Krugertripping this Summer...

[Bush Brat]

Hey Heksie, just caught up again...been so hectic at school lately!
I hope you were being sarcastic when you said that this trip was "Nah, not so good," because so far it has been amazing!
Your endless pics of leopards and lions are beautiful and you were very lucky with Otter and Puff - Adder AND Wild Dogs!
Your sighting of the baby lions in the road is still the best for me , still waiting for my own sighting like that!

More please, really enjoying your TT!

[harrys]

Like your Leopard and cute Lion cubs that Impie looks the worse for wear

Great trip so far Heksie

[Flutterby]

A leopard on the S100...great stuff!! We also like to get to camp and unpack....the car feels cooler and much more comfortable!

[Heksie]

Thanks Lisbeth, Mel, Bushcraft, Bushbrat, nan, Flyingcheetah, Harrys and Flutterby for your comment

@ BC I will let him know that a meet must be arranged their in KZN and also that he must gooi a draai here on the greener side

@ BB this trip didn't have as many cat sightings as the last time I was in Kruger in Dec, it was all I meant. This trip had some super special sightings and some spectacular firsts that I still need to share

@ FC of course there is leopard on the S100

[Heksie]

Day 9… discovering Central Kruger

19 December

It was my first full day in Satara this year and I was excited and planned on covering as much of this area as possible, but also I want to drive the S90 as many times I can as this road is known for its servals… My planned route for this morning was the H1-3 to the H6 then S41->S90->camp. Satara is a totally different camp, I got there 4:20 and was about 10th in the cue, even though it was drizzling, most of the cars turned right at the intersection so I was a bit bummed as I was not in the mood for any jams, but I spoke to quickly as almost all of them then turned on the S100… YAY! I was driving not even 1km when I saw brake lights in front of me and coming my way was this lady…





Cars were coming from behind so I left her with them and then went on my merry way, I came to the spot where I saw the cubs yesterday and saw a few cars next to the road. When I got a spot I started looking with my binocs, it was difficult to see anything as it was still a bit dark but after a few moments I saw the cubs again, they were about 100m and the grass weren’t really helping out but they could still be seen. They were stationary for 20 minutes but the light was bad so no pics and then walked off behind some bushes.



Whilst waiting with them I had an encounter with some mites, Rooikat, rooivalk and the LO’s. We had such a lekker chat and laugh, they were on their way to Berg en Dal for the last part of their trip! Definitely people I would enjoy having a braai with! We said our farewells and were off in different directions.
I saw some white storks next to the road



And the weather started clearing



The wet weather didn’t allow for great sightings, I got a fish eagle



And then on the Gudzani road this lone lioness was lying far from the road



I sat 20 minutes with her, it was in the open so we all had a great view. Then came Sparrow and co. We had a brief chat about sightings and I moved on, leaving them with the lioness.
The S41 produced a few birdies for me this morning, juvenile bateleur





White backed vulture



And some general game:
Zebra



Waterbuck



Ostrich



Black bellied Korhaan



And then some BBJ’s





On a small bridge I got close with my hamerkop



And then some willies, with babas



I got to camp and we saw that our neighbours, wonderful French couple, were packing up so I phoned Sparrow and told him that there were a fence view campsite open, as they have another 4 days left why not move? They asked us to keep the spot for them…
Whilst waiting for them I took some pics of an agama



Sparrow arrived and when they moved their caravan next to us, Wendy and I went on an afternoon drive. I’ve never taken the sweni road so it was the road we would take this afternoon then down to Orpen and back. Here is some sightings we saw this afternoon…

















We got to camp just in time and then it was chilling time. Tonight we will get some visitors, and it is great having friends camping right next to you so it would be a great fiesta. It was Sparrow and co, Petra and Scips and then Wendy and I having a lekker braai…
Also check our view in front of Sparrow’s camp…







to be continued...

[Heksie]

@ Flutterby
Just got a reply from Lesego about the dead hippo I saw on the H4-1...

Good Day Anri



Apologies for the delayed response. The hippo was shot in the night by suspected rhino poachers. The animal was found in the morning, reported by staff and other tourists.

It was shot with a .375 cal. hunting rifle.

[nan]

it's terrible to see all the anomal/birds wet and the tiny one
I saw a Giraffe with a knee like that (but less bad), some years ago... could be the same
nice Black-bellied Korhaan, Jackals, babas
the young Rhino had already a lot of fights or is the bushes
Petra

[Lisbeth]

That the hippo was shot sounds much more logic, having seen it, than an accident! Have the poachers taken it for a rhino or did it attack them?

Wet birds and mammals in the morning. The giraffe does not look good at all, looks as cancrene

[Heksie]

I do believe that the poachers thought it was a rhino... During night you can make that mistake?

[Flutterby]

Thanks for that info Heksie.

Lis, this is a different hippo to the one in the news thread.

Great sightings for a bad-weather day! Poor giraffe , I wonder what caused that?