Christian Sperka is a wildlife photographer based at Thanda Private Game Reserve, Kwazulu Natal, South Africa.
Over the last 11 years, Christian has traveled the world photographing animals in wild game reserves of South Africa and Namibia, the jungles of Costa Rica, in Yellowstone National Park in the USA, as well as zoos in Europe and the United States. His work has been featured in wildlife magazines, in books and in many zoo publications.
He actively supports wild cat conservation, working as a partner photographer for Panthera, the world's leading organization devoted to the conservation of all wild cat species (panthera.org).
From 2009 to 2012 he has worked as the official photographer and photography teacher at Nashville Zoo at Grassmere, Tennessee, USA (nashvillezoo.org).
Christian is also a qualified South African field guide. He now works as specialist photography guide on Thanda Private Game Reserve in Kwazulu Natal, South Africa (thanda.com).
Topic: A Black-backed Jackal is trying to get his share from a recent (Cheetah) Impala kill, as many White-backed Vultures compete for the remains of the antelope.
Technical data: Canon R6 with RF lens f11/800mm | ISO 1600 | 1/500sec | ev+0 | WB 6500K | AV Mode
Topic: Above are the last mammal picture and the last bird picture of 2025. I took them on last nights’s game drive. A beautiful Lioness and a Malachite Kingfisher at Thanda Safari!
Technical data (both pictures): Canon R6 with RF lens f11/800mm
Topic: It is not easy for me to pick a favorite picture for any given time span. But yesterday morning, I took my favorite bird image of 2025. This Gorgeous Bush-Shrike was posing in the sun on Thanda Safari for a series of beautiful portraits. One often hears this bird, but it usually only allows a brief glimpse through the branches of trees. For this reason, the occasion and the resulting picture are very special.
Technical data: Canon R6 with RF lens f11/800mm | ISO 800 | 1/500sec | ev+0 | WB 6500K | AV Mode