Thanda Safari recently purchased a Seestar S50, an intelligent astronomical telescope. I like working with it, as requires very little setup and lets me display/save the magnified stellar objects’ images on my iPad.
Besides looking at nebulas and other deep space objects it works very well for moon observation and sun observation (using a special filter).
This evening I took this moon picture from the Thanda House garden.
I also enjoy night sky photography. This – rather blue – milky way picture I took this morning at 5:30 before sunrise, during the nautical twilight, and just before the start of the ‘blue hour’. In this lucky shot I captured a shooting star.
Crisp winter nights are ideal for star gazing and photography. I am looking forward to some more night sessions in the upcoming winter months.
Technical data: Canon R6 with EF lens L 17-40mm | ISO 6400 | 8sec | f4 | ev+0 | 19mm | Manual focus | WB Auto | M Mode | Crop to 40% of original image
As some of you have reminded me that I never provided the answer to my Lion quiz from 9 April, I would like to apologize for the delay. https://sperka.info/2024/04/09/noses/
Zanele, the oldest Lioness at Thanda Safari at 15 years old, was located in the top-right corner of the picture.
This is the portrait I captured of her on that day.
Technical data: Canon R6 with RF lens f/11 800mm | ISO 3200 | 1/750sec | EV +0 | WB 6500K | AV Mode | Image cropped to 40% of the original size.
Two weeks ago, I wrote about our largest pride of Lions (called Zanele’s Pride). I described the energy with which the seven youngsters of the group trained for their adult life hunting skills.
When I met the group again a few days ago, they lounged comfortably at Thanda House dam near my home.
As I approached the waterhole, all nine Lions raised their heads, and I was able to get a frontal portrait shot of each of them.
It is astonishing that all of the young ones now look very much like adult Lions. Here is a bit of a quiz question:
Can you identify Zanele (15 years old) in this collage?
I give you a little hint: Look at the noses!
[The answer will be in my next post.]
If you would like to like to read more of my stories and see more of my pictures, you should visit my blog at https://sperka.info/blog/
Lions on the dam near Thanda HouseThanda House Dam
Impalas are the most prevalent type of antelope found in sub-Saharan Africa (and on Thanda Safari). They have remained pretty much the same for over five million years, a real success in terms of evolution.
The tiny Suni antelope is the closest relative to Impala. Black-faced Impalas in Namibia and Angola are seen as a distinct subspecies.
Their ability to adapt their eating habits is a key factor in their evolutionary success. They feed on grasses during the rainy season and switch to eating tree-material as the dry season progresses, ensuring a steady food supply that allows female impalas to give birth to a new lamb each year.
Impalas are a vital food source for large predators – including some Eagles – and have high mortality rates, particularly during the birthing season. Their sharp eyesight and alert behavior help them detect predators like Leopards and Cheetahs, prompting the herd to make warning sounds.
The best time to see the very cute Impala fawns is in December and January, when all the females give birth almost at the same time.
Technical data: Canon R6 with RF lens f11/800mm | ISO 12800 | 1/500sec | ev+0 | WB 6500K | AV Mode | Crop to 40% of original image
If you might want to like to read more of my stories and see more of my pictures, you should visit my blog at https://sperka.info/blog/
After many years of using my Land Rover Defender, affectionately named The Green Mamba One, I have made the decision to sell this classic safari vehicle.
Throughout the years, some of you have accompanied me on game drives, experiencing the luxury features of this very special mode of transport. And many of you have enjoyed the countless wildlife photographs I captured from its vantage point, shared on social media.
I am hoping to find a passionate Land Rover Defender enthusiast who will appreciate and acquire her in her excellent condition. At just 22 years old, she is not considered old for a Defender.
If any of you are interested, feel free to contact me at +27633294323 (WhatsApp) or at info@sperka.com.
While bidding farewell is bittersweet, I am looking forward to her successor. My new photographic safari vehicle will be named THE GREEN MAMBA TWO, a brand-new Toyota Land Cruiser LC79 4.2 D S/C currently undergoing customization to my specifications.
Thanda Management and I are looking forward to deploying her for service at Thanda Safari by mid-2024 and I will provide updates on her readiness.
Similar to The Green Mamba One, my new safari vehicle will include numerous photography and luxury features:
THE GREEN MAMBA TWO
– Specially designed five-seat, two-row passenger area with increased legroom for optimal eye-level photography and videography
– Ample additional storage space for photographic gear
– USB ports for charging equipment in each seating row
– GSM cell phone booster and WiFi router enabling live social media updates from the reserve
– Built-in digital two-way radio for secure communication during game drives
– Nespresso coffee machine for a special bush barista bar experience (supported by a second battery and a 2500W 230V inverter)
– Complete Martini bar setup
– All-red-light configuration for night safaris
– JBL audio system (for birding support and occasional bush parties)
– 13″ Apple iPad setup with essential nature apps (Roberts Birds, Stuart Mammals, …) and live GPS location map of Thanda Safari
– High-quality binoculars available for all guests onboard.
With Thanda Safari having transitioned to an All-Land-Cruiser fleet, this change was necessary to maintain the reliable service expected at a five-star operation.
I eagerly anticipate hosting many of you as guests on THE GREEN MAMBA TWO.
The short video shows The Green Mamba One as she looks now, ready for a new owner.
