December 2008 : Kruger National Park, South Africa

The month of December was filled with many highs and lows. We had some very tough times on the concession, with many animals leaving in search of water and greener grass. It is still dry here, but we have had about 60mm of rain in the last two weeks, which caused the landscape to green up again.

The water levels are still low though, and we continue to wait on the big rains to water these thirsty pastures. This is an African drama at it’s best, and we are simply bystanders. Nature knows what she is doing, and we still stand amazed day after day at all the things busy happening around us.

The end of another long day in Africa. As the sun sets, the diurnal animals become less active, and the characters of the night start making their appearance.

Sable enjoy the long grasses of our northern areas. Sable are extremely rare in the Kruger National Park, with numbers around the 700 mark. We are extremely fortunate to have these special antelope, and they make for great sightings. Different species will often congregate - here zebra and sable are seen together, drawn by good grazing, and also benefitting from each other by combining efforts to keep a look out for hungry predators.

Lions are extremely curious. By nature, they need to investigate anything that remotely resembles a living object. The young male in the above photo had his curiosity pricked by a vulture flying overhead.

Summer is the time for babies. With plenty of food available in the form of green grass, fruit and water, these youngsters are well looked after. Even though they are still very young, these three blue wildebeest calves are very alert, and they know exactly which animals should be given a second stare.

Baby impala are everywhere at the moment. Even though this one looks very wobbly, it will only take him a matter of hours before he is running with his mom. They are under heavy pressure from many different predators, but nature has a secret weapon to give these young impala an advantage early on in their life - for the first three days of its young life, it is scentless. This helps it stay undetected when predators approach.

The mother impala separates herself from the rest of the herd a day or so before giving birth. In the bottom photo a mom stands guard over her three day old lamb.

Small pools such as this one fills up during the rainy season. It’s a source of water for many animals. This lioness does not need to walk too far and, using up unnecessary energy.

Giraffes are the epitome of grace. They walk around the African plains with style, like a model down the catwalk. They have a definite advantage over their smaller counterparts, in that they can reach greens where others can’t. Those gorgeous long eyelashes help protect the eye against branches and thorns.

Both beautiful and unnerving, those eyes staring at you, looking deep in to your soul searching for any traces of fear. All of your concerns, worries and troubles are forgotten in this meeting with the King of the Beasts. Time stands still, and for that short glimpse in time, you are caught up in a moment that will change your life forever.

Some faces only a mother could love! Warthogs spend a lot of time foraging and their snouts are well developed for digging, using the hard ridge on the top of it as a shovel. They also make use of their tusks for similar tasks. Warthogs are thriving on the new green grass throughout the concessions central region.

It is often said that a person’s eyes are the windows to their soul. By looking at them, you can tell many things about that person - the same applies to lions. Dinner is served?

The contrasting patterns of zebra’s serve many purposes, one of which stand out above the rest.

Even though one thinks that it would make them very conspicuous, they are in fact very well camouflaged.

What must also be taken into consideration is that lions, their main predator, can only see in black and white. Lions typically like to target a specific individual, often running past others within range in pursuit of its intended victim. The fact that zebra usually flee in a group, make it difficult for lion to pick out individuals because of the mass of moving black and white stripes.

Hippos suffer under dry conditions. They are some of the most water-dependant mammals in Africa, and cannot go without it. With water at its lowest in years, hippos are forced closer to one another, with territorial bulls under high tension. This bull has nowhere to go except this muddy pool.

Rhino cows tend to have longer horns than bulls. Bulls are constantly fighting with rivals in order to protect territory, and in so doing, the horn is often kept short and blunt. This cow has an exceptionally long, straight horn.

Black rhino - the name alone sends a chill down the spine of any person who has had an encounter with this spectacular beast. They are very rare and endangered, with numbers in Kruger National Park below 300. This is a Singita Kruger National Park special, and we are very fortunate to have a healthy wild population in the northern parts of our concession.

Terathopius equadatus…”marvelous face, short tail”. The Bateleur’s Latin name describes this bird perfectly. One of the most striking birds in Africa, they are masters of flight. Their name is of French origin, meaning “tight-rope walker”, refering to their flight pattern. They have abnormally short tail feathers, and this gives them the appearance of a tight-rope walker, rolling on it’s wings. They are true icons of the African savannah.

Carmine bee-eaters are only one of our most striking of the many summer visitors. They are mostly found in large flocks, and are greatly responsible for the many round holes found along riverbanks, where they nest each year.

The European roller is another summer visitor to our area. These gorgeously coloured birds are very common throughout the concession, and are seen in their hundreds around termite mounds, as the winged termites take to the sky. They are slightly larger than their resident cousin, the Lilac-breasted roller and are not as colorful.

Venus, the brighter star, and Jupiter below are a characteristic of the early summer nights.

This entry was sumbitted by Marlon du Toit
All the photographs were taken on location by Marlon du Toit
Singita Kruger National Park
31 December 2008