Tip-toeing through the Water Lilies
Early morning on the Chobe River, Botswana, this young African Jacana chick wandered around the water lilies looking for something to eat with its very big feet providing support on the large water lily leaves.
African Jacana - Actophilornis africanus
The African Jacana has a distinctive rich chestnut body, white neck, yellow upper breast, black and white head and a blue frontal shield. The female is appreciably larger than males. Juveniles are paler with white body and no frontal shield.
They are common residents and local nomads at wetlands with floating vegetation, especially water lilies.
Nikon D500 with Sigma 150-600mm Sport f5.0-6.3 with 1,4 x Teleconverter,
effective focal length 850mm, 1/2500 sec @ f11, ISO 5600
Photograph by Trevor Woodburn
SHARK AND REMORAS
This Oceanic Blacktip Shark is resident off the KwaZulu-Natal coast of South Africa and is a regular attendant at the shark feeding and diving venue, Aliwal Shoal, 5km offshore of Scottborough bathing beach. Divers can interact closely with these sharks without the need for a cage provided they comply with behaviour styles so as not to incite the sharks to think they are food. These sharks have grown large as a by-product of the Tiger Shark baiting programme and are often accompanied by remora fish. The bite marks on the gill slits are from mating where the male holds the female during intercourse.
Oceanic Blacktip Shark - Carcharhinus limbatus
This is a common shark which is distributed throughout the coastal tropical and subtropical waters of the world. The species is known to grow to a length of 2m. The shark has a strong streamlined body with a fusiform shape and long pointed snout with relatively small eyes. The gill slits are long and they can have black tips or edges to their pectoral, dorsal, pelvic or caudal fins. They are extremely fast, energetic predators sometimes breaching the surface and swimming erratically when hunting fish.
Nikon D300 Sigma 10-20mm F4-5.6 EX, 10mm F16 at 1/60th sec, ISO 200, Sea & Sea Housing and Two Sea & Sea YS250 strobes on ¼ power. Taken on scuba at 10m at Aliwal Shoal, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
Photograph by Andrew Woodburn
Flying Lechwe
Very late afternoon in the Okavango Delta, Botswana, this female lechwe enjoyed jumping over rivers in
the flood plains and in the process created trails of water droplets as it flew through the air before landing on the opposite bank.
Lechwe - Kobus leche
The lechwe have overdeveloped hindquarters, hooves elongated with wide splay and adjacent naked skins which are aquatic adaptations. The female weighs around 80kg and has a greasy coat with a distinctive small, shaggy neck mane. Their colour varies geographically, chestnut with white underparts, tail, throat and facial markings with conspicuous black markings running down the legs, and black-tipped tail.
Nikon D5 with Nikon 80-400mm f4.5-5.6G lens with 1,4 x Teleconverter,
effective focal length 550mm, 1/3200 sec @ f14, ISO 3600
Photograph by Trevor Woodburn
Meerkat Pups
This group of pups was rising from the desert night in summer amongst the dewy wet grass. Tentatively at first, but with increasing confidence, the pups followed the adults from the underground den to join the generations of their mob on the red sandy mound. Many had damp fur and were drying out in the morning sun as they stood collectively huddled for warmth and safety. They played and rolled around at the feet of their parents before the day’s foraging began.
Meerkat - Suricata suricatta
The meerkat is a small carnivoran belonging to the mongoose family (Herpestidae). Meerkats live in all parts of the Kalahari Desert in Botswana, in much of the Namib Desert, and in South Africa. A group of meerkats is called a “mob”, “gang” or “clan”. A meerkat clan often contains about 20 meerkats, but some super- families have 50 or more members. In captivity, meerkats have an average life span of 12 - 14 years, and about half this in the wild. The meerkat is small, weighing on average about 0.5 - 2.5kg. The meerkat uses its tail to balance when standing upright, as well as for signaling. At the end of each of a meerkat’s “fingers” is a claw used for digging burrows and digging for prey. The patterns of stripes are unique to each meerkat. The underside of the meerkat has no markings, but the belly has a patch which is only sparsely covered with hair and shows the black skin underneath. The meerkat uses this area to absorb heat while standing on its rear legs, usually early in the morning after cold desert nights.
