Tag: photoblog

Black rhino

This picture shows very clearly why the black rhino is also called hook-lipped. The triangular shape of the upper lip can almost be used like a finger to carefully pick branches from the ground or leaves from scrubs.
Happy World Rhino Day 2019!

Little family

A family of lion-tailed maqaques in the National Zoological Gardens in Pretoria. Mommy was holding her baby when daddy came along to have a look at his offspring. Mommy allowed a brief touch and then went on to sit somewhere else with her young. Safety first!

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.

Rhino and pied crow

A rhino with a pied crow perched precariously on its upper horn.
 
I’m trying not to see this as a symbolic picture about the fate of the rhinos…
 
Usually the oxpeckers fulfill the role of personal grooms, but sometimes crows will try to find sustenance – or possibly a ride? – as well. The rhino wasn’t too happy about this visitor though and flapped his ears to scare it off.

Fighting giraffes

Giraffes seem such gentle animals, but looks can deceive. Giraffes fight by clobbering each other with their necks. Male giraffes fight for dominance in a certain area, and for the right to mate with the females in that area. A giraffe’s neck is a powerful weapon, and the clashes of neck against neck can sometimes be heard from afar.

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!