Luangwa Valley, Zambia. May 2008.

This is a gallery of photos taken in Zambia's South Luangwa National Park (SLNP) between 3rd and 12th May 2008. At this time of year the rains are over, having tailed offf in March/April. Skies are generally blue with decreasing amounts of cloud, temperatures both by night and day are beginning to drop with the coming of the southern winter, and the water levels both in the Luangwa river and its surrounding lagoons are starting to fall. Although some areas of grassland are beginning to go brown, much of the vegetation is still lush and green and continues to provide good grazing for the herbivores which are looking sleek and well fed after several months of abundant plant growth. Because the grass remains long in many areas, animals are not so easily seen as they will be later on in the season when the cover has dried up and collapsed or been grazed down. While most of the migrants from Europe and other parts of Africa have departed, there is still plenty of birdlife, especially around the lagoons and marshy zones. Of the intra-African migrants some young birds do not move on but stay in the valley until the next season. Many of the resident birds start to build their nests and breed at this time.

Gallery pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 > >>

< 1 of 134 >

wulffpaul > A male Impala. Impala antelopes prefer to graze and browse in lightly wooded areas. They are not animals of the open plains like gazelles. At this time of year dominant male impalas will have gathered together "harems" of females which they spend much time and energy noisily defending from the incursions of other males. The females will all give birth to their young in the same period, late October/November. This is thought to reduce the effects of predation on the young population.

wulffpaul > A "harem" of female impalas.

wulffpaul > Immature male impala drinking.He would be about 6 months old and his horns are just beginning to sprout.

wulffpaul > Female bushbuck photographed in the early morning light. Bushbuck are highly territorial and move within a quite limited chosen area.

wulffpaul > A baby Puku antelope. Puku like to be near water and are a common species of antelope in the riverine regions of Zambia. However, they have a limited range in Africa as a whole and are only found in a zone that extends from Botswana to the South of the Congo.

wulffpaul > Another baby Puku. Unlike the Impala the Puku breeds all year round.

wulffpaul > A mature male Kudu. One of the handsomest of the African antelopes it prefers lightly wooded areas in which its coat markings provide excellent camouflage.

wulffpaul > A group of immature male Kudu. Young males tend to band together in the early part of their lives. When they are mature they will find females and set up their own family groups.

A male Impala. Impala antelopes prefer to graze and browse in lightly wooded areas. They are not animals of the open plains like gazelles. At this time of year dominant male impalas will have gathered together "harems" of females which they spend much time and energy noisily defending from the incursions of other males. The females will all give birth to their young in the same period, late October/November. This is thought to reduce the effects of predation on the young population.