Nikon D2Xs, DX format, Sigma 150-500mm f5-6.3 APO DG OS lens @ 222mm,
1/500th sec @ f6.3, ISO 800
Photograph by Andrew Woodburn
REFLECTIVE THIRST QUENCHING
Mid-morning on the banks of the Chobe River, Botswana, a flock of Helmeted Guineafowl came down to the river’s edge to drink, creating a delightful reflection of colours as they dipped their beaks into the water.
Helmeted Guineafowl - Numida meleagris
A large, well-known game bird with blue-grey plumage, uniformly spotted with white. Head pattern varies geographically, but generally naked blue and red with check wattles and a pale casque on the crown. Males have a larger casque than females. Often flock in hundreds.
Nikon D5 with Nikon 80- 400mm f4.5- 5.6G lens with 1,4 x Teleconverter,
effective focal length 400mm, 1/2500 sec @ f11, ISO 2200
Photograph by Trevor Woodburn
PENSIVE MOOD
Late afternoon in the Ngala Private Game Reserve, a concession within the Kruger National Park, Mpumalanga, this young leopard was found resting in a tree and looking upward in a very pensive mood.
Leopard - Panthera pardus
Leopards embody feline beauty with stealth, infinite patience and power. A leopard will get to within 5m of its quarry before pouncing, taking it completely by surprise. Tremendously strong, these cats can carry a 70kg impala to a feeding position up a tree.
Nikon D5 with Nikon 80-400mm f4.5-5.6G lens with Nikon 1.4 x Teleconverter,
effective focal length 440mm, 1/1600 sec @ f14, ISO 45600
Photograph by Trevor Woodburn
Cool Foraging
Mid-morning on the Chobe River, Botswana, this elephant waded into the deep section of the river to gain access to young water lilies which he then proceeded to extract with his trunk and, in the process, created a huge spray of water.
Elephant - Loxodonta africana
Elephants are the largest land animal, Africa’s true King of Beasts and weigh up to 6,000kg (male) and 3,500kg (female), with a
height of 3.3m (male) and 2.5m (female). The trunk is a muscular extension of the upper lip containing the nostrils, and the tip is equipped with two finger-like projections for handling small objects. Huge ears, up to 1.5m, flap on still, hot days to help cool blood flowing through the network of veins on their back surface. Tusks grow continuously, weighing up to 13kg each and can reach a length of 2.5m.
Nikon D5 with Nikkon 80-400mm f4.5-5.6G lens with Nikon 1.4 x Teleconverter,
effective focal length 220mm, 1/4000 sec @ f14, ISO 2800
Photograph by Trevor Woodburn
98% Human
Late afternoon on the banks of the Chobe River, Botswana, this Savanna Baboon was sitting silently with its head on its hand in a typically human pose. Apparently a baboon has 98% of human DNA which is reflected in much of its behaviour.
Savanna Baboon - Papio cynocephalus
The Savanna Baboon is a big monkey with a dog-like head with powerful build and shoulders higher than its withers, and sturdy limbs. A typical male can weigh between 30 and 45kg. They have close-set eyes below a prominent brow ridge, sizeable nearly hairless ears, a long muzzle and powerful jaws. Baboons are the most widespread African primate, a tramp species found through savanna and arid zones wherever water and secure sleeping places i.e. trees or cliffs occur.
Nikon D5 with Nikon 80-400mm f4.5 – 5.6G lens with 1.4 x Teleconverter,
effective focal length 550mm, 1/1000 sec @ f8, ISO 9000
Photograph by Trevor Woodburn
Squacco Heron
Late morning on the Chobe River, Botswana, this Squacco Heron was foraging among the water lilies when it suddenly took off, displaying the beautiful patterns of its white wings.
