Buffalo portrait

I know I posted a picture of a couple of Addo buffs earlier on in the week, but I wanted to share this one with you as well.  It's nice when they look straight at you.  Makes for great pics.  Or I hope he was looking at me...

Addo Buffs

My quick trip through Addo last week didn't produce a big amount of elephants as usual.  I did get three separate Cape Buffalo sightings.  When I started working as a tourist guide 18 years ago the Cape Buffalo sightings were very few and far apart.  The Addo buffalo was basically nocturnal due to the hunting of big game that took place a hundred years earlier which lead to the buffalo starting to hide during the day and only coming out at night.  This all changed when Addo introduced lions into the park and the buffalo's' behavior literally took a 180 degree turnabout.  What makes the Cape Buffalo in Addo so unique is the fact that they are disease free.  The majority of buffalo throughout South Africa suffer from bovine tuberculosis (BTB) so buffalo from a place like Addo is regarded as Black Gold and is very sought after at game auctions.

Big boy drinking

There is nothing wrong with drinking alone.  Pity about the paparazzi audience...

Addo landscape

I was invited to the launch of the SPAR Kirkwood Wildsfees at the Addo Elephant National Park main camp yesterday and decided to take the scenic route through the park from Colchester.  Back when I was a tourist guide I used to visit the park as often as 5 or 6 times a week at one stage.  These days I don't get to visit nearly enough and is probably lucky if I get the time to visit once or twice a year.  An absolute crying shame if you ask me.  Even though I only had about 2 hours in the park it was enough to wet my whistle for another longer visit soon.  Just got to find the time though.

Addo roadblock

 

Nobody likes a road block, sitting bumper to bumper behind a slow moving object or having to waste time in a stop go situation.  That is unless you get all of these because of elephants in the Addo Elephant National Park.  I had a meeting in Addo and decided to leave two hours early and swing through the park to visit my favorite trunked pachyderms.  Entering the South Gate at Colchester, I decided to do one of the loops in the south section and encountered a whole herd ambling along in the road in front of me.  Best of all, the guy in the car in front of me wasn't one of those sighting hoggers that one often get and we took turns to be in front and take pictures, pulling over every few minutes to let the other one go in front again.  An elephant road block is the best road block. 

Addo waterhole scene

A couple of young bulls, part of a family group, at Hapoor Waterhole in the Addo Elephant National Park.  If this doesn't want you to go to the park this weekend then I don't know what will.

Addo buffalo

One of the Cape Buffalo in the Addo Elephant National Park checking us out while we were taking some pics of him

Drinking buddies

A couple of young elephant bulls drinking at Gwarrie Dam in the Addo Elephant National Park.  Gwarrie is one of the waterholes  where you often get to see elephants but unfortunately also one of those spots where a lot of idiots get out there cars for a better look.  Luckily I didn't encounter any clowns on this visit, just these two dudes.

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 herd browsing right next to the road. 

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.

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.

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 the vehicle was a nice little bonus.  Little being the operative word referring to this little tyke.   

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.

Elephant herd

A herd of elephants taking it easy after drinking at the Hapoor Waterhole

in the Addo Elephant National Park

Follow the leader

A breeding herd (or family group) of elephants led by the matriarch on their way to the Hapoor Waterhole in the Addo Elephant National Park

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 visited Addo twice during SA National Parks week and snapped this shot of them walking past a small bus at Hapoor waterhole.  

The best spot to watch some elephants

Watching elephants doesn't always have to be done from a back of a game viewing vehicle or your own car.  Addo Elephant National Park has a waterhole with a nice viewing area at its main rest camp and often visitors arriving at the park gets to see elephant here before they even drive into the game viewing area.

Thor's afternoon snooze

Thor, the first white lion to be born at Seaview Predator Park, taking an afternoon nap.  He had absolutely no interest in the paparazzi on this side of the fence.

Watching elephants

This past week, ending today, has been South African National Parks week.  The whole idea behind the week is to encourage South Africans to support and visit our National Parks more.  During the week entrance to the parks are free to South African citizens.  I got to go to Addo twice this week, first with a group of hotel frontline staff and again yesterday with a group of old folk from the Malabar Home of the Aged.  Addo was buzzing with both locals and international visitors on both days I was there.  It was great to notice busses with school kids, elderly people and even a bus full of South African soldiers.  Going from what I saw there the two days I think SAN Parks week at Addo was a huge success.  Now I just need to make a plan to visit Addo more often again. 

Lazy Lion

The Lion.  King of the Jungle but also one of the laziest animals around.  But why not? When one is King you take it easy and just do the necessary, like hunt and eat. Addo Elephant National Park as well as most of the private game reserves around Port Elizabeth have lions so if you get to visit any of these you have a good chance of having a royal encounter.