Africa #6

Hello to everyone. A number of you asked for another blog...and as fate would have it, I was able to put this one together today. I hope you enjoy it. It's hard for me to believe that I've already been here for a month...and starting on my last week. Next Monday I'll be heading to Johannesberg to pick up my friend and old RMSP roommate, Pat, and then we're headed to Kariega Game Reserve near Port Elizabeth.  Kariega is where last year I took the images of  lions cubs playing and baby elephant.  I sure hope that we get to see them again this year...especially since this is Pat's first trip to Africa. 

As I mentioned recently on Facebook, I finally got some good images of a leopard. Actually we were lucky enough to see two leopards, in two different trees, with two different types of kills...and within 100 meters of each other. That's almost unheard of here as just finding one leopard would be extremely fortunate. However, after taking photos of the first leopard we drove over to the second leopard...but that leopard immediately jumped out of the tree and ran off.  But I'm not complaining...far from it.

For this blog I thought I'd just show you leopard, cheetah, lion, elephant, hippo, hyena...and a few other animals that I happened on.  I think there is something for everyone...

LEOPARD

So this is one of the main sights we're looking for when we're driving around...the elusive, but oh-so-beautiful leopard. As leopards do, she brought her "kill" (an impala) up the tree for safe keeping. This is because other predators (mostly lions and hyenas) would take it from her if she were caught with it on the ground. She ate until she was stuffed.  Now she can sleep...which leopards will do for up to 20 hr/day if they don't have to search for food.

 

Just relaxing and feeling good...

This hyena was under the tree...watching intently and hoping that the "kill" would fall out so he could get it.

...but the leopard saw him looking up at her kill ...so she rearranged it to make sure that it was safely hooked in the tree.

 

LION & CHEETAH

 This lioness has been coming by out camp every morning for the last week.  She roars a lot...and it's an awesome sound, but it means that we have to be very watchful for her. The positive about this situation is that I got several nice images of her...and we all know that you can't have too many good lion images.

 So all-of-a-sudden this cheetah came bounding out of the woods...and startled, by the time I got my camera up and ready, I was only able to get this image before he was long gone. However, in some ways I kind of like the image.

A FEW ELEPHANTS

Elephants saying "hello" to each other. I saw these elephants on Christmas morning...I didn't have any presents to open, but I was just as content seeing the elephants interact with each other.

I find that most of my elephant images just don't do this magnificent creature justice. Maybe if I print them in a large format...like 20x30's...they will show just how awesome these animals really are.

Down at the waterhole - HIPPO & CROCODILE

ZEBRA


 I really enjoy taking photos of zebra...one of my favorite animals. The challenge for me is "composition". I'm always trying to catch them in a unique pose or angle...or in a way where my image shows just how beautiful they are.

SPOTTED HYENA


 I find that hyena are the most challenging animal for me to get a clear image of. Mostly this is because you don't see them at the den until it's dusk...and the light is fading fast. I have tried shooting them on aperature priority, shutter speed priority, and manual mode.  But at least these images will give you an idea of what "hyena den life" is all about.

The little hyena is a female pup who's playing "pull my older brother's tail". The older brother must put up with her because hyena females are dominant in the clan. If he were to hurt her in any way, the mother would quickly intervene and discipline him...sometimes severely. 

These are both "this year's and last year's pups"...with an older female babysitting them as the rest of the clan are off hunting.

CAPE BUFFALO

...don't you know that I would have liked to have walked up and removed this piece of grass so my image would have been better...but then again, the buffalo would have probably killed me.  Sometimes it's just better to go with the grass. Right now the reserve has 16 buffalo in a 1500 acre enclosure. They can't let them loose in the larger reserve as yet because the lions would kill them. However, once the herd is up to 30 animals...then they will be able to defend themselves from lions.

BLACK MAMBA

On Christmas day we were driving around when we spotted this black mamba in a tree. It's about 8' long...and one of the most deadliest snakes in Africa. I thought about trying to get a little closer so that I could get a better shot...but then I realized that it would be much better if I just got whatever image I could and then drive on. "Leave this bad boy alone"...that's my motto.

AN IMAGE FOR MY BROTHER, BART

...just because he wanted something different.

 

AND...MY FAVORITE IMAGE OF THE WEEK

So that's going to do it for this blog. I had wanted to put in a few new images of birds and landscapes...but the blog just got too long.  However, if it rains this week and we don't go out...I'll try to put another fast one together.  If I don't have time this week to put out another blog...then it will be several weeks before I can get the next one out...that's because there is no internet at Kariega.  But I'll see what I can do.  I really enjoy sharing my images with you...there is just so much here worth taking photos of.  Until the next time, I'm wishing you all everything wonderful.  Smile at someone new this week.  John