Oliphants River Kruger National Park.
Curious Impala.
I never posted photos of the time I was chased by a baboon in South Africa because they were terrible photos taken in poor light conditions.
It all started peacefully enough, until some people started throwing rocks at the baboons because they were raiding campsites. They were raiding campsites because the same people didn’t properly lock up their food.
We were on a safe raised viewing walkway, behind electrified fencing that looked over The Sabie River in South Africa, as dusk fell, and the situation turned south.
Jim had just walked away. I was snapping a few last sunset shots, when a large furious male baboon, leaped the fence in the tree tops, jumped onto the platform in front of me, and ran directly towards me in a rage.
I moved rapidly backwards, not wanting to turn my back and run, clicking off a few shots as I moved away. A man in an adjacent campsite saw the whole thing and was doing jumping jacks and yelling, trying to distract the baboon. You can almost make him out in the upper right of the photo. I very much appreciated this man!
If the baboon had wanted to kill me, he clearly would have. He was thankfully content to raise my blood pressure and chase me away.
We also got charged by a furious male elephant on a prior trip when our game driver pointlessly harrassed him. If you look closely at the photo, you will see a male elephant in musk. He should have been left alone. We had to jump out of the range rover, face the elephant, while the ranger drew his rifle and prepared to shoot, causing the elephant to stop his charge.
Wise elephant. Unwise human.
We have luckily never encountered any similar problems when self driving on our two trips to South Africa most likely because we always respect wild animal’s space. We spent more than an hour waiting at a reasonable distance in our car, while we respected these guy’s space. It was awesome experience and they seemed to appreciate our restraint.
The moral of this story, don’t harrass wild animals, they are bigger and stronger than you.
Cheers to you from the civilized wild ones~
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Mercy, I’d have been terrified at a charging wild animal! Good for you, Cindy, knowing how to behave around them! Respecting their space is kind of important for human animals, too, don’t you think?
Well said Debbie! Absolutely important for human animals and all animals. We are in so many ways the same დ
What a great story Cindy, often humans are the dumb ones. Great photos and thank you for sharing.
Leslie
I was always taught that humans are the intelligent animals….. Sometimes I really doubt this! 😉 Stay safe & well Leslie დ
Ever the photographer! At risk, yet you kept shooting – and you may whinge about the quality but given the circumstances, I think they are fabulous.
Why people don’t respect the wildlife is beyond me.
Thanks for sharing this crazy story!
You are very kind Dale and most appreciated too my friend. Thank you for enjoying the suboptimal photos & cheers to you დ
Alie had a much more pleasant close encounter when she was still a grad student so long ago. She was on a deck at a lodge in Tansania and, at breakfast, a baboon jumped down from the roof to the deck and stole the person next to her’ banana from his hand.
Laughing…. Oh yes! I have seen this too. Vervets do this a lot. Once I saw one bite a lady in the tush and then steal her sandwich. The woman wasn’t hurt and the bite didn’t break the skin. I think it was a distract and steal tactic on behalf of the monkey დ
Scary, but of course I always think if you hear on the news about a tourist being trampled it will have involved a human being stupid! My son and his family will be on safari at Christmas in Uganda, staying with his in-laws who have been on safari before.
Your son will have an incredible time. Africa is unforgettable დ
OMG!
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What a scary experience! You were brave. Yes, often wild animals or any animals are only aggressive because humans provoke them. Thanks for sharing the photos that were not up to your standards!
Smiling…. Thank you for appreciating the suboptimal photos & take good care my friend დ
Großartige Fotos. Man sollte immer Abstand von den Tieren in Afrika halten. Meine Mutter ist vor vielen Jahren einmal aus dem Auto gestiegen, um näher an die Elefanten heranzugehen. Eine Elefantenmutter fühlte ihr Baby gefährdet und kam in großer Geschwindigkeit auf sie zugerannt. Meine Mutter schaffte es gerade noch ins Auto, sonst wäre es schlimm ausgegangen.
Oh mein! Wie sehr beängstigend. Ich bin froh, dass sie in Sicherheit geblieben ist. Grüße an dich დ
Never a dull moment in your world Cindy! 🌎 Wolfie would have seen them off!😁
I need to travel with Wolfie დ
You do Cindy! You do!🤣
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Too close for comfort should be the motto of dedicated photographers like yourself. 😊
That is a very apt motto! 😉
We need more people like you and fewer of the bozos who think it’s okay to be boorish humans and needlessly antagonize wildlife. 💗
We are in complete accord Teresa, as usual დ
I’m glad you’re okay. I agree, wild animals need to be treated with respect and given their space.
