Category: THANDA

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Speed

Cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) are very special. Not just because they are beautiful and very fast, but because they are the only cat species built for speed.

In taxonomy (the branch of science concerned with the classification of organisms) they are the only living member of the genus Acinonyx, which sets them apart from the other 40 cat species on earth. With their long legs, semi-retracted claws, excellent vision, and a specially designed steering tail they are designed for short speed runs to kill their prey.

This picture is of one of Thanda Safari’s Cheetah youngsters. I took this portrait a week ago. The black lines running down from the eyes to the mouth on both sides of the nose are the best way of identifying a cat portrait as that of a Cheetah. No other cats shows these tear-lines.

Technical data: Canon R6 with RF lens f11/800mm | ISO 2500 | 1/750sec | ev+0 | WB 6500K | AV Mode | Crop to 20% of original image

#amazingwildlife #africansafari #safarigetaway #christiansperkaphotography #thandasafari #big5 #gamereserve #wildlifephotography #learnphotography

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Faint

This collage illustrates why animal tracking is such a very specialised skill. The bottom pictures of this collage shows a Lion track on the side of the road (Toes on the right, foot pad on the left).

Unless one has experience and the aptitude for reading tracks one would never interpret this faint print on the ground as that of a Lion. I am not very good at this, but my tracker Bheki Ngubane can spot these tracks from a moving vehicle!

The picture on top shows the corresponding underside of the back foot of a Lioness. The track shown in the bottom picture was created by her walking just before she lay down to rest.

Technical data: Canon R6 with RF lens f11/800mm | ISO 6400 | 1/60sec | ev+0 | WB 6500K | AV Mode | Crop to 50% of original image

#amazingwildlife #africansafari #safarigetaway #christiansperkaphotography #thandasafari #big5 #gamereserve #wildlifephotography #learnphotography

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Thulani…

… means ‘the quiet one’ in isiZulu. This is a very apt name for one of our oldest and largest Elephant bulls.

If you look carefully at this pictures you can see him dribbling urine from his penial shief (between his back legs). This means that he is in musth (heightened sexual activity period) and dribbles liquid all day.

But unlike most younger bulls this over six ton old gentleman remain quite gentle. When I encountered him last night at dusk he moved quietly swaggering past my vehicles while stopping from time to time to nibble on some trees and grasses.

PS: He is partially wet in this picture as he had just mudded himself at a small waterhole.

Technical data: Canon R6 with RF lens f4-6.3/24-240mm | ISO 3200 | 1/750sec | f6.3 | ev+0 | 100mm | WB 6500K | AV Mode | Crop to 10% of original image

#amazingwildlife #africansafari #safarigetaway #christiansperkaphotography #thandasafari #big5 #gamereserve #wildlifephotography #learnphotography

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Adaptable

One of the main traits of a Hyena is its incredible adaptability. Hyenas are highly versatile creatures and have evolved to thrive in various habitats, including grasslands, savannas, mountains, and even deserts.

Their ability to adapt to different environments enables them to find food sources and survive in a wide range of conditions.

We had a great early morning encounter of a clan of 8 Spotted Hyenas finishing off a carcass in the vicinity of a herd of grazing Cape Buffalo.

Technical data: Canon R6 with RF lens f4-6.3/24-240mm | ISO 1600 | 1/750sec | f6.7 | ev+0 | 200mm | WB 6500K | AV Mode | Crop to 25% of original image

#amazingwildlife #africansafari #safarigetaway #christiansperkaphotography #thandasafari #big5 #gamereserve #wildlifephotography #learnphotography

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Unique

The sound of a Lion roaring is quite unique. I took this picture and recorded this short video clip last night around sunset within an hour to document this incredible experience.

But the recording cannot convey the feeling as one’s whole body reacts, being only a few meter away from the source of this impressive roar.

The sound can be heard from over 8 kilometers (5 miles) away and can reach over 110dB (in one meter/yard distance).

Technical data picture: Canon R6 with RF lens f11/800mm | ISO 1600 | 1/180sec | ev+0 | WB 6500K | AV Mode | Crop to 90% of original image

Technical data: Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max – Main camera 24mm | f1.78 | 30 FPS | Red filtered spotlight | ev-1

#amazingwildlife #africansafari #safarigetaway #christiansperkaphotography #thandasafari #big5 #gamereserve #wildlifephotography #learnphotography

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Nose Dive

This little Elephant took a nose dive, or better trunk dive, in front of its mum. The small creature was sparring with another calf when it suddenly decided to catch up with mum, in the hurry stumbling over its own feet. The large female gently used her trunk to get her offspring back up.

