Happy Thanksgiving to all my friends in the USA (and any other country that celebrates this holiday). I hope all of you have a great day.
The closest I could find to a turkey here in South Africa was a Guinea Fowl. So I included a picture of this species with today’s message.
Thanda’s breeding herd of Elephant was crossing the savanna to get to a waterhole to drink and bath. These are a few black and white images I took at this beautiful sighting.
A lot of animals have their babies arrive early in the rainy season (summer). This picture is of a small Zebra foal that was born in the last few days.
We also have many small Impalas. All of them were born in the last few days.
Enjoy your week!
I did it already 🙂 – Watch this video produced by a Swedish travel company for a “ranger for a while” competition on Thanda.
Truman Ndlovu, Head Guide at Thanda Private Game Reserve, is one of the judges for this exciting competition launch by the Swedish travel company SYDAFRIKARESOR.
In this video Truman introduces the competition and the beauty of Thanda.
To compete go to hoppaavekorrhjulet.se (the site is in Swedish).
Please share this video on Facebook – Thanks
I am now a qualified “Backup Trails Guide”. I have just received the certificate from FGASA (Field Guide Association of South Africa).
I have also passed my “Advanced Rifle Handling” course and once my rifle competency is registered with the South African Police I can start walking with clients in areas with “potential dangerous game”
The next step is to log another hundred hours of walking and another fifty encounters before I can be assessed as Lead Trails Guide. This will take quite a while.
Have a good week – mine is already very good 🙂
PS: The picture shows me walking as Trails Guide during my recent course – Picture: Craig Fitt – Thanks
It is not always the Big Five which provide beautiful and special sightings. This Waterbuck bull was looking at us when we drove towards him on Ndlovu Highway. A rare treat.
We got many different antelope species on Thanda. Next to Waterbuck we have Impala, Wildebeest, Nyala, Kudu, Duiker, Steenbok and Reedbuck on the reserve.
… and a little special Waterbuck info: Waterbuck and Elephant are the only two large mammal species on Thanda which will not allow Oxpeckers to sit on them and feast on their ticks (see yesterday’s post: https://christiansperka.wordpress.com/2012/11/11/oxpeckers-and-buffalotail/)
The winter (dry season) is predominantly brown and grey. But – as I learn now – when the wet season (summer) starts the bush becomes very colorful.
I took pictures of these nine plants just on one drive from my home to the lodge.
One of my favorite flowers is then one from the Sickle Bush (Dichrostachys cinerea, known also as Bell mimosa, Chinese lantern tree or Kalahari Christmas tree – second from the right/top). The bush itself on the other hand is a real threat to us field guides. The spines on the bush are so hard that they go straight through a tyre and one ends up with a lot of flat tyres when “off-roading” in areas with these bushes!
These Red-billed Oxpeckers take a ride on the back of a Buffalo bull. His tail almost reached the birds when he was swiping it across his back. The bird with the black beak is an Oxpecker chick waiting for some food delivery from the adults 🙂
Have a good Sunday!
… and one can see much more reptiles at Thanda. I took this picture around noon when I was driving back from dropping of guests.
This Monitor Lizard (an ectothermic species) was enjoying the sun on one of our main roads. As I approached he decided it was safer in the grass.
About endothermic and ectothermic animals:
There are five major groups of vertebrate animals (fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals). One of the differences between these groups is the way their body temperature is controlled.
Mammals and birds have a body temperature that stays about the same no matter what the temperature of their environment is. They are called endotherms. An endotherm is an animal that can control its internal body temperature. Endotherms are called “warm-blooded” animals.
The other three vertebrate groups are often called “cold-blooded” animals. This term is falling out of favor with scientists because it is misleading. They are called, instead, ectotherms. The blood of fish, amphibians, and reptiles is often warm. Their body temperatures are always close to the temperature of their environment.
The grass was bit high for one of our Lion cubs. The little one could not see properly so it decided to use the back of its uncle to get a better look what was going on.
Enjoy the weekend!
Christian Sperka Photography | Custom Luxury Tours 