Thank you Andrew & be well დ
You’re welcome. You too.
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How scary, Cindy! I agree, we humans should always respect wild animals.
Thanks much Michele & cheers my friend დ
What an awful driver you had! Hopefully he never did shoot an elephant!
Yes. He was bad. If he had shot the elephant it would have been his fault and it would have been beyond heartbreaking. They are such magnificent and noble creatures დ
Harassing wild animals is just mean and wrong. There’s a great picture book, Grandma Elephant’s in Charge to learn about elephants. Those flat ears in your photo are an elephant’s warning. Did you know that?
I do know it, Along with lots of other behaviors, head shaking, ear flapping, getting down on knees, belowing, and finally charging. We experienced all of these, and it was entirely due to human misbehavior. The ranger wouldn’t back off. It was mean and wrong. It is a form of bullying and it could have killed the elephant დ
Definitely human misbehavior! And he was a ranger? Terrible.
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I’m scared reading what happened to you. I never go close to wild animals. Once many moons ago an eight year old me to be exact decided to take a short cut from my school to go home. I saw a large white duck walking with her ducklings, I really have no idea what the little ones are called. When I saw her I had a strange feeling it might come to attack me which she tried she lowered her neck and ran towards me I ran as fast as I could screaming and crying. I promised never to look for a short cut to get home.
Geese, swans, and ducks can be quite fierce, aggressive and dangerous, when defending their young, especially with children. This happened to my son, but I was there and intervened. This must have been terrifying for you alone at age eight. I am sorry this happened to you and am glad you made it home safely დ
:>O
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Wow!! I’ve never heard of something like that. Scary. Glad you stayed safe. Great photos.
Hi Eileen. It was definitely attention grabbing in every way. Blessings of The Season to my friend & take care დ
Yikes! Pretty scary, glad you lived to tell the tale!
Thank you Eliza. Poor baboon and elephant დ
A powerful message Cindy that transcends the safari goers travel guide.
Thank you for sharing this and sharing your brave shots❣️
Thank you much more for your very thoughtful appreciation Val & for all the positive light you shine დ
Thank you Cindy 💐
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Whoa, that’s some scary stuff and I’m so glad the animals showed more restraint and common sense than some of those humans. Also? Your baboon shots while taken under those circumstances are better than many of us would take under perfection conditions. 🙂
Oh, you are so kind Tracy. Thank you my friend. The animals definitely showed more restraint, common sense, and wisdom then the people. I wonder how often this is the case დ
Oh crap …. those were hair-raising experiences not be be forgotten. Scary …. so thanks for sharing. Love the Impala image!
Thanks much Frank. So happy you like the impala. I love them too. When we did a few ranger led game drives, they would refuse to stop for them because they were too “common.” They weren’t common to me. I got the same message about crocodiles too. This is why I prefer travel on my own დ
Yikes!
That’s what I was thinking.
That was a very wise lesson, Cindy, and you’re very brave to make pictures of them all😺Double Pawkisses for a Happy Week ahead🐾😽💞
Cheers to you and the furry ones & take good care my friends დ
Great advise! I would just run and run without thinking of anything else. I think the baboon just wanted to chase you away rather than charged to hurt you as you didn’t provoke it first. For the elephant incident, I am surprised that the driver should have known better or he missed noticing. That case is really scary.
So great to hear from you! I think you are right about both scenarios. Hope all is well with you. Heading over to your blog right now to catch up დ
Wow, you are incredibly brave! I’m really glad that you are okay. Very good photos considering the circumstances! Yes it’s a good lesson to us all too, about how to respect the animals’ space.
Thanks very much & I am happy you enjoyed the tale. Take good care & cheers დ
You do lead an exciting life, Cindy!
Smilin. I try! 😉 😉
Wow, Cindy!!! That is quite the experience! I’m so glad you’re ok. Thanks for sharing your story and great pictures, love them.
Much appreciated Angela! Thank you for stopping by & cheers დ
The perfect place to visit.
It really is, which is why we went twice. It is pure magic დ
We saw these so many animals all over Africa. I love all of these images in Africa. Anita
Thank you Anita & cheers my friend დ
Thanks
Wow, Cindy! It must have taken a lot of courage to get those shots! You’re impressive, my friend.
