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).
I love these amazing creatures. Leopards can disappear more effective than Houdini ever could, they can carry more than their own body weight up a tree, and they can see seven times better than humans in the dark!
I took this picture of a Thick-billed Weaver on its nest during my recent boat cruise of Lake St.Lucia.
Besides Hippos which are the main feature of the these cruises we saw Nile Crocodiles, a Giant Heron, a Malachite Kingfisher, a Pied Kingfisher, a Striated Heron, White-faced Whistling Ducks, multiple Fish Eagles, and many other Weaver species.
Secretary birds have the most distinct face color of all African birds of prey. Their speciality is hunting for snakes and other small prey while walking.
As I returned from a town trip I decided to drive back home through iSimangaliso Wetland Park (Eastern Shores) and stop at a small waterhole. I only had my mobile phone with me so I took a few pictures through my binoculars.
In total I counted 15 different species, which came for a drink during the 20 minutes I stopped at the water.
Species list: Spur-winged Goose, Egyptian Goose, Yellow-billed Kite, Hadada Ibis, Blue Wildebeest, Waterbuck, Nyala, Warthog, Pied Kingfisher, Barn Swallows, Red-breasted Swallow, Black-bellied Bustard, South African Giraffe, Burchell’s Zebra, and Common Buzzard.