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Browns in Kruger October 2022
Re: Browns in Kruger October 2022
We all stuffed up numerous photos and I personally found it very difficult to focus on 1 dog or a group of dogs because it was chaotic with dogs and pups charging around. The action was out the passenger window and I kept on getting pics of the back of the Cow’s head as she moved frantically around trying to take video, Albert and Bushpig were scrapping over the rear passenger window and some choice words were getting dropped in the car, so anyone behind us must have been rather amused at the turmoil in our car.
The dogs finally settled and some of the adults pulled in for a drink on both sides of the bridge which was super cool.
Vehicles were starting to arrive big time from Skukuza, so we took 1 last pic of the collared Alpha and continued down towards the H12 bridge.
The dogs finally settled and some of the adults pulled in for a drink on both sides of the bridge which was super cool.
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Vehicles were starting to arrive big time from Skukuza, so we took 1 last pic of the collared Alpha and continued down towards the H12 bridge.
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Re: Browns in Kruger October 2022
We turned at the H1-2/H12 intersection and decided to head down to Nkuhlu for a pitstop and just outside Nkuhlu we had a brief sighting of some male lions, but we were a little slow on the draw with the cameras so only got pics as they disappeared into thick bush.
We arrived at Nkuhlu at around 7:30am so after a loo break, we had another negotiation in the car park. Nobody was keen to continue further on the H4-1 towards Lower Sabie as the traffic gets too much to handle peacefully after 9am, so the final plan was to head slowly back towards Skukuza on the H4-1 and time dependant, take the H1-1 down to Transport Dam and then do the new side “ting” road which links across to the S65 because it’s the 1 road in the south that we hadn’t driven before.
The only sighting worth mentioning on the H4-1 was a large croc on the water’s edge next to one of those little dirt loops that drop down towards the Sabie off the H4-1.
As the H4-1 was rather quiet sighting wise, not traffic, we were back outside Skukuza at around 8:30am, so we decided to continue with the Transport Dam plan.
A few km from Transport Dam we found a few cars stopped on the side of the road and quickly spotted what they were looking at.
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We arrived at Nkuhlu at around 7:30am so after a loo break, we had another negotiation in the car park. Nobody was keen to continue further on the H4-1 towards Lower Sabie as the traffic gets too much to handle peacefully after 9am, so the final plan was to head slowly back towards Skukuza on the H4-1 and time dependant, take the H1-1 down to Transport Dam and then do the new side “ting” road which links across to the S65 because it’s the 1 road in the south that we hadn’t driven before.
The only sighting worth mentioning on the H4-1 was a large croc on the water’s edge next to one of those little dirt loops that drop down towards the Sabie off the H4-1.
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As the H4-1 was rather quiet sighting wise, not traffic, we were back outside Skukuza at around 8:30am, so we decided to continue with the Transport Dam plan.
A few km from Transport Dam we found a few cars stopped on the side of the road and quickly spotted what they were looking at.
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Re: Browns in Kruger October 2022
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After 10 minutes the leopard stopped looking around and headed down the side of the tree, so I thought it was all over, but suddenly the leopard appeared from behind a bush and came straight towards us resulting in some flapping with the cameras.
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Re: Browns in Kruger October 2022
Even though it was only around 9:30am, it was pushing 36 plus degrees Celsius and I realised what the leopard’s plot was, there was a drainage pipe under the road and a small puddle of water on the other side.
“It’s going to duck through the pipe below us and come out on the other side of the road”
We took some last-minute pics as the leopard ducked down into the pipe below us and then I started the car to move to the other side of the road.
As I was about to move a car pulled in right next to us and the occupants were peering our direction, so I chirped
“The leopard’s coming out on the other side!”
They continued to peer at us and look aimlessly on the wrong side of the bridge, but didn’t move, so we were now blocked in.
Seconds later the leopard popped out the pipe on the other side of the bridge, so my blood pressure was rising rapidly.
“The leopard is there!"
The tonsil then moved even closer to us and continued to try and peer over our front bonnet.
We were higher in a bakkie, so I gave up and just starting taking pics over their car, which caused them even more confusion.
The leopard walked to the small puddle, drank, turned and headed back into the pipe under the road.
We waited for another 15 minutes, but the leopard never came out the pipe again, so it must have decided to settle in the pipe because it was possibly cooler.
We arrived at Transport Dam just after 10am to find the usual waterbuck, wartie, etc, crowd, including some large ellies.
“It’s going to duck through the pipe below us and come out on the other side of the road”
We took some last-minute pics as the leopard ducked down into the pipe below us and then I started the car to move to the other side of the road.
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As I was about to move a car pulled in right next to us and the occupants were peering our direction, so I chirped
“The leopard’s coming out on the other side!”
They continued to peer at us and look aimlessly on the wrong side of the bridge, but didn’t move, so we were now blocked in.
Seconds later the leopard popped out the pipe on the other side of the bridge, so my blood pressure was rising rapidly.
“The leopard is there!"
The tonsil then moved even closer to us and continued to try and peer over our front bonnet.
