Pete Thorpe

Alumni Ranger

Pete was a Field Guide for Londolozi for 4 years, contributing to the blog as a fantastic writer as well as photographer. Right from his very first bush trip at the age of four, Pete was always enthralled by this environment. Having grown up in the Middle East, Pete’s home-away-from-home has always been a bungalow in the Greater Kruger National Park, where his family had a house – a place that to this day lies close to his heart.
This exposure from a young age instilled a curiosity within him that drove him to study a masters in conservation ecology, a journey which saw him monitoring wild dogs in Kwa-Zulu Natal and managing student researchers in the Okavango Delta, Botswana.

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Stories by Pete

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The Week in Pictures #412

Pete Thorpe November 8, 2019 2 29

Following on from Dean’s phenomenal array of images last week, news is that the Tortoise Pan Male has been seen in the far western sector of the Sabi Sand Reserve. …

Photography The Week in Pictures Wildlife

Wild Dogs Return Again… With Recruits!

Pete Thorpe November 6, 2019 11

If only every guest that comes through Londolozi could have the privilege of watching African Wild Dogs (AKA painted wolves) roaming their natural habitat. Unfortunately, they are the rarest large …

General Nature Safari Experience Wildlife

Young Giraffe is Lost to a Clan of Hyenas

Pete Thorpe October 6, 2019 11

Sometimes just before game drive while we wait for guests on the Londolozi Camp Decks or in the car parks, we hear noises from the wilderness outside that evoke immediate …

General Nature Safari Experience Wildlife

11 Things You Didn’t Know About Giraffes

Pete Thorpe September 30, 2019 12

We all know and love giraffes. Well, most of us do. Their towering necks stand out in the landscape and their beautiful coats make them unmistakeable. Of all the animals …

General Nature Wilderness teachings Wildlife

Can Hyenas Climb Trees?

Pete Thorpe September 15, 2019 11

No… But why? you may be asking yourself. If they could, they definitely would, as it opens up a whole realm of opportunity. Think of all the leopards kills that …

General Nature Leopards Wildlife

The Week in Pictures #403

Pete Thorpe September 6, 2019 1 25

Another week passes us by, with no shortage of excitement. The Tsalala lioness and her sole surviving cub were seen looking healthy in the Sand River in front of the …

Featured Photography The Week in Pictures

The Moment I Have Been Waiting Ages For

Pete Thorpe August 8, 2019 18

There are many firsts out here. Your first impala, first kudu bull, first elephant… Your first safari is of course littered with them, and each one seems to generate more …

Featured General Nature Safari Experience Wildlife

Seven Reasons Why I Have A Terrible Job

Pete Thorpe July 23, 2019 31

Working as a ranger out in the middle of the African bush is somewhat unique. Sometimes I wonder why I chose to be in this position, rather than the standard …

General Nature Safari Experience Wildlife

The Tsalala Lioness and Cubs Update

Pete Thorpe June 10, 2019 35

The story of the Tsalala lioness is quite remarkable. Having been alone for a year now, it is incredible that she has survived and is thriving. Because of her unique …

Lions Wildlife

The Week in Pictures #389

Pete Thorpe May 31, 2019 15

As a child I remember looking at a photo of a hyena walking down a straight road, framed by trees with wonderful orange and red leaves. I realise now that …

Featured General Nature The Week in Pictures Wildlife

Decoding Animals’ Alarm Calls at Londolozi

Pete Thorpe May 27, 2019 9

I regularly refer to alarm calls while out on drive and I realise that sometimes this reference may be falling on deaf ears. They are without doubt some of the …

Featured General Nature Wilderness teachings Wildlife

24 Hours of Magical Game Viewing at Londolozi

Pete Thorpe May 14, 2019 2 23

Having recently had a phenomenal run of sightings, I decided to try and recreate the events from my perspective to give you an idea of what life is like here …

General Nature Safari Experience Wildlife

Tree Climbing Lions of Londolozi?

Pete Thorpe April 15, 2019 9

Do lions climb trees? This is something I am often asked while out on game drive at Londolozi. Let’s have a look at some of the evidence we have gathered …

General Nature Lions Wildlife

The Meeting of Four Leopards

Pete Thorpe March 24, 2019 3 18

Reports of not one but two leopards from the previous evening had led us to the banks of the dry Maxabene riverbed for our morning pursuit. Knowing all too well …

General Nature Leopards Safari Experience Wildlife

A Case in Leopard Habituation – The Nkoveni Female and Her Cub

Pete Thorpe February 14, 2019 23

“Leopards are renowned for organising their lives so as to avoid encounters with people. Unlike lions, they are furtive and solitary, appearing and vanishing like a hallucination” Mitch Reardon, Shaping …

General Nature History Leopards Safari Experience Wildlife