SANParks.org Forums

Scouter, I will do everything I can to find you a polecat!

LQ: So excited about your Dassies!! I hope they stick around so I can see one

Sunset drive last night: I had the pleasure of driving some very lovely guests through the gates for the first time. Beautiful evening with lots of jackals, including ones crying right by the car- amazing. Also had lots of Bat-eared foxes- one of them leapt about 2 meters into the air at one point! We had a curious little cape fox come up to the vehicle and gaze up at us, which gave us such a great opportunity to get a good look at its very, very cute face. And I finally got to see a Verreaux's Eagle Owl on a drive (seen plenty around camp). We also had a huge porcupine. Lovely and unforgettable evening.

Just heard from my parents in the park. They found a leopard at Houmoed at about 4pm in a tree When they returned later that evening it had moved. But the other people they met at the sighting said it had been there in the morning, and was around all day. ID will hopefully be provided later this evening.
Keep those eyes peeled!

Astromat,

The walk with your dad went well.... I will let him fill in the part of the lions

So your saying i shouldn't have bothered with the extra life insurance then...oh well next time

Now why didnt you tell me that before

Plausible deniability

My evil mind has been awakened.

If I send some people for a walk with you, do you think you could get them eaten. If so PM me your banking details......

BB,

I will first have to fill in a 'Declaration of Interest' form.

We've been having a few eventful activities here in TW recently! On the drive out to Friday's morning walk, we were lucky enough to spot a caracal walking along the dunes near the road! It was still too dark to snap any pictures, sadly, but it was quite relaxed and we got an excellent view.

After a beautiful walk, we got back into the game viewer and only got 50m down the road before we came across two big male lions, who had very likely been watching us the entire time! We thought those lion tracks looked rather fresh!

Also on Friday, I took out a sunset drive, and my guests and I spent a lovely hour watching these three amble around the Leeuwdril waterhole:

TIMG_6441 - The Mane Brothers by Miros Photography, on Flickr

While it looks like 2 males and a female, this is actually three males! It was very interesting to see a black maned, tan maned and no-maned lion all together like that - an excellent opportunity to see the contrast in coloration.


On Saturday, Moose and I got up nice and early for a morning drive, and I can honestly say that this drive will be hard to top.

Over on the Auob road, not 50m north of the Houmoed waterhole, we spotted this lovely lady finishing off her breakfast right beside the road:

TIMG_6468 - Leopard on kill in Tree by Miros Photography, on Flickr

And she turned out to be very photogenic...

TIMG_6494 - Liiick by Miros Photography, on Flickr

...right up until one of the guest's cars got a little too close...

TIMG_6540 - Warning Snarl by Miros Photography, on Flickr

Thankfully, she settled down, though in a somewhat harder to see spot on the far side of one of the tree's trunks. She wasn't there too long before a brown Hyena we had spotted earlier came back over the dunes to investigate:


TIMG_6555 - Leopard Observing Brown Hyena by Miros Photography, on Flickr


TIMG_6557 - Leopard Observing Brown Hyena 2 by Miros Photography, on Flickr

Both Moose and I were beside ourselves with this encounter! Watching the Leopard's reaction to this intruder was truly amazing, as was watching this Hyena saunter up, sniff about, scent mark the grass directly under the leopard, and then amble off again.

By far, one of the most incredible experiences I've had in the bush - here or anywhere! I have a full rundown of my impressions of this experience over in my trip report.

welcome to the forum Miros
and a big thank you for the update
and now... I run to your TR

Miros nice sighting.

Fabulous

Two questions
Which leopard ? (her name) and do you think the brownie knew she was there ?

Thanks for that Miros!! How exciting to have that amazing leopard in a tree so close and then a beautiful Brownie too Counting down - 7 more sleeps and we will be pitching our tent at Rooiputs for three nights All these amazing pics are getting me so excited!!!

Hi guys

We were at the same time as miro and moose at this "once in a lifetime" sighting!!! We were first there with a few seconds and the leopard crossed the road just in front of our vehicle.

Wow what a wonderfull experience. Miro your photos are excellent!!!

SJ