Elephant calfs are very playful and often overestimate their capabilities, getting themselves into trouble. Elephant adults are some of the best parents on earth and are usually able to help their youngsters.

Technical data: Canon R6 with RF lens f4-6.3/24-240mm | ISO 320 | 1/500sec | f5.6 | ev+0 | 120mm | WB 6500K | AV Mode | Crop to 10% of original image

#amazingwildlife #africansafari #safarigetaway #christiansperkaphotography #thandasafari #big5 #gamereserve #wildlifephotography #learnphotography

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Boisterous

A young Lion portrait is the first wildlife picture I took in 2024.

Four of the boisterous youngsters where with their mum near a waterhole as she was scanning the area for some dinner.

The look on the face of this small male is already the look of a serious cat. Cubs of those age (about 8 months) are still very playful, but with their sharp claws and teeth they can already create serious damage.

Technical data: Canon R6 with RF lens f11/800mm | ISO 4000 | 1/500sec | ev+0 | WB 6500K | AV Mode | Crop to 25% of original image

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Not only Bees!

One of my favorite genus of birds is the Bee-eaters (_Merops_). These fast flyers are mainly hunting insect.

As a photographic subject they are especially interesting because many of them have the habit of hunting repeatedly from the same location (eg tree branch) and are returning to the exact same position after their hunt, again and again.

That allows photographers to use manual focus on the departure/arrival location and then shoot fast bursts to get images during take-off and landing. But make sure your shutter speed is 1/2000sec+ as they are very fast. This is how I got the shot of this Blue-cheeked Bee-eater (_Merops persicus_) recently at the iSimangsliso Wetland Park.

10 species of Bee-Earers can be found in Southern Africa (Little, European, White-fronted, Blue-cheeked, Böhm‘s, Northern Carmine, Olive, Southern Carmine, Swallow-tailed, White-throated). The first four have been sighted on Thanda.

_Technical data: Canon R6 with EF lens f4.0/500mm | ISO 200 | 1/3000sec | f4 | ev0| 500mm | WB 6500K | AV Mode | Crop to 30% of original image | hand-held_

#amazingwildlife #africansafari #safarigetaway #christiansperkaphotography #thandasafari #big5 #gamereserve #wildlifephotography #learnphotography

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Playing hard!

Baby Elephants are very cute to watch. Even when they are still quite small they like to play hard, especially if they encounter a muddy patch. These two youngster had a great time while their tolerant elders watched over them.

Baby Elephants weight between 90 and 120kg (200-260lbs) at birth. Most of all births happen at night, after a 22 months gestation period.

Technical data: Canon R6 with RF lens f11/800mm | ISO 4000 | 1/500sec | ev+0 | WB 6500K | AV Mode | Crop to 35% of original image | hand-held | Image taken at 12:30 midday

#amazingwildlife #africansafari #safarigetaway #christiansperkaphotography #thandasafari #big5 #gamereserve #wildlifephotography #learnphotography

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Emotions!

Human tears are often associated with emotions. These can be tears of joy or sorrow.

African Elephants have temporal glands between their eyes and their ears (males and females). When they secret a dark, oily, musky liquid it is usually a sign for them being in a special emotional state. This can be sexual (especially with Elephant bulls in musth), but it can have many other reasons, like being a sign of distress when running into Lions, or being a sign of excitement when meeting up with another Elephant group.

Half an hour ago I took this picture of a young bull who started secreting from the gland after a sparring session with another bull. But his dry back legs would indicated that he is not in musth. Musth bulls have to get rid of their excess testosterone by constantly dribbling urine and have therefore wet legs.

Technical data: Canon R6 with RF lens f11/800mm | ISO 64000 | 1/500sec | f11 | ev+0 | 800mm | WB 6500K | AV Mode | Crop to 90% of original image

#amazingwildlife #africansafari #safarigetaway #christiansperkaphotography #thandasafari #big5 #gamereserve #wildlifephotography #learnphotography

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