This brief slide show contains some of my favorite pictures captured around sunrise and sunset at Thanda Safari. The unique light present in the mornings and evenings is what photographers seek.
Specific terms describe the optimal lighting conditions of the day:
The golden hour encompasses the time just before and after sunrise or sunset. The closer one is to the equator, the shorter this ‘hour’ becomes. Currently, the golden hour at Thanda Safari lasts about 45 minutes in both the morning and evening.
The blue hour is a brief period before the morning golden hour and after the evening golden hour, characterized by a cooler, blue-toned light produced when the sun is positioned just below the horizon.
For those interested in today’s specifics:
Morning blue hour: 5:36am to 5:45am
Morning golden hour: 5:45am to 6:40am (with sunrise at 5:59am)
Evening golden hour: 5:22pm to 6:07pm (with sunset at 5:53pm)
Evening blue hour: 6:07pm to 6:16pm
I use a very good iPhone app called “Sun Seeker” to provide me with this valuable information.
Young Lions have a large amount of energy. They play hard and then crash hard.
Their sparring is good training for stalking and attacking behavior for hunting in their adult life. It also readies them or future serious fights with other adult Lions.
Male lions are sexually mature at about 2 years of age and are fully grown at 4. Competition for the ‘Dominant-Male-Job’ is very harsh, and only one out of ten young males ever accomplishes this ultimate goal before being killed. The life expectancy of a male who makes it to full adulthood is ~12 years.
Females usually have their first litter between 2 and 4 years and live up to ~16 years.
Last Friday, the two young females in these pictures enjoyed a sunny day after a lot of rain, playing very hard on the savanna. They and their five siblings were constantly stalking each other and fending off various attacks. It was very exciting to watch, and we stayed for a long time.
The pride we observed is led by a 15-year-old lioness. We refer to her family as “Zanele’s pride”. She has four youngsters who are 24 months old.
The other adult female of the pride – Zanele’s adult daughter – is three and a quarter years old, and her three cubs are now 17 months.
Technical data for all three images: Canon R6 with RF lens f11/800mm | ISO 2500 | 1/2000sec | ev-0.5 | WB 6500K | AV Mode | Drive mode: Continuous fast
If you would like to read more of my stories and see more of my pictures, you might want to visit my blog at https://sperka.info/blog/
During our rainy season (usually from October to April), we experience very rainy days from time to time.
Yesterday was such a day with a constant fine drizzle from early morning into the late night.
I got soaked to the bone, but I managed to capture these pictures during our two game drives, one in the morning from 6:00 to 9:00 and another in the evening from 16:00 to 19:00 (4 pm to 7 pm).
… is the term used to describe a group of young African Savanna Elephants (Loxodonta africana) led by one or a few older bulls.
When young Elephant bulls reach about 14 years of age, they typically leave their herd to join an Askari group in order to learn proper bull Elephant behavior.
In the presence of older bulls, the musth periods (times of heightened testosterone levels) of the younger bulls are either significantly shortened or completely suppressed. This adjustment makes their lives easier, as female Elephants prefer to mate with the older and larger males.
The older bulls also intervene to prevent potential conflicts between younger bulls from escalating during sparring sessions.
Without the guidance of older bulls, young males can become extremely aggressive towards other animals and humans. In some cases, rogue young Elephants have even been known to kill Rhinoceroses in their frustration over being rejected by Elephant cows.
At Thanda, most bulls, both young and old, typically remain with the herd even after reaching maturity. They are often spotted at the rear of a moving herd, kept separate from the young calves by the attentive mothers.
Technical data: Canon R6 with RF lens f4-6.3/24-240mm | ISO 2000 | 1/2000sec | f6.3 | ev-1 | 210mm | WB 6500K | AV Mode | Crop to 60% of original image
One of the most common questions that guides get asked is about the age of young animals. It is not always easy to give a correct answer without a point of reference.
The White Rhino baby in this picture is a bit less than one year old (as it has lost its ’roundish’ baby head shape and as the second horn is not visible yet).
Below are a few indications that might help in determining the age of small Rhinos:
Age 0-3 months
– The shoulders are slightly higher than the mother’s underside of her belly
– No horn is visible and it has a ’roundish’ baby head shape, quite distinct from a typical Rhino head shape
Age 3-6 months
⁃ The front horn is now visible, but the back horn is not
Age 6 months – 1 year
– The shoulders are about 1/3 up the mum’s side
– The front horn is now visible and back horn is just coming through
Age 1-2 years
– The shoulders are about 1/2 up the mum’s side
– The front horn is quite distinct, while the back horn is now visible
Age 2-4 years
– The shoulders are about 2/3 up the mum’s side
– Both horns are growing
Age 4-7 years
– The shoulders will still be lower than those of the mother. It is very difficult to distinguish them from a fully grown adult when they are by themselves (7 years+).
Rhino females are usually sexually mature at 4-5 years of age, but they rarely have their first calf before the age of 7. Males need to wait until they are 10-12 years old before claiming their own territory and mating with the females in their area.
Rhinos typically live 40-50 years in the wild.
Technical data: Canon R6 with RF lens f4-6.3/24-240mm | ISO 20000 | 1/500sec | f6.7 | ev+0 | 150mm | WB 6500K | AV Mode | Crop to 50% of original image
Christian Sperka Photography | Custom Luxury Tours 