This waterhole in Pilanesberg National Park is a haven for birds, and that is why we had parked our car there. Suddenly, all the birds flew up. I looked around, and there she was: a female leopard coming for a drink. What a magical moment! We sat in awe, my hands slightly shaking from the excitement. Fortunately I did manage to capture the moment before the leopard walked away again!
Tag: photog
Roadside shop
A woman selling potatoes on the roadside, hoping that the next car will stop.
Photo taken somewhere between Kabwe and Kapiri Mposhi
World Giraffe Day
Today is World Giraffe Day. Did you know that? I didn’t until I read it on Facebook. The shortest day for the longest-necked animal – it’s kind of fitting. Let’s pause and think about this beautiful and strange animal that is in danger of extinction today!
Photo taken in Pilanesberg National Park, South Africa
Weaver birds
When we were living in the Netherlands, we loved to go to the zoo and watch the weaver birds making their nests. Now that we live in Africa, it’s a blessing to see these birds in our garden! This picture, however, was taken in the National Zoological Gardens in Pretoria, South Africa – we still love going to the zoo.
A prayer for Youth Day
Bless the Children of Earth
may they have the blessings of food and health
may their homes be peaceful, their world safe
may we adults, work to make these blessings real
by our actions, attention, and giving, we make it so.
Bless the Children of the earth
with the abundance of a happy, secure life
may they have a life with education and opportunity
each child deserves no less, each child is precious
they are the future, the living legacy of our ancestors.
Bless the Children of the Earth.
(Abby Willowroot)
Winter colors
It’s winter here in southern Africa, with temperatures sometimes dropping to almost zero degrees. And still, some butterflies are on their wings, providing contrasting colors. I think this one is called the soldier pansy.
Photo taken in the forest at Kurisa Moya lodge, South Africa
On the road again
Driving through the beautiful, changing scenery of southern Africa feels extraordinary – I still, after more than five years feel I need to pinch myself to check that I’m not dreaming, that it’s really me driving here…
My favorite
Of all the animals one might encounter on a safari, I think the leopard is my favorite. It’s strong and graceful, cat-like enough to seem cuddly, and threatening at the same time. Look at this one, glaring at me while still appearing so relaxed!
Photo taken at the National Zoological Gardens in Pretoria, South Africa
Happy baby elephants
In Southern Africa, elephants regularly fall victim to poaching or to conflicts about living space with farmers and villagers. Sometimes baby elephants are left orphaned when their mother is killed – elephants drink their mother’s milk until they are three years old. In Zambia, Game Rangers International rescues, rehabilitates, and releases orphaned elephants back into the wild. The youngest elephants are cared for at the elephant nursery in Lilayi, close to Lusaka. There they receive bottles of milk every three hours and are taken into the bush to learn to vend for themselves. Everyday between 11.30 and 13.00 hrs visitors can watch how the babies are fed – a lovely sight, as you can see in this photograph. When they are a little older, the elephants are taken to Kafue National Park to join other older orphaned elephants, to work towards reintegration with elephants in the wild.
Awesome wonder 