Tag: madikwe

Elephant on black

In the Netherlands, ‘blackfoto’ is a huge trend, especially in horse photography, but in zoo photography as well. I love the moodiness of the black background and the way in which it brings forward the few lights on the subject.

Elephant photographed in Madikwe Game Reserve.

Leopard

We went to Pilanesberg to spot some leopards, and actually we were quite successful. We saw a young male enjoying his catch about three meters from our car. Under a dense bush. Then there was a female with her catch – behind a tree. And then, the top of our sightings, a female with cub. In a very leafy tree, 30 meters away.

After three days we had seen spots, tails and whiskers, but little more than that. So when we arrived in Madikwe, we told our guide that we really would love to see a leopard with a complete body not hidden by bushes.

And we got what we came for! Leopards are not as often seen in Madikwe as in Pilanesberg, but we were lucky that this male had killed an impala two nights before and was still working his way through the carcass. He even deigned to look our way! Happy!

Baby elephant

A small baby elephant drinks together with his family at a waterhole in Madikwe Game Reserve in South Africa. Together, the family will protect the youngest elephants by standing around them so that no harm can befall them. Around this baby you can see the feet and trunks of his family members.

Drinking elephant

An elephant with its trunk in its mouth to squirt some water in it. It’s a personal thing, but I love the dramatic light and editing of this picture. The black background draws so much more attention to the structure of the elephants skin. For me that’s worth the loss of the trees in the background!

Lion looking up

The day after World Lion Day… Ah, it’s never too late to post a picture of a lion, is it?

This lion had claimed the carcass of an elephant that died of natural causes. He was very aware of his surroundings, scanning the bush and even the sky for other interested parties.

Spotted hyena

When I was younger and bent over a book or a computer game, my mother used to tell me to sit straight. I guess hyena mothers don’t do that enough… The front legs of the hyena are very well developed, as is its neck. The back legs, however, seem to lack in strength and muscles, thereby accounting for its strange posture.