elephant – Page 14 – Christian Sperka Photography

2015-07-10

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!

2015-05-02

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.

2015-05-01

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.

2015-04-282015-04-27

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.

2014-10-202014-10-19

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!

2014-09-202014-09-20

Ready for my close-up!

One of Thanda’s largest Elephant bulls was standing still for a few seconds – for his close-up pictures 🙂 – before he moved on down the hill. This gentle giant was trailing the breeding herd which had crossed the road in front of the vehicle on the way to a nearby waterhole. What an experience for the Thanda guests!

2014-08-20

Summer is on the way!

The last few days Thanda guests enjoyed summer temperatures, making good use of the pools at the Thanda Safari Lodge, Thanda Tented Camp and the Villa iZulu.

The Thanda Elephants did the same, enjoying a mid-day drink and bath. As always an impressive sight!

2014-07-18

Gate guards and models!

The last few days I have been working in my office. Which is not bad, but not nearly as good as being out there on game drives. Even so, staying at Thanda house has its merits, too.

This morning our two male Cheetah came for a visit and acted as gate guards for a few hours.

They also posed as models 🙂

Yesterday, a journey of Giraffes and a dazzle of Zebras was grazing in front of the gate during midday.

And the day before our Elephants had a late afternoon drinking and bathing session at the waterhole on the south side of Thanda house.

So, my time at the office got interrupted by some of my “wild friends” offering good sightings!

2014-07-16

Golden Light!

It is my favourite time of day. When the sun goes down and the light turns golden it is the right time to take photographs.

I was working in my office this afternoon when I heard Elephants trumpeting at the waterhole near Thanda house. I grabbed a camera and sneaked outside towards the fence. The Elephants did not detect me, so I was able to take a few shots on foot before I retreated back to the house. The Thanda guests were watching on game viewing vehicles from the other side of the dam.

This is my favourite shot of this sequence 🙂

2014-07-05

One of those days!

It was a windy winter’s day with a lot of the animals hiding in the thick bush. We drove and tracked for over two hours before we found the breeding herd of Elephants. They also had decided to feed in a very dense area and we only caught occasional glimpses. When we were about to leave the sighting, to find a nice location for our drinks stop at sunset, a dozen Elephants crossed the road right in front of us. What a sighting!

It was one of those days, which needed patience for a long time and which ended with a big reward for not giving up!

The picture above shows one of the youngsters waving his trunk before it disappeared after his mum into the bush. The picture below shows the group walking past the vehicle.