to see some obvious things 0:


User avatar
Bushcraft
Posts: 13629
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 2:59 pm
Location: KZN, South Africa
Contact:

Re: Browns in Kruger October 2022

Post by Bushcraft »

RogerFraser wrote: Mon Jul 10, 2023 8:40 pm ^Q^ Wow what lovely time with the young pups and then the adults and trust the Browns to run into a Leopard in the middle of a pack of wild dog hunting party . :shock:
The commentary when they all running chasing sounds exactly like what goes on in our vehicle trying to decide which dog/s to follow . lol

\O
It was a cool couple of days with the dogs Roger \O That leopard caused some tension as it's my favourite, but Albert's favourite is the dogs O**

I would guess that many have even more colourful conversations in their car during a wild dog hunt =O: They move at a crazy pace and change direction in a second, so we have had a few scraps in the car over the years :O^


User avatar
Bushcraft
Posts: 13629
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 2:59 pm
Location: KZN, South Africa
Contact:

Re: Browns in Kruger October 2022

Post by Bushcraft »

8th October Skukuza to Biyamiti

Our plan this morning was to pack everything and head straight down towards Croc Bridge and then across the S25 towards Biyamiti and just spend the day down that side with the hope of less people and traffic.

I made sure that we made the correct amount of noise next to Moni while packing in the morning to ensure that the Moni “Friday Fever” gang were awake which may help the next crowd booking into the GC6.

Just after the 4-way stop from Skukuza on the H11 we found the local hyena clan and a wild dog was in a standoff with them.


1.jpg
1.jpg (197.34 KiB) Viewed 4285 times

The wild dog then started calling big time so we knew it would be minutes and the pack would arrive to assist, thus positioned ourselves at the H11 intersection so that we could see the summoned dogs arriving and minutes later the pack came running up the road.

2.jpg
2.jpg (89.26 KiB) Viewed 4285 times

The dogs and the hyenas then all had a standoff.

3.jpg
3.jpg (121.09 KiB) Viewed 4285 times
4.jpg
4.jpg (90.15 KiB) Viewed 4285 times


User avatar
Bushcraft
Posts: 13629
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 2:59 pm
Location: KZN, South Africa
Contact:

Re: Browns in Kruger October 2022

Post by Bushcraft »

Minutes later the hyena clan had gathered and started to drive the dogs back towards the H1-2 low water bridge. We positioned ourselves amongst the dogs as can be seen in my car’s rear-view camera below.

5.jpg
5.jpg (148.3 KiB) Viewed 4285 times
6.jpg
6.jpg (64.89 KiB) Viewed 4285 times

Suddenly chattering, shrieking, etc, started and a scrap broke out and then the one hyena got isolated, got his bum chomped by a dog and more shrieking followed. The Cow managed to get it on video but we were too slow with the cameras to get pics of it.

The hyena pushed the dogs back onto the bridge, they paused and then ran on to play with the pups. It was amazing to watch their interaction and greeting.

7.jpg
7.jpg (158.54 KiB) Viewed 4285 times
8.jpg
8.jpg (180.03 KiB) Viewed 4285 times


User avatar
Bushcraft
Posts: 13629
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 2:59 pm
Location: KZN, South Africa
Contact:

Re: Browns in Kruger October 2022

Post by Bushcraft »

9.jpg
9.jpg (228.59 KiB) Viewed 4285 times
10.jpg
10.jpg (154.81 KiB) Viewed 4285 times


User avatar
Bushcraft
Posts: 13629
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 2:59 pm
Location: KZN, South Africa
Contact:

Re: Browns in Kruger October 2022

Post by Bushcraft »

The drive down the H4-1 again produced the normal locals that hang around on the side of the road including breeding herds of ellies that were crossing the road in numerous locations

11.jpg
11.jpg (118.21 KiB) Viewed 4285 times

We didn’t stop again for pics until towards the end of the S28 where some lion appeared.

12.jpg
12.jpg (174.01 KiB) Viewed 4285 times
13.jpg
13.jpg (125.83 KiB) Viewed 4285 times
14.jpg
14.jpg (147.65 KiB) Viewed 4285 times


User avatar
Bushcraft
Posts: 13629
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 2:59 pm
Location: KZN, South Africa
Contact:

Re: Browns in Kruger October 2022

Post by Bushcraft »

The Cow managed to capture what we think is a Black-Chested Snake eagle in flight while we were watching the lion.

