Flavour of the Month September 2013: S100

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Re: Flavour of the Month September 2013: S100

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S-100 in December video from R.p .Video will play in Firefox or IE .Chrome users will need to download to view.
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Re: Flavour of the Month September 2013: S100

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phpBB [video]




http://lowvelder.co.za/396955/video-2-cheetahs-hunt/


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Re: Flavour of the Month September 2013: S100

Post by nan »

it's young Cheetahs... not very experimented 0*\


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Re: Flavour of the Month September 2013: S100

Post by Flutterby »

Travel the S100 on Google Street View:

https://www.google.co.za/maps/@-24.4059 ... 6656?hl=en
S100.jpg


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Re: Flavour of the Month September 2013: S100

Post by Mel »

Love that road, even if it hardly ever produced much for us. Great view :-0


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Re: Flavour of the Month September 2013: S100

Post by Flutterby »

We have a love/hate relationship with this road. Haven't seen much on it in years, but we are always too scared to give it a miss! lol


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Re: Flavour of the Month September 2013: S100

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From PJL:

https://africawild-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=7546


Apart from the heat and high grasses, another notable issue on this visit was the number of thorns around - particularly devil thorns. There was no walking around barefoot even at the swimming pools, and my slip-slops/flip-flops had to be thrown away after the trip from being torn up by thorns so much!

Our first full day in the park dawned and we were up early to get a decent place in the queue of cars at the gate. Our first drive was going to be along the S100 and down the S41 to N'Wanetsi picnic site then back along the H6. By the time we turned into the S100 we were the first car and we cruised along with eyes peeled for anything of interest. The first sighting was a very scrawny-looking jackal who ran along the road in front of us for ages before realising it could get away by veering off into the grasses lol

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The drive was progressing quietly when we came across a few waterbuck at the side of the road, whilst a handsome male looked on from across the other side O:V

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Our first raptor sighting was a good spot from D who found this awesome martial eagle enjoying the sun's morning rays O/\

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We pulled into some of the riverbed viewpoints and found a baboon troop messing around in one of them

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The rollers were out in force this trip, with this lilac-breasted one enjoying some breakfast O:V

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Our detours meant a couple of other vehicles had gone past us and we came across them stopped around a corner. Apparently there had been a lioness on the road and we had just missed her 0*\ 0*\
She was still in the area and was apparently moving around a thicket so we stuck around to see if she would pop out again. Fortunately our patience paid off and we got a few glimpses of her moving around in the grass. Finally she popped out onto the road again O/\ O/\ O\/ O\/

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We moved into a better position and enjoyed watching her wandering towards us

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Her movements seemed quite strange - as if she was looking for something. We wondered whether she had left cubs somewhere and was trying to find them again -O-
She swung off into the tall grasses again and then came back out towards the road, showing just how high the grasses were and how difficult it was going to be to spot cats unless they were up and moving :-?

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Once out in the road again we were treated to some fantastic close-ups as she moved around and started sniffing the ground for whatever it was she was looking for O/\ [O]

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Finally she made a close walk past our car and moved off to continue her searching \O

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What a great start to the day it had been. We were thrilled with the lioness sighting - having her so close and active was brilliant and there had only been one other vehicle - not a bad start for school holidays O** O**


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Re: Flavour of the Month September 2013: S100

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From a 2013 aat report:
aat wrote: Sun Mar 10, 2013 6:09 pm

It was very early in the morning when I went to the gate of Satara camp. Standing there nr 2 waiting for the gate to be opened.
Still doubting where to go… left to Olifants? Right and right to Orpen ?, straight to Tshokwane?, or right and left to S100 ? :-? :-?
First decision just by sixth sense was right and late decision again turning left to S100.
In my mirrors I saw all others going other directions so let’s see…

It was still a bit dark… and hoping not to miss anything I was driving very slowly. Almost 15 minutes and except a warthog crossing the road nothing to see.
Then just around a “corner” I said something like yessssssss and this male lions came towards me. Time.. 04:36 (gate opened a bit too early but no complains by me)

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First thought was…. Good decision for taking the S100 =O:
Even having seen many male lions it is always a very very nice surprise to see one and every time again I am impressed by them

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I was just looking at him and I was glad I did the settings for my camera before I left to be able to make some pictures since it was still a bit dark.
I think I said something like “Ohhh nooo” when the lion left the road and walked into the grass :twisted:

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3 minutes later…. And wowwwwwwwwwww…… This male was not on his own roaming the S100 but pffffffffffffff his whole family or pride was with him….
Jumping on my seat now… is this true ? O\/ O\/
First members of the pride

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And looking around I realized that they were heading to the S100 road…coming all together there and just in front of me.

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I had a feeling of “I can’t believe it… no one else and all these lions for my eyes only” Looking around I saw lions left to me, in front of me and behind me. O/\ O/\
Let’s focus on the ones in front of me

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Just about 5 minutes from first view and a very very nice Lion roadblock…. I love roadblocks by animals…. Happy feeling at that moment and was just giving a compliment to my sixth sense.
Waiting a few seconds so other lions could pass me and nice of this one to give me look

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Again some minutes later when they were going “over the hill”

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Starting wondering about no other cars yet but also glad they were not there since it is nicer to make pictures without cars in front of you
After the “hill” they continued walking the S100 (sometimes nothing to see at all and sometimes soooo rich… I love this road. Later on in an other story you will see why…smile… ^0^ ^0^

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I remember I was singing “the long and winding road” , window open and no one could hear me , except one of the lions who was looking at me saying “stop singing please”… O** O**

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What can you do..? right answer…. Following them till…?
And they were walking…. Like a group doing a morning trail….

