There's A Leopard In My House!

I ALMOST dropped the hammer. As I looked up through the bedroom window, my gaze met two fiery yellow eyes staring back at me: the eyes of a leopard, lying relaxed in the clearing between the knob-thorn trees and the rutted driveway. The big cat seemed so laid back, youd have sworn he owned erf 154, Wildevy Avenue, Sabiepark, in spite of the fact that I had the title deed to the land legitimately in my possession.

This one-hectare patch of private game reserve land had just become the Van Deventer familys winter hideaway our own piece of African soil, complete with a thatched facebrick Bushveld home, surrounded by trees with melodious sounding names. And situated a mere two kilometres from the Kruger Gate of the Kruger National Park, our world-famous next-door neighbour. Only the meandering Sabie River separates our park and Africas largest game reserve. From our front door we can step into a world teeming with animal and bird life. Find more and interesting information on hennie se plek

The startling encounter with the leopard occurred on 16 March 1998 while the lord of the manor was hanging old photos from his university days on a wall, staking out as it were the land he now owned. Coming face to face with the leopard was a scary experience. Meeting one of the most dangerous of animals, almost on your doorstep and in broad daylight, can be rather unnerving.

Get you own Copy of Mayafudi and Next Door to the Kruger

written by well known author Hennie van Deventer and newly translated from the original Arfikaans version.
In the book the eventful life story of Mayafudi and his herd is chronicled. It is a mixture of fact and fiction.

After reading Mayafudi - memories of an elephant every child will want to become a game warden. (It is NOT only a book for children, but for ALL lovers of nature.)
Buy Mayafudi memories of an elephant here now
Hennie will personally autograph your copy of the Printed version and post it to you within 48 hrs of the order being placed at the store. Alternatively contact Hennie by email and arrange payment directly with him. You can email him here hvandeventer(at)mweb.co.za (replace (at) with @).
You can also ring him Telephones: 021-553-1761 (also fax) or 083 252 8165 (mobile)

Sabie Stories "Next Door to the Kruger"

You have read Die Buurman van die Wiltuin, now you can read the English version of it.

Written by Hennie van Deventer
Translation: George Holloway
Tarlehoet
Melkbosstrand
2007
Buy it now and experience the wild life of Sabie park the next door to the Kruger

Keep in mind that in Sabiepark youre not protected by tall fences and security gates. Hikers come and go along the gravel paths of this unusual bush village armed only with cameras, binoculars, field guides and walking sticks. As a new resident, being welcomed by a stray leopard was not what I had in mind!

But, darn it! My Canon EOS 500 N a retirement gift was downstairs in the lounge. I sprinted down the steps to fetch it, and within seconds I was back. However, a roof beam blocked my view. The only alternative was the verandah downstairs our stoep, as we say in Afrikaans. I hurried down again. Great the big cat was still lying on the same spot, his huge head turned towards the house. Probably viewing the frantic photographer on the stoep with an air of disdain; even finding the situation amusing!. This time a knob-thorn tree spoiled my view. Upstairs would have been better after all. Timing was now critical, and as I reached the window, all I got for my trouble was the big guys spotted rear end disappearing behind a tamboti bush.

Crisis situation! Dressed only in my damp swimming trunks, I jumped into my car to warn the guards at the gate. Gravel sprayed behind the car as I sped over the bumpy road. I arrived in a cloud of dust. Theres a leopard in my house! I shouted through the open window at a guard. Without waiting for a reply, I rushed back home to await the response along with my wife, Tokkie. Theyll probably send in a team of game rangers with nets to capture the creature, I expected. No doubt heavily armed as well.

But by sundown still nothing. A bushbaby appeared from the trees in search of a sundowner snack. A nervous duiker quenched its thirst at the waterhole. A genet shuffled from the bushes, while a frog chorus filled the air with a cacophony of croaks. There's leopard in my house continued...

SANParks CEO, Dr David Mabunda. recently announced a new project wit FNb and Kudu Kudu manufacturing..  Read about the new Vuvuzela horn project (funds to be donated to Kids in the park project) based upon the shape of a kudu horn Kuduzela

STRANGE ENCOUNTER of an enormous kind. Tokkie only appears to be at ease the guy with the huge posterior had her heart skipping quite a few beats!

 

 

 

 

 

 

OUT FOR THE COUNT. Handa Zeller with our lion lying on the bakkie that would transport it back to Skukuza