19 September 09 Predator Drive

19 September 09
Predator Drive

On the 19th we went on the Predator Drive: a special game drive with one of the researchers working at Mashatu.

We went in search of a specific animal, but this is another one of the few times that circumstances were not exactly in our favor: we were not able to find the cat we were looking for, even with the tracking collar!
This is not too uncommon as the terrain does make it easy for an animal to be out of tracking range (hills and ravines reduce range) or have a collar fail.
Our researcher/guide was excellent though, and showed us some of the equipment they use in the research and taught us quite a bit.
And of course there were other animals!

I didn't take quite as many pictures on this drive because we had to do more driving to get to specific areas, and a lot of what we did see was after it was too dark for my camera and lens.

The ever-present Impala!


Warthogs


Walking to a camera trap


The camera trap



Andre and the landscape


Our truck through the trees


Andre trying to find a cat with a collar


Andre teaching us about the cage and how it is used


Zebra Herd