south africa – Page 159 – Christian Sperka Photography

2013-11-01

The Small Things!

It is not all about the Big Five. A game drive on Thanda is much more than just looking at the “famous grand creatures” of the bush.

Enjoying the presentation of a Scorpion by Bheki, one of the experienced Thanda trackers, spotting a male Southern Tree Agama in its “ready for mating” coloration or viewing a African Blood Lily growing in a burned area after the first rains of the season are just some of the special sightings of “Small Things” which make every day in the African bush very special.

2013-10-31

Catching and Releasing a Mozambique Spitting Cobra!

Well, a lot of you got it right! (see previous blog)

I use these goggles when catching or releasing spitting snakes (or if I do know which snake I might encounter). In this case I caught a Mozambique Spitting Cobra (in Zulu:Mfezi) which had strayed into a room at Thanda house late at night. Today I released it onto another part of the reserve.

This collage of images shows the release of the snake. Thanks to Warren Beets for taking the pictures (I could not take any myself – I was busy :-))

PS: I will add a GoPro camera to my equipment set so I can record these sort of procedures on video – from my view-point.

2013-10-31

Be prepared?

It looks like a silly picture, but I was preparing for something serious!

What was I preparing for? Have a guess?

I will blog the answer this evening 🙂

Picture by Warren Beets

2013-10-28

“Time Lapse” Collages

These are two “time-lapse” collages made from various images of a camera trap.

This small camera is installed at a small waterhole in the western part of Thanda.

We have identified many different species drinking at day and at night (including Lion, Hyena, Nyala, Zebra, Kudu, Impala, Warthog, Giraffe, Wildebeest, Elephant).

The camera trap will stay in place for a little while longer – we may catch more Thanda residents having a drink!

2013-10-27

Kings and Queens!

This is a picture of the departure of future kings and queens from a Termite hill. As the rainy season starts “winged alates” leave the Termite cast communities to meet with possible kings or queens from other Termite hills to form a new society.

Termite live in a cast society where every member gets “assigned” its role in life before birth. The workers and warrior Termites cannot reproduce. But here they fulfill one of their their major roles in life to ensure that the “reproductives” (or winged alates) can leave the community unharmed to procreate the species.

These winged Termites can only start reproducing once they found a partner and after they have dropped their wings. Once underground the females abdomen will swell to become a huge “egg-laying-machine”, also called the queen of the Termite community.

If one looks carefully at the center of the picture one can see a winged alate coming up through a hole in the ground (with its wings still tucked in).

The Thanda guests were most impressed with this “micro sighting”.

2013-10-22

Thanda Lion News!

To maintain a healthy Lions gene pool and to control the number of Lions on Thanda, five of these magnificent cats have been moved to a new section of the reserve (called the Mduna Royal Reserve). The two adult females, two cubs and the dominant male will form a new pride in an area which had no Lions until now.

A film crew from the UK (www.thebigsky.co.uk) recorded the capture and transfer of these Lions to the Mduna. In this image the Lions were still sedated as the Thanda Wildlife Team and the attending Veterinarian performed a “physical check” on each Lion.

One day after this re-location procedure Thanda’s new dominant male was release onto Thanda. Only a few hours after his release he started mating with one of the females, who was waiting for him outside the boma 🙂 see previous blog from 16 October: https://christiansperka.wordpress.com/2013/10/16/my-new-man/

If you are interested to actively participate and contribute in Thanda conservation activities please contact research@thanda.co.za for more information.

2013-10-19

Family Bath!

This small Elephant enjoyed his bath with the family – while climbing on the back of one of his cousins. At the end of a hot day there is nothing better than splashing around in a waterhole.

The Thanda guests enjoyed this very entertaining sighting!

2013-10-18

BIRDS – Crowned Lapwing – Watch the Eggs!

At the afternoon drink stop we spotted this Crowned Lapwing watching over its nest. We kept quite a distance not to disturb the bird further and a few seconds after this shot was taken the parent went back to sit on the eggs while the Thanda guest had their drinks at sundown.

For the photographers among you: This images is a “collage” of two shots. One was focused on the eggs and one on the bird. The “dual planes of focus” are accomplished by merging the two images.

2013-10-17

Game Drive Impressions (2)

It seems that the link did not appear in yesterday’s email message. Sorry 😦

Here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-afLEn12s8

Yesterday’s Post:

I have commissioned a new interpretation of South Africa’s National Anthem arranged by Don Johnson and played by the Happy Turkey Farm Band. Don has previously arranged a version of Shosholoza for me. Thanks Don!

This is a link to a YouTube video slide show with 48 Thanda images to celebrate both musical pieces. Enjoy them!

https://christiansperka.wordpress.com/2013/10/16/game-drive-impressions/

2013-10-16

Game Drive Impressions

This is a link to a YouTube video slide show with 48 Thanda images to celebrate both musical pieces. Enjoy them!

… and just in case you are interested here is the image list:

01 – Lion cub at the quarry

02 – Southern Giraffe on the savanna
03 – North pride Lioness at sunrise
04 – African Elephant calf on the move
05 – Cheetah brothers morning routine
06 – Elephant mud bath at Mgankla dam
07 – Lion Cub playing with its older brother’s tail
08 – Two African Elephant bulls on a mission
09 – White Rhino road block
10 – A shy Leopard
11 – Marula tree at sunrise
12 – Burchell’s Zebra staring
13 – Cape Buffalo at sunset on Mgankla Dam
14 – Young Lions in a Marula tree at sunset
15 – Two Burchell’s Zebra fighting
16 – Young Elephant bull’s display in a Fever tree area
17 – Mist at sunrise over Thanda’s South
18 – White Rhino mother and daugther
19 – Black Rhino mother and daugther
20 – Impala ram on a hill
21 – Young Lion after a feast
22 – Excited White Rhino male calf
23 – Spotted Hyena an the savanna
24 – White Rhino and Lion encounter at Zulela dam
25 – Cheetah mum and her cubs in the early morning
26 – Thanda’s north pride of Lions walking into the sunset
27 – The Cheetah brothers on a burned area
28 – Burchell’s Zebra running on the savanna
29 – Cape Buffalo moving towards a waterhole
30 – Lioness at a Wildebeest kill
31 – Thanda’s Elephant herd on the move
32 – Cheetah – A bloody portrait
33 – Cape Turtle Dove landing
34 – Fork-tailed Drongo bathing
35 – Tawby Eagle in flight
36 – African Hoopoe
37 – Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill
38 – Brownhooded Kingfisher
39 – Red-billed Oxpeckers with chick
40 – Green-winged Pytilia
41 – Village Weavers mating
42 – Little Jumbo crossing the road
43 – Dominant male on the move
44 – Sparring for the cameras
45 – Enjoying the north pride Lions
46 – “Shooting” Cape Buffalo
47 – Finished the bath!
48 – Mgankla dam at sunset