Mixed African Wildlife Thread - Post Your Shots Here

etiennescamera

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Etienne Steenkamp
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Since the American Wildlife thread seems to be doing quite well and I could not find an African Wildlife thread here, I thought I might as well start one.

@MrFotoFool I hope you don't mind me borrowing the rules from your North American Wildlife thread and just modifying for Africa

Rules:
1) Taken with a Sony Alpha camera.
2) Animals are free roaming (eg not in captivity like a zoo).
3) Taken somewhere in Africa.

As a courtesy, please list the species, location, and camera/lens. Also please insert image instead of attaching as a thumbnail.
 
I will start with a photo of the King (Panthera leo), taken at Mashatu Game Reserve in Botswana

20221014-A1_04457-Edit.jpg
  • ILCE-1
  • FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
  • 371.0 mm
  • ƒ/6.3
  • 1/800 sec
  • ISO 2500
 
Great idea - I love it! I have never been to any African country myself, but I look forward to seeing what people post.
 
I will continue the thread with a couple of spotted hyenas fooling around in the water hole at the photographic hide in Mashatu Game Reserve and hope that someone else will start adding to the thread.

20221015-A1_04584.jpg
  • ILCE-1
  • FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
  • 200.0 mm
  • ƒ/7.1
  • 1/1250 sec
  • ISO 1250
 
Two elephants (Loxodonta africana) tussling. It appeared that one was trying to prevent the other from getting to the watering hole.
Addo Elephant National Park, Eastern Cape, South Africa

S-1-2.jpg
  • ILCE-1
  • FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM OSS + 1.4X Teleconverter
  • 449.0 mm
  • ƒ/8
  • 1/800 sec
  • ISO 2000
S-1-3.jpg
  • ILCE-1
  • FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM OSS + 1.4X Teleconverter
  • 284.0 mm
  • ƒ/8
  • 1/800 sec
  • ISO 1600
S-1-5.jpg
  • ILCE-1
  • FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM OSS + 1.4X Teleconverter
  • 175.0 mm
  • ƒ/7.1
  • 1/800 sec
  • ISO 1250
 
This is why I moved from Canon. Dark, wet day, ISO5000 and you can see what it is!

Cheetah in Phinda Game Reserve, South Africa.
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  • ILCE-7RM4
  • FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM OSS
  • 175.0 mm
  • ƒ/5.6
  • 1/640 sec
  • ISO 5000
 
I'm sure this little one was not that old. Momma was completely relaxed with our presence. All eyes of the herd were definitely on me, of course. The guides said this was the first sighting of the little one......as the mom is quite distinctive: she's tuskless. (And the only tuskless elle in the area). Nov/21 Private concession in Northern Botswana


TAndersen.Cat7elle.jpg
  • ILCE-6400
  • E 70-350mm F4.5-6.3 G OSS
  • 299.0 mm
  • ƒ/6.3
  • 1/640 sec
  • ISO 100
 
My first leopard. (But second sighting of her) She was calling for her "boyfriend" who was very reluctant to come out into the open with us there. We left them to themselves shortly after so they could have their date. Hopefully when I return, there will be cubs still with mom to photograph. Dec/21, SE Okavango Delta , PomPom concession Botswana


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  • ILCE-6400
  • E 70-350mm F4.5-6.3 G OSS
  • 350.0 mm
  • ƒ/6.3
  • 1/250 sec
  • ISO 400
 
My first leopard. (But second sighting of her) She was calling for her "boyfriend" who was very reluctant to come out into the open with us there. We left them to themselves shortly after so they could have their date. Hopefully when I return, there will be cubs still with mom to photograph. Dec/21, SE Okavango Delta , PomPom concession Botswana


View attachment 29037
Lovely photo of my of my favourite animal 😊👏
 
My first leopard. (But second sighting of her) She was calling for her "boyfriend" who was very reluctant to come out into the open with us there. We left them to themselves shortly after so they could have their date. Hopefully when I return, there will be cubs still with mom to photograph. Dec/21, SE Okavango Delta , PomPom concession Botswana


View attachment 29037
Of the big cat the Leopard in mt top one and this shot is a shot if I ever got the chance to get there this is what I would be doing my best to get.
 
Lovely photo of my of my favourite animal 😊👏
Thank you. I loved her too. I saw the male, but he was SO skittish, and I never got a shot of him. She, in contrast, was super chill. Totally didn't mind my presence and often made direct eye contact.
 
So after that beautiful leopard photo by Tracy (Scooter) I just had to add these two, taken at Mashatu Game Reserve in Botswana, also a breeding pair so hopefully there will be some babies soon.

