Day 12: A birthday child, Hippo Jessica & much more

July 9, 2019

Happy Birthday Son!

Son is turning 11 today, which of course will be celebrated with a chocolate cake.

A special surprise awaits him this morning. We are visiting the tame hippo Jessica together.

I read about Hippo Jessica online beforehand and really wanted to go there.

By 10 o'clock, we reach the property by the river. We are already being welcomed and join a terrace above the river with some other curious tourists.

There is an informational film about Jessica (she actually slept in the house when she was a baby hippo) and afterwards a detailed briefing on what we need to consider while being close to Jessica.

We can already see the hippo waiting down on the jetty - it has fixed feeding times.

On the jetty, we feed Jessica with corn kernels and afterwards she drinks Rooibos tea from a huge bottle.

It's crazy that we just FED & PETTED one of the most dangerous animals in Africa!!!

Son is not comfortable with the whole thing, he prefers to watch from a distance and takes photos.

In addition to Jessica, the little hippo boy 'Richie' is being raised here

After visiting Jessica and Richie, we continue to the Blyde River Dam.

After climbing on the dam wall and exploring the visitor center, we make a stop at the Swadini Forever Resort and have a light lunch.

In the afternoon, we drive to the Moholoholo Wildlife Sanctuary, where we take a guided tour.

Many Marabou storks welcome us in front of the entrance to the Wildlife Sanctuary.

Here too, there is an introductory film and a lot of information about wildlife conservation and the rescue of injured wildlife.

The tour starts with the birds.

The lions are also impressive. Our guide explains that lions in captivity often become much larger and heavier than in the wild.

When the giant approaches the fence and almost 'purrs' while the guide strokes its mane through the bars, it's a strange image of the 'king of the jungle'.

We find it super exciting.

Especially the leopard, who follows a piece of meat thrown into the air and catches it with 3 leaps.

Amazing - these are really true hunters!

The African wild dog is really cute...

You could easily forget that it is a wild animal

The hyena looks somewhat confused...

The honey badger 'Stoffel' is even known on the internet as

STOFFEL - "The Honey Badger Houdini"

The cheeky honey badger is a true escape artist and now also shows us its climbing skills.

In the early evening, we leave the sanctuary and drive back to the house. We actually wanted to have a barbecue tonight, but the husband is feeling weak.

The last Bush Braii in sub-zero temperatures is now taking its toll:

the husband is suffering from a severe cold with a high temperature!

Darn....

Since I don't know how to use the outdoor grill and it's very chilly outside, I quickly throw all the barbecue stuff into the oven and pan.

Tomorrow the African adventure continues - then there will be a lot of landscapes planned!