Christian Sperka

2016-11-23

A Cheetah Kill!

Only two times in 16 years …

To see Cheetahs feeding on a kill is an infrequent sighting, as these large cats usually eat quickly and then leave the remains of their prey to other bush creatures. But seeing them killing an animal right in front of you is very rare, indeed.

Yesterday morning was the second time I ever observed these fast cats taking down an antelope.

Thanda’s Cheetah brothers chased an Nyala bull and killed him right in front of our vehicle. Unfortunately I was driving at the time, following them over a hill crest, so I got no pictures of the actual kill, but I got a few picture before and after the take-down.

The Thanda Safari guests on this evening game drive were very excited about this very special sighting!

Pictures and text by Christian Sperka – Resident Wildlife Photographer – Thanda Safari

The chase and the kill!

The kill!

Feeding on the Nyala…

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2016-11-16

EYES!

eyes

It has been years since I have created my EYES series of carnivore portraits. I love the strong expressions, especially in the feline eyes, when the color is removed from the rest of the images.

I am currently working on a new selection and this is one of my favorites so far.

Enjoy this Lion King, King of Lions!

2016-11-13

Green, green , green …

Green everywhere! I had almost forgotten how beautiful Thanda looks when it turns green after some decent rain falls. Since the start of this rainy season we had over 150 mm rain and in just a few days the reserve has turned from brown&grey to green.

Even the behavior of many animals has changed almost over night. Where during the drought they had to spent most of their day to find food and water, they now have extra time to chase one another and be just idle once in a while.

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2016-11-07

Art Project Thanda – South Africa 2016

An inspiring week!
An exhausting week!
An interesting week!
An unforgettable week!

Since I have arrived in South Africa four-and-a-half years ago I spent my time exploring and photographing the bush and its wild animals, I was guiding and teaching many Thanda guests about the environment and about photography, I have developed websites and worked on social media. None of that had prepared me for the last week.

Twenty well known artists from the Americas and Europe stayed at Thanda Safari to create art work to benefit the Star For Life organization (http://www.starforlife.org/). I was part of the team to host these creative guests. I spent my week responding to their needs and request, I set up a photo studio in the middle of the bush, I helped the photographers among them to get the right setups and I spent many hours photographing Colette Lumiere, a multimedia artist from New York, in her various installations. And I also took pictures during the event which will become part of a book about the project. What an experience! I will never forget it.

All the work created will be auctioned at the end of next year at Stockholms Auktionsverk (http://artprojectthanda.com/) to benefit Star For Life.

These are a few pictures from this very special week! Enjoy them!

#artprojectthanda

Johan Falkman taking portraits of Zulu dancers at the Intibane photo studio

Star For Life students showing their dreams through drama to the artists

Students at a Star For Life school were performing for the artists

Ike Ude taking Star For Life school students images at the Intibane photo studio

Leslie Sardinias explaining his work to four interested Star For Life school students

Camilla Thulin showing her beautiful creation - 'Zulu Queen' gown and robe — Camilla Thulin showing her beautiful creation – ‘Zulu Queen’ gown and robe

USA and Swedish artists were working together on large pieces of art

Chrissie Hansson was videoing Elisabeth de Jesus Espinosa working

A young Zulu model in front of the group portrait which he is part of

Korakrit Arunanondchai taking video of a burn as part of his installation art

Leslie Sardinias working on his painting

Colette Lumiere in her installation 'Le tresors de L'afrique' in one of the Intibane chalets - artists viewing the installation - Colette posing with a Zulu warrior — Colette Lumiere in her installation ‘Le tresors de L’afrique’ in one of the Intibane chalets – artists viewing the installation – Colette posing with a Zulu warrior in front of the chalet

2016-10-23

It has been a while …

You have not heard from me for a while. But tonight is the first time in the last two weeks that I have had a bit of time to myself to write a blog message. And that will probably be the last one until early November as we are hosting a big art project at Thanda Safari and I will be in the thick of it!

So here are a few of my favorite wildlife images from the last two weeks. I hope you will enjoy them!

PS: I am happy to report that we had over 30mm rain in the last few days. Let’s hope more is on the way …

Giraffe in the morning light - during a photo shoot with a photographer for a German magazine — Giraffe in the morning light – during a photo shoot with a photographer for a German magazine

Morning after heavy rains - everything is wet - including the Lions ... — Morning after heavy rains – everything is wet – including the Lions … (taken with an iPhone 6 Plus)

The smallest calf I have seen in a long time. Sightings like this give hope ... — The smallest calf I have seen in a long time. Sightings like this give hope …

Chasing Giraffe after heavy rain in hope that they would stumble and fall - no luck this time - but a good show ... — Chasing Giraffe after heavy rain in the hope that they would stumble and fall – no luck this time – but a good show …

Let's push that one over and then feed on it for about two minutes ... typical young Elephant bull. — Let’s push that one over and then feed on it for about two minutes … typical young Elephant bull.

Smacking their lips after a drink of milk ... — Smacking their lips after a drink of milk …

Six beautiful Kudu bulls - all at once and quite relaxed - a very rare sighting ... — Six beautiful Kudu bulls – all at once and quite relaxed – a very rare sighting …

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Not the five!

An green-nosed Nyala :-)

A Wildebeest scratching …

A Kudu on the lookout …

A Zebra staring …

An alert Impala …

Grazing Warthogs …

A resting Giraffe …

2016-09-29

A bone cud, a cuddle and a drink

A Giraffe family with a little calf, only a few days old 🙂 [mum is chewing a bone for calcium intake – dad is rubbing his face on mum’s throught and rump – baby is having a drink!

2016-09-28

Thanda Safari – Conservation in Action

Today the Thanda Safari wildlife department recovered two six month old Cheetah cubs whose mother had been recently killed by Lions, which are one of the major threats to Cheetahs in the wild. Veterinarian Dr.Mike Toft darted the two young males. Wrapped in towels to keep them warm, the cubs were transferred into one of Thanda’s predator bomas (an enclosed secure area). Soon after they woke up the two little cats enjoyed their first ‘room service’ (a dead Impala antelope). Thanda Safari wildlife management is currently evaluating how to proceed, as the two youngsters are not old enough yet to fend for themselves.

To see more pictures go to the blog message at https://thandablog.com/2016/09/28/cheetahcubs/.

More about Cheetah and Lions:
Lions are capable of killing Cheetahs, but Lions rarely eat Cheetahs. When given the chance, Lions will kill adult or cub Cheetahs that are found in their territory. Close to 90 percent of…

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2016-09-242016-09-24

Heritage Day

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Today is South Africa’s Heritage Day.

My view on heritage: Learn from the past and help the children to build a better future!

2016-09-08

New Arrivals!

I enjoyed that ‘photo shoot’ 🙂

It is always a very special moment when new Lion cubs are seen for the first time. After the mother gives birth she keeps the newborns away from her pride and the rest of the world for six to eight weeks. Today was such a special day at Thanda Safari. Three young Lions met safari vehicles for the first time and they were most curious and not shy at all 🙂

Enjoy the pictures!

Pictures by Christian Sperka – Resident Wildlife Photographer – Thanda Safari

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An inspiring week! An exhausting week! An interesting week! An unforgettable week!

An inspiring week!
An exhausting week!
An interesting week!
An unforgettable week!