My 2014 Kruger Highlights

[Lisbeth]

A side striped jackal is a great sighting And I hope that a JJ who does not know the difference from a black-backed one, is a rare sighting

[nan]

and Painted Dogs... again

Lucky you

[Richprins]

Very good, Heksie!

You can't say you were intoxicated, then wanted to vomit the next day...too much info!

Hope you send WD sightings on to EWT? viewtopic.php?f=79&t=4890


SSJ!

And DJJ! (Dumb Jeep Jockey)

[Bushcraft]

You are correct about the smell of wild dogs I can't be near them after a long night

I always hope for a BBJ or SSJ sighting as my clan of rats is crazy about them

Some great sightings

[Toko]

Thank you for you comprehensive dog sighting list, Heksie

I just love jackals and you got some great photos of some

[Pumbaa]

Goegroues jackal shots, Heksie,

always a pleasure for us when they do come across

[Flutterby]

You have such great pics of BBJ's. They always seem to be on the move when we see them!

[Eland]

Hi again Heksie,
Love jou geverfde honde (painted dogs) - and the pics are really good

Jackals are always on our wishlist - and you were very lucky

[Lisbeth]

You have such great pics of BBJ's. They always seem to be on the move when we see them!

Go to KTP and you'll see plenty
Or a bit closer easier, Addo

[Polentswa]

On the sad side, this is something that a human being caused, this is not something that you want to see in Park but it is a reality we are living in. This was reported by my friend I informed on 31 December, we also saw him on 1 January on a nightdrive from Kruger Gate with the wire still intact. I just hope that something was done about this…

Where did your friend report this to?? Its no good reporting it to the 'Rangers' at Reception as they are NOT rangers and nothing will be done ..Rather ask Reception for the Cell no of the 3 closest living Section Rangers and phone the first and if there is no answer (Could be out of range catching Rhino Poachers ) then you phone the next and give him the exact location of the sighting and phone again the next day for a progress report .. This looks like that animal was suffering a long time

This story illustrates the importance of contacting the right people . This was just as Cell phones were coming out and I had my old Red Honorary Rangers flag mounted at this point (Normally I put it in my Cubihole) so I felt it was okay to go down the no entry road in an 'emercency' to the marked house of the Houtboschloop Section Ranger on the far north of the S39 . I knew that the legendary Ted Whitfield was the incumbent Ranger and I had never met him so I didn't know what reception I was going to get on a Sunday morning (These Rangers love their privacy and would I get into trouble for driving 1.5 kms down a No entry to the house??) I had just seen the Ngotso Hyenas swimming and playing in the Trough on the nearby main tar road to Olifants/Satara and one of them had a wound like this hyena so as Rangers never had cells then and it would be a waste of time driving all the way to Olifants or Satara to the busy receptions ..I went straight to the Hyenas Section Ranger in Charge..I arrived at the Security perimeter fence and was met by a HUGE slit eyed Bull Terrier and the gate was locked (Do I hoot??) Then I saw behind me a Bicycle with a green clad Field Ranger arrive from patrol approaching. He let me in and told me Baas Ted is in the Garage making a knife. Ted was the best knife maker in SA and like other Rangers supplemented their meagre salary with items like expensive custom knives. This quiet sunburnt grey bearded man crushed my hand and smiled and took me to his office where I told him the story. He said he must go now to sort it out but not before we had tea with his lovely wife on the shady verandah overlooking the Timbavati river where he showed me the spot where 3 male lions were roaring at sunset the day before. I thought I was done and was about to leave and become a normal tourist again when he told me to leave my Beetle there and come in his truck and off we went ..There were about 4 cars parked on the Tar road at the trough and we saw the 'injured Hyena ' sitting under a tree nearby so into the veld we drove and he darted it standing next to his door (They seemed to know him ..Soon the ground sheet was out and he was working on the rusty wire wound all the while the inquisitive cars piled up ...That hyena survived as a result and I spent the rest of the afternoon driving with him to visit windmills off the tourist roads so I got to see a part of Kruger not open to visitors . I was getting worried as it was getting late and I had to get to Satara before 18h00 and my wife would be worried. No problems Ted radioed the Satara ranger and told him that there would be a 'Tourist ' out after gate close and asked him to find the caravan in the camp site and tell my wife so she was relieved. I left at 18h00 sharp in the winter gloom armed with a Ranger authorised permit and had my own slow lion filled night drive back down the tar road to Satara ..He later built me my pride and joy a beaut hunters knife with an impala skin sheath and Combretum appiculatum wood handle. ..Today with cell phones this intervention of mine is not necessary