The southern yellow hornbill lives in southern Africa from Namibia in the west to Mozambique in the east. I photographed this one in Botswana. They are large birds and spend most of their waking hours on the ground, foraging for insects. At night, they find a spot high in a tree to stay away from any would-be predators. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 350mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/200th of a second.

We came upon a pack of African wild dogs late in the day in northern Botswana, all winding down from a day of hunting. There were about 20 of them and just like any good dog, lots of yawning going on. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 360mm) ISO 800, f/5.6 at 1/640th of a second.

I spotted this honey badger on the prowl well after the sun had set on the Kalahari Desert of Botswana. I was forced to use a low shutter speed in the dim light, but he/she stopped just long enough to allow me to capture a portrait. The lack of light, combined with the dry desert conditions, made for an almost monochromatic exposure. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 1600, f/4 at 1/60th of a second.

When a herd of springbok are on the run, individuals within the herd will randomly spring up into the air. This is called pronking and it’s a way of telling any nearby predators that the pronking springbok is more healthy and fit than the others. A good way of saying don’t try to eat me, eat my friend here instead who can’t jump as high. Photographed in the Kalahari desert in Botswana. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/6.3 at 1/800th of a second.

A leopard eyes a herd of approaching impala from her hiding spot up in a tree. She would later drop from the tree onto the unsuspecting impala. I would later go back to camp for lunch and miss all the action. You never know what might happen on safari, but patience is usually a good thing. Lesson learned. Photographed in Botswana. Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/640th of a second.

The gemsbok is a large antelope in the genus Oryx. The name gemsbok is an Afrikaans word which is derived from a Dutch word — that word being chamois. For those paying attention, you might remember the chamois (which is a European antelope) I posted last week. The gemsbok doesn’t really look anything like the chamois, but I suppose to early Dutch explorers it was close enough. When I was on safari in the Kalahari desert of Botswana, I was the only person staying at the camp. This made it easy to get out of the vehicle for ground level shooting when appropriate. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/15th of a second.

I wish those distracting twigs weren’t in this image, but I really liked the look on the honey badger’s face. A very human expression. My guide and I built a makeshift blind out of old boxes in anticipation of the honey badger’s arrival on his afternoon rounds. I was able to get a nice series of shots before he continued on his way, deeper into the Kalahari desert of Botswana. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/250th of a second.

It was late in the afternoon and this cheetah had found a nice resting spot for the evening. Unlike most other predatory cats which tend to be creatures of the night, cheetahs are mostly diurnal and hunt during the day. They rely more on sight than their other senses and prefer the morning and afternoon hours when the sun is still in the sky. I photographed this one in the Linyanti concession of northern Botswana. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 400, f/5.6 at 1/320th of a second.

We thought this leopard was climbing to a resting spot for an afternoon nap. She was actually getting into position to pounce on unsuspecting impala that would soon be grazing below. The pounce, of course, happened after we had already left and returned to camp for lunch. The consolation prize for our impatience was a bunch of nice portrait shots of Africa’s most elegant cat. Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 220mm) ISO 400, f/4 at 1/500th of a second.