Squacco Heron - Ardeola ralloides
A small, buff and white heron, with a heavy, dark-tipped bill. At rest it appears mostly buff and brown with white underparts. In flight, white wings and tail are prominent. Common resident and local nomad along vegetated lakes, pans and slow moving rivers, skulks in long grass and sits motionless for long periods.
Nikon D5 with Nikkon 80-400mm f4.5 – 5.6G lens with 1.4 x Teleconverter,
effective focal length 550mm, 1/3200 sec @ f13, ISO 2000
Photograph by Trevor Woodburn
MADAGASCAR REED FROG
This tiny frog was found quite comfortable inside a yellow flower smaller than the size of my hand in the hedge of the airport while I waited for a plane that never arrived. This was due to the Tsunami that hit Thailand and hence I had plenty of time on my hands to peer into countless flowers looking for insects. The frog was perfectly camouflaged to imitate the colour of the flower, no doubt waiting for some sort of insect to pollenate the flower and become a frog snack. One can get a sense of scale by the drop of water above the frog to the right.
Reed Frog - Heterixalus
A small Heterixalus back is whitish with small black spots. Colour at night yellowish-brown, during the day bright white.
A black streak runs from nostril to eye. Heterixalus is a species of frog in the Hyperoliidae family endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, swamps, freshwater marshes, and intermittent freshwater marshes, arable land, urban areas, heavily degraded former forests, ponds, irrigated land, and seasonally flooded agricultural land which occurs in central eastern Madagascar. Snout vent length 23mm, head width 8mm; eye diameter 3.1mm.
Nikon D70 Nikkor 105mm F2.8 Macro, F20 @ 1/50th sec, ISO 200
Taken by hand in the hedge at Maroantsetra airport in Madagascar.
Photograph by Andrew Woodburn
Turtle time
This turtle was found happily munching away on a sponge growing on an undersea ridge on Aliwal Shoal. The ridge creates strong water flow delivering food which the sponge uses to grow and the turtle seemed to have no problems holding his breath while tearing pieces off the sponge for a meal. One diver was even able to take a selfie next to the turtle whilst he continued his meal. After what seemed an age he lazily headed for the surface for his next breath only to descend and continue where he left off.
Green Turtle - Chelonia mydas
On the Green Turtle there are only four shell plates either side of the central row and these plates do not overlap – the loggerhead has five. Females are usually darker than males, the shell appearing almost tie-dyed in rich browns and ochres. The forelimbs have a single claw each and the bill is not hooked. Green Turtles are resident in southern Africa however, they do not nest on our shores. The nearest breeding grounds are on the islands of Europa and Tromelin in the Mozambique Channel. The females lay only 600 eggs each season in batches of 150 every 12 days. Adults feed almost exclusively on algae and marine plants often entering estuaries to do so. Green Turtles are under threat from hunting and egg collection.
Nikon D300 Nikkor 10.5mm F2.8 Fisheye, F10 @ 1/50th sec, ISO 200, Sea & Sea Housing and Two Sea & Sea YS250
strobes on ¼ power. Taken on scuba at 10m at Aliwal Shoal, South Africa.
Photograph by Andrew Woodburn
Working her way through the “blues”
Late afternoon in the Okavango Delta, this female cheetah and her two cubs were found moving through thick bush that was covered in beautiful small blue flowers.
Cheetah - Acinonyx jubatus
A cheetah is a cat with a greyhound chassis. It is built for speed, is light boned, swaybacked with long thin legs and a
short neck. Cheetah are tawny in colour with small, solid black spots; white underparts, outer tail ringed black and white, black ear backs, lips, nose and distinctive “tear stains”. Cheetahs are specialised predators on the fleetest of plains antelopes.
Nikon D5 with 80-400mm f4.5 – 5.6G lens with 1.4 x Teleconverter,
effective focal length 550mm, 1/1000 sec @ f11, ISO 720
Photograph by Trevor Woodburn
LEARNING TO KICK
Late afternoon in the Ngala Private Game Reserve, part of the greater Kruger National Park, Mpumalanga, a herd of elephants were foraging for food with a number of baby elephants close to their mothers. This young elephant raised his right leg into a pose which looked as if he was about to kick a ball.
