do you need help turning?Browns in Kruger October 2017
Re: Browns in Kruger October 2017
4th Skukuza continued
The H1-2 section to Skukuza only produced the normal clan so we only stopped once or twice.
We were back in camp at around 10am, but the fever story started again, so everybody popped more pills and I think I drank too much of some weird flu syrup stuff and felt “bombed” so ended up curled up on the bed for a few hours and the others used the peaceful opportunity to do the same.
At around 3pm I cruised up to the sighting board which seemed to indicate that animals only lived on the H4-1 and then I shared a few whatsapp messages with Penny as they had spent the morning exploring the S1, S65, S3, etc area, but it had been very quiet and a battle for them, so after some negotiation we decided to go as far as the S79 causeway and then to return to camp.
The entire drive to the S79 was rather quiet and I couldn’t help but wonder if the heat had something to do with it because it was the hottest day of our trip so far.
There’s a certain 100m section of the S79 which has produced leopard for us on just about every trip for the last few years so I’m always expectant in that section and normally drive it at 5km/h and as we came over the small rise to the start of that section I spotted a car stopped and a leopard sitting in the grass around 10m further in.
“Leopard!, camera please!”
I stopped where I could see the leopard clearly and as I was about to snap a shot the car from up the road pulled up between ourselves and the leopard, but they were looking excitedly at us and not the leopard.
“A leopard just crossed! A leopard just crossed!” and all the old timers teeth were hanging out.
I’m not sure if it was the fact that I had chowed too many painkillers or what but I calmly said
“Ja, I’m trying to photograph it as it’s sitting there”
The hanging teeth went to shocked expressions and then some panicked reversing started followed by plenty apologetic waving, but the reversing mission went rather skew so the leopard ducked off deeper into the bush, which started to cause a small blood pressure moment, however when they pulled back up next to us my mood calmed again as they were super excited and it was contagious.
I advised them that we may be lucky if we drive slowly along and minutes later I found him as he stuck his pip up deep in the bush.
It was a mission to spot him for everybody and even harder to focus on him, so we gave up and continued on.
I conned the Cow that we needed to try a few more km down the H4-1 before turning back and around 2km later some lazy lions made an appearance. The juniors had us concerned as they didn’t look healthy at all and they all definitely had mange.
I checked the time and turned to head back and only stopped again opposite Nkuhlu as a lion pride was emerging from the bush, but they then decided to all lie down in the thick grass in different spots which frustrated me with the camera again. They didn’t look like they were going to move again in a hurry so we moved on.
Around 2km later Albert shouted “lion”, so I stopped, then the Cow shouted “No, it’s a leopard!”, and then Albert shouted “leopard” so I lost my marbles as I hadn’t seen it yet.
“Where!”
“There in the riverbed!”
I also had to blink as it was a seriously large leopard which is difficult to see in the pics because we were photographing down on it. I couldn’t work out if we had ever seen this chap before as we weren’t in an area where we had previously spotted leopard.
The leopard disappeared as quickly as it had appeared so we cruised on while our ears got chewed off by Albert’s jabbering.
The H12 bridge mating lions were still in the riverbed, but we had already seen them numerous times, so continued on.
We were chatting away as we approached the H4-1/alpha loop intersection and weren’t paying much attention to the bush, but suddenly Bushpig, who had been chirping loudly in my ear about something else, shrieked “LEOPARD!” and I hit the brakes just as he entered the road. We recognised him straight away as the alpha loop male as we have seen him a couple of times before and he’s rather “faulty” looking.
The H1-2 section to Skukuza only produced the normal clan so we only stopped once or twice.
We were back in camp at around 10am, but the fever story started again, so everybody popped more pills and I think I drank too much of some weird flu syrup stuff and felt “bombed” so ended up curled up on the bed for a few hours and the others used the peaceful opportunity to do the same.
At around 3pm I cruised up to the sighting board which seemed to indicate that animals only lived on the H4-1 and then I shared a few whatsapp messages with Penny as they had spent the morning exploring the S1, S65, S3, etc area, but it had been very quiet and a battle for them, so after some negotiation we decided to go as far as the S79 causeway and then to return to camp.
The entire drive to the S79 was rather quiet and I couldn’t help but wonder if the heat had something to do with it because it was the hottest day of our trip so far.
There’s a certain 100m section of the S79 which has produced leopard for us on just about every trip for the last few years so I’m always expectant in that section and normally drive it at 5km/h and as we came over the small rise to the start of that section I spotted a car stopped and a leopard sitting in the grass around 10m further in.
“Leopard!, camera please!”
I stopped where I could see the leopard clearly and as I was about to snap a shot the car from up the road pulled up between ourselves and the leopard, but they were looking excitedly at us and not the leopard.
