Best of Kruger Plus Big Cats and MALA MALA October 2012

Here are some photos from the latest photo safari which included stays at the Big Cat Reserve, Kruger Park and Mala Mala.

The rainy season has started and the transformation in the bush is beautiful at the moment. We had the first rains whilst at Satara and the contrast between some still dry areas of the central section and the southern areas around Lower Sabie is incredible.

We had an amazing sighting of a male Leopard catching a Porcupine, 4 sightings of the Cape Hunting dogs, one pack near Crocodile Bridge and the other near Skukuza.

We also saw the three cheetah brothers south of Satara as well as the same young male Leopard, seen on the last trip, also close to Sunset Dam resting in a tree after some lions had chased him up it.

The greenery at Mala Mala is wonderful, the wild flowers are out and the short bright green grass and foliage really adds superb colour to the photos.

We were treated to a sighting of the two cheetah brothers seen on our trips earlier in the year, as well as the Airstrip male stalking warthogs, a young female Leopard and all 4 Manyeleti Male Lions.

That is it for this season here in South Africa, the next and final trip in 2012 will be to kenya and I will post a report from that trip as soon as I return in late November.

Many thanks again to Jaco for looking after us at the Big Cat Reserve and to Gary for another great stay at Mala Mala.

Thanks too to the staff at both establishments :) !

All the very best to everyone and happy shooting.

Kindest regards from the WILD4 team.

Stu

Natal Spurfowl - Kruger Park

Lesser Mased Weaver - Kruger Park

Hornbill with Scorpion - Kruger Park

Elephant Tusk - Kruger Park

Yellow Billed Hornbill territorial display - Kruger Park

Bateleur Eagle and Ground Hornbill face off - Kruger Park

Male Lion - Mala Mala

Lioness - Mala Mala

Male Lion - Mala Mala

Newington Male - Mala Mala

Two Cheetah Brothers - Mala Mala

Young Leopard cub - Mala Mala

Leopard cub in tree - Mala Mala

Black Bellied Bustard - Mala Mala

Airstrip male stalking - Mala Mala

Side Striped Jackal - Mala Mala

Male Klipspringer - Mala Mala

Female Kudu - Mala Mala

Hunters the Cheetah - Big Cat Reserve

One of the three male Cheetahs in the Kruger Park, stalking Wildebeest

Kori Bustard in display - Kruger Park

Male Lion drinking - Kruger Park

Leopard with Porcupine kill - Kruger Park

Helmeted Guinea fowl

Lesser Striped Swallow - Kruger Park

Hippos playing at sunset dam - Kruger Park

White Crowned Lapwing - Kruger Park

Young Cape Hunting dog - Kruger Park

Dung Beetle - Mala Mala

Young Male Leopard near Lower Sabie - Kruger Park

BEST of KRUGER Plus BIG CATS September photo safari

Here are some photos from the latest "Best of Kruger plus Big Cats" Photo Safari.

The Big Cat Reserve provided great opportunities with the Lions, Leopards and Ntombi the Cheetah. The two Cheetah brothers, Floppy and Hunters were out in the reserve somewhere, perhaps hunting and exploring their territory.

Our first stop in the Kruger was Lower Sabie camp and it was so evident how the early rain had changed the look of the bush. Very green areas with a lot of ground water has helped the dry bush and the animals breathe a sigh of relief !

Sunset dam which was at its driest I have ever seen in the month of August, was full again. We were treated to a great sighting of a young male Leopard, the same one we saw earlier in the year. He walked right through the parking area at sunset dam and down towards the river.

There were good Rhino numbers in the Duke area as well as good lion activity around the Gomondwane area.

The second camp, Satara had not had as much rain, with some areas having had none at all. This was good as it concentrated the animals to the areas of the new green flush of growth. Kumana Dam, Mazithi and Nkaya pan were very active and will continue to be so on the next trip. Buffalo numbers around these remaining water sources were very high.

Our last afternoon produced lions on a hippo kill near Timbavati picnic site and a male Leopard that climbed a tree for us.

Many thanks to Jaco, our guide at the Big Cat Reserve !!

Enjoy some of the photos !!!

Best wishes to all,

The WILD4 Team

Ntombi at the Big Cat Reserve

Male Lion, Big Cat Reserve

Young male Lion at the Big Cat Reserve

Male leopard, Jabula, Big Cat Reserve

White Rhino, Duke area of Kruger Park

White Rhino and calf on the Salijie Road in Kruger Park

Vervet Monkey, Kruger Park

Young male Leopard near Sunset Dam in the Kruger Park

Grey Heron, Lake Panic Kruger Park

Martial Eagle with Monitor Lizard Kill, near Girivana in central Kruger

Young Male Waterbuck at Kumana Dam, Kruger Park

Wahlbergs Eagle, Kruger Park

Buffalo near Kumana Dam, Kruger Park

Male Elephant at Ngotso South, Kruger Park

Zebras drinking at Nkaya Pan, Kruger Park

Male Wildebeest, Nkaya Pan, Kruger Park

Buffalo drinking, Kumana Dam, Kruger Park

Young Male Kudu near Satara, Kruger Park

Grey Heron at Sweni Bird hide, Kruger Park

White Rhino at Nkaya Pan, Kruger Park

Male leopard up tree near Timbavati Picnic Site, Kruger Park

Purple Roller near Satara, Kruger Park

Young Male Lion at Girivana, Kruger Park