There is something magical about the Kalahari. This vast 'green' desert with its red dunes, ephemeral and fossil rivers is a very special place. I don't know if it's the colour of the sand dunes or the soft light of dawn and dusk but, whatever it is, I'm drawn to it.
Its also a great place for camera-trapping. This is because animal life is attracted to the few water sources (artificial or natural) that exist on the sprawling farms and wildlife reserves that cover the region. So, even though its a 10 hour drive from where I live - I do it happily and always with great anticipation.
This time the anticipation was even greater than usual because there was a suggestion that there might be Pangolin (
Manis temminckii) and Small Spotted Cat (
Felis nigripes) on the property I was visiting. Now you must understand that to an African camera-trapper these are mega-ticks! Trips like this are not frivolous affairs.
But sadly, by the end of our time there, the above two species hadn't graced my cameras with their presence. Nevertheless, it was great fun and we collected some images that I enjoyed:
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| Aardvark (Orycteropus afer) |
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| Blue Wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus) |
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| Bat-eared Fox (Otocyon megalotis) |
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| Gemsbok or Oryx (Oryx gazella) |
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| Cape Fox (Vulpes chama) |
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| Kori Bustard (Ardeotis kori) | | | | | | | | |
So if YOU like the idea of getting images of Pangolins and Small Spotted Cats then give me a shout and I'll organise a camera-trapping safari to the property. It won't take much to persuade me!
