Wild4 African Photographic Safaris

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

4 nights at Mala Mala August 2013

Here are some photos from the 4 night tailor made photo safari to Mala Mala in August.

Once again this reserve provided wonderful opportunities to spend quality time with and photograph Leopards and Lions as well as a number of other animals. Our focus was on Leopards and we managed to see 5 different individual leopards during our 4 days.

The Marthli male is an individual I had personally not seen before and he is a big Leopard. He was chased off by some members of the Styx pride on our first morning.

We spent a good deal of time with the West Street male who had a Bushbuck kill in a Jackalberry tree on the banks of the Sand River.

One morning we joined the chase to keep up with the pack of Cape Hunting Dogs and found them on an Impala kill which they had stolen from a young female Leopard, who we also managed to photograph.

The Styx pride were around in the Sand River and the 4 Manyelethi Males were also seen together.

All in all a great stay with some excellent Leopard photography.

Thanks to all the camp staff at Mala Mala and special thanks to "Noldy" Nolden, our ranger for looking after us and getting us in and out of all those tight situations - cheers Noldy until the next time..

Warm regards to all

Stu

Monday, August 5, 2013

Tailor Made Photo Safari - JULY 2013 REPTILES, VULTURES and the BIG CAT RESERVE

This Tailormade tour included two full days at the reptile park, once again many thanks to Donald, Damien and Ilse for all your help in expanding the scope of subjects for the shoot. Thanks also to Kate at the Forest Camp for another great Vulture photo shoot, the weather was just perfect !!

The last 4 nights were spent at the Big Cat Reserve where again we had time to expand on the normal program and reshoot the subjects in different situations. Thanks a million to Richard our guide and all the staff at the Big cat reserve !!

Thanks also to Bob & Ben for coming on the safari - looking forward to seeing your photos from the Shark experience in Cape Town !!

Enjoy

Flat Rock Scorpion

Green Mambas mating

White Backed Vulture

Cape Griffon Vulture

Veiled Chameleon

Black Mamba

Skin detail of a Yellow Rat Snake

The deadly Black Widow Spider

Leopard running

Caracal

Caracal at Sunset

King Cheetah

The Cheetah Brothers, Floppy and Hunters

Jabula the leopard

Male Lion

Caracal

Caracal reflection

Caracal jumping

Leopard in tree

Leopard

Young Male Lion

African Wild Cat

Thursday, July 11, 2013

LIONS & LEOPARDS of Mala Mala July 2013 trip "A"

The first of the July photo safaris to the Big Cat Reserve, Kruger Park and Mala Mala has just ended and here are a selection of photos.

Many thanks to all the staff at all the lodges and thanks again to Doug our ranger at the Big Cat Reserve and to Matt who looked after us at Mala Mala.

A few of the highlights at the Big Cat Reserve were the two Caracals, Lions and the Cheetah brothers Floppy and Hunters !!

Jabula the Leopard again performed his tricks in the Marula tree and we left with some great images of these animals.

The Kruger Park section provided good elephant, hippo, crocodile and other general game. The highlights were a lioness dragging her zebra kill to the safety of a nearby bush to shelter it from the vultures and the Hyaena den on the Nwanetsi road where we were treated to great close views of the new cubs.

Mala Mala provided good sightings of all the big 5, a big herd of buffalo drank from the sand river. Both Lion prides were seen, the Styx and the Eyrefield !! as well as three of the dominant males Lions in the area.

There were also two excellent Leopard sightings, our first afternoon produced the West street male up in a tree guarding the remains of an Nyala kill, killed by the Dudley female Leopard. Hyaenas were present too and the Male leopard was stuck up the tree. After a number of hours he managed to get down without the Hyaenas hassling him. He moved away from the kill when a troop of Baboons passed by and then the Dudley female reappeared and tried to get up the tree to reclaim her kill, however the Hyaenas were not having it and chased her off. Later the final part of the story unfolded where the female Leopard did make it up the tree and ate what she could. The remains then fell out the tree and provided the patient hyaenas with a meal too.

The second Leopard sighting was of the Airstrip Male on a bushbuck kill. After eating some of the bushbuck he moved away and performed his ritual territorial marking and drank from the river.

A great trip once again and look out for the July "B" trip starting in a few days time.

Many thanks to Murray, Jeanette, Lesley and Stephen for joining wild4 on the "Lions & Leopards of Mala Mala" Photo safari, it was great to spend 11 days with you all !!

Best wishes from the Wild4 team