wildlife – Page 147 – Christian Sperka Photography

2013-07-102013-07-10

Jellyfish

It was great to be in the USA for a few days. I enjoyed meeting many friends in Nashville, especially at the zoo. Thanks for all the great hospitality. I will try to be back next year 🙂

During the visit I got to visit the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga for the first time. I took this picture (above) of a West Coast Sea Nettle. The Jellyfish exhibit was my favorite part of the aquarium.

Now I am back at Thanda.

PS: I am a lucky man with three homes – one in Europe where my family lives – one in America with all my friends in Nashville – and one in Africa with good friends and all the wilderness which I love!

About Jellyfish:

Jellyfish are typified as free-swimming marine animals consisting of a gelatinous umbrella-shaped bell and trailing tentacles. The bell can pulsate for locomotion, while stinging tentacles can be used to capture prey.

Jellyfish are found in every ocean, from the surface to the deep sea. A few jellyfish inhabit freshwater. Large, often colorful, jellyfish are common in coastal zones worldwide. Jellyfish have roamed the seas for at least 500 million making them the oldest multi-organ animal.

2013-06-26

Small cat on the way home

Today Bheki and I saw this Serval on the way back from the Lodge. A very special sighting!

2013-06-24

Morning Walk with Mum!

Thanda’s three month old Cheetah cubs were on a early morning walk down the road with their mum and the Thanda guests had a good look at them.

When the cubs are this young we do not view them “off-road” so this was a very special treat not only for the guests, but also for all trackers and guides who got to see them that morning.

2013-06-21

And the answer is …

… the tip of a Kudu’s horn.

Chiara had the right answer first – congratulations!

Original post: https://christiansperka.wordpress.com/2013/06/21/can-you-identify-2/

2013-06-21

Can you identify …

… the subject of this image?

What species and what part of the animal?

I am looking forward to the answers!

2013-06-192013-06-19

Cold Sunrise!

When I left Thanda at sunrise our two male Cheetah walked directly towards me. In this picture the “visible” Cheetah’s breath is a sign for a cold winter’s morning in Kwazulu Natal.

I spent an enjoyable day at a hide in Mkuze Game Reserve and I will post a few of today’s images in the near future :-).

… and thanks for all the kind birthday wishes!

2013-06-18

A Bloody Portrait!

Literally! – This is a portrait of a Cape Hunting Dog which was taken when the pack was feeding on a kill. The face of the dog was still wet from the Wildebeest’s blood.

2013-06-18

Giant Pictures

When one is taking close-up pictures of two male Elephants sparring it feels a bit like taking pictures of two giants. In this case the two young bulls were close enough to merit the use of a wide angle lens which is not used too often for wildlife photography :-).

The Thanda guests on my vehicle and on the vehicle in the picture enjoyed this action-filled sighting.

2013-06-162013-06-16

Solid Food!

Thanda’s small Cheetah cubs are already eating some solid food. Their mum had hunted an Impala and they joined in the – for Cheetah typical – hasty meal. The three month old the cubs are also still suckling.

The pictures show the cubs in the road waiting for their mum to return from her hunt, mum looking for the cubs and the cubs in the high grass around the kill.

Patience for almost two hours was rewarded with these images!

2013-06-14

The First Wild Leopard

Showing a Leopard to his guests is a pleasure for any field guide.

But being able to show one of these magnificent creatures to someone who has never seen a Leopard before is very special.

This happened to me on Friday evening. One of the Thanda guests on my vehicle saw her very first wild Leopard!