2024 Calendar by Andrew Woodburn

November 2024

Manta Ray Fly-By

The group of remoras hitches a ride underneath this ocean-going Manta Ray as it glides past the group of divers – close enough but not too close. They are gentle creatures and will often approach divers in order to satisfy their curiosity. They are so big that when they swim overhead it’s as if a cloud has blocked the sun, they move like a magic carpet in the water with unparalleled grace and speed. This one was still fairly far off, hence the blue haze in the image, but still majestic in its presence.

October 2024

Blue Headed Agama Lizard

This male Agama lizard was quite visible with his bright iridescent head sitting on a cairn of rocks in the De Hoop Nature Reserve enjoying the late afternoon sun. He was fearless in his position as I approached, nodding his head up and down but capable of darting into the cracks of the rock pile if threatened by an eagle or other predator. His head colour was extraordinary and very eye catching, just what he needed the females to see.

September 2024

Grooming To “Purr-fection”

Late afternoon in the Ngala Private Game Reserve, part of the greater Kruger National Park, Mpumalanga, this magnificent Leopard was found carefully grooming itself on the banks of a dry river bed.

August 2024

Proud and Protective Mother

Late afternoon in the Ngala Private Game Reserve, part of the greater Kruger National Park, Mpumalanga, this female zebra and her foal were found in an open clearing. The foal stood very close to its mother who looked proudly on while keeping a protective eye on their surroundings.

July 2024

Tranquillity

Early morning in the Ngala Private Game Reserve, part of the greater Kruger National Park, Mpumalanga, a family of giraffe came down to a dam to drink and then set off gracefully with their bodies reflected in the water, creating a very tranquil scene.

June 2024

Learning To Kick

Late afternoon in the Ngala Private Game Reserve, part of the greater Kruger National Park, Mpumalanga, a herd of elephants were foraging for food with a number of baby elephants close to their mothers. This young elephant raised his right leg into a pose which looked as if he was about to kick a ball.

May 2024

Soft Coral Kaleidoscope

There is a special reef called Amazon located north of Tofo beach in Mozambique, best accessed by dive boat. The current and clean water carry nutrients that feed a host of soft coral on top of the north wall of the reef. Goldies and other reef fish live between the coral and reef cracks waiting for giant manta rays to visit. The rays hover above the reef allowing the fish to swim up and clean them of parasites, the essence of a symbiotic relationship. This results in a busy cleaner station covered in colourful coral and a diverse fish community.

April 2024

Inquisitive Pair

Late afternoon in the Ngala Private Game Reserve, part of the greater Kruger National Park, Mpumalanga, these two mongooses scurried across the ground and peered out from behind a termite mound.

March 2024

Strange Shark

The bowmouth is quite a rare sight for divers in our African waters but this one seemed very curious. It approached me a number of times, staying near the ocean floor with its attendant remora and cobia fish in diligent accompaniment. It had a prehistoric look to it with the ridges resembling the back of a dinosaur, matched with large upward facing eyes. After a few passes it calmly vanished into the blue.

February 2024

Giraffe 360

One can do a lot with such a long neck – like turn your head completely around to see what’s biting your back. This giraffe swung his head 360 degrees; from inside a tree that was lunch to see what the oxpecker bird was up to at the base of its mane. It provides us with a unique view of its thick mane hair as well as the flexibility of the long neck that makes it the tallest animal on the planet.

January 2024

Dolphin Delight

Wild Bottlenose dolphins around the world are often seen surfing the breakers with seemingly great delight. Dolphins surf from behind and under the swell as it begins to break and then turn, punching out the surface into the air as the wave rolls in toward the beach or rocks. They often continue this behaviour as they travel along a coastline and in this photo can be seen training a juvenile alongside its mother.