Tag: big five

Cubs

One of the highlights of our trip was finding this mother lion with two cubs in a river bed. At this age – maybe three months old – they are still reliant on mother’s milk and too little to engage in the hunt with the rest of the pride, so mother will hide them for long periods to go hunting and come back for feeding and play time.

Maximus in black and white

Maximus is one of the big male leopards in Pilanesberg National Park. In general, male leopards are larger and more muscular than the females. They live alone, seeking the company of females only in the mating season. Male leopards are known to fight with other males who intrude in their territory. Females are less aggressive towards other leopards, and their territories are smaller.

Don’t look back in anger

As he walked away from our attention, the leopard threw one last look at us over his shoulder. These sightings are always too short!
Photo taken in Pilanesberg National Park.

Snack on the go

A big bull elephant having a snack on the go. Elephants are vegetarians; they eat leaves, bark, grass, roots, and even fruits. Although they eat a massive amount of food each day – up to 150 kg! – their digestive system doesn’t break it down very effectively. Elephant dung therefore still contains a lot of nutrients, which other animals make use of!
Photo taken in Pilanesberg National Park

Beautiful male leopard

That moment when you drive over a bridge and look down into the eyes of a big male leopard… Pilanesberg hosts a good many leopard, but spotting them always seems to be a game of chance. I can tell you my hands shake every time I meet one of these magnificent creatures!
Photo taken in Pilanesberg National Park

Baby rhino

An adorable baby rhino resting in the shade. Rhinos spend their days and nights grazing, only resting during the hottest hours of the day. After birth, a baby rhino can walk within an hour. A rhino is born without a horn, but the front horn becomes visible within one or two months. The back horn starts growing when the calf is about a year old. The calf will stay with its mother for about three years before setting off on its own.

Black Rhinoceros

My first black rhino! The black rhino is actually not black in color, but brown or grey like its cousin the white rhino. One of the main differences between the black and the white rhino is the shape of its lips. The mouth of the black rhino has a slight V-shape, unlike the white rhino which has a straight mouth. This is why the species are also known as hook-lipped rhinoceros for the black, and square-lipped rhinoceros for the white.