Home > Blog > March 6, 2015 – Brown Hyena, Lioness, Hornbill, and a Baby Cape Ground Squirrel in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, South Africa

March 6, 2015
Brown Hyena, Lioness, Hornbill, and a Baby Cape Ground Squirrel in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, South Africa

I've just completed nine days in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, which encompasses the former Kalahari Gemsbok National Park, in South Africa. It's one of my favorite parks anywhere and I enjoyed this visit too. Shooting was a bit slower than usual, but I still got some great images and it was hard to select just four for this blog.
Brown Hyena
Brown Hyena
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, South Africa
Canon EOS 1D X, 600 f4 IS II & 1.4x III, 1/125 sec, f5.6, ISO 640
Image taken on February 27, 2015.
I saw three different Brown Hyena (Hyaena brunnea, formerly Parahyaena brunnea) all on one day! This was the last one and it gave me lots of good opportunities to photograph it right next to the road and then after it crossed the road (above).
Lioness
Lioness
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, South Africa
Canon EOS 1D X, 600 f4 IS II & 1.4x III, 1/750 sec, f5.6, ISO 800
Image taken on February 28, 2015.
Lions (Panthera leo) are rather easy to see in Kgalagadi, and one pride gave me some nice photo ops one morning. I always love to get head shots when the subject is looking right down the lens like this lioness was.
Southern Yellow-Billed Hornbill
Southern Yellow-Billed Hornbill
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, South Africa
Canon EOS 1D X, 600 f4 IS II & 2x III, 1/1500 sec, f8, ISO 400
Image taken on March 3, 2015.
I enjoy photographing the unique hornbills, and this Southern Yellow-Billed Hornbill (Tockus leucomelas) was about to eat a grasshopper — an added bonus!
Baby Cape Ground Squirrel
Baby Cape Ground Squirrel
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, South Africa
Canon EOS 1D X, 600 f4 IS II & 2x III, 1/1000 sec, f8, ISO 320
Image taken on March 5, 2015.
My favorite image, and most thrilling to make, is this one of a baby Cape Ground Squirrel (Xerus inauris). I enjoy photographing these prairie-dog-like rodents, and I was surprised to see this little one in the middle of the road with no adults nearby. It seemed unconcerned that I was there photographing first from the car and then from ground level with the camera supported by a beanbag on the ground.

This particular blog entry is www.jameshagerphoto.com/blog/?date=2015-03-06. Visit www.jameshagerphoto.com/blog to view the latest blog entry, and you may click here to create a URL that you can bookmark to go to the latest blog entry.

All of the images on this site are ©James Hager and are intended for viewing only. They are not to be
downloaded or reproduced in any way without the written permission of James Hager Photography.