Touch Africa Safaris

The African Harrier-hawk, Harrier Hawk or Gymnogene is a bird of prey. It breeds in most of Africa south of the Sahara. The only other member of the genus is the allopatric Madagascar Harrier-hawk.

One of the smaller residents in the camp - a Scops Owl - photo taken in Satara Camp, Kruger National Park

African Jacana - (Actophilornis africanus). Great shot of a Jacana on his nest with the eggs. Interestingly enough it is the male that builds the nest and incubates the eggs.

Pied Kingfisher, Pilanesberg Game Reserve.

Seeing lions during Golden hour just makes them look that much more majestic!

Have a great week!

The African Buffalo is a large sub-Saharan African bovine. the Cape Buffalo is the typical subspecies, and the largest one, found in Southern and East Africa.

This Giraffe can see the weekend!

Saw Sable Antelope for the first time in many years in Kruger. This is one of the rarer species and is only found in very specific areas in Kruger. This is the male of a small herd just outside Pretoriuskop, in the Terminalia woodland.

The White-backed Vulture is an Old World vulture in the family Accipitridae, which also includes eagles, kites, buzzards and hawks. It is closely related to the European griffon vulture

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South African National Parks

Orpen Memorial Rocks - Kruger National Park

In honour of Eileen Orpen who donated seven farms to the Kruger National Park. She donated the farms in 1944 in aid of conservation. Eileen is also honoured by having one of the Kruger National Park gates named after her, Orpen Gate.

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Three Rondawels, Blyde River Canyon. The word Rondawel (Ron.Da.vil) is the Afrikaans name for the traditional cylindrical housing structures commonly associated with the indigenous African peoples.

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The distinctly beautiful face of the Bateleur Eagle - this one was spotted and photographed in the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park

The Secretary Bird is one of South Africa's stranger birds. Actually a member of the vulture family, it can fly but spends most of its' time on the ground. You find them, sometimes singly or in a pair, patrolling the grasslands on the hunt for food - snakes, scorpions, spiders, solifugids and insects.

Kruger National Park - Here is a shot of the Golden Orb-web Spider showing the amazing colours on her back. Behind her are the remains of prey - these are left in the web on purpose. The prey forms a pattern in the centre of the web - called a "stabilimentum" - and it is big enough so that birds can see it - and then do not fly through the web.

The woodland kingfisher is a tree kingfisher that is widely distributed in Africa south of the Sahara.

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Southern Africa plays host to many different species of Chameleon.

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Cheetah on the hunt - outside Mata Mata camp in the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park

Kruger National Park. A very rare sighting - an African Wild Cat

Black-Backed Jackal drinking at a waterhole in the Nossob River - Kalahari Gemsbok National Park

A Waterbuck male!

always distinguishable by their unique markings on their hindquarters

Punda Maria lies in the northernmost part of the Kruger National Park, 8km from Punda Maria Gate.

The camp is situated in the Sandveld region which is often described as the botanical garden of the Kruger National Park. There are numerous plant species which occur that are unique to the area. Game species most likely to be sighted include impala, zebra, buffalo, elephant, eland and sable, and the area is a bird paradise.

This little guy stuck his head out the grass verge - and the look of "surprise" on his face is just too cute. He seemed to do the look-left-look-right thing, waited for Mom to catch up, and then went across the road with Mom in close attendance. White (Square-lipped) Rhino, Hluhluwe Game Reserve, Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa

Have a good week!

Letaba Camp - Kruger National Park. One of the camp residents - a Bushbuck. These antelope have found a safe haven in the camp and are incredibly tame - to the extent of stealing food off your plate if you let them!

Market places like these are such fun little places to spend your afternoon!

Some cute inhabitants of the desert regions - Ground Squirrels

A cute little elephant covered in mud!

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