Back to Kruger (1) for a morning drive to try one final time to spot a leopard. On the Gomondwane loop, a large herd of elephants were bathing in a wet lowland area, including a baby who fell over a few times on the uneven ground. After the herd departed, and we set off on the road again, another large herd of elephants crossed the road in front of us to take their turn at the waterhole. I started to back up to keep my distance, but the herd had split and some elephants were also crossing behind us. Having no way out made me a little nervous, but we were quiet (2) and the herd passed without incident.
Returning to Crocodile Bridge via the tar road, we spotted a pair of rare and endangered ground hornbills (3), one on each side of the road; much more elusive siting than a leopard. Night flight back home tonight after driving back to Johannesburg, with a stop for dinner in the town of Cullinan.
(1) The guard at the gate asked me to open the boot (trunk) so he could look. I pulled the lever by the driver's door which opened the bonnet (hood), not the boot. The guard closed the hood for me. Departing the park, I did the same thing (the car was a rental), and the same guard said: "We already did this this morning."
(2) Elephants have poor eyesight, so keeping quiet is usually the best way to avoid their notice.
(3) There are posters in the camps requesting visitors to report any sightings of the rare birds, which we did.
Baby elephants
Endangered southern ground hornbill; the birds can live up to 70 years.
Crossing Crocodile bridge on the way out of the park
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