Maroela Camp Kruger National Park days 4 and 5 2014

Ended day three at Kruger National Park with lions on the road and started day four with wild dogs, the first time I’d seen them.  Two adults, four sub adults and four pups.  They are mottled almost like a calico color and each very different.

The pups were so inquisitive, stopping at every little leaf and bug along the road.  We followed them for almost 3 km before they disappeared into the bush.

Also seen along the road was snails with shells about five inches long.  They come out after the rain, which happened daily.

We saw several huge herds of buffalo, up to 300 head.  This is a really good sign as 20 years ago they were almost decimated from Kruger due to catching TB from cattle on ranches adjacent to the park.

Steenbok

It’s mind boggling to remember all the kinds of antelope and would take me years to recognize the differences.  Thank goodness I’m with Joan who knows them all.

Watched a herd of at least 60 elephants come down to the water to drink, cool off, and for the little ones play.

Not only are the spots on each giraffe different but their horns identify gender.  Females have furry looking tops and males have a solid bump.  And then there are anomalies.  Can you tell which sex this one is?

And of course they are extremely tall with adults standing at 20 feet.  BTW, this security guard on his bicycle carried a rifle on his back.

We spent a couple hours mid-day at the Orpen pool wallowing like hippos then rushed back to Maroela Camp to close up tents against the impending rain.  Started out on an afternoon drive but when the wind picked up ferociously returned to camp where we sat in the truck watching the pouring rain form a river around the tents.  As soon as the rain stopped the ground dried out but Joan’s tent and mattress did not.  Lesson learned to always put up the tarp.

The next morning’s drive started out with zebras, impalas and an elephant under sunrise plus a Black Stork and Waterbuck.  Also saw a Giant Eagle Owl that was very far from the road and much more.  After several hours out we returned to camp and made an effort to dry our gear plus work online for a while.

Then out for a late afternoon drive where we saw lions on the road as we rushed back to camp before the gate closed.  This seemed to become a pattern.

After a night of more rain and no electricity in camp to make coffee we packed our soggy gear into the back of the truck and took a slow drive to Satara in the hopes of finding some breakfast.  Many of the park’s restaurants are closed because of a change in concessions.

Animals seen:  Wild Dog, Lion, Spiders, Snails, Buffalo, Giraffe, Baboon, Steenbok, Elephant, Korhaan, Chameleon, Hyena, Zebra, Impala, Black Stork, Waterbuck, Hippo, Vulture, Giant Eagle Owl, Gray Duiker, Burchell’s Coucal