May is traditionally a quiet month for the safari industry in South Africa. Outlook has however been on safari a total of 41 days this month on 13 seperate safaris and seen some amazing wildlife!

Number of sightings:

Lion - 12 pride sightings, total of 48 lions
Leopard - 6, all solitary
White Rhino - 10 sightings, total of 18
Buffalo - 8 herd sightings, total too numerous to count
Elephant - 39 herd sightings, total of 234
Wild Dog - 1 pack sighting, total of 8
Cheetah - 2, both solitary

The leopard (Panthera pardus), roams freely in South Africa’s Kruger National Park however there are few large carnivores as shy and elusive as this beautiful animal.

Leopards are predominantly nocturnal or crepuscular predators, meaning they are most active at night or at dawn and dusk, generally the coolest times of the day. However as in all cases when speaking of wild animals, this is not always the case and they will, if the opportunity presents itself, hunt during midday.

With a preserved area such as the Kruger National Park on our doorstep, many South African’s do not always have the appreciation that they should for this gift.
Sadly as animals are subjected to smaller and smaller spaces so we continue to encroach on their comfort zones and this can only lead to certain destruction. This may at times be in the form of animals killing humans, but most often it is the effect we as humans have on our wildlife.

Ecotourism, also known as ecological tourism, is a form of tourism that appeals to the ecologically and socially conscious individuals.
Generally speaking, ecotourism focuses on volunteering, personal growth, and learning new ways to live on the planet; typically involving travel to destinations where flora, fauna, and cultural heritage are the primary attractions.
Responsible ecotourism includes programs that minimize the negative aspects of conventional tourism on the environment, and enhance the cultural integrity of local people. Therefore, in addition to evaluating environmental and cultural factors, an integral part of ecotourism is in the promotion of recycling, energy efficiency, water conservation, and creation of economic opportunities for the local communities.

Kruger National Park is the largest game reserve in South Africa. It covers 18,989 square km (7,332 sq mi) and extends 350 km (217 mi) from north to south and 60 km (37 mi) from east to west.

To the west and south of the Kruger National Park are the two South African provinces of Mpumalanga and Limpopo. In the north is Zimbabwe, and to the east is Mozambique. It is now part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, a peace park that links Kruger National Park with the Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe, and with the Limpopo National Park in Mozambique.