A black-backed jackal hunting early in the morning in Pilanesberg National Park.
We hadn’t seen much this morning, and my stomach was grumbling, so we decided to just park the car and have some breakfast while we were watching a group of impalas. Suddenly, a little further afield, I saw movement. It was this little jackal, who kindly moved into the direction of our car so that I could get a good shot!
Tag: nature
Secretary bird
A secretary bird wades through the long grass in Rietvlei Nature Reserve. As much as I like the secretary bird, it does not look like a friendly animal…
The lion’s dream
A male lion resting on a rock, staring off in the distance. What does he dream of? And look at those beautiful paws!
Dassie on the rocks
The rock hyrax or dassie is not at all afraid of heigths. Balancing on a rock above the crashing waves is its idea of a relaxing spot. Dassies live in groups of up to 80 animals. Their teeth show a pair of elongated upper incisors, which they have in common with their close relative, the elephant.
Photo taken in Mosselbay.
Reed cormorant
A lovely black reed cormorant drying its wings before diving into the water again.
Photo taken in Wilderness.
Waterfall
The Waterfall trail at Storms River Mouth Rest Camp ends at a beautiful waterfall where the water drops over a cliff into a rock pool that connects to the sea. The water is clean and cool – and offers a great opportunity for a swim after the demanding hike!
Jagged beach
The beautifully jagged rock formations at the coast near Storms River Mouth. The lichen on the rocks make them extraordinarily colorful, especially in combination with the blue water in the tidal pools. The first leg of the famous Otter Trail passes this stretch of coastline.
The Big Tree
The Big Tree in the Tsitsikamma forest near Storms River is a giant Outeniqua Yellowwood tree. Standing over 35 meters tall it towers over the rest of the canopy. What this tree must have seen in its 800 years of life!
King protea
The king protea has the largest flower of the protea family, and is the national flower of South Africa. It grows on a woody shrub that grows between 1 and 2 meters high. The plant is adapted to the wildfires that often rage through its habitat by a thick stem that remains underground. After a fire, the shrub resproutes from that stem.
Photo taken in Van Staden’s Wild Flower Reserve.
Awesome wonder 