Interacting with animals

Playing with two white and two tawny baby lions (all 6 months old) at Seaview Park near Port Elizabeth, South Africa. 



Playing with two baby tigers (age 3 months) at Seaview Park near Port Elizabeth, South Africa.



At a bird sanctuary at Cango Park in Oudtshoorn, South Africa.

Playing with adult cheetahs at Cango Park in Oudtshoorn, South Africa.

With three baby white bengal tigers (age 4 months) at Cango Park in Oudtshoorn, South Africa.

Feeding ostriches at the farm in Oudtshoorn, South Africa.



Riding an ostrich at the ostrich farm in Oudtshoorn, South Africa.

Getting into the shark cage in Shark Alley near Cape Agulhas, South Africa.
http://www.sharkwatchsa.com/en/home/

A shark showing off in Cape Agulhas, South Africa. 
http://www.sharkwatchsa.com/en/home/

A 15 foot great white patrolling near the boat at Cape Agulhas, South Africa.
http://www.sharkwatchsa.com/en/home/

A great white going after the bait at Cape Agulhas, South Africa.
http://www.sharkwatchsa.com/en/home/

A picture from the day of shark diving courtesy of Marine Dynamics.  You can visit their site and book a trip: http://www.sharkwatchsa.com/en/home/

A typical shot of the sharks going after the plastic dummies.  Courtesy of Marine Dynamics:  http://www.sharkwatchsa.com/en/home/

A breach while going after the plastic dummies. 
Courtesy of Marine Dynamics: http://www.sharkwatchsa.com/en/home/



             This is Africa.  The animals are everywhere, with game viewing opportunities in every country of every type.  Gorilla watching in the mountains, houseboat safaris, bike safaris, game reserves, or just a plain ol’ safari in a Land Cruiser.  However, what if you want to get up and close (or even touch) the animals of Africa?  South Africa, with a great tourism industry, is the place to do it. 

            There are several places along the route from Johannesburg to Durban to Cape Town that give access to interacting with lions, ostriches, giraffes, elephants, and sharks.  You can even do a safari while riding an elephant.  As South Africa touts itself as a great outdoor tourism destination with plenty of hiking, biking, surfing, swimming, etc, (see my previous blog post for an example) the animals just add to the “outdoor vibe” of Africa. 

            Interacting with these animals can be surprisingly cheap given the exclusivity to these rare species.  Going to ride ostriches and walking the farm only cost $8, while petting tigers and lions at Seaview (near Port Elizabeth) cost $30.  However, the shark cage diving cost $200.  The shark cage dive was a real well done operation with a 1,050 horsepower boat, breakfast, lunch, and nice amenities along the way.  These are great, once in a lifetime opportunities that are unique to the area.  Enjoy the photos.