Summer Action in Kruger

The last two summers I had worked in Mozambique as a DM and I hadn't realised how much I had missed Kruger in high summer, until I got back there 2 weeks ago.

Ten days on the go with three safaris back to back, temperatures soaring from cool damp days of 22 degrees to sunny, steamy highs of 35 degrees, and the animal action was just amazing!


In addition to the wonderful summer bird life and despite the dense, lush greenery we had multiple sightings of lion, leopard, cheetah, rhino, elephant and hyaena. The only animal of the "big 5" that we struggled to find was the African buffalo, being limited to distant views of the odd "dagga boy".


And of course, all the babies! Impala lambs skittering on long awkward legs, wildebeest calves lazing in the long grass, and "warthoglets" racing away with tails held high.....

I thought with this posting I would try to post some slightly "different" photos from the more normal classic poses, as with the impala lamb scratching his ear above;

This giraffe delicately wrapping her tongue around an acacia twig;

A young Grey Heron wobbling and stretching on it's perch;

A baboon mother enjoying the first of the marula fruit;

This young leopard uncomfortably perched in her marula tree;

PS check out my favourite photos of my favourite animal - the leopard at Coral Wild Snapshots

Maybe this rhino should be called Mick Jagger?

This pair of mating lions had been in the road for most of three days. Obviously oblivious to the continuous traffic jam around them.

When we were there this time the male was having to really encourage the female to get into the right position!

On the third safari we didn't see a single elephant in the first 24 hours, and then they seemed to be everywhere!










Kruger in summer is truly a magnificent place, so all of you out there who only visit during the cool dry months, you don't know what you are losing out on!