Lions and Tigers and ........... - Page 2

volospian · 26-05-2009, 13:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matblack

with minimal fencing and a chance to get 'up close and personal' with all sorts of big cats

This close?

That was taken at the Phinda Lodge private game reserve in SA last year. I could have reached out and touched it.

I also like this shot of a black rhino, complete with oxpecker...

Mark · 26-05-2009, 13:23

Yes, he does mean that close. There are fences or cages in the way but they only stop the cats escaping, not necessarily reaching out for human limbs.

Good luck MB and hope you and your camera escape intact.

Toby · 26-05-2009, 18:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by volospian

This close?

Nah, this close!

volospian · 28-05-2009, 08:54

COOL

where was that taken?

Toby · 28-05-2009, 19:27

At the aforementioned Big Cat Sanctuary that Matblack is visiting this weekend. Really is an epic place. You can literally reach through the fencing and touch the cats (in the right circumstances and with supervision of course!)

Tak · 28-05-2009, 21:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vertigo1

You can literally reach through the fencing and touch the cats

Oh I so what to move there!!!
I can't remember who said it but I remember being told at a zoo meet (chester mebbe?) that someone couldn't believe how mesmerised I was by the big cats

Mark · 28-05-2009, 22:14

From the reports I've heard over at TP, you might not want to be there then. If you're that mesmerised you might not hear the keeper yelling at you to jump out of the way. That could hurt.

Toby · 28-05-2009, 22:38

There is a fairly comprehensive safety briefing at this place before you're taken round. The actual fencing has rectangular gaps about four inches across and some of the cats can get their paws through them. There's a railing about 10 feet back from the fence and usually you're not allowed closer than that but, when escorted around by the guide, you get to go right up to the fencing.

Obviously you're not going to do anything wantonly stupid like putting your hands through the fencing but the danger is more things you might not immediately think about, such as crouching down on the ground to get a shot and then absent-mindedly pulling yourself up by grabbing the fencing. The guides keep a close eye on everyone and makes sure no-one's taking silly risks though.

volospian · 12-06-2009, 08:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vertigo1

At the aforementioned Big Cat Sanctuary that Matblack is visiting this weekend. Really is an epic place. You can literally reach through the fencing and touch the cats (in the right circumstances and with supervision of course!)

lol, I don't think I would have liked to have touched the one I photo'd. He was the Alpha male of the north pride, and was being chased by three young pretenders from the south pride. They fancied taking over his beetches and he wasn't best pleased about the idea

We had tracked the chase over a couple of miles of bush. At one time we lost the males as they went into deep undergrowth. We were sat on the road, which was basically a dirt track with high hedges on each side when out of the hedge, about 30 feet in front of us, the three emerged. We were right between them and their target.

The tracker quickly scrambled back into the jeep from his front wing perch(although as it was totally open, I don't know what protection he thought it offered) and the lions walked towards us, quite slowly. The ranger was whispering "keep quiet, don't move" over and over.

They reached the front of the jeep and stopped to sniff us. They then decided not to waste the energy of jumping on to this strange rock that smelt of oil, and instead pushed their way down the side in the small gap between us and the hedge. I wouldn't have needed to lean over to touch them, I could have just put my hand over the side.

It was amazing. If one had jumped up, it could have been seriously dangerous. They were already spoiling for a fight, and to find "meals on wheels" would have been a nice surprise for them.

The next day we were tracking white rhino on foot. We had seen the spoor of black, but the ranger said the female was a bit agressive, and the bush too thick to see them from a safe distance. He didn't want us walking around a large bush to find ourselves a couple of feet from a tonne of peeved rhino, so we went after the quieter whites.

We approached to about 25 feet, or so, and were watching the rhino's laze around as the early morning heat slowly rose. There were a few wildebeest near them, all just standing around sleepily. We were actually too close to take pictures because the shutter noise may have disturbed them, but we were all feeling rather good about getting so close when a warthog blundered out of a bush about 6 feet away.

It stopped dead, unable to believe it's piggy little eyes at the sight of five humans standing around nonchalantly in the middle of the bush, then decided we must have been up to no good and belted. The noise startled the wildebeest, which in turn panicked the rhino. Luckily they ran the other way, but, being big, bad, beligerent animals, they soon stopped and turned around, looking to see what had dared disturb them. At that point we quietly retired back to the relative safety of the jeep, a few hundred feet away.

Later that evening we saw the black rhino. We were back in the jeep and we approached to 40 feet or so, and cut the engine. They don't have great eyesight and the female started to charge towards us, thinking we might have been another rhino. The ranger was like "hmmm, o-kay..." so he started up the engine, ready to reverse like mad, but the noise startled it and it slowed down, got quite close, sniffed the air a bit, decided we probably weren't a threat after all and went back to its evening meal.

Going "on safari" is totally amazing. I can't wait to go back next year.

28-05-2009, 19:27	#15
Toby Absinthe Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 1,023	At the aforementioned Big Cat Sanctuary that Matblack is visiting this weekend. Really is an epic place. You can literally reach through the fencing and touch the cats (in the right circumstances and with supervision of course!) __________________

28-05-2009, 22:38	#18
Toby Absinthe Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 1,023	There is a fairly comprehensive safety briefing at this place before you're taken round. The actual fencing has rectangular gaps about four inches across and some of the cats can get their paws through them. There's a railing about 10 feet back from the fence and usually you're not allowed closer than that but, when escorted around by the guide, you get to go right up to the fencing. Obviously you're not going to do anything wantonly stupid like putting your hands through the fencing but the danger is more things you might not immediately think about, such as crouching down on the ground to get a shot and then absent-mindedly pulling yourself up by grabbing the fencing. The guides keep a close eye on everyone and makes sure no-one's taking silly risks though. __________________

26-05-2009, 13:23	#12
Mark Screaming Orgasm Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Newbury Posts: 15,194	Yes, he does mean that close. There are fences or cages in the way but they only stop the cats escaping, not necessarily reaching out for human limbs. Good luck MB and hope you and your camera escape intact.

28-05-2009, 08:54	#14
volospian Vodka Martini Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 786	COOL where was that taken?

28-05-2009, 22:14	#17
Mark Screaming Orgasm Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Newbury Posts: 15,194	From the reports I've heard over at TP, you might not want to be there then. If you're that mesmerised you might not hear the keeper yelling at you to jump out of the way. That could hurt.