Animals of South Africa

Zebras, impressive indeed!







These lions seemed happy to pose for pictures--at a distance. No close-ups allowed!












While I admit that I'm neither an animal expert nor a true animal enthusiast (except for cats, the domestic variety), I was thrilled to see the many animals of South Africa in their natural habitat, as preserved in Kruger National Park.

So why was this better than seeing the animals in a zoo? It just seemed more natural and appropriate that the animals were in charge. They had the right of way everywhere, and we human beings could look, photograph, but not get too close. After all, it's their world.

My photos are not the best, but they show things as they were. The photo above shows fruit bats relaxing on the ceiling of a picnic shelter. We were told that they only stir at night, and that was a comforting thought.


Next, an elephant emerges from the bush. I saw many elephants, and more pictures will follow.


The baboon is an ugly-looking animal, but playful, I guess. We even saw a pair copulating beside the road. Not a pretty sight, but it's their home, after all.


The giraffes are more impressive than this photo indicates, expecially when they eat leaves from the tops of tall trees. They are graceful animals that seem to glide along through the bush.


A typical roadside scene in Kruger Park is a large herd of impala, with zebras and other animals nearby.


These photos were taken with a simple instant digital camera from either an open vehicle or a tour bus. The Internet contains many better pictures, but I hope mine give you a flavor of the realities of animal viewing in South Africa. I'll have much more to say about the trip later--and I'll post a few of my better pictures once I get them all sorted out.