… with Thanda Safari Elephant bulls in the evening light.
For the Elephant lovers among you!
I have just uploaded 159 African Elephant images taken between 2002 and 2016. Have a look at www.sperka.biz/sg10
This is another new species gallery available online at http://www.sperka.biz/sg
Please contact me at info@sperka.com in case you are interested in publishing any of these images or if you would like to license any image for printing (for personal or commercial use).
The Species Galleries (1)
My image library contain thousands of wildlife images, which I took since I started wildlife photography in 2002. Keeping these images organized and available for people to look at is not an easy task.
End of last year I started a project to categorize all these images in ‘species galleries‘ and also put them online. I am currently working on African Mammals, followed by Birds, Snakes, other Reptiles Insects and Plants. After Africa I am planning to work on images from species of other continents.
Have a look at the first ten of these galleries at www.sperka.biz/sg (African Lion, Leopard, Cheetah, African Wild Cat, Black Rhinoceros, White Rhinoceros, African Elephant, Caracal and Serval).
Please contact me at info@sperka.com in case you are interested in publishing any of these images or if you would like to license any image for printing (for personal or commercial use).
I will let you know once I upload new galleries. Stay tuned!
A picture of two big guys :-)
Well, in this picture I am with Thulani, one of Thanda’s largest Elephant bulls. I came to watch him at the Thanda Safari Lodge, having a drink at the waterhole. He was in musth when this picture was taken. During musth he needs a lot of additional water as he looses a lot of liquids to get rid of his excess testosterone (up to sixty times higher than normal levels). Because he is an old and experienced bull he does not get very agitated during this period. As Elephant ladies like the older and the bigger guys he has nothing to worry about!.
In comparison to his weight of approximately six tons, I could be considered a light weight 🙂
Have a good week!
Chewing bones, parking backwards, fishing large and catching big!
A strange title for a blog?
Yes, but these images explain it all …
… a female Nyala chewing on a bone to get some extra calcium during the dry season.
… two Elephants wetting their bums by backing into a waterhole.
… a Seagull catching a very large fish!
… and a little Bee-Eater catching a ‘big’ Butterfly.
I really enjoy these unusual sightings – remarkably uncommon 🙂
Vigilant ‘house cats’, the neighbours’ kits at play and an excited gentleman in front of the house!
Well, this title might be a bit misleading 🙂
When I left Thanda House this afternoon for a quick visit to friends on a neighbouring reserve, I left Thanda’s two Cheetah boys in charge of perimeter security around Thanda House.
As I drove onto the reserve where my friends live, I took pictures of two little White Rhinos at play. 
And when I got back to Thanda a young Elephant bull gave me a rather excited welcome. From the way he reacted to my vehicle, looking at the glands on his forehead and judging from other obvious signs of excitement :-), he may be getting into musth.
Not the regular house cats, not the average kits at play and a rather unusual excited gentleman in front of the house, but another really good afternoon in the African bush!
That’s it! – Fourteen for the Villa! (14)
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
Fourteen for the Villa! (12)
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 twelve: Elephant Tantrum
PS: If you stay at Thanda’s Villa iZulu in the suites number 2 or 3 you can view them in the original print.
Fourteen for the Villa! (8)
I have selected fourteen images which are now hung 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 eight: Gentle Giant
PS: If you stay at Thanda’s Villa iZulu in the suites number 2 or 3 you can view them in the original print.
A Rainbow over the Lebombo Mountains, a Road Block and two Freezing Cheetah!
As it happens during this time of the year strong winds frequently follow heavy rains. On our afternoon game drive we first encountered a beautiful rainbow over the Lebombo mountains, then we met with Thanda’s breeding herd of Elephants.
One of our largest bulls gave an excellent demonstration on “how to create a perfect road block”, right in front of the vehicle.
Last but not least Bheki – one of Thanda’s most experienced Zulu tracker – found the two Cheetah brothers on the open savannah. They were huddling together in the freezing wind.
Not a bad drive for a very windy day!
Christian Sperka Photography | Custom Luxury Tours 