Page 38 - Discover Botswana 23rd Edition 2023

Above: An adorable moment as a newborn Elephant is helped onto its wobbly
feet by its mother. Shortly after the birth, the herd protectively surrounded the new born and crossed the river.
Right: An African Jacana male releases its four tiny chicks from under his wings. As the male does all the rearing of the youngsters, transporting them under his wings serves to keep them safe as well as warm in the cool winter months.
CHARL began his journey in photography in 2003 when he took a job as a resident photographer on a cruise vessel. Along with his wife Sabine he has visited over 100 countries on all continents. His love for Africa, where Charl originates from, brought him and Sabine back in 2014. Shortly after, the couple landed their dream job becoming photographic hosts for Pangolin Photo Safaris. Based in Kasane, Botswana, Charl and Sabine lead photo safaris and workshops in Chobe National Park and other wild places in Africa.
SABINE was born and raised in Germany. After finishing her studies she took some time to discover the world working on a cruise vessel where she met her South African husband Charl. A short summer job turned into a photographic career for the couple travelling for almost 10 years around the world providing photographic services for their cruise guests. However, their love for the African bush and wildlife made their decision easy when Pangolin asked them to join the company in 2015. Based in Kasane, Botswana, Sabine and Charl lead photo safaris and workshops in Chobe National Park and other wild places in Africa.
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One of the birds that flock to the marshland in the green season is the southern carmine bee-eater, which has developed some extraordinary behaviour only ever witnessed in this region. It commonly perches on the back of the kori bustard to snatch insects stirred up from the grass – a truly unique image to capture!
As a wildlife photographer I always recommend visiting Chobe National Park over the different seasons of the year. In the dry winter months are clear skies, great numbers of game concentrated around water sources, warm coloured backgrounds and plenty dust making for beautifully backlit images. Just as appealing are the lush and green of the summer months where background colours become stronger and more vibrant, colourful migratory birds flock to the area, and big skies entirely transform wildlife photography.
I believe the Chobe / Savuti combination to be the best “year-round” wildlife photography destination in Africa. There is always something good to catch on camera, and one never has to wait long for the next exciting photo opportunity!