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Baby elephant at Addo Elephant National Park

International visitors to South Africa all has Kruger Park on their lists of places to see in the country but what many of them don't realise is that you can get just as good an experience in the Eastern Cape.  Addo Elephant National Park is probably one of the most under rated game parks in the country with perceptions changing as soon as people get there.  You may not be able to spend 4 or 5 days there like in Kruger, but…

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23/01/2014
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Buffalo in the rain

Most people associate Addo Elephant National Park with elephants only, but its really so much more than that.  The park has had Cape Buffalo right from the start although they stuck to the bush and lived a nocturnal life due to hunters in the early days.  After lions were introduced into the park the buffalo changed the behaviour back to normal and visitors started seeing them more and more.  My last visit was on a rainy day and we found a big…

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05/01/2014
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Viewing elephants from the underground hide

The underground hide close to the Addo Elephant National Park's Main Restcamp waterhole is a great spot to watch elephants from when they visit.  You can get a lot closer to them than from the lookout with the only drawback the fact that you cut their feet and the edge of their trunks off because of the angle.

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28/12/2013
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Save our rhino in the sand

Rhino poaching is a serious issue in South Africa and the more awareness that is created the better.  Playing his part in this is the sand sculptor at Hobie Beach.  Passing by the other morning I spotted his sand rhino and had to snap a picture.

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05/12/2013
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Hello baby

Baby elephants never venture very far from their mothers and isn't always that easy to photograph as they zig-zag in-between legs and duck under adults.  This little guy looked quite at ease just playing around while mommy and the other big elephants were browsing next to the road in the rain.  We were about an hour into our game drive at Addo Elephant National Park and even though we've already has some great ellie sightings, having them so close to…

5 Comments
26/11/2013
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Bromance

A couple of elephant bulls interacting at Hapoor waterhole in the Addo Elephant National Park.  Nothing wrong with a bit of brotherly love or bromance.

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29/10/2013
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Approaching with confidence

When this boytjie matures a bit more he will be a really impressive bull.  Not that he isn't already.  He's only problem is that he is an Addo bull so he will never have the huge tusks that the Kruger bulls have. 

3 Comments
22/10/2013
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Waterhole interaction

A couple of young bulls interacting at the Hapoor Waterhole in the Addo Elephant National Park just like a couple of young men would at their local watering hole

5 Comments
01/10/2013
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Close encounters of the ellie kind

I always say that Addo is probably the best place in the world to watch wild African elephants in their natural environment and to get fairly up close sightings.  Its not because these elephants are tame, not by a long shot.  Over the years they have just gotten used to vehicles and as long as you don't intrude on their space and they don't feel threatened,  the chances are often good that they would walk right by your vehicle.  I…

6 Comments
26/09/2013