African Elephant - Loxodonta
The African Elephant is a genus comprising two living elephant species, the African Bush Elephant and the smaller African Forest Elephant. Loxodonta is one of two existing genera of the family Elephantidae, the other being Asiatic Elephants. The name refers
to the lozenge-shaped enamel of their molar teeth. African Elephants are the world’s largest land animals and can weigh up to
seven tons in weight. Elephants roam across much of sub-Saharan Africa, but face increasing threat from poaching, habitat loss
and conflict with humans.
Nikon D5 with Nikon VR80 – 400mm, f4.5-5.6G lens with Nikon 1.4 x Teleconverter,
effective focal length 250mm, 1/1250 sec @ f8, ISO 5600.
Photograph by Trevor Woodburn
TRANQUILLITY
Early morning in the Ngala Private Game Reserve, part of the greater Kruger National Park, Mpumalanga, a family of giraffe came down to a dam to drink and then set off gracefully with their bodies reflected in the water, creating a very tranquil scene.
Giraffe - Giraffidae giraffa
The biggest ruminant and the tallest mammal, very long neck with short, upstanding mane, high shoulders sloping steeply to hindquarters, long legs almost equal in length. Weight between one and two tons. A giraffe has just two gaits: walk and gallop, The long legs and short trunk decree an ambling walk with the entire weight supported alternatively on left and right legs, the long neck moves in synchrony to maintain balance.
Nikon D5 with Nikkor VR80 – 400mm, f4.5-5.6 GED lens with Nikon Teleconverter TC14E III 1.4x,
effective focal length 112mm, 1/640 sec @ f8, ISO 280.
Photograph by Trevor Woodburn
PROUD AND PROTECTIVE MOTHER
Late afternoon in the Ngala Private Game Reserve, part of the greater Kruger National Park, Mpumalanga, this female zebra and her foal were found in an open clearing. The foal stood very close to its mother who looked proudly on while keeping a protective eye on their surroundings.
Plains or Burchell’s Zebra - Equus quagga burchellii
African version of the horse. Portly build, weighing around 250kg. Colour: no gender difference; background white to buff colour; striping varies geographically and individually. Juvenile coat longer with brown stripes. One of the most numerous and successful large herbivores, adapted to a broad range of grassland habitats. First to enter tall or wet pastures, followed by wildebeests after the zebras have trampled and cropped the grass.
Nikon Z9 with Nikkor 100-400/4.5.-5.6 VR S lens with Nikon Teleconverter 2.0x,
effective focal length 380mm, 1/2000 sec @ f10, ISO 5600.
Photograph by Trevor Woodburn
GROOMING TO “PURR-FECTION”
Late afternoon in the Ngala Private Game Reserve, part of the greater Kruger National Park, Mpumalanga, this magnificent Leopard was found carefully grooming itself on the banks of a dry river bed.
Leopard - Panthera pardus
Leopards embody feline beauty with stealth, infinite patience and power. A leopard will get to within 5m of its quarry before pouncing, taking it completely by surprise. Tremendously strong, these cats can carry a 70kg impala to a feeding position up a tree. The most secretive and elusive of the large carnivores, the leopard is also the shrewdest. Kilogram for kilogram, it is the strongest climber of the larger cats and is capable of killing prey far larger than itself. The colouring of the leopard varies from white to bright golden brown, spotted with black spots and rosettes. The rosettes consist of groups of five to six spots arranged in a tight ring. This fierce animal has small round ears and long whiskers growing from dark spots on the upper lips. Although leopards are shy and elusive, they are found all over sub-Saharan Africa. They occupy grasslands that have trees in which they can hide and sleep during the heat of the day.
Nikon D5 with Nikon VR80-400mm f4.5-5.6 G lens with Nikon 1.4x Teleconverter,
effective focal length 450mm, 1/640 sec @ f9, ISO 5000.
