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Lower Sabie Rest Camp
Kruger National Park
South Africa

Day 25 - Game Drive Lower Sabie to Skukuza & Sunset Dam

10/10/2011

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This morning's drive was going to run along the Sabie River and then on to the Skukuza Camp area and then back.

We gathered for breakfast at the camp restaurant overlooking the river. Soon after that, we were on the road.

The first sighting of the day was a big one. It took binoculars and my "Bazooka" lens, but we saw a leopard on a tree limb in the distance.
Leopard, Kruger National Park, South Africa
Leopard, Kruger National Park, South Africa
Leopard, Kruger National Park, South Africa
Leopard, Kruger National Park, South Africa
That was a fantastic way to start the day. After that we saw a couple of distant lions and then made a stop at the Nkuhlu Picnic Site.
Nkuhlu Picnic Site, Kruger National Park, South Africa
Nkuhlu Picnic Site, Kruger National Park, South Africa
After that break, we continued on toward Skukuza. This handsome Impala was close to the road.
Impala Ram, Kruger National Park, South Africa
Impala Ram, Kruger National Park, South Africa
Next, we drove up on a large female elephant and her calf. The female ignored us, but the calf decided we were a threat so it came running out of the bush with its ears spread, eyes wide open, and trumpeting at us. Yep, we were charged by a over-zealous baby elephant.
Elephant Charge, Kruger National Park, South Africa
His mother crossed the road in front of us, and he followed her. But he then trumpeted, and ran at us again with an attitude of "I got this, mom". She still ignored us and him as she continued deeper into the bush. It was one of our favorite funny moments of our time in Kruger.

​As we were slowly driving along looking for animals, a Dung Beetle flew in the window and landed in Jackie's lap. There was yelling, Tony stopped the van, and there was a front seat search for the offending insect while the other four of us roared with laughter.

Tony eventually found and released the bug, but Linda wanted to see it. Too late. BUT, not far down the road, there was another Dung Beetle in the middle of the road doing its thing - rolling a ball of dung.
Dung Beetle, Kruger National Park, South Africa
Dung Beetle, Kruger National Park, South Africa
Jackie exclaimed "Big creepy crawlies aren't my thing", but Linda and I are fascinated by all kinds of animal behavior, even big beetles that roll dung into a ball.

Between the baby elephant charging us and the dung beetles, we could hardly catch our breath from laughing so hard.

But the mood changed when we got closer to Skukuza and came upon the biggest traffic jam we had seen. A couple of lions were tearing apart a Warthog not far from the road, and everyone was jockeying for position to get a view.
Lion Eating Warthog, Kruger National Park, South Africa
Lion Eating Warthog, Kruger National Park, South Africa
Lion Eating Warthog, Kruger National Park, South Africa
People got caught in the "cat jam" and couldn't go anywhere. The frustration and near road rage was exhibited in horn honking and yelling. In protest, the lion picked up the head of the Warthog and disappeared farther into the bush to finish its meal in peace.

When we made it to Skukuza, we had some lunch and took restroom breaks, but we didn't stay long.

On the way back, we saw this Martial Eagle grasping a live monitor lizard that was trying desperately to bite the eagle and escape.  
Martial Eagle with Monitor Lizard, Kruger National Park, South Africa
The lizard continued to wriggle, and the eagle bent down and plucked its eyes out. By the time we left, it still hadn't put the poor reptile out of its misery.

Speaking of reptiles, our next sighting was this Puff Adder on the road.
Puff Adder, Kruger National Park, South Africa
The Puff Adder is a highly venomous snake, and it is responsible for the most snake bites and snake bite-related fatalities in Africa.

They are widely distributed, they are common in urban areas, they don't move away when people walk near them, and they have one of the fastest strikes of all snakes.
Puff Adder, Kruger National Park, South Africa
We eventually got back to camp and rested for a little while. Later in the afternoon, we went out for another short drive.

On that drive, we encountered a couple of rhinos giving us sightings of all the "Big Five" today.
White Rhinos, Kruger National Park, South Africa
White Rhino, Kruger National Park, South Africa
We also saw another lion.
Lion, Kruger National Park, South Africa
Finally, we got a surprisingly good look at this young Lesser Striped Swallow.
Lesser Striped Swallow, Kruger National Park, South Africa
And that wrapped up our only full day in the Lower Sabie area. Again, wish we could stay longer.

Tomorrow, we move the western side of the park and our last camp at Pretoriouskop. We're looking forward to a new area, but our trip is almost over, and we still aren't ready to leave.

Today's additional sightings (no photos):
  • Cape Buffalo​
  • Hippo
  • Crocodile
  • Giraffe
  • Zebra
  • Kudu
  • Wildebeest
  • Impala
  • Bushbuck
  • Duiker
  • Warthog
  • Chacma Baboons
  • Vervet Monkeys
  • Scrub Hare

"Big Five" Report: leopard, buffalo, lion, elephant, rhino
This was the fifth time we saw the "Big Five" in the same day

Today's Additional bird sightings (no photos):
  • African Fish Eagle
  • Squacco Heron
  • Pied Kingfisher
​Day 26 - Rainy Day Move From Lower Sabie Camp to Pretoriouskop Camp
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