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And another 100 meters … what a show. Left and right some lions were walking through the bush and high grass which made it difficult to capture them.
In the mean time I tried to count them and came to 19 lions in total.
The male lion was checking his pride every now and then… with a face saying “pff always waiting for the ladies….come on…” 0' 0'

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Then a nice moment … one of the cubs turned around and was looking at me… trying to convince me that my singing was not right and spoiling his morning walk 0- 0-

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So I stopped singing and captured him.
Some minutes later another youngster showed he was a bit tired of all this walking and decided to lay down near the road

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I changed my song and started “you never walk alone” inspired by this big pride. O** O** Still no other cars coming towards me. Incredible for the S100 at this time. I was 20 minutes together with them now and enjoying every second. They were still on the road rounding another corner…

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Just around the corner the male decided to leave the road at the lefthand side.

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And all the other ones were follwing the leader (what else…) -O


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So this really wonderfull sighting was coming to an end

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A last glimse of some pride members , lioness with a collar and bye bye bye lions…thanks for this special moment… being one of the special ones…

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Just when I left them and driving about 500 meters a car came around a corner and asked me to stop…. ”Anything special on the road ?” they asked……………. =O: =O: =O:

https://www.africawild-forum.com/viewto ... =46&t=1591


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Re: Flavour of the Month September 2013: S100

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aat wrote: Sat May 25, 2013 3:38 pm


Welcome to this story. About one of the most special sightings we ever had

We were staying in Satara camp for several days and like I said in one of the previous stories it’s a gamble every time what route to take.
Early morning, 4:30 and waiting for opening of the gate. Very weird to see just 1 more car that time since we are used to a line up almost every morning.

Where to go ? Olifants…? Orpen..? Tshokwane ..? H6 …? Still not sure I turned right and at the very last moment I decided to go to the S100 …why…? I don’t know…. Maybe sixth sense again.
Well, not talking too much…but join us with this great and special sighting.
It’s going to be a longer story but I don’t want you to miss too much… so have a seat… seatbelts on….. wine , beer and popcorn ready…. Let’s Gooooooooooooo

Driving the S100, still a bit dark and about halfway a big smile on our faces… yesssssssss…. Cheetah !!
Still not too much daylight so ISO value high to capture these beauties.

First we saw was this youngster….
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Just captured this one and Elly said “another 2” ….
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The two went off the road and pffffffff joining two more so now 4 in total
(not the best picture but it’s the sighting as it is)

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Just awake and 4 cheetah in front of your eyes is special but …… surprise was not over yet….there is nr 5 on the road

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again, not best quality of picture, but this scene was too sweet to keep it away.

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Where did the youngsters going to…. ? Idd… to their mother

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Family complete….. our eyes of unbelieve… saying things like “ohhhhhhh” and “pfffffffffffff” , “huhhhhhhhhhhh” well, you understand

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Mother Cheetha and 5 cubs !! 6 Cheetah together and knowing there about 200 in KNP this was a real wonder. Elly and I looking into each others eyes saying..”what a trip”.

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It still was quiet, just one more car at that moment and some arriving
Enjoy the family together

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Ohhh I was so happy I could capture all 6 together because the younsters did not really sit down longer then a few seconds …busy all the time… not really relaxed and looking to all directions

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Lovely faces

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Mommy….did you hear that sound ? Where..?

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Next few pictures shows relaxing…laying down…looking around…being allert…

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and

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It felt like being in the middle of a real BC Diary movie…

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In the mean time it was getting better with the light… sun was rising, 5:00 now so almost half an hour with them…
And here we see a very very special Mother
Raising 5 cubs in the S100 area is tough… so many lions around , hyena’s and some leopards.
Herds of buffalo and elephants around….
As you can see the cubs are almost ready for going to live their own lifes.

What a mother she is !!

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Now with nice light os the rising sun quality will improve for making photos

In the mean time there were about 20 cars in the area but we were happy to have a nice position and the Cheetah younsters honoured us with a personal visit

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This was the moment we recognized another forumite…. OWN (onewithnature) in one of the other cars…
OWN – This is specially for you since you had problems with you camera…

This cheetah was paying some special attention to me… curious about the camara pointing to her

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so close…. just about 5 meters from my window

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and why not sitting down for a nice photo…. Thanks my friend

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just wondering why they just went to our car spoiling us with nice posing

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With a bit of rising sun light…. How cute and beautiful they are

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If it was not good enough these two were acting as professional models…smileeeee


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We really felt almost guilty since they were spending so much time around us and seeing others cars to get into better position… it was getting busy on the S100…

Thanks for posing cuty…

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Funny, the cubs were coming along one by one to say hello or goodbye
Here another sweety

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And what younsters do normally…is playing… running after each other…they made a nice show…
Too difficult to make pics since they were moving to fast…jumping and tackling each other…
A bit tired and ready for some last pics

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and
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and
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With this picture I like to end this story…bye cheetah… have a good life in Kruger and see you next time

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To express again how special and experienced the Cheetah Mother must be…. Following the S100 , after about 5K we found a large pride of lions… 7 visible on picture, many more around in background …. Big pride again..?

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These situations must have happened many times while raising the cubs

That’s why I call her Best Mother of KNP



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Re: Flavour of the Month September 2013: S100

Post by Richprins »

https://twitter.com/i/status/1031833200610435072



Kruger Sightings
‏Verified account @LatestKruger
Aug 21

09:00
5 Lions with juvenile curious biting the cars etc
S100, about 10km from the H1-3
Near Satara
Tinged by the Van Stadens


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