Sunday 7 May 2023
Our last full day in the park, and we were up early so as to make the most of it
Two Rivers has it’s own gate into the game area which means that if you leave at gate opening time, you have a head start on all the tourists staying in Twee Rivieren, who still have to collect their permits
As a result we were first out on the road, ahead of a friend of ours Willie, who when he caught up with us, wondered where we had come from
When we got to the site of the gemsbok kill, just north of Rooiputs, we found the lions had left, and that some hyenas as well as a whole lot of black backed jackals had taken up residence at the site
A Leopard’s Tail: KTP April/May 2023
- GavinW
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Re: A Leopard’s Tail: KTP April/May 2023
The interaction between them was intriguing to watch.
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Re: A Leopard’s Tail: KTP April/May 2023
Carrying on, just before Kij Kij Debbie spotted this honey badger and pale chanting goshawks in the riverbed
The honey badger was busy foraging and climbed up into a dead tree in search of food
Great to watch, and hilarious when it fell out of the tree
Not too sure as to why whenever we see honey badgers they move away from us instead of coming closer.
Once they had disappeared over the dune we carried on up towards Gunong
The honey badger was busy foraging and climbed up into a dead tree in search of food
Great to watch, and hilarious when it fell out of the tree
Not too sure as to why whenever we see honey badgers they move away from us instead of coming closer.
Once they had disappeared over the dune we carried on up towards Gunong
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Re: A Leopard’s Tail: KTP April/May 2023
Strange to see a hyena eating quietly (almost) with the jackals.
I wonder why the honey badger tried to climb the tree, there is nothing eatable up there
I wonder why the honey badger tried to climb the tree, there is nothing eatable up there
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Re: A Leopard’s Tail: KTP April/May 2023
Maybe insects under the bark. It was stripping the bark off the tree.
That's why it overbalanced and took a tumble
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Re: A Leopard’s Tail: KTP April/May 2023
What lovely predator sightings, Gavin!
Ja, the ablutions are horrid there, as is the gate!
Lovely badger interaction too!
The moon is impossible to photograph without proper equipment!
Ja, the ablutions are horrid there, as is the gate!
Lovely badger interaction too!
The moon is impossible to photograph without proper equipment!
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Re: A Leopard’s Tail: KTP April/May 2023
Of course
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Re: A Leopard’s Tail: KTP April/May 2023
Two very cool sightings!
So far, I came up with nothing on the cheetahs. Difficult angle to ID them. My initial thought had been that it might be Maximus (the one facing right) and Gustav (facing left) since they were seen together the next day near Rooiputs. Gustav lost his brother two weeks earlier and that sighting of the 7th made us think that he might be looking for a new mate. Unfortunately, that didn't happen. I guess, Maximus was so accustomed to being a single male that he couldn't be bothered. But like I said, only an assumption. Will keep looking and see if I can work this out.
So far, I came up with nothing on the cheetahs. Difficult angle to ID them. My initial thought had been that it might be Maximus (the one facing right) and Gustav (facing left) since they were seen together the next day near Rooiputs. Gustav lost his brother two weeks earlier and that sighting of the 7th made us think that he might be looking for a new mate. Unfortunately, that didn't happen. I guess, Maximus was so accustomed to being a single male that he couldn't be bothered. But like I said, only an assumption. Will keep looking and see if I can work this out.
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Re: A Leopard’s Tail: KTP April/May 2023
Just after Melkvei, we saw a lot of lion spoor in the road heading north and south.
Damn we didn’t know
Anyway the lions were nowhere to be seen, so we bumbled on
Nothing
We turned at Gunong and headed back
We met up with Willie and Jacqueline and after explaining the gate opening thing, they proceeded to tell us that they had seen the lions near Melkvlei
Other people’s sightings
After Kij Kij we spotted some flat lions on the Botswana side of the park, but far away
We decided to retrace our steps and head back to Two Rivers on the Botswana 2 track to see if we could get closer to them
We did, but not by much
After some more proof pics, we returned to camp and had an enjoyable brunch
Damn we didn’t know
Anyway the lions were nowhere to be seen, so we bumbled on
Nothing
We turned at Gunong and headed back
We met up with Willie and Jacqueline and after explaining the gate opening thing, they proceeded to tell us that they had seen the lions near Melkvlei
Other people’s sightings
After Kij Kij we spotted some flat lions on the Botswana side of the park, but far away
We decided to retrace our steps and head back to Two Rivers on the Botswana 2 track to see if we could get closer to them
We did, but not by much
After some more proof pics, we returned to camp and had an enjoyable brunch
Wishing I was in the KTP
- GavinW
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Re: A Leopard’s Tail: KTP April/May 2023
For our last evening drive, we decided, after consulting the sightings board at Twee Riveren, where a leopard had been spotted at Houmoed, that that was the way to go
Well, we drove to Monro before turning around.
We did see these Lanner Falcons posing for us.
As we got to the start of the dune road leading to Twee Rivieren, we came across a small road block
The reason... A leopard on the other side of the riverbed
Now we hadn’t seen any rosettes so far this trip so we were fairly excited
We waited and waited, trying to see where they were all looking
And then I saw a leopard’s tail flick
A leopards tail
And that was it
Time to go back to camp
Well, we drove to Monro before turning around.
We did see these Lanner Falcons posing for us.
As we got to the start of the dune road leading to Twee Rivieren, we came across a small road block
The reason... A leopard on the other side of the riverbed
Now we hadn’t seen any rosettes so far this trip so we were fairly excited
We waited and waited, trying to see where they were all looking
And then I saw a leopard’s tail flick
A leopards tail
And that was it
Time to go back to camp
Wishing I was in the KTP