A F R I C A
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Previously, for this adventure (Trip168), I published posts (clickable links below) for our short stays in ...
Amsterdam NETHERLANDS and Capetown SOUTH AFRICA.
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PHOTO JOURNAL
All blue links are clickable.
I believe, the best way to present this leg (Trip168-3), of our adventure ... the stays at 2 of BOTSWANA's African Bush Camps; is to use a random selection of our photography, taken at bush camps Khwai Lediba & Linyanti.
African Bush Camps are currently being operated in ...
BOTSWANA, ZIMBABWE & ZAMBIA.
Our 1/2 hour, helicopter flight will transfer us from Khwai Lebida to the Linyanti bush camp.
We are offered viewes of the Khwai River as we fly over the BOTSWANA terrain. The country of NAMIBIA becomes visible at the horizon line.
Linyanti bush camp becomes visible, along the jungle edge.
SAFARI
We travelled by Land Cruiser safari, throughout what are called Concession Areas, and also in Chobe National Park while here.
A maximum of 6 passengers / vehicle, but often only 2-4. Our guides stayed in constant radio contact with each other, but would often meet up to co-ordinate a tracking effort to focus on a particular animal.
Gilbert ... our guide ... quite the tracker and recovery vehicle expert!
Below: Gilbert towed 2 vehicles from this waterhole. The first Land Cruiser didn't take his advice and soaked the snorkelled engine, intake dropped below water level briefly, required several hours to restart. The second Land Cruiser also got stuck trying to pull the first one out. See second photo below, for the correct route across.
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WILDLIFE
Click on any of the links that follow, for additional information. (Source: (usually) Wikipedia)
ATHLETIC PROWESS: Impalas are not only amazing jumpers but also fast runners, reaching speeds of over 90 kilometers per hour (55 miles per hour).
COURTSHIP: During courtship, they engage in spectacular aerial displays, including steep dives and barrel rolls, often accompanied by loud wing slapping and crowing calls.
Comb Duck (Male)
Stock Photo
Kudu (Male) ... seen, too fast to photograph.
FACTOIDS: A kudu horn can be used as a musical instrument. They have impressive spiraled horns, are also excellent jumpers, and capable of leaping over obstacles up to 3.5 meters (11 feet) when fleeing danger.
QUEEN LIFESPAN: Termite queens can live for decades (up to 40-50 years) and lay thousands of eggs daily, contributing to the rapid growth of the colony.
SIZE: They are among the largest true waterfowl in Africa and are considered the world's largest goose by average weight, with males being larger than females.
COMMUNICATION: Adults are typically silent, as they lack a typical voice box, communicating through bill-clattering and body language, particularly during courtship and when defending their nesting territory.
SIZE & DOMINANCE: Hippos are the third largest land mammal, after elephants and white rhinos. When hippos open their mouths wide, it's often a warning sign or a display of aggression, not necessarily a sign of being tired or sleepy, as it allows them to show off their powerful jaws and sharp teeth.
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HYENA EVOLUTION
It’s incredible to observe the difference in the jaws of a gray wolf and a spotted hyena! If we look closely at their molars, we can notice a big difference. The molars of the hyena are extremely strong and robust, a true marvel of nature! These teeth are designed to break large, hard bones with ease, a skill that puts the hyena on a whole other level in terms of bite strength. Their bite is up to three times stronger than that of a gray wolf, making them one of the most formidable predators in the African savanna.
In addition, the hyena’s jaws are extremely muscular, which gives them the ability to apply this biting force effectively. Hyenas, often underestimated, are highly efficient predators with impressive evolutionary adaptations that ensure their survival in the wild. They can crush bones with ease, allowing them to feed on parts of their prey that other animals can’t access.
Did you know that hyenas experience one of the most painful and difficult births of any animal? Female hyenas have a unique reproductive anatomy—what appears to be a penis is actually an elongated clitoris, known as a pseudo-penis. Their labia are fused, forming what looks like a scrotum.
When giving birth, the cub must pass through this narrow and elongated pseudo-penis, which often ruptures in the process. The birth canal is so tight that many first-time mothers do not survive labor, and a significant number of cubs suffocate before they can be born.