I think it sounds a lot more impressive that it actually was. I was scared and backing rapidly up, not running because I didn’t want to cue a predator/prey response დ
Wow. Be careful. It’s a jungle out there! Or perhaps a savanna. You probably heard why the elephant wore sunglasses. It didn’t want to be recognized. 🤷♂️
Laughing….. დ
You’re so right about the elephant, the driver should have known better. Glad the baboon didn’t bite you!
We are in complete accord June. Thanks much & cheers დ
What an adventure, Cindy! But I’m sure it brings you smile and laughter when you reflect on those incidents. Nice photos and you are right, we human should respect wild animals.
Yes, the ups and downs of adventure travel! 🙂
Good moral. It’s amazing how much better things go with wild animals if you respect their space.
So true! Thank you Dave დ
Hi Cindy, I am surprised to read this. I’ve been on many trips into the bush and never encountered that sort of stupidity from a ranger or from game watchers. Was it some time ago?
2015.
You have such a life!! Thanks for sharing it. 🙂 And the pictures. 🙂
Thank you for taking the time to read and comment Katie. Cheers to you დ
Cindy, thank goodness you weren’t hurt! What a scary encounter…it would’ve been so easy to run and probably get into more trouble with them chasing you.
Whew, and you took pictures in the midst of it all. How wise and nice of the tourist to make all the fuss and noise to distract the baboon.
I was so grateful to that man. I wish I could have thanked him. He was German and he was yelling at the baboon in German. It made me feel less alone. Thank you for your kind concern and stay safe and well my friend დ
Even though you didn’t get a chance to thank him, I’m sure he knew and he probably felt good to know that he thwarted the baboon attack!! People can be so kind and jump into action when someone is in danger. Humans can be so good and brave.
Stay safe, friend, in your adventures!!
Yes, they can. They restore our faith. Hope your family is all doing well my friend.
Very well said, Cindy! Yes, our little tribe is doing well and having a good week. Thank you. 🙂
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“Very beautiful photos! We took this trip in 2009 and have unforgettable memories of it. I completely agree with your sentiment.”
I am happy you had this indescribable experience. Africa is magic.
People can be so unreasonable. I was once chaised by an old man at a stop light because I didn’t want to turn on red… I should have driven straight to the police station. I ended up in a cul-de-sac and was able to turn around so that when he entered I was able to ‘speed’ safely away.
I’ve not been chaised by wild animals though! Glad you are safe and were able to take those photos!!
Humans are the most frighteningand dangerous animals. I am happy you got away safely and it sounds very scary დ
So glad you guys are okay. Wow! Save us from human dumb(expletive)s. Geez. ♥
Amen Niki & thank you! დ
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An adventurous soul, captures life’s most captivating moments! Blessings to you!
Blessings back to you Warren & thanks very much დ
You’re welcome!
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Gosh, Cindy, good thing that man was helping to distract the baboon, and good thing you kept your wits. It’s a shame some people (not you) harass the wild animals, that’s often what leads to the animal getting shot.
You are so right. It would have been totally traumatic to wittness that stunning elephant being shot through no fault of his own დ
I loved your story! I’m glad for the happy ending. That could have been scary! <3
Yes. Thank you DG! It could have ended quite badly დ
But it didn’t. <3
Puzzeling.
😳😳😳 How terrifying – both times. Glad you survived to tell the tale!
Alison
We actually had another scary encounter in Africa with a boomslang snake in a wildlife hide. Hope all is well withe you & Don დ
What amazing and dangerous situations that were caused by some people who weren’t considerate of these animals. I’m so glad you were kept safe and had another trip where you could control the situations yourselves in a much wiser way!
Very true. Respect of wild creatures is critical. Thank you for knowing & cheers დ
Awesome!
Thanks much! დ
Horsefeathers! Both are frightening, but your photos brought the baboon incident to terrifying life. Hugs.
It was definitely a frightening experience. Hope all is well with you Teagan & thanks for stopping by დ
Your photos add a real sense of danger, Cindy – showing us that the beautiful animals we chase with our cameras might reveal their wildness in a moment’s notice, yikes!
So true! And wise to keep in mind დ
I dont fancy being chased by either a baboon or an elephant! I am glad you emerged unscathed from your adventure. Did you use a drone to take a shot of the elephants in the river?
Those photos were taken from our lodging which was on top of a large mesa overlooking The Oliphants River. It was one of the most spectacular sights I have seen. Our rondavel on the ridge line and the views were unbelieveable at all hours of the day დ
Ah, that makes sense. I was wondering why the elephants weren’t bothered by the camera – answer, you were a long way away.
Yes.