It seems appropriate that I end off my work cycle with a Week In Pictures. We have had such exciting sightings in the last while with visits from the two sub adult cheetah as well as the solitary male and have even been lucky enough to have had a pack of wild dogs on the property. The alpha female wild dog is heavily pregnant and we are all holding thumbs for the pack to set up den on our property this year. The Sparta Pride has been on and off the property but has given us some amazing viewing including taking down and feeding on a young giraffe! The Tsalala pride have started moving south of the river again and we have had sightings of them very close to camp! My best leopard viewing recently has been of Tamboti Young Female as she has started spending much more time on her own.
My favourite image however is of a small flap-necked chameleon who was desperately trying to scurry across the road and out of dangers way. I hope you all enjoy this weeks pictures.
A young sub-adult Sparta female ambitiously stalks a male giraffe
A very grumpy looking buffalo bull peers at me from his mud wallow
A flap-necked chameleon exposes the black spots on his skin which usually indicates heightened stress as he crosses the road
I was lucky enough to borrow a guest’s fixed 600 mm lens to get this close up shot of Tamboti Young Female
The elegance of a leopard ascending a tree
Perfect late afternoon light catches this young leopard as she rests up in a tree
Camp Pan male lies up in the Maxabene drainage line intently fixed on rutting impala calls coming from the south of the drainage line
The ritualised process of mating leopards is a rare sight and to capture this pair out in the open was quite a sight
A young sub-adult cheetah descends from the fallen tree
Brother and sister cheetah use a higher vantage point to scan the horizon
A lone giraffe ambles across the savanna on a golden afternoon
We have all been enjoying sightings of this little female rhino. She has such attitude and has grown up so fast!
A lilac-breasted roller fluffs its feathers on a cold winter morning
A Tsalala lioness enjoys a morning drink in the Manyeleti river
Ranger Dan Buys enjoys a 360 view of lions and elephant in the river
The Tsalala pride lies up in the Manyeleti riverbed as a herd of elephant make their way down to drink. They made a quick exit however, as the herd moved downstream!
A dazzle of zebra group together and stare as the Sparta Pride devour a wildebeest nearby
After a morning of tracking we had this magnificent sighting of a full-bellied male cheetah peering east at the rising sun
The morning mist eventually rises enough for a pool of light to illuminate the cheetah
The Sparta Pride finish off a young giraffe as two journey members peer warily from the horizon
A tug of war ensues over the remains of an impala
Three is a crowd!
Written and photographed by: Andrea Campbell
Beautiful pics Andrea, specially the PIC of Camp pan
Camp pan is incredible – fantastic photo!
Andrea these are amazing pictures. The Chameleon is beautiful & I guess you allowed him to cross safely hence the picture. The wound on the mating leopard seems to be bigger, unless its another leopard? Thank you & enjoy your break, well deserved & come back safely 🙂
Really lovely pics – we remember the cheetah sighting well and also those Sparta animals finishing off the giraffe.
Hope you have a wonderful time with family and friends in your time off, Andrea!
Lovely pic . Always a privilege to see the big cats like the lucky pride of lions who got the chance to finish off their much earned & needed meal without being harassed by those hyenas , leopards & cheetahs
Fantastic photos Andrea! I couldn’t pick a favourite, they are all so good!
Great shots! Hard to choose a favorite. The cheetah in the morning light with the mist in the background is frame worthy. Loved the chameleon and the gorgeously aging face of Camp Pan too though! What happened to the mating male leopard’s leg? That’s quite a gash! Assume it’s not slowing him too much?
Awesome photographs Andz, the lioness drinking is my favourite.
Great photographs Andz, the Lioness drinking is my favourite!