15.jpg
15.jpg (37.78 KiB) Viewed 4285 times

We stopped at our normal old toilet block at Croc Bridge near to where people skottel breakfast, and while huffing and puffing around the car park waiting for the rest of the clan to hurry up in the loo, I poached in on a conversion happening amongst a crowd cooking breakfast and they were discussing a leopard that was hanging around on the H4-2 a few km before the H5. It was still very early, so when the family finally arrived, I told them that we were 1st going to head up the road to try our leopard luck before going down the S25.

A few km before the H5 we came across numerous cars all parked in different places along a 30m stretch, so asked the 1st driver and he indicated that there was meant to be a leopard that had crossed the road but now nobody could find it. We headed a few meters into the cars and decided against it, so I reversed back down the road about 30m and pulled over to the side of the road and was about to suggest that we turn and head back to the S25, but instead as I turned to the Cow I said.

“Look out your window!”

“S#$%, leopard!”

The leopard was parking off in thick bush right next to us, but looking into the bush.

16.jpg
16.jpg (187.07 KiB) Viewed 4285 times

The leopard’s camouflage was amazing, so the Cow proceeded to take selfies on her cell phone, as did the kids.

17.jpg
17.jpg (141.46 KiB) Viewed 4285 times

It’s amazing what a crowd of cars does in Kruger and people keep driving past us, straight into the crowd and looking around aimlessly.

The leopard looked comfortable and if it moved there would be chaos as the gang up the road would pick up on what was happening and we didn’t want to get in that mix, so we waited for a car with kids to come past and I indicated to them to stop.

“Do you guys want to see a leopard?”

I always ask, because some people get faulty and want to find their own sightings, but not this family as their eyes instantly bulged and the excitement was obvious.

“YES, yes, please”

“We will move, pull into our spot and look into the bush right next to you.”

I moved and they pulled into our spot.

I’m not certain if the mom realised how close the leopard would be because as they looked into the bush she jumped in her seat and nearly landed on her husband’s lap, which cracked me up, and then they calmed down and thanked us with plenty teeth hanging out and we continued down to the S25.

It was around 10am when we reached the S25 so it was way too early to head for Biyamiti, therefore we decided to take a slow cruise down the S25, up the S119/S114 to the weir and then take the private S139 road down to Biyamiti view point just outside camp to relax out the car until 2pm.

The S25 was quiet until we reached the little Lwakahle river crossing between the Biyamiti and Lukimbi Lodge turn offs as a hyena was having a bath right next to the road.

18.jpg
18.jpg (184.43 KiB) Viewed 4285 times


User avatar
Bushcraft
Posts: 13629
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 2:59 pm
Location: KZN, South Africa
Contact:

Re: Browns in Kruger October 2022

Post by Bushcraft »

19.jpg
19.jpg (169.46 KiB) Viewed 4285 times

Albert also captured some of it on her cell phone.





Suddenly another majorly ugly scallywag arrived and also bailed into the water. We were battling to take pics because we were laughing so much at this ugly aunty scuba diving and having a jol in the water.

20.jpg
20.jpg (131.72 KiB) Viewed 4285 times
21.jpg
21.jpg (125.95 KiB) Viewed 4285 times

Another scallywag then arrived and joined ugly.

22.jpg
22.jpg (168.3 KiB) Viewed 4285 times

A few minutes later another vehicle coming from the opposite direction stopped next to us, checked out the hyena and then the driver said.

“A leopard just climbed up into a tree next to the road literally just around the corner.”

This kicked started me, we thanked the driver and drove around the bend.

To be continued


User avatar
Pumbaa
Posts: 8079
Joined: Wed Jun 06, 2012 8:53 pm
Contact:

Re: Browns in Kruger October 2022

Post by Pumbaa »

As always leopard overload, Bushcraft, :-0

and this time also wild dogs overloaded :-0

Love the bathing hyena and the gymnogene as well as the black chested snake eagle \O \O


PuMbAa

Please visit our website: www.photomaniacs.de
Post Reply

Return to “Travel Tales of Kruger National Park”