After a couple nights in the big city, I moved north to the small city of Satara. If my first Kruger campground (Skukusa) was New York City, my new campground is perhaps Philadelphia. Still a rather big “city” for a campground, but I was able to find a little corner in the campground to nestle my Green Dragon into that wasn’t too bad.
The landscape surrounding this section of the Park differs somewhat from the southern section around Skukusa. In the vicinity of my campsite it is a rather vast open savannah grassland with scattered low scrub and the ocassional tree.
To the east again are the low, arid rhyolite hills of the Lebombo Mountains which run the length of the Park.
To the north the open svannah starts to grade into into mopane woodlands (i.e., less grass, more trees) on basalt soils, and the woodlands get denser in the riparian zones along the major river courses.
Like the marula woodlands to the south, the mopane woodlands warrant some attention as well. These woodlands are widespread in lower-lying areas of eastern southern Africa and are generally found on lower elevation drier sights than the marula woodlands, but what is most distinctive of these woodlands is that thye are comprised almost exclusively of a single tree species – mopane. The mopane tree is easily distinguished by its butterfly-shaped leaves. Mopane wood is extremely hard and prized as firewood and building material by the locals. In addition, the mopane leaves are eaten by an enormous variety of wildlife species. The mopane “worm” is the caterpillar form of the Emperor moth, which lives nearly its entire life on the mopane tree. Interestingly, mopane worms are a staple part of the diet in many rural areas and are considered a delicacy in the cities. They can be eaten dry, as crunchy as potato chips, or cooked and drenched in sauce – I tried a dried one once and it tasted like I was eating tree bark, yuck! Most importantly, the worms are high in healthy nutrients and contain three times the amount of protein as beef. Yes, that’s right, three times the protein content as beef. Can you imagine the positive environmental consequences of producing mopane words instead of beef?
OK, enough educational material. Let’s start with a mystery soundtract. Hint, this is a creatures you probably don’t want to run into on foot:
If you guessed lion, you’re right! This is one of the quintessential nightime sounds in Africa and it can send shivers up your spine if you’re sleeping outside on the ground – Rick, buddy, if you’re listening, I’m sorry if this brings back your nightmares.
Here is another mystery soundtract that gives some the creepy crawlies:
If you guessed spotted hyeana, you’re right! This is another one of those classic, nerve-tingling, nightime sounds in Africa. More often than not, when you hear these guys at night you can almost bet that while you’re asleep they will be quitely roaming through your campsite looking for stuff to eat and/or steal. They may even try to play the guitar with their teeth if you accidentally leave it outside your tent.
I recorded both of these critters while lying atop the Green Dragon after dark, and I have had these nocturnal audio visitors every night since being in the Park. I have also seen both critters. I watched lions mating – out of respect I did not photograph the act – and drove along side a pack of hyeanas leaving camp early one morning:
Time for some anectdotal wildlife observations from the last few days in Kruger:
#1. Green Dragon staredown against the largest land animal on the planet:
In case you were wondering, I parked on the road quite some distance from the herd and they approached me of their own accord. The matriarch of the herd came between me and her family as they crossed in front on their way to the river and she stared me down assessing whether I represented any threat. She was quickly joined by one of the younger females in the unit and eventually she decided the Green Dragon was OK.
#2. Harem scarem:
This male impala has gathered a huge harem (one of the largest I have ever seen) and as you can see he is very busy trying to cover any poor girl that is coming into estrous – and that’s a lot of gals. Note, there are dozens and dozens of bachalor males out on the periphery of the harem, all waiting for the opportunity to sneak in and have a go with one of the gals. Between chasing off the relentless challengers and trying to “cover” the gals in heat, I don’t know how he has time to eat and sleep.
#3. Delicate beauty:
The impala may be the most abundant and ubiquitous antelope in all of sub-Saharan Africa, probably representing more antelope biomass than all of the other antelope species combined, but that doesn’t detract from their delicate beauty.
#4. Bath time:
This big boy Cape buffalo just got up from his mud bath and looked at me like I had just ruined his very expensive spa. Sorry!
These next several observations are primarily for Skylar – and those of you that are really, really young at heart.
#1. Who is hiding behind this tree playing “Gander Boo” with me?
#2. What shape does this waterbuck (girl) have on its butt?
#3. How many antelope are napping?
#4. How many zebra do you see in this picture?
#5. This mommy and daddy are teaching their babies how to find food for themselves – how many babies do you see?
