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By Daniella Potter

Journalist


Field guide captures vulture and warthog bonding in Kruger

The vulture was seen grooming the warthog in the captured moment, which is a first for the field guide and dubbed as seemingly unique by social media users.


A field guide has shared his delight at capturing a bonding moment between a white-headed vulture and a warthog at the Sweni Waterhole in the Kruger National Park.

Taking to the SANParks – Kruger National Park Facebook page on February 1, the guide, Matthew Mc Donald, shared his photograph and said that while he spends most of his days in the Kruger, this moment is one of his highlights.

“We think we have seen or learnt it all, and it’s these moments that make working in the bush even more grateful,” said Mc Donald.

He added that the vulture was seen giving the warthog a “good groom”.

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A screenshot of Matthew Mc Donald's post on Facebook. Picture: SANParks - Kruger National Park

A screenshot of Matthew Mc Donald’s post on Facebook. Picture: SANParks – Kruger National Park

By the afternoon of February 2, nearly 700 people had reacted positively and with shock at the post.

Many of the people who commented on the post believed it to be a unique sighting. One of the people who commented had also contacted the Hawk Conservancy Trust in the United Kingdom, who apparently work with white-headed vultures in South Africa, in a bid to find out how unique the bond Mc Donald captured really is.

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A screenshot of comments on Matthew Mc Donald's Facebook page. Picture: SANParks - Kruger National Park

A screenshot of comments on Matthew Mc Donald’s Facebook page. Picture: SANParks – Kruger National Park

Mc Donald told The Citizen he is a proud guide for Nhongo Safaris. He grew up in the Kruger National Park and attended Skukuza Primary School.

“In all my years, I have never seen anything so spectacular and unusual while in the field,” said Mc Donald.

Caxton News Service

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