We were higher in a bakkie, so I gave up and just starting taking pics over their car, which caused them even more confusion.
The leopard walked to the small puddle, drank, turned and headed back into the pipe under the road.
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We waited for another 15 minutes, but the leopard never came out the pipe again, so it must have decided to settle in the pipe because it was possibly cooler.
We arrived at Transport Dam just after 10am to find the usual waterbuck, wartie, etc, crowd, including some large ellies.
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Re: Browns in Kruger October 2022
My car’s temperature gauge was now reading 38 degrees and there was almost no breeze so we didn’t hang around long.
The new link road generated some excitement, but this faded quickly as the road seemed like every other road in this area of the park. We did stop to take a pic of some zebras just to record them as our 1st sighting on the road.
The S65/S1 section back towards the H11 produced a few ellies and the normal sightings, but we didn’t stop for pics until just after turning onto the H11 where 3 wild dogs appeared in the shade on the side of the road.
The dogs were also clearly suffering from the heat.
We arrived back in camp around midday and my car temperature gauge was reading 40 degrees so before cooking a chow, we cruised to the new ice cream kiosk. The Cow then made us bacon and egg rolls which we enjoyed in the shade of the boma thing and Albert decided to experiment with the Cow’s frying pan before it got washed and then roped in Bushpig as they tried to cook another egg in the sun, but like me, teenagers lack patience, so they soon lost interest and I was left to get rid of the egg.
The new link road generated some excitement, but this faded quickly as the road seemed like every other road in this area of the park. We did stop to take a pic of some zebras just to record them as our 1st sighting on the road.
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The S65/S1 section back towards the H11 produced a few ellies and the normal sightings, but we didn’t stop for pics until just after turning onto the H11 where 3 wild dogs appeared in the shade on the side of the road.
The dogs were also clearly suffering from the heat.
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We arrived back in camp around midday and my car temperature gauge was reading 40 degrees so before cooking a chow, we cruised to the new ice cream kiosk. The Cow then made us bacon and egg rolls which we enjoyed in the shade of the boma thing and Albert decided to experiment with the Cow’s frying pan before it got washed and then roped in Bushpig as they tried to cook another egg in the sun, but like me, teenagers lack patience, so they soon lost interest and I was left to get rid of the egg.
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Re: Browns in Kruger October 2022
For the afternoon drive we decided to pop in at the Sabie low level bridge on the H1-2 first to see if the wild dogs that had been hanging around there would make another appearance, but all was quiet, so we decided to continue on the H1-2 towards the H12 bridge and got harassed by a large ellie on route which required some reverse manoeuvring.
We still had time when we arrived at the H12/H4-1 intersection, so decided to cruise down to Nkuhlu as we like to walk around there late in the day because the gang of people have moved off and it’s a different place then.
When we arrived at Nkuhlu there were no other cars in the car park, so our timing was correct, therefore we all bailed out the car and headed down to the bottom terrace closest to the river.
We all casually walked eastwards looking for the local water monitor and as we arrived at the eastern boundary of the picnic site, I spotted a hyena approaching, so initially didn’t say anything because I wanted to get the camera ready.
We often stay at Mpila camp in Imfolozi and have braaied many times at night with multiple hyenas all around us and even had 1 scallywag steal our entire chicken flattie off the braai while we weren’t paying attention, but they have never been a threat to us and they don’t come closer than around 15-20m if one is standing up. I have sat down on the grass a few times and they instantly approach, but as you stand up, they back off again.
Once I was organised with the Cow’s point and shoot camera, I casually chirped
“There’s a hyena coming towards us”
The Cow, Bushpig & Albert then went faulty
“WHAT!” “WHERE!” “NO, NO, NO!”
“There, it’s walking towards us, it will be fine, just stand still………”
I then realised that I was talking to myself as the Cow, Bushpig and Albert were heading at full speed down the lower terrace towards the car park.
I took a pic and shouted after them.
“What are you doing, stop!”, but there was no stopping them and they turned up the far stairs on the western side as if whoever was the slowest was going to get chowed.
Then one of them let a out a muffled shriek.
What we hadn’t seen or realised was that an entire boon troop had silently moved into the car park and the upper terrace. I was way more concerned about this lot as they feel nothing for anyone who doesn’t portray confidence.
I tried to put on a false Rambo charge to get them to back off as they were literally approaching the girls in like a Shaka Zulu bull horn attack formation, but I wasn’t particularly convincing, however brought enough time to get everybody in the car just as the boon troop took over. I wonder about this resident boon troop and the new larny Nkuhlu tented camp as it won’t be long before they are raided (unless someone has “chased” the boon troop off).
“WTF, why did you lot charge off!”
“HYENA! And those boons were worse”
“Hyena, Imfolozi, Mpila?”
“These are Kruger hyenas!”
I’m still trying to figure out the difference between a Kruger hyena and an Imfolozi hyena in my family’s mind.
We only stopped once more for a pic on the way back to Skukuza as the local beggar hyena gang that den outside Skukuza were cruising around.
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We still had time when we arrived at the H12/H4-1 intersection, so decided to cruise down to Nkuhlu as we like to walk around there late in the day because the gang of people have moved off and it’s a different place then.
