big 5

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Ellies after sunset

Going on a game drive at Lalibela Game Reserve outside Port Elizabeth recently we were lucky to have quite a few very good sightings of rhino, giraffe and lion on the afternoon game drive.  Unfortunately even though the ranger knew where the elephants were we just couldn't catch sight of them.  As the sun disappeared in the west followed by the full moon rising in the east the elephants suddenly appeared out of the thick valley they were feeding.  The light was just…

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22/07/2012
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Wit Renosters

Dit is 'n hartseer realiteit dat die renosters in Suid-Afrika onder 'n hengse druk geplaas word as gevolg van stropers wat hulle skiet en die horings uitkap.  Die horings word dan na die Ooste gesmokkel waar daar 'n groot aanvraag is omdat hulle dink die horings medisinale kragte het.  Dis 'n baie hartseer situasie en as dit nie gou gestop word nie mag daar dalk geen renosters oor wees in hierdie land oor 10 jaar nie.Die witrenoster (Ceratotherium simum) is nie regtig wit nie.  Hy…

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07/06/2012
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Die Groot Vyf

Wie of wat is die Groot Vyf?  Kom ons wees meer spesifiek en sê die Groot Vyf van die diereryk, anders dink mense dalk ons praat van lande, natuurwonders of toerisme-attraksies.  So, wie of wat is die Groot Vyf van die diereryk?  Dis nie die vyf grootste diere of die mooiste vyf nie, maar die vyf wilde diere wat die gevaarlikste was om te voet te jag in Afrika.  Ek sê was want vandag is dit niks om 'n dier vanaf die agterkant…

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03/05/2012
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Life is one big buffet

Elephants need to eat about between 160 and 200kg of vegetation per day which means that they basically eat all day as they go.  For them, life is on long buffet.

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19/01/2012
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The local waterhole

Hapoor Waterhole is the most popular water(ing) hole in Addo Elephant National Park for the locals (both males and females) to hang out at and as they don't serve alcoholic drinks the littlies are also welcome.

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29/12/2011
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Two of the Big 5

Visitors to the Addo Elephant National Park often go home with stories of magnificent elephant sightings and sometimes have an awesome story to tell of how an elephant walked so close past their car that you could reach out and touch him (just don't actually go and do it).  On a good day you could also tick buffalo, lion and perhaps even black rhino off your "spotting the Big 5 list", but not often can one say that you had more than one…

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19/12/2011
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Addo elephant

One of my favorite parts of being a tourist guide used to be sitting in Addo Elephant National Park and watching the elephants do whatever... Coming down to the water, eating, walking along, standing around, ripping a bush apart, little ones playing, big ones stamping out there authority, whatever... At one stage I used to go to Addo up to 5 or 6 times a week and I never got tired of seeing these huge animals. Pity I didn't have…

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24/11/2010
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Walking with elephants

The Addo Elephant National Park is one of Port Elizabeth's biggest attractions. There is very few game viewing experiences that get close to having a big herd of elephants passing within arm's length of your car. But for those who wants a more personal elephant experience, a visit to Addo Elephants Back Safaris in the Zuurberg Mountains is a must. Although the main activity there is riding the elephants, my favorite experience was walking with them. It gives you the…

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20/09/2010