Author: Christian Sperka

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).
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A ROUGH AFFAIR

For Lions mating is a somewhat rough affair.

Frist, the male’s penis is barbed which cannot be fun for the female.

Second, at the end of most copulations the lady gives the gentleman a good smack in the face with her clawed paw.

And third, they mate for a few days running – in average every 20 to 30 minutes – until they are both completely exhausted and very hungry.

And during all this time the male has to make sure that no other male gets close to them and that his lady does not move to close to another admirer.

A Lion’s life, a rough life!

#Thandasafari @thandasafari #christiansperkaphotography @christiansperkaphotography

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THANDA SAFARI BIRDING WEEKEND

Good morning

I thought some of you might be interested in the upcoming birding weekend on Thanda Safari.

For more info or bookings please contact reservations@thanda.co.za or call +27325860149.

#Thandasafari @thandasafari #christiansperkaphotography @christiansperkaphotography

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JUST A BIT CLOSER

… to the sun.

Even if it meant climbing on top of another Terrapin who was sun-bathing itself 😊

#Thandasafari @thandasafari

#Christiansperkaphotography @christiansperkaphotography

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JUST A PORTRAIT

Yesterday evening I caught this beautiful Thanda Lion in the most beautiful light.

Have a good weekend 😊

#Thandasafari @thandasafari

#Christiansperkaphotography @christiansperkaphotography

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DUGGA BOY …

… is the term for an old Cape Buffalo bull who is no longer with a herd. As this specimen demonstrated last night at Thanda, such bulls love to wallow in mud as means to cool down and to give them some protection from parasites and the sun.

Such solitary bulls are extremely dangerous as they are notoriously bad tempered and ready to attack at any time.

#Thandasafari @thandasafari

#Christiansperkaphotography @christiansperkaphotography

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BEAUTIFUL HORSES

When they are not needed for horseback safaris then the horses on Pakamisa roam freely on the reserve.

I took this picture on Sunday when I met some of them on my morning game drive on the reserve.

#Pakamisagamereserve @pakamisagamereserve #christiansperkaphotography @christiansperkaphotography

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PRECISION

Two days ago we did a short night drive and we saw Spotted Eagle Owls, a White-faced Owl, Side-striped Jackals, a Bush-Baby (Brown Thick-tailed Galagos), a White-tailed Mongoose and a few Bark Spiders, who build every evening precision-webs to catch prey during the night.

The next morning they eat their own webs to preserve the protein for the coming night’s master-building session 😊

#Pakamisagamereserve @pakamisagamereserve #christiansperkaphotography @christiansperkaphotography

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TAKE-OFF | IN-FLIGHT | LANDING

An ‘airborne’ Impala female in sprinting mode at Pakamisa! As with most herd-prey-species good photo opportunities occur once the flight instinct kicks in. If one of them starts running for whatever reason the others will follow.

#Pakamisagamereserve @pakamisagamereserve #christiansperkaphotography @christiansperkaphotography

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FISHING

A Green-backed Heron and Hamerkop trying to catch fish at a concrete low bridge!

Tsendze river low bridge at the Shipandane overnight hide, S142, Kruger National Park

#ChristianSperkaPhotography #ChristianSperka #Kruger #KrugerNationalPark #KrugerSouthToNorth #KrugerNorth #KrugerSouthAfrica #ExploreKruger

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NIGHT DRIVE

This Verreaux’s Eagle Owl was very relaxed when I encountered it on a night drive in Kruger National Park. I love the pink eye lids.

Location: H1-5 – On the railing of the bridge over the Olifants’ river.

#ChristianSperkaPhotography #ChristianSperka #Kruger #KrugerNationalPark #KrugerSouthToNorth #KrugerNorth #KrugerSouthAfrica #ExploreKruger

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