The collective noun for Giraffes is a journey. And today I counted 27 of these tall creatures all over Thanda Safari’s savanna. This was one of the largest journeys of Giraffes I have ever seen.
The picture shows two females. The left one is chewing on a bone to provide extra calcium and phosphate for its metabolism and the one on the right is showing her some affection.
Have a good evening 😊
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Who inflicted all these scars on the face of this male Lion? Most likely his brother. The two males form what is called a coalition. Which means they control their territory together, hunt together, sleep next to one another and very seldom separate.
But they also fight with one another as soon as a Lioness in estrous enters the scene. The stronger and more dominant one gets to mate with the lady. The submissive one has to keep his distance if he does not want a beating. This one obviously got in a bit of a fight a few times 😊
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It was quite foggy and very chilly when I drove this morning to one of the more remote waterholes on Thanda Safari. I spent there a few very quiet hours listening to bird sounds all around me. Only one old Buffalo Bull was coming to drink.
But sometimes ‘not much happening’ is just what is needed 😊
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I had an excellent evening drive. First I spent an hour in between a breeding herd of Elephants feeding all around me and then I experienced some Lion tension between two brothers. One of them was attending to a female in estrous while keeping her away from his submissive rival. A lot of growling and paw-fighting. A not so quiet Sunday 😊!
Have a good week.
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These are two pictures of the moon taken from Thanda Safari at exactly the same time in the early morning hours.
The picture on the top was taken with a Canon DSLR and a 500mm lens and the picture below with an iPhone XS Max. These two incredible tools often complement one another rather than compete.
Have a peaceful Sunday 😊
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At the end of today’s game drive I took this short video of an Elephant bull following a breeding herd. Like a teenager he walked confidently down the road with a bit of a swagger before turning into the tree-line.
Have a good Sunday!
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This is one of the cutest pictures I have been taking in a long time. This small Baby Rhino was walking with its mum through high grass in the early morning hours. From all the dew on the grass it got very wet and was a bit irritated with the world … and with me 😊
Have a good Saturday.
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One of the most dangerous animals to meet on foot is a solitary male Buffalo. These so called ‘Dugaboys’ are usually in a bad mood. They are old males which are no longer with their herds, as they had been under too much pressure from younger bulls.
They usually spend their remaining days close to waterholes feeding on soft vegetation and using the waterhole’s mud to cool down and fend off parasites. As they were gregarious all their life they seem to dislike to be alone. Being constantly harassed by predators like Lions and Hyena they are ready to attack anyone that comes near them without any warning.
All of this, combined with their instinctive fear of humans, results in some of the most ‘interesting’ meetings in the wild.
Enjoy your weekend!
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My favorite eagle, the Bateleur, has a French name which stands for ‘Tide Rope Walker’ or more freely translated juggler or acrobat (German: Gaukler / Zulu: iNgqungqulu). Due to its very short tail it got a very distinct way of flying which probably led to this rather unusual name.
It is the most colorful of the eagles in Africa. At Thanda we are at the Southern end of its distribution range and we are lucky to see them regularly on the reserve.
I realize that I have neglected my bird posts a bit over the last few weeks, but I will try to do better in the future 😊.
Have a good day!
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After a very pleasant afternoon game drive I was on the way home as the sun was about to set. On the road, which leads to the Thanda Safari Lodge, this beautiful scene presented itself: Perfectly lit Giraffes in front of the Lebombo Mountains!
Enjoy your evening.
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Christian Sperka Photography | Custom Luxury Tours 