“A leopard just crossed! A leopard just crossed!” and all the old timers teeth were hanging out.
I’m not sure if it was the fact that I had chowed too many painkillers or what but I calmly said
“Ja, I’m trying to photograph it as it’s sitting there”
The hanging teeth went to shocked expressions and then some panicked reversing started followed by plenty apologetic waving, but the reversing mission went rather skew so the leopard ducked off deeper into the bush, which started to cause a small blood pressure moment, however when they pulled back up next to us my mood calmed again as they were super excited and it was contagious.
I advised them that we may be lucky if we drive slowly along and minutes later I found him as he stuck his pip up deep in the bush.
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I conned the Cow that we needed to try a few more km down the H4-1 before turning back and around 2km later some lazy lions made an appearance. The juniors had us concerned as they didn’t look healthy at all and they all definitely had mange.
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“Where!”
“There in the riverbed!”
I also had to blink as it was a seriously large leopard which is difficult to see in the pics because we were photographing down on it. I couldn’t work out if we had ever seen this chap before as we weren’t in an area where we had previously spotted leopard.
- 21.jpg (185.77 KiB) Viewed 91 times
- 22.jpg (167.56 KiB) Viewed 91 times
The H12 bridge mating lions were still in the riverbed, but we had already seen them numerous times, so continued on.
We were chatting away as we approached the H4-1/alpha loop intersection and weren’t paying much attention to the bush, but suddenly Bushpig, who had been chirping loudly in my ear about something else, shrieked “LEOPARD!” and I hit the brakes just as he entered the road. We recognised him straight away as the alpha loop male as we have seen him a couple of times before and he’s rather “faulty” looking.
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- 24.jpg (106.97 KiB) Viewed 91 times
Re: Browns in Kruger October 2017
He decided to walk straight towards us and which had me frantically reversing and luckily there were no other cars so I had the freedom to keep pace with the leopard.
I eventually stopped after about 200m of reversing and the leopard slowed and sat down just in front of us.
Minutes later another car arrived with much excitement and the leopard decided to cross the road in front of us and then charged off into the riverbed.
We were stoked with the sighting so there was plenty chirping for the last few km, especially as Bushpig had claimed the glory.
After arriving in camp the Cow decided to go to the shop for some more cool drinks and the rats wanted to check out a few items also and while in the shop a thief pulled in which got a French speaking person rather excited
“Naughty mongoose, naughty mongoose!” and then a long conversion in French followed.
The rats thought this was hilarious, but the Cow ended up talking to the staff who claimed that this particular bush baby pulled in every night to steal bread.
We all crashed very early as nobody was feeling great.
To be continued
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After arriving in camp the Cow decided to go to the shop for some more cool drinks and the rats wanted to check out a few items also and while in the shop a thief pulled in which got a French speaking person rather excited
“Naughty mongoose, naughty mongoose!” and then a long conversion in French followed.
The rats thought this was hilarious, but the Cow ended up talking to the staff who claimed that this particular bush baby pulled in every night to steal bread.
- 29.jpg (108.55 KiB) Viewed 91 times
- 30.jpg (107.88 KiB) Viewed 91 times
To be continued
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Sprocky
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Re: Browns in Kruger October 2017
Slightly 
with your Leopard sightings. Keep it up! 
with your Leopard sightings. Keep it up! Sometimes it’s not until you don’t see what you want to see, that you truly open your eyes.
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Flutterby
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Re: Browns in Kruger October 2017
Wow, wow, wow!! Three leopard sightings in one drive?? 
That is amazing! 
Not nice to see lions with mange.
That bushbaby doesn't look too worried about being caught red-handed!
That is amazing! Not nice to see lions with mange.
That bushbaby doesn't look too worried about being caught red-handed!
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Lisbeth
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Re: Browns in Kruger October 2017
The leopard has a strange blank gaze, just like the staff when you ask them for something that is not on the menu......or tell them that the French fries are cooked too little
Maybe you should always take some of that strange medicine with you on the drives; you even said "cameras please 
Maybe you should always take some of that strange medicine with you on the drives; you even said "cameras please
"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." Nelson Mandela
The desire for equality must never exceed the demands of knowledge
The desire for equality must never exceed the demands of knowledge
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Richprins
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Re: Browns in Kruger October 2017
Very interesting, the greater bushthief!
That last leopard does look strange...but you say it was hot?
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Re: Browns in Kruger October 2017
Well that afternoon drive was more than successful when it comes to cats, Bushcraft 
Right roads, right time as well and in the end bushbaby as well
Right roads, right time as well and in the end bushbaby as well
PuMbAa
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