Day 8: Kruger National Park

 I am by nature a morning person, but even for me, 4:30 came really early! To the students' credit, though, they were all ready to leave with everything needed for a full day, right on time. We pulled out in the dark and arrived at Kruger just as the sun was coming up over the trees. After filling out our entry paperwork, we split into 2 groups and got into game viewer vehicles, each with a driver/guide. South Africa takes nature guiding very seriously, and there are formal training and certification programs for guides in the Park. One of our guides I had met on previous trips, and the other was new to me and equally fun, knowledgeable and likeable. When we set out into the Park, it was still quite chilly in our open vehicles, so we bundled up in blankets. Gradually, the sun began to warm us, and by 9:00 am it was nearly 70F. Because Kruger is full of completely wild wildlife, it is forbidden to leave your vehicle except at designated fenced sites. We drove in to the first of these, used facilities and got hot drinks. I hope you have lots of time to look at photos, because we had an absolutely epic trip through the park!

Sunrse over Kruger

Setting out

...on a chilly morning

Almost immediately upon entering the Park, we saw a spotted hyena! These can be difficult to "spot" due to their excellent camoflage, but our guide was able to point out dozens of animals we would have missed otherwise.

Hyenas both hunt and scavenge. Their hardy digestive systems allow them to eat every part of their prey, resulting in scat that is white with the calcium from the ingested bones.

A short distance away, we saw a pair of African Wild Dogs (aka Painted Wolves). Although not typical, mates do sometimes hunt together to provide for pups. We never saw the remainder of the pack, but these 2 were being trailed by the hyena, who hoped for an easy meal of whatever they caught.

African Wild Dogs live in packs and have sophisticated social structure. They also communicate and hunt dynamically as a pack, and are some of the most efficient hunters in the world. They are also criticaly endangered.

Next we came to a waterhole, where we found impala, hippos in the water (they look like smooth grey rocks) a stork, a crocodile, and a heron.

Impala drinking at the waterhole

Crocodile (left) and stork (right)

Pod of hippos in the water--note the ears protruding above the surface of the water. They can close off their ears and nostrils and remain fully submerged for over 5 minutes at a time.

Heron on a dead tree

Waterbuck bull

Cape buffalo--this was a very large herd!

Trio of lions napping in the shade

Just gorgeous country

Zebra mare and foal

More kudu bulls

Elephant cow and calf

Learning from Mom

Leopard lying in wait next to a waterhole

We were concealed in a hide, watching activity along the Timbavati River. A pod of hippos was directly across from us.

Crane seen from the hide

Elephant cow and calf have a mud treatment near the hide

Gorgeous kudu bull walking down the road

Zebra mare and foal

Zebras and kudu

zebras mutually grooming

Handsome bull elephant

This elephant appeared to be interacting with passing cars by waving his trunk!

Giraffe strolls through a burned-over area. Similar to prairie (which is another type of grassland), savannah must be periodically burned over to maintain its quality. Prescribed burns are performed in Kurger park approximately every 5 years on a rotating schedule.

Just giraffing

This bull elephant is in musth, which means he is ready to breed. He did not appreciate our presence, and threatened to charge vehicles. We backed up!

He stood in the road for quite some time; attempts to pass him resulted in his becoming agitated and thrreatening to charge. His park, his rules. We waited!

The wet marks extending down from behind his eyes are one way to tell that he is in musth.

Baboon mother and baby (look under her right arm)

Sun setting over Orpen Gate in Kruger

We left Kruger just before sunset, when the park closes, feeling that we had really seen a variety of wildlife in its natural habitat, going about its daily business without our interference except for being on the few roads. Somehow I always feel sated and filled when I have been in Kruger. It makes the connectedness of everything so obvious and interesting!

Hamburgers and fries (homemade) awaited us at the lodge. A "late" morning of 7:30 coming up, working on Batiki reserve.