Kruger National Park Activities
Kruger National Park
The Kruger National Park is the largest game reserve in South Africa and one of the primary destinations for many international tourists. It is roughly the same size and shape as Wales. The beauty and variety of the South African landscape, the changing climate and the diversity of vegetation, create the ideal conditions for tourists to enjoy the variety of wildlife on show.
Attracting well over half a million visitors a year, the Kruger National Park offers visitors a variety of activities, which include guided game drives, guided walks, wilderness trails, and guided 4x4 eco-trails. If you prefer to travel independently, visitors can choose there own route within the Kruger National Park. Stop at a number of rest camps such as Lower Sabie or Skukuza or even make a traditional South African breakfast in an allocated picnic spot with friends and family.
With its unique and varied array of flora and fauna comprising more than 500 bird species, 114 reptiles, 146 mammal species, 34 types of amphibians and over 300 types of trees, visitors are sure to experience hours of Africa's raw wilderness.
The Big Five
The term 'Big Five' was historically used to represent the five most dangerous animals to hunt in South Africa. Today however, the term is used to describe the most popular and exciting wildlife of Africa. Amongst the big five are the little five which are less commonly known and infinitely less-feared animals, which are known as the Rhino Beetle, Elephant Shrew, Ant Lion, Buffalo Weaver and the Leopard Tortoise. It is good fun to include them in your checklist of animals to see in the Kruger National Park.
Lion
As one of the most social of the cat family, the Lion can spend much of the night hunting, playing and patrolling its territory, living with prides up to about thirty. The male lions form coalitions and defend the female groups from foreign males. The lion can be described as the king of reproduction as it can mate up to forty times a day. With a healthy appetite, the lions virtually hunt anything, but wildebeest, zebra and buffalo are the mainstay of its diet. When lions have consumed a fair amount of blood, their dung is generally very black and strong smelling. Their dung also turns white when there is high calcium content.
Leopard
The leopard is the supreme ambush hunter, using infinite patience to stalk within metres of its prey before attacking in an explosive rush. Leopards range in size from one to just over two metres (6.5ft) long, and generally weighing between 30kg and 90kg. The Leopard is the most powerful feline in the world next to the jaguar and is easily recognised by its rosette patterned coat and extremely long, darker tail. They have an incredible diet which ranges from insects, snakes, monkeys to zebras, but antelopes are its primary prey. With its agility the leopard commonly hoists its kill into the trees to avoid losing its prey to the hyenas and lions. Leopards are mainly nocturnal and are generally found along riverine forests and bushes. Cubs are usually born in a litter of two to three, but infant mortality is high and mothers are not commonly seen with more than one to two cubs. At one year of age leopard young can probably fend for themselves but they remain with there mother for eighteen to twenty four months.
Elephant
The largest land animal, by nature, the African elephant are essentially gregarious creatures that are found in groups of ten to twenty and up to fifty or more. Elephants have a highly developed social structure and family units are led by a 'matriarch'. This cow elephant is, by natural selection, the most experienced and automatically assumes leadership. The bull tends to live alone or in bachelor groups, joining the herds when females are in season. The elephant is the only animal to have its nostrils so far from its mouth, at the end of a trunk. Elephants flap their ears to lower their body temperature which assists to increase their blood flow. Their trunks can hold up to 6 litres of water with their average daily food intake of about 250kg of grass, leaves and dark vegetation. Its average life span is about sixty to seventy years, although some individual elephants can reach the age of a hundred or more.
Rhino
Aggressive poaching for rhino horn has made rhinos Africa's most endangered large mammals. Man has been the greatest predator, mostly for the horn and its mythical medicinal and aphrodisiac properties. As the third largest land mammal, the rhino tends to grunt and bellow, adding shrieks, snorts and roars when stressed.
The black rhino is a browser, living in scrubby country and is prone to charging when alarmed with eyesight that is extremely poor it has even been known to charge an elephant carcass. The black rhino is solitary and territorial, only socialising during the mating season. Black rhinos have long pointed lips for eating foliage.
The white rhino is a grazer and prefers open plains and can be described as the more sociable species, forming cow calf groups. White rhinos have broad flat lips for grazing and the name White Rhinoceros was actually a mistake for wijd (wide) because of their square lips.
Buffalo
The African buffalo is a shy creature and the only native wild cow of Africa often forming herds numbering thousands. Although the buffalo is usually docile it can be very dangerous and should be treated with caution. The main herd consists of both sexes and all ages, though bachelor groups are also found. A male is recognizable by the thickness of his horns, and is called the 'Boss'. The bull matures at eight years of age. Cows first calve at five years of age, after a gestation period of about eleven months. Older bulls forced out of herds are commonly found in bachelor groups. The African Buffalo has never been domesticated. Bulls are often twice as heavy as cows, with bigger physiques and impressive horns. As good swimmers they enjoy a happy wallow in a mud pool.