24 July 2014
Today was another daytrip with Care for Wild volunteers. We
started at Numbi Gate and were lucky to see two elephants quite quickly. The
young bulls were in the distance but stepped first on a termite mount to show
themselves (1 by 1) and then kept walking towards us. They crossed the road
just behind our vehicle. A little further on we found some zebras hiding behind
the bushes.
We took a loop around Shabeni where we found a klipspringer posing on top of a rock and a large troop of baboons. They baboons weren't properly awake yet, as they sat huddled together is small groups warming up in the sun.
Back on the tar road we were stared at a lone buffalo bull and spotted a duiker that didn't run away.
We took a slow drive to Shithave Dam where the crocodile was already up and sunning himself. The hippos were nowhere to be seen, but we did get a good look at a grey heron.
We saw warthogs, kudus, giraffes and our first impalas. Then we encountered two elephants bulls in the prime of their lives. One was clearly trying to establish dominancy. Challenging the one that was a teensy bit smaller and at one point even laying its head and trunk on top of the head of the other as much as he could. However, the smallest one was apparently ok with it as he was more keen on the grass and kept chewing away even with the other one's head on top of him. No scuffle broke out, so we continued our journey.
Close to Transport Dam a hyena pup was sunning himself. At Delaporte waterhole we saw a massive male giraffe and a troop of baboons that was feeding and as if it was the themes of the morning, here too two males were establishing the hierarchy. One of the kings mounted the other as if trying to mate it. We also saw impala and two duikers roaming around.
On the way to Skukuza we saw many more giraffes and a large group of buffalo bulls were crossing the road, at their own pace, just before Skukuza entrance.
After a break at Skukuza we turned towards the river. We stopped at a spot where people said there were lions, but through the bushes. We scouted and looked and maybe saw an ear, but that was it. No luck this time. We did however see multiple white-backed and hooded vultures sitting in trees nearby waiting to eat the leftovers of the buffalo the lions had killed. After we continued we spotted lots of herds of impalas, bateleurs fly over and a fish eagle.
At high level bridge we spotted an island full of hippos and a crocodile. We then took the road Marula loop where we saw lots of giraffes, zebras and two buffalos close to the road. At Sand river bridge a family of tawny eagles was sitting on their nest. Then we had to drive slowly as a family of ground hornbills was walking in the road. While we were crossing slowly, baboons came up from behind us and played on the bridge.
Back at Skukuza we stopped for lunch. Then we continued our drive on Kruger road where a steenbok decided we weren't worth running away from in the heat and plopped back down to rest. Down River road there were lots of kudus going to the water. We saw some nice fully grown males and large groups of females. Back on Doispane it was rather quiet. The day had turned hot and all the animals had gone into hiding. We did get word about a sleeping male lion under a bush. This time we were in luck and made it to the sighting in time. The lion was having a dream as he rolled on his back and made movements with his legs in the air. It made it look funny for us! On the way to Phabeni Gate we only stopped for zebras, before the drive was over.
We took a loop around Shabeni where we found a klipspringer posing on top of a rock and a large troop of baboons. They baboons weren't properly awake yet, as they sat huddled together is small groups warming up in the sun.
Back on the tar road we were stared at a lone buffalo bull and spotted a duiker that didn't run away.
We took a slow drive to Shithave Dam where the crocodile was already up and sunning himself. The hippos were nowhere to be seen, but we did get a good look at a grey heron.
We saw warthogs, kudus, giraffes and our first impalas. Then we encountered two elephants bulls in the prime of their lives. One was clearly trying to establish dominancy. Challenging the one that was a teensy bit smaller and at one point even laying its head and trunk on top of the head of the other as much as he could. However, the smallest one was apparently ok with it as he was more keen on the grass and kept chewing away even with the other one's head on top of him. No scuffle broke out, so we continued our journey.
Close to Transport Dam a hyena pup was sunning himself. At Delaporte waterhole we saw a massive male giraffe and a troop of baboons that was feeding and as if it was the themes of the morning, here too two males were establishing the hierarchy. One of the kings mounted the other as if trying to mate it. We also saw impala and two duikers roaming around.
On the way to Skukuza we saw many more giraffes and a large group of buffalo bulls were crossing the road, at their own pace, just before Skukuza entrance.
After a break at Skukuza we turned towards the river. We stopped at a spot where people said there were lions, but through the bushes. We scouted and looked and maybe saw an ear, but that was it. No luck this time. We did however see multiple white-backed and hooded vultures sitting in trees nearby waiting to eat the leftovers of the buffalo the lions had killed. After we continued we spotted lots of herds of impalas, bateleurs fly over and a fish eagle.
At high level bridge we spotted an island full of hippos and a crocodile. We then took the road Marula loop where we saw lots of giraffes, zebras and two buffalos close to the road. At Sand river bridge a family of tawny eagles was sitting on their nest. Then we had to drive slowly as a family of ground hornbills was walking in the road. While we were crossing slowly, baboons came up from behind us and played on the bridge.
Back at Skukuza we stopped for lunch. Then we continued our drive on Kruger road where a steenbok decided we weren't worth running away from in the heat and plopped back down to rest. Down River road there were lots of kudus going to the water. We saw some nice fully grown males and large groups of females. Back on Doispane it was rather quiet. The day had turned hot and all the animals had gone into hiding. We did get word about a sleeping male lion under a bush. This time we were in luck and made it to the sighting in time. The lion was having a dream as he rolled on his back and made movements with his legs in the air. It made it look funny for us! On the way to Phabeni Gate we only stopped for zebras, before the drive was over.
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