Photograph by Trevor Woodburn
BLUE HEADED AGAMA LIZARD
This male Agama lizard was quite visible with his bright iridescent head sitting on a cairn of rocks in the De Hoop Nature Reserve enjoying the late afternoon sun. He was fearless in his position as I approached, nodding his head up and down but capable of darting into the cracks of the rock pile if threatened by an eagle or other predator. His head colour was extraordinary and very eye catching, just what he needed the females to see.
Southern Rock Agama lizard - Agama atra
The southern rock agama is a species of lizard from the family Agamidae that occurs in Southern Africa. It lives in small colonies on rocky outcrops, and the males are very conspicuous for their bright blue heads. This rather sociable agama is normally found in small groups or colonies. It grows up to about 25cm and has a thin dorsal crest that runs the length of its body. During the breeding season, the heads of the males become bright blue. The males also take to sitting on top of prominent rocks and are therefore a common sight in mountainous areas of South Africa. These active, diurnal lizards normally hunt small insects such as ants and termites. They have some ability to change colour, although not to the same extent as chameleons.
Nikon D7000 Nikkor 105mm F2.8 Macro, F32 @ 1/640th sec, ISO 2500.
Taken by hand on the Whale Trail in De Hoop Nature Reserve, South Africa.
Photograph by Andrew Woodburn
MANTA RAY FLY-BY
The group of remoras hitches a ride underneath this ocean-going Manta Ray as it glides past the group of divers – close enough but not too close. They are gentle creatures and will often approach divers in order to satisfy their curiosity. They are so big that when they swim overhead it’s as if a cloud has blocked the sun, they move like a magic carpet in the water with unparalleled grace and speed. This one was still fairly far off, hence the blue haze in the image, but still majestic in its presence.
Manta Ray - Manta Birostris
Manta rays are large rays. The larger species, M. birostris, reaches 7m (23 ft) in width, both have triangular pectoral fins, horn-shaped cephalic fins and large, forward-facing mouths. Mantas are found in warm temperate, subtropical and tropical waters. Both species are pelagic;
M. birostris migrates across open oceans, singly or in groups, while M. alfredi tends to be resident and coastal. They are filter feeders and eat large quantities of zooplankton, which they gather with their open mouths as they swim. However, research suggests that the majority of their diet (73%) actually comes from mesopelagic sources; that is, they are actually deep sea predators, feeding on fish and other organisms that inhabit areas of the sea between 200–1,000m below the surface. They are listed as vulnerable, threats include pollution, entanglement in fishing nets, and direct harvesting for their gill rakers for use in Chinese medicine. They are protected in international waters.
Nikon D300, Nikkor 10.5mm f2.8 Fisheye lens, 1/160 sec @ f8, ISO 200, Sea & Sea Housing and
Two Sea & Sea YS350 strobes on power. Taken on scuba at 27m at Amazon dive site off Tofo, Mozambique.
Photograph by Andrew Woodburn
“JOE-COOL” – CHILLING OUT AFTER A HECTIC YEAR!
Early morning in the Sabi Sand Game Reserve, part of the greater Kruger National Park, Mpumalanga, this very young leopard cub was found on a tree branch resting up in a very casual pose while its mother was away hunting.
Leopard - Panthera pardus
The leopard is one of the five extant species in the genus Panthera, a member of the Felidae. It occurs in a wide range in sub-Saharan Africa, and small parts of Western and Eastern Asia. The leopard’s colour varies between individuals from pale yellowish to dark golden with dark spots grouped in rosettes. Its belly is whitish and its ringed tail shorter than its body. The pattern of rosettes is unique in each individual. Cubs have fuzzy coats with indistinct, close-set spots. Offspring become independent at around 22 months, but remain in the natal home range for some time and often get maternal handouts while struggling to become proficient hunters. Leopards are the embodiment of feline beauty, power and stealth, being long and low slung, with short muscular limbs.
Nikon D5 with Nikon VR80-400mm f4.5-5.6 G lens with Nikon 1.4x Teleconverter,
effective focal length 190mm, 1/1000 sec @ f10, ISO 9000.
Photograph by Trevor Woodburn