Going on a game drive at Kuzuko Lodge

Over the Zuurberg mountains in the southern part of the Eastern Cape's Karoo Heartland lies a place of glory. That bit should actually be written with caps as Kuzuko Lodge's slogan is Place of Glory. Most game reserves are located in a part of the province where lush subtropical thicket vegetation is prevalent which makes Kuzuko different. Wide-open spaces, sparse vegetation, dry climate and often warmer temperatures. Due to this Kuzuko doesn't have big numbers of animals like the other…

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Buffing at the local waterhole

A Buffalo having a drink at one of the waterholes in Addo Elephant National Park with the Zuurberg Mountains in the background. The Cape Buffalo (Syncerus caffer) is one of Africa's Big 5, are grazers that feed mainly on grass and are known to kill lions while defending their own. A bull can weigh between 650 to 1000 kg, the distance between the tips of its horns can reach upwards of one meter and the buffalo kills more hunters than…

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Warning: Buffalo Crossing

South Africa's roads have many different road signs.  Some you see everywhere and sometimes you get those who crop up and make you do a double take.  When it comes to people and animals on the road there are quite a few.  Pedestrian crossing signs.  Warning signs for cattle, tortoises, children, poth-o-les (I'm not sure what a poth-o-le is and what it looks like though.  Must be some kind of nocturnal animal), kudus, cats and even penguins.  I have even seen signs with elephants…

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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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Jozi Zoo animals

Following yesterday's post on the Johannesburg Zoo, I decided to post a couple of random animal photos I took on our visit.  I have said so before and I will say so again (and again and again and again) that I much rather prefer to visit a game reserve and look for the animals in their natural environment.  The problem is that not everybody in society gets the opportunity to visit game reserves and thus zoos will always be the…

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Big 5

The Big Five was the phrase given by big-game hunters to the five most difficult or dangerous animals in Africa to hunt on foot. These days the Big 5 is high on the list of must-see attractions on a tourist's list of things to do or see when visiting South Africa. I present to you, The Big 5. African Elephant (Loxodonta africana)Lion (Panthera leo)Cape Buffalo (Syncerus caffer)White Rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum) (above) or Black Rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) Leopard (Panthera pardus)

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