And to finish this post, I am going show you a few other species that I managed to get a usable but not great picture of:
OK, the lions are roaring again, time for me to say goodnight!
Love the lion recording! Rick
I thought it might bring back some memories for you. Last night the lion and the entire pride were roaring right outside my campground. I have never heard the lionesses roar with the lion before. Very cool. Unfortunately happened too quickly for me to record. Cheers.
Ok, so how many zebra? 9?
I’m glad you are getting into the spirit of the Skylar stuff. I counted 11 I think but it is probably plus or minus 2. Cheers.
I love the sound recordings and videos. Brings back very pleasant memories!
Great, because there are lots more to come!
Thanks Kevin. Rainy/lightning afternoon here and Rand and I enjoying the posts during the break. Looks like you are having a blast.
Glad to hear from you guys and yes, it is amazing!
Love the videos! Makes me feel like I am right there with you ! Thanks for the photos, videos, dialogue, etc!
Glad you are enjoying!
Wow Kevin, what an experience. That lion was mighty close to you! Did you notice the gland dripping from the big matriarch elephant in your video. I found this online about it in females: “You may recall that elephants sweat only around their toenails, because they do not possess sweat glands like we do. Interestingly, temporal glands serve as modified apocrine sweat glands. They produce an oily secretion containing cholesterol, phenol, and cresol when the animal is excited or anxious.” Interesting, as I only knew about the male elephants going into a seasonal Musth, when they get very cranky and aggressive.
Very interesting. I did not know that. And to answer your question I guess I didn’t notice the gland dripping, but I will stay alert for it next time.
I also loved the lions soundtrack. We heard this while camping in tents in Ol Pejeta Conservancy. Scary when your just getting up in the morning and it’s still dark out and you need to make your way to the outhouse
Indeed, in most Parks they even tell you to drive to the restroom in the campground just to be sure.
I hope you sleep inside your green dragon!
I do, but in all past trips I have been in a tent on the ground. Experience suggests that if you are in your tent with a non see-through cover then lions will not bother you amazingly. However, as my friend Rick found out last year if you have a transparent tent so that you are visible from the outside then its an entirely different matter.
You need to explain that we DID have a hyena come into our camp one night last summer in Tanzania and leave teeth marks on Bill’s guitar (left out on a camp chair) and footprints on the case!! Otherwise, people may be wondering about your reference in your post. 🙂
OK, bit that was a secret reference for Bill to get.
Stay inside the green dragon please. I watched a show and did not like what I saw about the animals that hunt at the campsites for some human beef, it really scared me. It also had an elephant charge a jeep and knock it over and then stop on it. Maybe she/he had babies nearby. Please be careful. Love and hugs. Joan
Please don’t worry, it’s all part of the adventure, and if I have to go, that’s the way I want to go! Love ya.
I’m glad the elephant decided you were Ok!
I love the muddy Cape buffalo (reminds me of George). Also, what a beautiful stork!
Enjoy!!
Ha, hi to george from the buffalo.
Amazing videos and photos Kevin! And those nighttime soundtracks… not your usual symphony of frogs and crickets that usually put campers to sleep. I’m not sure I’d get much sleep there. Yikes!
Okay, your turn to be quizzed, although not difficult for you birders… What is the gender of the saddle-billed stork in the photo you posted?
Love the videos and sounds.looks like you’re having a great time… Steve and I are off to the Canadian maritime’s june,1 for two weeks .
#1: “Giraffe”
#2: “Butt shape”
#3: “4 babies and 1 daddy”
#4: “12”
#5 “7 babies and 1 daddy”
Good job Skylar, except #2 should have been a “circle” silly. What’s a “butt” shape? Love Gander
Skylar and I just caught up (didn’t realize her & Dada already answered!) but she is insistent that the impalas are deer. Gander, what are the key differences between the species so I can convince the 2 year old! Also who was breathing loudly in the impala video? Sounded like a hog or something. Love you!
For Skylar we can say they are more or less an African deer, even though they are not. Tel her that there are lots of different kinds of “deer” in Africa that come in different sizes, colors and shapes and have very different looking horns on their heads. Love ya!
Terrific account and pictures-videos. Most enjoyable.
Love the videos. Thanks for sharing.
I remember trying mopane worms in Botswana. It was like eating a stick…. Good luck trying to get close-minded Americans to replace their beef patties with bug-burgers! 🙂
Agree! I have no desire to live on mopane worms. Love ya.