Category: wildlife

Rhino in the evening light

Yesterday I saw the prize-winning documentary Stroop about rhino poaching and the trade in rhino horn in Asia. It’s so sad to know that our greed as human beings destroys the world around us. Why can’t we find a way to share, to go not for profit but for sustainability and livelihoods for workers? Look at this innocent creature, so mighty and strong, but so vulnerable to our vices. Will they still be with us in 50 years time?

White rhino kicking up dust

A rhino kicking up some dust with its feet. Rhinos shuffle their feet, thereby creating a small dust cloud, when they feel threatened or annoyed, for example by a car that gets too close. In this case the behavior didn’t seem directed at our car as the rhino was otherwise very relaxed and went on to pass an impressive amount of urine…

Playing lions

We were parked at the viewpoint at Lengau Dam. Just about to turn around I looked up and said, “There’s something else coming. Looks like kudus… or lions.” I wasn’t even serious about the lions, it was just that whatever I saw from the corner of my eye had that sort of color. I looked again and… there really were lions!! Seven lions came down from the hill to the water to drink and play. What an amazing sight!

Black rhino

A black rhino with its head held characteristically high. Black rhinos always look like they are asking “What do you want?” in a not too friendly way. I guess it’s just that they hold their head up high instead of looking demurely to the ground like their cousins the white rhinos. Anyway, it’s always a blessing to see one of these endangered animals!

Kissing giraffes

An affectionate moment between two giraffes. Giraffes are mostly seen in groups – if you spot one, you are likely to see more in the surrounding bushes. They do, however, not really form herds. A group of giraffes (aptly called a ‘tower’) can be composed of different individuals every day.

Cheetah cubs behind a tree

Photographing wildlife can be very frustrating. Not only do you need to find the wildlife, which sometimes happens and sometimes does not, the animals need to position themselves in a photogenic way as well. In a majority of the sightings, especially in a park that does not allow off road driving, the animal is far away. Even if they are close like these cheetah cubs, you still have to find that one spot that gives you an amazing shot – and sometimes that spot doesn’t exist. So here are two cheetah cubs, looking in the right direction, quite close to us, photographed through a tree…
I guess I need to try again soon!