Kruger National Park
Monday - 10 Apr 2000
South Africa
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In 1898, President Kruger proclamed the area betwen the Crocodile and Sabie Rivers as the Sabie reserve
Major James Stevenson-Hamilton was apointed the first warden and told to manage a piece of land the size of the Netherlands. The short statured, short tempered Scotsman achived this and earned himself the name "Skukuza", meaning he ho turns things upside down. Piete Grobler, Minister of Lands in 1926, takes the credit for legalising the reserve as a National Park. He successfully passed the Bill on National Parks throug the government and named the area Kruger National Park
Yellowbilled hornbill
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Giraffe
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We experienced these beauties as very curious animals. Itīs the worldīs tallest mammal with a total length 4,6-5,7 m. and the males weight can start at 970 kg. and go up to 1.400 kg. The female is not that heavy, her weight should not be more than 700-950 kg.
Elefant
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Most of the times we have seen elefants they have been calm, peacefull and majestic. But sometimes these large animals gets upset and very angry and may attack or chase anything that is moving, including the car you are in.
Our car was hit by another car, that was chased by an angry elefant, (it was like watching a cat chasing a mouse - Scarry if you think about the weight of the elefant compared with the cats.) The driver being so scared he forgot to look where he was going.
Lilacbreasted roller
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Watching monkyes from a car is quiet safe if you remember to close the windovs.
Vervet monkeys
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How do you recognize a waterbuck??
You simpley look at the bud of the buck, and if it looks like it have been sitting on a newly paintet toiletseat, itīs a waterbuck!!!! In contrary to the oryx the waterbuck needs water, and always stays close to it, hence the name I guess.
Greater blue-eared starling
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**THERE IS NOTHING LIKE A COOL DRINK AFTER A HARD DAYS WORK ON THE SAVANNA**
These interesting and fun to watch baboons live in groups from 15 to 100 indiviuals.
They often sit around in the long grass, queitley going about their buissnes.
Donīt let this fool you, they can be very agressive and is best observed from a car with the windows firmley closed.
Itīs amazing to watch the animals and giraffes are NOT boring - I think they are a mix of being very graceful and still they seem to be a bit snobbish, the stiff way they are walking and the way they are looking down at you, (obvious because of their long legs and neck!)
Giraffe
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The saying goes, that you can tame a horse but you can't tame a zebra.....
That is not the only difference of the two species. The habitat of the zebra would be in Africa, usually in flat areas where they would be an easy target of their enemy the lion. Here we can talk about the zebras are very lucky indeed of their stripes, because the stripes will confuse the lion to stay focused on one zebra for a very long time, and thefore the lion will give up quicker.
Huge and majestic. With a weight going up to 6.300 kg. it IS huge!
The elephant is unmistakable "The Lord of Africa". The grandness, the magnificent trunk, the beautiful white tusks and the large ears.
Impala
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The most common sight in Kruger, the impala.
Only the rams carry the long graceful horns.
Helmeted guineafowl
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Having a GREAT time!!!
A well earned break
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