When we arrived at Nkuhlu there were no other cars in the car park, so our timing was correct, therefore we all bailed out the car and headed down to the bottom terrace closest to the river.
We all casually walked eastwards looking for the local water monitor and as we arrived at the eastern boundary of the picnic site, I spotted a hyena approaching, so initially didn’t say anything because I wanted to get the camera ready.
We often stay at Mpila camp in Imfolozi and have braaied many times at night with multiple hyenas all around us and even had 1 scallywag steal our entire chicken flattie off the braai while we weren’t paying attention, but they have never been a threat to us and they don’t come closer than around 15-20m if one is standing up. I have sat down on the grass a few times and they instantly approach, but as you stand up, they back off again.
Once I was organised with the Cow’s point and shoot camera, I casually chirped
“There’s a hyena coming towards us”
The Cow, Bushpig & Albert then went faulty
“WHAT!” “WHERE!” “NO, NO, NO!”
“There, it’s walking towards us, it will be fine, just stand still………”
I then realised that I was talking to myself as the Cow, Bushpig and Albert were heading at full speed down the lower terrace towards the car park.
I took a pic and shouted after them.
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“What are you doing, stop!”, but there was no stopping them and they turned up the far stairs on the western side as if whoever was the slowest was going to get chowed.
Then one of them let a out a muffled shriek.
What we hadn’t seen or realised was that an entire boon troop had silently moved into the car park and the upper terrace. I was way more concerned about this lot as they feel nothing for anyone who doesn’t portray confidence.
I tried to put on a false Rambo charge to get them to back off as they were literally approaching the girls in like a Shaka Zulu bull horn attack formation, but I wasn’t particularly convincing, however brought enough time to get everybody in the car just as the boon troop took over. I wonder about this resident boon troop and the new larny Nkuhlu tented camp as it won’t be long before they are raided (unless someone has “chased” the boon troop off).
“WTF, why did you lot charge off!”
“HYENA! And those boons were worse”
“Hyena, Imfolozi, Mpila?”
“These are Kruger hyenas!”
I’m still trying to figure out the difference between a Kruger hyena and an Imfolozi hyena in my family’s mind.
We only stopped once more for a pic on the way back to Skukuza as the local beggar hyena gang that den outside Skukuza were cruising around.
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Re: Browns in Kruger October 2022
The “porcupine time” was around 8pm and we were better organized this evening with the braai, so had finished chowing before 8pm, thus the silent ambush was set in an attempt to get a better sighting and pics of the porcupine.
At 7:55pm the rustling bushes started, I signalled to the Cow to hit the torch while I stalked the fence line with the camera.
I nearly got fried on the fence while trying to aim the camera lens through the electric wires and we did get a better sighting and pics, but unfortunately junior wasn’t around.
Albert then wanted to do a walk around camp, so the Cow and I joined her while Bushpig went inside to continue with her matric studying.
We cruised up around past the train restaurant, through between the camping section and the bungalows and then turned to walk back to our unit at the tree’s north of the Cattle Baron where we found a bushbaby.
To be continued
At 7:55pm the rustling bushes started, I signalled to the Cow to hit the torch while I stalked the fence line with the camera.
I nearly got fried on the fence while trying to aim the camera lens through the electric wires and we did get a better sighting and pics, but unfortunately junior wasn’t around.
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Albert then wanted to do a walk around camp, so the Cow and I joined her while Bushpig went inside to continue with her matric studying.
We cruised up around past the train restaurant, through between the camping section and the bungalows and then turned to walk back to our unit at the tree’s north of the Cattle Baron where we found a bushbaby.
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To be continued
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Richprins
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Re: Browns in Kruger October 2022
Page 5 - brilliant stuff, Bushy! 
The Tshokwane leopard is a real beaut in a brilliant setting!
Love Talamati...interesting the built-in braai, we have always had a free-standing one?
A white-tailed mongoose!
I think the badgers are a real pest myself, and it is unnatural as with the baboons etc.
The Tshokwane leopard is a real beaut in a brilliant setting!
Love Talamati...interesting the built-in braai, we have always had a free-standing one?
A white-tailed mongoose!
I think the badgers are a real pest myself, and it is unnatural as with the baboons etc.
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Re: Browns in Kruger October 2022
Thanks so much Bushcraft,
indeed your leopard luck is always incredible when in the park
This time also the wild dogs were good to you with so many incredible sightings and shots - Love the drinking ones Sometimes it is in fact easy to spot them a second or third time when you know where to look out for them 
Love the sleeping lions and the bushbaby in Skukuza - We also saw severa times bushbabies there during the evening in camp and you had on top a very punctual porcupine
indeed your leopard luck is always incredible when in the park
This time also the wild dogs were good to you with so many incredible sightings and shots - Love the drinking ones
Sometimes it is in fact easy to spot them a second or third time when you know where to look out for them Love the sleeping lions and the bushbaby in Skukuza - We also saw severa times bushbabies there during the evening in camp and you had on top a very punctual porcupine
PuMbAa
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