Action and adrenalin spilt over at the bridge across the Mitomeni River in southern Kruger. The keen eyes of guide Estiaan Houy picked out a spot ted cat in the riverbed. Silence descended on the game drive vehicle from Jock Safari Lodge, which was the first private conces sion granted in South Africa’s flagship national park.
Careful scanning of the tall taupe grass revealed not one, but two of these elusive solitary creatures. Sometimes female leo pards are accompanied by their growing cubs. Opposite sexes generally mingle only for the period of courtship and mating. This pair transpired to be a cavorting male and a female.
Males can locate and mate with females as and when they enter oestrus and their hormones are at a level at which they are able to produce eggs. Females leave chemical clues in their urine and through constant calling. The male latches onto her scent using a gland on the palate that en ables him to measure hormone levels.
Denne historien er fra Summer 2019 / 2020-utgaven av Wild Magazine.
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Denne historien er fra Summer 2019 / 2020-utgaven av Wild Magazine.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Seeds of success
A champion at the indigenous nursery at Skukuza, Meurel Baloyi is on a mission to make all the rest camp gardens in Kruger water-wise.
Six of the best
|Ai-|Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park guarantees visitors a solid serving of adventure, often with a dash of adrenalin on the side. The rugged mountain desert now boasts even more outdoor activities.
Marvellous meerkats of Mata-Mata
Brace yourself to be welcomed suricate-style the next time you pitch camp at this ever-popular spot in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.
Who's who?
Even regular park-goers struggle to distinguish a rhebok from a reedbuck. The differences are subtle but significant.
Friends of the fluffball
White-fronted plovers breed in summer – the same time many people take their seaside holiday. A significant decline in their numbers means life is hardly ‘a day at the beach’ for these birds
Festive Karoo
On a Christmas holiday in the Karoo, a keen birder and his family soak up the heat in four Wild Card parks. Their reward included special sightings, endless views and a wilderness feeling.
Love struck
A leopard mating ritual is a rare and thrilling sight. Even more extraordinary to witness an amorous affair involving three members of this elusive Big Five species in Kruger.
Challenge the clock
For centuries Table Mountain National Park has inspired exploration, from hardcore climbing to gentle walks. Now runners and hikers can set a record or push boundaries for a personal best on an epic adventure to the top of 13 peaks.
Loud and clear
Woodland kingfishers are common in most rest camps in the Kruger National Park. Enjoy their evocative call during the summer months.
BEACH MODELS
Rocky shores and sandy beaches are where you’ll find the African black oystercatcher. Summer is breeding season, so look out for nest scrapes close to rocks and kelp.
