I’ve mentioned before that the oryx is believed to be the antelope that the unicorn is based on. The unicorn creator apparently thought that one horn would be cooler than two. There are four different species of oryx, all large antelopes that range throughout dryer parts of Africa. This one, the gemsbok, was photographed in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve of Botswana.
Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 330mm) ISO 400, f/5.6 at 1/1600th of a second

When our guide in Botswana spotted an extremely rare pangolin, I quickly jumped at the opportunity to get out of the vehicle and onto the ground for some eye level shots. Before I could, however, he pulled me back and pointed in the direction of an empty field. What I didn’t see at first was the leopard hiding in the grass and stalking the pangolin. Eventually I saw the tip of the leopard’s tail rising above the grass. I never got my eye level shots of the pangolin but I did get plenty of photos of the Leopard stalking it.
Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 400, f/7.1 at 1/400th of a second

It was very early morning in Botswana, pre-sunrise, when we came upon a small pack, or as they are more commonly called, clan of spotted hyenas. They seemed more playful than usual and were chasing each other around playing keep away with what was left of an impala.
Nikon D700 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 1600, f/2.8 at 1/200th of a second

Here’s another one from Botswana. This time from the dry savanna of the northeast at a place called Makgadikgadi Pan, one of the largest salt flats in the world. Among the zebras, and other typical African desert plains wildlife, lives quite a few meerkats. This youngster was waiting for the rest of the clan to get back home after a day of foraging.
Nikon D300 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 400, f/5.6 at 1/250th of a second

After feasting on an oryx kill with the rest of her pride — including six cubs — this lioness was enjoying a much needed stop at the water hole. Like the ostrich I posted last week, this one was from the Central Kalahari Game Reserve in Botswana.
Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400) ISO 400, f/5.6 at 1/320th of a second

The ostrich is the largest bird in the world. Males can grow to more than nine feet tall and weigh in at over 250 pounds. They also have the largest eyes of any land vertebrate with a circumference of two inches. That whole hiding-their-heads-in-the-sand-to-avoid-danger thing is just a myth. I was tracking this large boy as he raced across the flat grasslands of the Central Kalahari Game Reserve in Botswana.
Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/5.6 at 1/125th of a second

This photo gives a good look at the body of an African wild dog and you can see why they are nicknamed African painted dogs. They are Africa’s largest canid and are highly social, living and hunting in packs. They are also highly endangered with a current estimated population to be only 6,600 adults and declining due to continued habit loss, fragmentation, human persecution and disease outbreaks. I came across this African wild dog and the rest of its pack late in the afternoon in northern Botswana.
Nikon D700 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 155mm) ISO 400, f/4 at 1/160th of a second

This is a crimson-breasted shrike, also known as a crimson-breasted gonolek. They live in southern Africa and the males and females are virtually indistinguishable. I photographed this one in the Kalahari Game Reserve in Botswana. In Namibia — which back in the day was occupied by the Germans and known as South West Africa — the colors of the crimson-breasted shrike reminded colonialists of their homeland flag so they called the bird Reichsvogel, which translates to Empire bird.
Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/5.6 at 1/400th of a second

Genets can be common visitors around camps at night throughout much of Africa. This one came for a visit one night in Botswana. I’ll usually take my camera to dinner with me in hopes of such an encounter. Genets are sometimes called genet cats, but they aren’t cats at all and are more closely related to the mongoose.
Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 640, f/4 at 1/60th of a second, two Nikon SB-900 flash units

Wildcats occur on several continents, but it’s the African wildcat that our domestic cats are believed to have descended from. We spotted this wildcat on a night drive in Botswana — I don’t think anyone would argue that it resembles the little fur balls that all of us cat owners live with. This one goes out to my wife’s grandfather Jack Latino who loved all his pets of both the feline and canine variety (with names ranging from Gus and Lady, to Dingaling). Sleep well Grandpa.
Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 400, f/4 at 1/60th of a second