On the “Mozambique Beach and Bush” tour that Sunway Safaris runs the last two nights are spent in the wonderful Kruger National Park. Greg has the fololowing experience to share with us...

Here we spend two days doing game drives around the various routes around the park trying to find animals of all types. The Kruger National Park is renowned for big game viewing offering the big 5 just to name a few, in an area of around 20 000 square kilometres. On our second day in the park, we were lucky enough to spot lions at a distance, spotted hyenas, hippos, crocodiles and various antelope during the morning.

We then treated the clients to a scrumptious pancake brunch before departing for the return leg back to camp. About five kilometres into our drive we came across a few cars in the road viewing something. We approached slowly to find a great sighting right on the side of the road. Two male cheetahs were just relaxing in the shade out of the hot sun giving all of us a great opportunity for some camera action. Cheetahs are not part of the big five but are just as special to see especially this close to the road. Male cheetahs are often found together forming coalitions that have a better chance of holding on to territories for a longer period than a single male.

They mark these territories by urinating against objects that stand out like tree's, termite mounds and even road signs, if in a coalition all the males contribute to the making. These coalitions are usually siblings that live together for life, but sometimes males from different mothers can join each other. The males choise a point  that overlaps a few female homeranges creating a much smaller space which can be defended properly against other males, maximizing the chance for reproduction. Females on the otherhand are solitary and have a homerange which is not defended. Interesting enough cheetah cannot roar but rank as one of the more vocal of the feline family. They have various bird like chirps mainly used in comunication between each other, males in a coalition or mother calling her cubs. Once again the world renowned Kruger National Park didn’t disappoint with its big game sightings!