But where is their future? Will we be able to protect them? They live as long as we do, they communicate in ways that we only start to recognize (not even understand yet,) and we are still to cull, kill and eradicate them, really?

Please, be patient with me! See you here very quickly.

iSimangaliso Eastern Park, South Africa, August 2015.

Santa Lucia / iSimangaliso park, South Africa, August 2015.

Western Barn Owl (Tyto alba, Chouette effraie des clochers)
Santa Lucia / iSimangaliso park, South Africa, August 2015.

South Africa, Hluhluwe Park, August 2015.

Bearded Vulture (Gypaetus barbatus, Gypaète barbu)
South Africa, Giant’s Castle Park.
August 2015.

Vervet monkey (Chlorocebus pygerythrus, Singe vervet).
South Africa, Hluhluwe Park.
August 2015.

Baboons running in the burnt hills.

Chacma baboon (Papio ursinus ursinus, Babouin chacma)
South Africa, Giant’s Castle Park
August 2015.

White-backed Vulture (Gyps africanus, Vautour africain).
South Africa, Giant’s Castle Park.
August 2015.

Common Eland (Taurotragus oryx, Élan du Cap ou Éland du Cap).
South Africa, Drakensberg.
August 2015.

When arriving near Giant’s Castle, we could observe that wild fires are a significant issue handled by the local Fire Department in order to limit oerall risks. But, our drive was crossing the burning area.

As seen from the cliffs in Hermanus, South Africa.
August 2015.

Nothing would be more wrong! You sometimes need a little patience but, between mid-July and the end of September, you can easily see whales playing in so little water that you’d believe they have been paid by the Mayor and its tourism committee.

Take two hours and stop when the weather is clear, use the public benches or the rocks at the top of the cliffs nearly in the center of the Hermanus town and wait… You’ll see a whale; With some luck you’ll see a mother and her calf (like the ones we saw, below) or a Southern Right Whale breaching waters once or twice in front of you. We stopped for a picnic. No need of a large tele-zoom or similar pro photo equipment!

If you are not happy enough, you can try a little harder and check for whale playing in the waves in front of the beaches, but it’s easier from the cliffs.

A rhino mother and her calf as seen from the road in Hluwluwe Park, South Africa, August 2015.

Crested guineafowl (Guttera pucherani), Pintade de Pucheran
Hluhluwe park, South Africa, August 2015.

Brown-hooded kingfisher (Halcyon albiventris), Martin-chasseur à tête brune
Hluhluwe park, South Africa, August 2015.