Indholdsfortegnelse for Summer 2020-2021 i Kruger Magazine

Summer in the South African bush is a season of abundance. Summer is baby boom season for many antelope species – newborn baby impalas are everywhere! Migratory birds arrive… the woodland kingfisher’s call has become a prize in family participation as to who hears it first. Yellow-billed kites share the sky with other raptors, and the knobthorn trees have carpets of off-wite remains underneath them as they shed their bloom. It is also the time that reptiles become very active, as the summer heat is in full swing – and one of the most fascinating reptiles is the monitor. Whether you are lucky enough to see a water monitor or a rock monitor, it is quite a special creature to spot, especially in the Greater Kruger. Donald Strydom, one of…

I am told that my first visit to the Kruger National Park was in September 1959 at the age of 14 months to visit my father’s family who worked in the Park for 23 years. It was the start of a life-long passion for the bush. And what a privilege it still is to visit. My earliest memories of the Kruger are of arriving at Numbi Gate with my parents and being greeted by Judas with a smart salute as you enter. The world outside ceases to exist as you know it. The scrunch of the sand beneath your feet, the scarlet-chested sunbirds sipping nectar from the coral trees and the hot sun on your shoulders. The whisper of the grass and the scent of the potato bush. My beloved…

Both species are rather noisy, making harsh but characteristic guttural sounds. The alarm call of the helmeteds is a harsh kek-kek-kek-churrrrrrr, and the crested’s is a staccato chuck-chuck-chuck-chuck-chuckaduck-chuckaduck, with some syllables slightly less loud. The helmeteds also make a gentle characteristic to-tooey to-tooey to-tooey. Scan the QR code or visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOW3UjZlIiofor the sound recording of the HELMETED GUINEAFOWL. Produced by Neal Aggarwal Scan the QR code or visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=-iIjwZmbcJMfor the sound recording of the CRESTED GUINEAFOWL. Produced by Craig Symes…

» Pretoriuskop (-25.169299, 31.268669) – The first rest camp and gateway to the Kruger National Park « Joep Stevens is a keen historian who was introduced to the Kruger National Park by his parents in 1966. This ignited his interest in and passion for the Park. In Issue 13 of KRUGER MAGAZINE, we featured the Lower Sabie Camp’s history. In Issue 14 we look at the history of Pretoriuskop Camp. Origin of Pretoriuskop In the south-western portion of the Park, close to the western boundary, lies Pretoriuskop, one of the first three camps to open. The other two are Skukuza and Satara. It was the first rest camp of which location was not dependent on any secondary criteria, such as rangers post, previous military outpost or place where the railway…

If you prefer camping because you want to experience nature firsthand, your choice should fall on the Balule Satellite Camp – one of the preferred camps in the Kruger National Park. Set in the heart of the Park, Balule – named after the XiTsonga word for the Olifants River – is almost always fully booked, despite the fact that there is no power. “Even though you don’t camp, you can still share the experience.” Other than the rustic camps in the Park, Balule can be classified between the traditional rustic and fully serviced camping offered at the main camps, as it has six three-sleeper budget huts for overnighters or backpackers, and even though you don’t camp, you can still share the experience. “A low fence is the only barrier that…

In spite of the fact that BBJs and their habitats are protected in the Park, a decline in their numbers almost certainly took place from the mid-1970s onwards. At that time, we were engaged in a census of the lion population of the area between the Sabie and Olifants River. We would put out baits at night to attract the lions for capture and marking, which allowed us to record their numbers. We systematically worked our way through the whole area. In those times, scarcely a night would pass without one or more BBJs also being attracted to our baits. Sometimes as many as 10 to 15 would arrive and we had to shoo them away to prevent them finishing off our bait!…

Over the years, Pretoriuskop has had its fair share of fires. On 14 November 1989, the old shop with its typical T-shape building burnt down, apparently due to an electric fault. In 1998, during a heavy thunderstorm late one night, lightning struck the old restaurant building, setting the roof alight. A small firefighting team from Skukuza as well as Pretoriuskop rangers, battled the fire until daybreak and managed to save the kitchen complex behind the restaurant. In 2007 the newly developed linen room with camp laundry behind the shop burnt down and arson was suspected.…

There are many options when planning a game drive around the Balule Satellite Camp area with the Olifants River flowing right past the camp. There is always an abundance of plains game coming down to drink and graze at the river. “Leopards generally lie up during the day in the thickest covert they can find, reeds, bush, or long grass. When their lairs are rocky krantzes and kopjes, where the mid-day sun beats down upon the sparsely covered rocks so that the surface becomes almost red hot, they like to creep into caves and crevices, where they lie sheltered until the cool, dark hours arrive.” Water birds can be seen everywhere and if you park on the low-water bridge crossing the Olifants River, you will get stunning photos of kingfishers,…

We all have photographs that, while they may not be the ultimate in photographic art, are memorable and have a special place in our heart. Here is a look at some of mine – photographs I have shot over the years that have a special meaning to me and that show an interesting technique, effect or situation. « Roger de la Harpe is a freelance photographer based in South Africa. He has long had a passion for conservation, natural history, wild places and indigenous cultures and has plied his trade in various regions of the African continent for 25 years. With his wife, Pat, he has published 27 coffee-table books, the most recent of which, African Icons, celebrates Africa’s  most iconic features and creatures. Two previous books, In Search of…

The word nDzuti means ‘shadow’ or ‘shade’ in the local Shangaan language, and aptly so, as the camp is situated in the shadow on the slope of a marvellous boulder koppie – landmarks indigenous to the area and used as look-out points all over Maseke. hey say people buy T from people, not from companies – similarly, guests book at nDzuti Safari Camp because of the people, who happen to be the hosts of a place where you can kick off your shoes and make yourself comfortable for the duration of your stay – while your every need is seen to! “The word nDzuti means ‘shadow’ or ‘shade’ in the local Shangaan language.” Bruce and Judy Meeser, owner operators of nDzuti Safari Camp, which is situated in the Maseke Game…

COMPETITION! All KRUGER MAGAZINE Facebook members are invited to share their favourite spots with the community. The TOP 3 winning entries are chosen by the KRUGER MAGAZINE executive team and will be announced on the KRUGER MAGAZINE Facebook group. Popular votes by members of the Facebook group will be taken into consideration in combination with engaging entries. CLICKPACKGO sponsors our popular AUTUMN 2021 FAVOURITE SPOTS competition! Click Pack Go specialises in accommodation options in and around the Greater Kruger, breathtaking game drives, important and interesting information on the areas surrounding Greater Kruger and unique and convenient Bush Boxes! Prizes 1 st prize – Leo N’ora River Lodge, Mjejane Private Game Reserve, two-night weekend for a maximum of 10 people, self-catering. 2 nd prize – KrugerExplorer APP –…