The Big Five are by far the most photographed and talked about of all African animals. But it is really the Lions, Leopards, Elephants and Rhinos which get the major share of the fame. Well, this blog shows ten images to portray the fifth Big Five, the most magnificent (and dangerous) bovine in its natural environment, the Cape Buffalo. Enjoy these Thanda Buffalo pictures!
I have selected fourteen images which are now hanging in two of the suites at Thanda’s Villa iZulu. These are some of my favorite images and I have prepared them in sepia to match the existing old-fashioned frames. This is the last of these images. I have also included a gallery with all fourteen pictures below. Enjoy them!
Number fourteen – The End :-): Thanda’s Dominant Male Lion
PS: If you stay at Thanda’s Villa iZulu in the suites number 2 or 3 you can view them in the original print.
© CHRISTIAN SPERKA PHOTOGRAPHY
I have selected fourteen images which are now hanging in two of the suites at Thanda’s Villa iZulu. These are some of my favorite images and I have prepared them in sepia to match the existing old-fashioned frames. Over the next few days I would like to share these images with you.
Here is number ten: Pure Bliss – Cape Buffalo having a scratch
PS: If you stay at Thanda’s Villa iZulu in the suites number 2 or 3 you can view them in the original print.
Sometimes the light and not the subject makes for an amazing photography. I like this Cape Buffalo on then move!
This Red-billed Oxpecker – while sitting on a Cape Buffalo – was indulging himself on ticks with hundreds of Flies buzzing around its head. I like this image, which I shot this morning on my way back from the Thanda Tented Camp to Thanda House.
Sometimes safari guests think that a Cape Buffalo is just another type of cow. Far from it. These stocky herd animals can turn from fairly docile bovines into very dangerous opponents within seconds.
When threatened a herd will form a “battle array” with the large males up front, the younger males on the sides and the females and calves behind. In that formation they can even stand down a pride of Lions. For Humans on foot they can be one of the most dangerous encounters in the bush. There position as one of the Big Five is therefore fully justified.
This picture shows the Thanda Buffalo herd leaving a waterholes.
Picture by Christian Sperka – Specialist Photography Guide and Resident Wildlife Photographer – Thanda Private Game Reserve
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This was a very cute Thanda sighting. The little Buffalo calf was “hosting” a Red-billed Oxpecker chick. They were posing for this portrait for quite a while.
Have a good week!
PS: The Oxpecker chick is the same size as its parents, but it has a black bill and looks more fluffy 🙂
This Buffalo calf had a drink when it’s mum decided to go to the toilette! This happens quite regularly with Buffalo.
Bheki – my tracker at Thanda – reckons this is very good for the growth of the horns 🙂
Have a good week!
We had some great sightings this morning – First a herd of Buffalo enjoying themselves at a Waterhole, then four Lions trying to hunt some Buffalo and finally three White Rhino enjoying the sun after a mud bath. The guests on my vehicle were especially impressed with the Lion-Buffalo interaction. It was not always clear who was the hunter, and who the hunted? The Lions gave up at the end and the Buffalo moved on.
At one time we could see all three “Big Five” species from one spot : looking to the left > the Lions / looking straight on > the Buffalo / looking to the right > the Rhinos. The three landscape images below were taken without moving the vehicle!
“I love it when these birds come and clean my ears out. All these ticks are such an nuisance!
Oh, great – a bit more to the left for the bird on the right and a bit deeper please for the bird on the left – there we go.
Oxpeckers are great!”
If this Buffalo cow could speak I think it would sound like this 🙂
Christian Sperka Photography | Custom Luxury Tours 