From busy Jo-berg we traveled west to the beautiful Magaliesberg Mountains to visit a Cheetah Reserve. I was happy to learn that outreach education here is directed at schools and also livestock ranchers, to encourage new methods to protect flocks against this endangered species and other predators in ways that don't harm the predators. We also saw a band of African Wild Dogs which one seldom sees in the wild. Then a long drive east through areas with large farm and ranch holdings to Grasskop where we spent time the next day walking/hiking above the Blyde River Canyon (third largest in the world after the Grand and the Copper). Blyde, however, is a green canyon and the area around it is a nature reserve. The land above the canyon has blocky-looking sandstone outcrops everywhere and is just stunning and part of the northern Drakensberg Mountains.
Then onto Kruger National Park for the next three days where we sighted the Big 5 (leopard, lions, cape buffalo, elephants and rhinos), numerous antelopes (nyala, kudu, bushbuck, waterbuck, impala), wildebeest, zebras, giraffes, warthogs, hippos, and wonderful birds. Although I have been on many game drives in Africa, our second day in Kruger was the most exciting yet. In the morning a black mamba (Africa's most venomous snake) took a warning jump about 2-3 feet high right alongside our vehicle - not a foot from where I sat. This was a new experience for Dylan, our ranger, and he wasn't happy about it. During the afternoon's walking safari we watched as an old bull elephant crossed the wide river in front of us and come within 50 feet of the rock on which we were warily sitting. Just as he passed, the wind changed and he scented us, swung around and snorted and bellowed and made like he might charge. At that point one of our (armed) rangers (the same one who had been so upset by the mamba in the morning) got up, strode in front of us and started to loudly mimic the call of the go-away bird, which says "go away, go away, go away". His partner shouted as well and when Dylan picked up a stick to wave at the elephant, the behemoth turned and sauntered away. Apparently, the interpretation was that the elephant was invading our space, and we challenged him back. Also, the fact that we were on a rock outcrop was a positive thing for us - elephants prefer walking on the ground. Just another very exciting day in Africa!
Then onto Kruger National Park for the next three days where we sighted the Big 5 (leopard, lions, cape buffalo, elephants and rhinos), numerous antelopes (nyala, kudu, bushbuck, waterbuck, impala), wildebeest, zebras, giraffes, warthogs, hippos, and wonderful birds. Although I have been on many game drives in Africa, our second day in Kruger was the most exciting yet. In the morning a black mamba (Africa's most venomous snake) took a warning jump about 2-3 feet high right alongside our vehicle - not a foot from where I sat. This was a new experience for Dylan, our ranger, and he wasn't happy about it. During the afternoon's walking safari we watched as an old bull elephant crossed the wide river in front of us and come within 50 feet of the rock on which we were warily sitting. Just as he passed, the wind changed and he scented us, swung around and snorted and bellowed and made like he might charge. At that point one of our (armed) rangers (the same one who had been so upset by the mamba in the morning) got up, strode in front of us and started to loudly mimic the call of the go-away bird, which says "go away, go away, go away". His partner shouted as well and when Dylan picked up a stick to wave at the elephant, the behemoth turned and sauntered away. Apparently, the interpretation was that the elephant was invading our space, and we challenged him back. Also, the fact that we were on a rock outcrop was a positive thing for us - elephants prefer walking on the ground. Just another very exciting day in Africa!
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