Safari

VulcanSpirit
Richard & Alison Brunstrom
Tue 19 Jan 2016 02:52
Here are a few animal shots from the Kruger, largely unannotated because they are self-explanatory:


Actually, this first one is not. It’s a black rhino calf, the first one born in this area for over 300 years (where we went had briefly been ‘farmland’ with all wild animals exterminated. It’s now back within the expanded Kruger fence, and animals are  being reintroduced. There are fewer than 3000 black rhinos in the world, so this little guy is important. Note the finger-like upper lip used to rip small branches off bushes - the best way to distinguish them from white rhinos which graze grasses.


And below, a close-up of her coat:


Chillin’:


The best way to tell that a lion is a juvenile is from the pink nose. But if you’re close enough to see that …….

 
 


A rather lugubrious white rhino - note the square lip. About 1500 of these were killed by poachers (often in an almost unbelievably gruesomely cruel manner) last year in SA alone. Almost all the horn goes to Vietnam for ‘traditional’ Chinese medicines. At this rate they will soon be extinct.



And lastly, a klippspringer. These delightful small antelope live on rocky outcrops, and as you can see in the photo, walk on their toes.