This beautiful scene surprised the Thanda guests when the morning game drive left from Tented Camp.
The two female Giraffes enjoyed the warm morning sun together with their two young calves.
Master Builder
This Masked Weaver male skillfully prepares his nest for review by females of the species.
If his future mate likes the nest she will stay with him, if not she will cut the nest off and it will fall into the water below. He then has to start from scretch to do better the next time 🙂
So he better be a master builder the first time!
Have a drink!
These are two pictures of our “Thanda Youngster” enjoying a drink. The mums patiently provide the milk.
The Elephant calf is two weeks old and the Lion cubs are about three month old.
Have a good week 🙂
For real!
Male Giraffes are often sparring (a “not serious” fight for training).
Today we watched two bulls fighting for real. The impact of the skull (ossicones) onto the opponents body sounded very painful.
One week old!
Today I saw our newborn Elephant calf for the first time (born last week). It was difficult to get any pictures of the little one, because the cows surrounded it at all times.
Many “Firsts”!
In the last few days I had quite a few “first” Thanda sightings.
First I go to see our new Female Cheetah, then a Black Rhino and the four new Lion cubs.
Today we saw Spotted Hyenas at daylight and in the evening a male Leopard just when it go dark.
Five “firsts” in a short time 🙂
For the first time!
Today I saw the new Lion cubs of the Thanda North Pride for the first time.
The first-time-mom allowed us a few minutes of looking at the four cubs before she led them into thick bush.
Fight or Flight?
Last night I had my first Black Rhino sighting on Thanda. Bheki, my tracker, spotted this beautiful animal thirty meters from the road. For a few seconds one could almost see a pendulum swinging in its brain “fight or flight … fight or flight …”. It selected flight and moved away fast into the bush. A very brief, but very special sighting.
On the same game drive we saw a male Lion, a female Cheetah and a Black-bellied Bustard. It was the last game drive for the guests on my vehicle – What a send-off 🙂
More about Black Rhinos:
The Black Rhinoceros or Hook-lipped Rhinoceros, is a species of rhinoceros, native to Africa. An adult Black Rhino stands 132–180 cm (52–71 in) high at the shoulder and typically weighs from 800 to 1,400 kg (1,800 to 3,100 lb), however unusually large male specimens have been reported at up to 2,896 kg (6,380 lb). The females are smaller than the males. Two horns on the skull are made of keratin. These horns are used for defense, intimidation, and digging up roots and breaking branches during feeding. Black Rhinos have poor eyesight, relying more on hearing and smell.
They are poached for their horns and are now classified as critically endangered.
Green!
I have promised to post some pictures of Thanda after the recent rains.
These three pictures of Giraffes on the savanna, a White Rhino on a grassy hill top and an Elephant bull in between Fever trees show Thanda animals in their “new juicy” environment.
Have a good weekend!
PS: If you are wondering why most of the Giraffe stare in the same direction. They were watching two Cheetah males lying under a tree :-).
Small Excitement!
The small male Elephant in the picture got a bit excited when he joined in a mud bath with his elders. He knew all the moves to intimate us and the other bulls, he just did not have the size yet :-).
Christian Sperka Photography | Custom Luxury Tours 