I regret not trying out the video function on my camera before we saw the lioness skulking away from three elephants. I somehow recorded the inside of the truck as I moved from one side to the other rather than the brilliant footage of the lioness walking to the side of, and then in front of our jeep as she tripped around the elephants.
Just before sunrise Frank picked us up to go in search of rhino, cheetah and an up close and personal zebra encounter. As we ambled along, Frank explained that the animals are not frightened by cars because for generations cars have been part of the landscape at Kruger. The animals are nonplussed because they can't eat the cars and the cars don't eat them.
Frank took us up to a rock mound so we could get out of the truck for an expansive view and on the way up he spotted fresh leopard tracks. "We must stay within running distance to the truck," Frank said casually as he walked toward the brush to relieve himself. "Was he serious," I wondered, and restrained my instinctive urge to dart to the edge.
Kruger is modeled after Yellowstone National Park and is an amazing feat of conservation of a natural environment. The park is 12,000 square miles and the animals are under no human restraint. There's a plan to expand the park to include the gamelands to the north in Zimbabwe and the east in Mozambique but until political turmoil is abated (and land mines are removed) this dream is a long way off.
In the meantime, Kruger is fulfilling my dream of seeing lions and elephants roaming free. Though I never imagined seeing them engaged in the fine art of mutual intimidation.
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