This is a photo that I worked very hard to get. In fact, searching for the elusive aardvark had been an unhealthy obsession of mine for a long time. Aardvarks, after all, are the holy-grail of nocturnal African wildlife. My quest eventually led me to the Makgadikgadi Pans region of Botswana. After many consecutive nights of aardvark searching, I finally caught my first glimpse of one but it disappeared into the night before I could take a photo. I was demoralised and almost gave up on my quest to capture one on camera. Fortunately I persevered and the next night my patience was rewarded with this incredible sighting. As the aardvarks approached each other, they reared up on their hind legs and pawed at each. This is the way that aardvarks greet each other. It was a beautiful display and something that I doubt I will be lucky enough to witness ever again. After all the years of searching, it turns out aardvarks are a bit like busses… you wait and wait and then two come along at once!
Aardvark (Orycteropus afer)
Makgadikgadi Pans, Botswana