Vinkie and Apex Predator back in the bushveld*

[vinkie]

I was going to boycott this TR because you called us monkeys, vinkie!

ehh....sorry Richprins....that I called the Baboons Monkeys

Later that morning on the S23 on the Byamiti loop we came across a roadblock caused by some young Lions lying between the bushes on the burnt soil, which surprised us, we didn’t think that Lions would like the dark and burnt surface(well that’s what the Guide at Satara had told us during the Morning Drive)

This is strange...lions go where the prey goes, and grazers love the new grass after a fire!

Great sightings!

It surprised us because the soil was black...and it still smelled like the fire had just gone out....no green grass here....

[vinkie]

Lower Sabie to Satara


Early the next morning we planned to return to the tree where we had seen the Leopard with the kill.
It had been raining the whole night, the whole area was wet….

After we passed Sunset Dam we spotted this Hyena wandering around, it seemed as if he was smelling a kill or something else caught his attention.
It was walking, standing still and sniffing in the air and walking again…maybe it could smell the kill in the tree.




After some km we spotted a big pride of Lions lying in the riverbed, we counted 15 and we heard two mating in the bushes near the water.

[vinkie]

We spend some time at the pride, some had a collar, in the meantime cars arrived and took off again.

Made a little video of the sighting(it's not very good quality, we got the cam just before we left....have to get some more practice )
http://youtu.be/qFw5177NCxM

We continued our route to find the Leopard again, we didn’t have to search, soon we drove into a roadblock…we got a nice spot, which made it possible to make some pictures of the Leopard, but the leaves and the branches spoiled the pictures….














The video is a little better….
http://youtu.be/Pi9PSSnAuWE

After some time the Leopard leaped out of the tree and disappeared in the bushes….

At Nkulu we saw these two Bushbuck….sadly there was some rubbish lying in the bushes….I can’t understand people visiting a National Park and throwing rubbish out of their cars…






to be continued....

[vinkie]

We saw this Hadeda-Ibis




We turned onto the S30 hoping to see the Wild Dogs….but unfortunately they had moved on….probably they didn’t like the rain either.

We saw these Kudus and a mother Egyptian Goose with little ones.








A squirrel


We passed Lower Sabie Rest Camp for the last time this trip and continued on the H4-1, only one Lion was left where we had seen the 15-17 Lions earlier…


We took the H12- H1-2 to Satara

Saw some wet Ellies, at a water hole we saw a group of Wildebeest

[vinkie]

Near the Kruger Tablets we saw this Klipspringer






We drove to Leeupan and saw these two Elephants and a Buffalo




At Tschokwane we had Lunch

Saw a very wet Mongoose, who was in a bad mood….








Fish Eagle and two Woolly-necked Storks




Giraffe with little one


To be continued…

[vinkie]

We found a Hyena den with two cute little Hyenas

[vinkie]

On the H1-3 on the little bridge over the Sweni we saw some Storks.


We took the S126-S36-H7 to Satara, saw these Giraffes, one with passengers












Leopard Tortoise






On our way to Girivana we saw this big Elephant








Just before camp a Buffalo herd…


We had our last Kruger Meal, the next day we would be going to something totally different: Elephant Plains, Sabi Sands.

To be continued….

[vinkie]

Last day at Satara

Thank you all for you kind comments

We really loved seeing those little Hyenas

@Mel: no we keep a very low speed in the park...or else we would miss all the wonderful sightings, and we wouldn't be able to enjoy all the Great things KNP has to offer.

After a night filled with the sound of roaring Lions we packed the car.
Today would be our last day in KNP, it always gives you a sad feeling having to leave…but the good part is…someday we will return.


Our last KNP sunset






We did our last H1-4->S100->S41->S90-> H1-4 loop….had some nice sightings










Back in the camp we made quick stop at the Gas station and restrooms
Some nice flowers in Camp


On the Timbavati Road(S40) we saw this big Ellie, it looks like a Tusker?

[vinkie]

After some coffee at the Picnic spot we saw some Vultures in the air circling, we wondered if some kill had been made during the night, we had heard lots of Lions roaring.

Suddenly Apex Predator saw a BBJ on the left-hand side of the road, together with a Vulture.






After a few moments 3 Lions arrived, they where young but good-looking and Healthy.






















After a while they lay down..




Just before we turned back onto the H7 we saw another Elephant.






At Nsemani Dam the local residents said goodbye.




No more special sightings, only a dangerous detour road, full of speeding cars, trucks(far too BIG for the narrow road),

We left KNP through Orpen Gate

Someday we will return to our beloved Park……


We will continue our Travel Tale with two days at Elephant Plains, Sabi Sands:

Vinkie + AP back in the bushveld Elephant Plains Sabi Sands

[vinkie]

A couple of pictures of Rhinos we have seen in Kruger National Park during or July 2013 Trip.

We sincerely hope that they are still alive and safe and that other people will be able to see them too when they visit the park