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  • ILCE-1
  • FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
  • 309.0 mm
  • ƒ/8
  • 1/1250 sec
  • ISO 5000

S-1-20.jpg
  • ILCE-1
  • FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
  • 600.0 mm
  • ƒ/8
  • 1/1250 sec
  • ISO 5000
 
Of the big cat the Leopard in my top one and this shot is a shot if I ever got the chance to get there this is what I would be doing my best to get.
She was a "prize" shoot for sure.
 
A favourite capture of a very full male lion. A baby giraffe carcass nearby provided reason. Shot Dec/21, Kwara camp, private reserve, Botswana.

TAndersen.Cat1lion.jpg
  • ILCE-6400
  • E 70-350mm F4.5-6.3 G OSS
  • 186.0 mm
  • ƒ/6.3
  • 1/800 sec
  • ISO 400
 
For those of you into snakes, head on over to the African Snake Bite Institute, a lot of very cool photos, plus an amazing amount of interesting info:


I'm too busy running away to ever try and photograph them myself!!

Mozambique_Spitting_Cobra_7_Martin_Smith_web.jpg
 
For snakes I have to be in a Land Rover, with the engine running and pointing away from them, with a very long lens. I haven't seen many but they are beautiful when you can do a close up on your computer at home!

Taken on a night drive at Xaranna reserve, Okavango Delta, Botswana. We first spotted the African Wild Cat and unusually he didn't run away. Then our tracker noticed the Python. He wasn't sure if the cat was going for the snake or the other way around. The Python kept tasting the air - for the cat and us presumably. When we put our light on the snake the cat quickly disappeared.

20221029-193513-2230-DHA7R4.jpg
  • ILCE-7RM4
  • FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM OSS
  • 400.0 mm
  • ƒ/6.3
  • 1/1000 sec
  • ISO 5000
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  • ILCE-7RM4
  • FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM OSS
  • 400.0 mm
  • ƒ/6.3
  • 1/1000 sec
  • ISO 5000
 
Following up with cats of various sizes.
Chobe National Park, Botswana, early evening light - and the eye focus works so well.
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  • ILCE-7RM4
  • FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM OSS
  • 400.0 mm
  • ƒ/7.1
  • 1/800 sec
  • ISO 3200


From Nxabega reserve, Okavango Delta, Botswana. Single Lioness with half a dozen very mucky cubs finishing off a kill. Cold, cloudy and wet morning.
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  • ILCE-7RM4
  • FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM OSS
  • 400.0 mm
  • ƒ/6.3
  • 1/500 sec
  • ISO 1000


And from Xaranna reserve, Okavango Delta, Botswana.
20221029-081542-2018-DHA7R4.jpg
  • ILCE-7RM4
  • FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM OSS
  • 128.0 mm
  • ƒ/7.1
  • 1/1000 sec
  • ISO 125
 
A Sable from Kruger NP, South Africa
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  • ILCE-6000
  • Sony E 55-210mm F4.5-6.3 OSS (SEL55210)
  • 210.0 mm
  • ƒ/11
  • 1/80 sec
  • ISO 100


A Bushbuck from Karongwe Wildlife Reserve, South Africa

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  • ILCE-6000
  • Sony E 55-210mm F4.5-6.3 OSS (SEL55210)
  • 58.0 mm
  • ƒ/5.6
  • 1/320 sec
  • ISO 1000
 
4 out of (the big) 5, not a bad haul for a single day: Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania


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  • ILCE-1
  • FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM OSS
  • 400.0 mm
  • ƒ/5.6
  • 1/1000 sec
  • ISO 3200
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  • ILCE-1
  • FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM OSS
  • 400.0 mm
  • ƒ/5.6
  • 1/1000 sec
  • ISO 160
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  • ILCE-1
  • FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM OSS
  • 229.0 mm
  • ƒ/5.6
  • 1/1000 sec
  • ISO 640
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  • ILCE-1
  • FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM OSS
  • 100.0 mm
  • ƒ/5.6
  • 1/1000 sec
  • ISO 320
 
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  • ILCE-6400
  • E 70-350mm F4.5-6.3 G OSS
  • 211.0 mm
  • ƒ/6.3
  • 1/1250 sec
  • ISO 160
One of the most emotional sightings I've ever had. An elephant "funeral". There were probably 50 ellies that came, in a parade (on the very first day of our arrival at camp - crazy). We assumed this was a brother, or a cousin......he had an incredibly tough time leaving the body. The mom had left (to mill about with others), but this guy was just so sad. He would place his foot gently on the body. Botswana - Jan/23
 
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