Browns in Kruger September 2024

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Bushcraft
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Re: Browns in Kruger September 2024

Post by Bushcraft »

Flutterby wrote: Sun Nov 10, 2024 10:59 am Wow, wow, wow! ^Q^ It's not often that you get a leopard sighting like that...what an amazing experience. O\/ O\/

With regards to what you were saying about the social chats around the fire, that is a big thing for me, but I noticed how few people still braai in Kruger. Most nights we were the only people braaing, and often our neighbours weren't even there. It seems that most people use the restaurants now. I was telling the Brat about our trips as youngsters, and at night everyone would be braaing and sharing their sightings for the day. Sad that it doesn't happen anymore. :-(

Agreed Flutts, I also noticed that many more now use the restaurants, especially at Skukuza :O^ It does get a little much braaiing every night, but it's part of a KNP trip for us -O-


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Bushcraft
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Re: Browns in Kruger September 2024

Post by Bushcraft »

Lisbeth wrote: Sun Nov 10, 2024 1:42 pm
Flutterby wrote: Sun Nov 10, 2024 10:59 am and at night everyone would be braaing and sharing their sightings for the day. Sad that it doesn't happen anymore. :-(
Really? It's one of the best moments in Kruger after a long day of driving and looking.

@Bushy - Do they really put the braais inside? It's absolutely 0- Instead of burning a piece of bush, the huts will be burnt or possibly braaing in KNP will belong to history :-(

I just finished Flutterby's leopard story and got straight into yours. Leopards galore and both great sightings O/\ O/\
The braais are inside the enclosed kitchen/dining area, but there are doors that can be opened to create a "veranda" type vibe, but it's still going to be roasting hot standing in there during the summer months :yes: It's also a built in fancy braai, so there's no siting around it -O-


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Re: Browns in Kruger September 2024

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5th September Skukuza continued

Halfway down to Nkuhlu something crossed the road up ahead of us and it took a few seconds for the penny to drop that it was lion. A couple of females were cruising around and they seemed to be on the hunt as they were very mobile and in and out of the bushes next to the road.

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Bushcraft
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Re: Browns in Kruger September 2024

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The 1 lioness then entered the road, so we patiently waited for the car in front of us to move slowly forward, but seconds later 2 OSVs from Shalati train accommodation arrived from behind us, so I expected them to have some manners and wait, but they did the opposite and both instantly drove around us, so I started chirping as they overtook us.

“Where do you think you are going!”

“HEY, there’s a queue!”

The OSV drivers and all their guests clearly heard me, but the drivers just ignored me and then they also drove around the car in front of us and parked virtually on top of the lioness blocking everybody’s view. In a few seconds the lioness moved off into the bush and the other lions moved from various other spots in the bush to follow.

I then wanted to have further “F$^&” words with the OSV drivers, but they sped off down the road and out of sight at a pace that was definitely above the speed limit, so I couldn’t help but wonder if they had received a sighting radio call, however we were still fuming so we made a mental note to continue looking out for them on the road.

We continued on down the H4-1 and by the time we were around 1km from Nkuhlu we had virtually forgotten about the OSV issue, however just before the 1st Nkuhlu luxury tent came into view we found the 2 OSV drivers again stopped on the side of the road with another OSV, so I approached to have my say, but quickly got distracted when I realised that there was a leopard in the tree which had to take priority.

“Leopard, in tree! Pass the camera quick in case it moves!”

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The leopard was on the inland side of the road, so once again the afternoon sun was setting behind her which made pics rather difficult for our photographic skill set.

This was the female with 1 eye that I had been looking for as she has 2 teenagers that had been hanging around with her, but the junior adults weren’t around or visible this day. I believe via the KNP leopard rumour mill that she lost her eye due to a lion attack, but I can’t confirm that, however we spotted her last year October and she had both eyes then.

Other cars returning to Skukuza or Kruger Gate from the south then started to arrive and the OSVs were in the middle of the road blocking traffic as per usual, so the sighting was quickly becoming unpleasant.

