Once the tent/trailer was all packed up we were ready for a final drive south through the park. Out of curiosity we travelled round the Domkrag loop to see if we could work out where the lions had eventually settled but they were completely out of sight. We did however find a pale chanting goshawk busy with a mid-morning lizard snack
There were the typical regulars around as we drove south, but as we approached Marion Baree waterhole there were a good few cars around. I thought it had to be elephants quenching their thirst in the midday heat, but as we got closer there were no big grey lumps to be seen. Instead it was a hyena cooling off in the water
I was pretty amazed as we only normally see hyena in Addo very early in the morning, but it seems that there's a new den site just over the hill from this waterhole so perhaps there will be further sightings of them. I managed to squeeze the car and trailer into a spot where we could see across to the hyena.... D was stoked as this is his favourite animal
After plenty of sloshing around, the hyena suddenly became very alert.
In the rear-view mirrors we could see another hyena approaching, but this one in the water seemed to be dominant and wasn't keen on the idea of sharing a bath so got up and chased the other one away
The chase continued near the road behind us, and there was a big pile-up of cars reversing and trying to get a view. I wasn't about to join that kind of mess whilst towing a trailer so we watched events unfold in the mirrors until the hyenas disappeared into the bushes. The other cars and jeep jockeys slowly dispersed as we sat chatting about what a great sighting it had been.
Walking with Lions (December 2015)
- Lisbeth
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Re: Walking with Lions
The goshawk with it's snack is a great sequence
I do not like hyenas as much as D does, but it is a good sighting in any case
I do not like hyenas as much as D does, but it is a good sighting in any case
"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." Nelson Mandela
The desire for equality must never exceed the demands of knowledge
The desire for equality must never exceed the demands of knowledge
- Mel
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Re: Walking with Lions
That goshawk didn't really waste time with its mid-morning lizard snack. After two or three probing bites it just gulped the poor thing down.
Excellent captures
And a brilliant hyena sighting to off your trip
Excellent captures
And a brilliant hyena sighting to off your trip
God put me on earth to accomplish a certain amount of things. Right now I'm so far behind that I'll never die.
- Richprins
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Re: Walking with Lions
Superb, PJL!
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Re: Walking with Lions
Thanks for lion name information
Fantastic goshawk sequence
That hyena seemed to love the mud bath
Fantastic goshawk sequence
That hyena seemed to love the mud bath
Re: Walking with Lions
Stunning goshwak with kill shots, PJL,
and a bathing hyaena is also amazing to watch
and a bathing hyaena is also amazing to watch
PuMbAa
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- PJL
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Re: Walking with Lions
Thanks Lis, Mel, RP, Flutts, BC & Pumbaa for your comments and following along
In a matter of minutes there were no vehicles in sight and we were about to drive off when the 2 hyena re-appeared coming down the hillside towards the waterhole again
The dominant one went straight for the water while the other sauntered off behind us somewhere.
The one behind us soon appeared on the road and then came right along next to us whilst waiting for the dominant one to finish it's cooling off
At times it was very close indeed
Eventually the dominant one had enough and allowed the other to make its way down to the water to cool off
It provided some great entertainment as it appeared to be fishing around for something under the water
One final glance at us and it moved off.
It's funny how some trips work out. Staying up in the north we didn't really explore much of the park as the sightings were so good up there. I don't think you could ask for much more than what we saw in the 3 days... except perhaps for one of these
But that's another reason to go back
Thanks for all of you who followed along on this little trip... hope you enjoyed it
In a matter of minutes there were no vehicles in sight and we were about to drive off when the 2 hyena re-appeared coming down the hillside towards the waterhole again
The dominant one went straight for the water while the other sauntered off behind us somewhere.
The one behind us soon appeared on the road and then came right along next to us whilst waiting for the dominant one to finish it's cooling off
At times it was very close indeed
Eventually the dominant one had enough and allowed the other to make its way down to the water to cool off
It provided some great entertainment as it appeared to be fishing around for something under the water
One final glance at us and it moved off.
It's funny how some trips work out. Staying up in the north we didn't really explore much of the park as the sightings were so good up there. I don't think you could ask for much more than what we saw in the 3 days... except perhaps for one of these
But that's another reason to go back
Thanks for all of you who followed along on this little trip... hope you enjoyed it
- Lisbeth
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Re: Walking with Lions
Great hyena pics Some of them just love sitting in the water doing nothing. I wonder why it went under Something itching perhaps
Alf I must come back one day and I want to see one of those with the pointed ears
Alf I must come back one day and I want to see one of those with the pointed ears
"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." Nelson Mandela
The desire for equality must never exceed the demands of knowledge
The desire for equality must never exceed the demands of knowledge