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The Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park (KTP)


Panthera Pardus

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Panthera Pardus

@@africapurohit - very very lucky indeed. In 70 trips to Kruger we had a fleeting sighting twice. We see at least one on a trip to the KTP and most times long enough to get a picture.

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Panthera Pardus

Thanks @@Dam2810 - you will not regret it

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I don't usually go mad for bird photos, but these are really some of the best I've seen on this forum. Awesome- love the black shouldered kite and the upside down bateleur, and the white faces Scops- I don't think I've ever seen one in daylight.

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Panthera Pardus

@@stokeygirl - thanks stokeygirl. White faced scops is regularly see in Nossob Camp and we have seen it many times on a game drive.

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kittykat23uk

I still haven't seen a honey badger! Are there areas that are particularly good for them that are worth checking out?

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Panthera Pardus

@@kittykat23uk - one comes regularly to the Grootkolk waterhole. We also see them often driving south from Grootkolk.The area around Nossob has been good for us too. We have only seen one on the Auob side and that was near 13th Borehole. Other people have had good sightings around Urikaruus and 13th Borehole.

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Panthera Pardus

Just because the honey badger is so popular and that Bedinkt sighting was our best, here are a few more that we managed to get pictures of.

 

These two south of Grootkolk at the Kaa Intersection (Val is my daughter in law). They were in a hurry but we saw them running in the rivrbed for about 200 meters before they crossed the road

 

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The one at 13th Borehole

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Nossob Rivebed near Kannagauss

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Near Rooiputs - if you see Pale Chanting Goshawks on the floor, scan the area, they waiting for whatever the HB digs up

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Just south of Nossob

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This just for you stokeygirl - usually seen just north of Urikaruus

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Edited by Panthera Pardus
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africapurohit

I have a copy of the honey badger documentary "The Meanest Animal in the World?" that was filmed in Tsavo, Kenya. This also films and discusses the relationship between honey badgers and pale chanting goshawks.

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That is so interesting to know, AP. Will put that documentary on my list. Off topic- with your (and others) very interesting collection of documentaries, could we perhaps compile a list of the really good non-cat/unusual animal documentaries in one place in the reviews thread? Could be birds, reptiles, mammals - anything really except for the cats and parks which are all quite well known? Or perhaps we could list those too, but separately?

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Panthera Pardus

Thanks @@africapurohit, will try to get hold of it

 

Good idea @@Sangeeta. There is amazing, must watch documentary on honey badgers titled the "Snake Killers of the Kalahari" . The first link is a little fragment from that doccie and the second link is the doccie when you have time to see it. Will not spoil itby telling you more

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEAGxQqC6hI

 

and no, just cannot understand the comments some people make on youtube :angry:

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africapurohit

@@Sangeeta I have thought about doing it with my collection (around 150 African wildlife documentaries). I've almost finished cataloguing my movie collection electronically (using dvd/blu-ray bar codes), with almost 2000 movies. The documentaries will be my next project.

 

@@Panthera Pardus sorry to go off topic.

 

P.S. I also have the original Nat Geo dvd of "Snake Killers of the Kalahari".

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This has helped me so much with our trip planning for KTP. Have been busy marking the places you mention on the map. Thanks for the info on entering from Nambia, a great help. Pen

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What a wealth of information you have presented about this part of southern Africa. Thanks

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Panthera Pardus

@@penolva - you welcome

 

@@johnkok - thanks, still a long way to go

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Panthera Pardus

We in Nossob Now.

 

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A relatively large camp compared to the Wilderness camps but nothing like a Skukuza or Satara in Kruger. Nosson offers wonderful sunsets

 

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and as you enjoy a sundowner you will see squirrels and yelow mongoose that will pose for you

 

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Black backed jackals will also be around, careful, they have been known to run off with that juicy steak on the braai. Yes, some people still do feed them.

 

Although the area around Nossob has a lot to offer, we are first and foremost in lion country

 

You will see them walking alongside the road

 

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Walking on the road

 

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Sleeping on the road

 

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Eating on the road

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Just lazing around on the road

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Hunting from the road

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Nossob has a hide. You will see them here too

 

 

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they will see you too in the hide

 

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They will be under the hide, in the shade

 

 

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yes you will walk above them on the path leading to the hide, they will be mating

 

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Little ones sprawled out alongside the road

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while big ones look at you

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Love it !!!

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Panthera Pardus

Driving south form Nossob, it is worthwhile taking the Marie se Draai loop. This will add 20km to the journey but the waterhole at Marie se Gat can be very rewrding early in the morning and late afternoon. Lions, caracals, brown hyena and cheetah are regularly seen. Leopards less frequently. There also the antelopes.

 

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Kaspersedraai waterhole is good for lions, brown hyena, honey badger and leopards

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A close encounter

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Look in the trees for African Wild Cat

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kittykat23uk

African wild cats look very similar to Indian jungle cat. :)

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Just a beautiful, beautiful piece of photo journalism.

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Panthera Pardus

@@kittykat23uk - never new about the Indian Jungle cat, googled it - just like the AWC. Thanks for the info

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Panthera Pardus

Oops, made a duplicate post and don't know how to dellete one of them.

 

@@Sangeeta - thank you

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Panthera Pardus

We still driving south on the Nossob side. The picture below will give you an idea of the landscape

 

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Look out for cape fox, bat eared fox and meerkat dens. Some of them are close to the road, on both the Nossob and Auob sides, and you are likely to see them early in the morning. Park off and they will settle down and give you a treat.

 

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from September depending when the first rains come, there will be plenty of rodents: stripe mice, tree rats, whistling rats, elephant shrews.

 

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Which means the cape cobra and puff adder will be out too and you have a good chance of seeing both

 

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The cape cobra also feeds on the puff adder and people have seen the cobra kill and swallow an adder. People have also seen adders mating on the road. Both on my wish list

 

Also out for the rodents will be the raptores

 

A black shouldered kite hovering before it dives is an amazing site

 

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Oops, made a duplicate post and don't know how to dellete one of them.

 

@@Sangeeta - thank you

one of my new magical powers............. duplicate post has gone.

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BTW these images are lovely and really enjoying the whole thread.

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Panthera Pardus

Thank you @@wilddog for your magical powers and for the kind words :)

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