The leopardess also seemed to be getting uncomfortable with all the attention/loud OSV guests and she suddenly got up and bailed out the tree. As luck would have it, she came straight towards us parked on the outskirts of the car rugby scrum, but this caused me to have a mild meltdown since she was going to walk directly past the Cow’s side of the car, so the Cow was under pressure to get pics and I wasn’t making it any easier with my demands.

“Take pics, hurry up, she’s going to walk right past you!”

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Re: Browns in Kruger September 2024

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The Cow had my camera with a 150 to 500mm lens on it, but we also have a point and shoot superzoom thing that she normally uses.

“#$^* why you using my camera, the other camera, no time to change the lens”

Albert understands the camera story so she also started chiming in from the back seat.

“Mom, she’s too close for that camera”

The Cow frantically threw my camera down and grabbed her superzoom, but captured herself in the side mirror also.

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The leopard then ran across the road in front of us and down the bank towards the riverbed, so I grabbed my camera for 1 last pic before she disappeared.

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I was stoked so my teeth were hanging out, but I soon came down to earth with a greasing from the Cow due to my “take pics” meltdown tone of voice, but in fairness, I probably deserved the kaking out.

The crowd instantly moved off, but we waited to confirm that the leopard wasn’t going to return to the road and we were about to head back to Skukuza when the Cow spotted the leopard again. There were 2 bushbucks around 10m further and they had the leopard’s attention, but she was deep in the bush and we could only see spots and a portion of her face, so we waited with the bushbuck that were in the open, however soon the Garmin was indicating a time issue, so we reluctantly had to head back to camp to make gate closing time.

We stopped briefly for the odd usual suspect on the way back, but we never took any pics due to the time pressure.

On arrival at our unit, we realised that our Moni guest house neighbour gang were still on the go, a fire was now going and the drinks were flowing, so it was going to be a long night. I definitely wasn’t going to try and have a relaxed braai 15m away, so we decided to rather take a walk around camp to peacefully pass the time and then to go to Cattle Baron for burgers.

Our neighbours only shut up after 10pm when I slammed our unit’s sliding door, but I made a mental note to make plenty noise when packing the car in the morning since there’s no way that they would be up early.

To be continued


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Re: Browns in Kruger September 2024

Post by Flutterby »

Another great leopard sighting! ^Q^ ^Q^ I think we may have seen one of her youngsters near Nkuhlu. ;-)

We also have a point-and-shoot superzoom for super-close sightings or dark conditions but the pic quality isn't great. :no:


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Re: Browns in Kruger September 2024

Post by Lisbeth »

The distinctive characteristics of the OSV drivers are certainly not good manners, most of them are definitely rude :evil:

Another nice leopard sighting, partly spoiled by the above @#$

Hunting with only one eye must be difficult, but most animals adapt quickly to changes of any kind.

0()


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Re: Browns in Kruger September 2024

Post by Richprins »

Catching up, Bushy! :o0ps:

What a grand trip down to the S113, amazing male you got there and makes such a difference when the sighting is all to yourself! :yes:

It is an old male, maybe, with the buggered ears? Interesting the fresh cut there on the chest.

Ja, the potholes in the dirt roads are a new thing due to the horrific maintenance lapse... :evil: :evil:

Sorry about Monis...we were also there as a family once and probably made just as much noise! --00--

@#$ @#$ OSVs!

And another leppie to finish off! :-0

I don't like the new refurbished units at Skuks and elsewhere at all, as you say. Why mess with what is working? Hopefully the tender runs out... O** :O^


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Re: Browns in Kruger September 2024

Post by Pumbaa »

Thanks so much Bushcraft,

again leopard overload and you got such incredible shots and even lions \O

Exactly the same we do when we had noisy neighbours - lucky that happened not that often - but whenever packing the car in the morning we can be loud as well O** O** O**


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Re: Browns in Kruger September 2024

Post by Bushcraft »

Thanks Flutts, Lisbeth, RP & Pumbaa for reading and commenting, appreciated X#X


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