Mating is also complicated due to this unusual anatomy. The male must carefully navigate the female’s pseudo-penis to achieve successful copulation. This, combined with the hyena’s matriarchal social structure, makes their reproductive process one of the most fascinating yet challenging in the animal kingdom.
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FLEHMEN GRIMACE: When lions smell urine, they tilt their heads up and then bare their teeth by lifting up their top lips. This interesting lion behaviour is called a flehmen grimace or flehmen response and make the animal look like it is smiling. The name is derived from German and means to 'bare upper teeth'. The lion sucks air in through it's front teeth and forces it over an area in the roof of it's mouth called the Jacobson's organ or vomeronasal organ (VNO). This organ decodes the pheromones and other scents left behind in the urine.
We encountered these two lions (female (below) & a young male) watching a couple of Bushbucks ... they didn't chase.
Zebra (Foal)
FACTOIDS: Baby zebras are born with brown or reddish-brown stripes that gradually darken and become black as they mature. A baby zebra can stand and walk within minutes of birth and run within an hour, a remarkable adaptation for survival in the wild, and they begin grazing within a week.
UNIQUENESS: The pied kingfisher is the largest bird capable of sustained hovering in still air, a unique hunting strategy they use to spot fish before diving in.
GIRAFFE TOWER: The collective noun "tower" is particularly fitting for giraffes because of their distinctive long necks and towering stature.
ELEPHANT EYELASHES: Their eyelashes can grow up to five inches in length. Studies have shown that the ideal length for eyelashes is approximately one-third of the total length of the eye, which helps to prevent their eyes from drying out.
SURVIVAL: They have cheek pouches the size of their stomachs for storing food, and can survive up to 20 days without water in water-scarce areas by eating food with high water content.
SYMBIOTIC MUTUALISM: Red-billed oxpeckers, known for their symbiotic relationship with large mammals, are fascinating birds that not only remove ticks and other parasites but also feed on blood, sometimes even pecking at wounds to keep them open for a blood meal. Recent research suggests that the number of parasites removed from the coat of an animal by the oxpecker is not sufficient enough to outweigh the negative impact that the bird makes by keeping old wounds open.
Elephant (Baby)
FACTOIDS: Baby elephants can stand within 20 minutes of birth and can walk within an hour. A fascinating fact about baby elephants is that they, like human babies, suck their trunks for comfort and to help them learn how to use them effectively.
SURVIVAL: Tawny eagles are known for their opportunistic hunting behavior, often scavenging carrion and even stealing prey from other raptors, a behavior called kleptoparasitism.
HYGIENE: Their featherless heads and necks help them to keep clean because they can shake off any sticky remains of their meals. The sun bakes off any bacteria or parasites since this the hardest part of the body to preen. These birds have a larger wingspan than any other vulture in Africa. Also, one of AFRICA's 'Ugly Five' including ... (hyena, vulture, warthog, wildebeast, marabou stork)
UNIQUENESS: They have odd habits such as grazing on bended forelegs, entering burrows backwards, and trotting with their tail held erect. Also, one of AFRICA's 'Ugly Five' including ... (hyena, vulture, warthog, wildebeast, marabou stork)
His name is Captain ... he's the alpha male, he's approximately 7-8 years old, he protects a pride of 4 females. We tracked him (see below) along the bush road between Linyenti Bush Camp and our airstrip flight out.
Warthog (Female)
BEHAVIOR: Warthog females, called sows, are much more social than the males, called boars. They usually stay in groups (of up to 40) with their young, called piglets.
MARKINGS: They are known for their distinctive white "follow-me" ring on their hindquarters.
TERRITORIAL: A fascinating fact about the Cape rock thrush is that the male vigorously defends his territory, even chasing and attacking other males who dare enter, and they are known to mimic other bird species in their songs.
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The END
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WHERE to NEXT
LOAFin Around westerly and northerly across CANADA.
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Our complete photography gallery for Trip168 (including *-1 >*-4), comprises the countries of NETHERLANDS, SOUTH AFRICA, BOTSWANA and ZIMBABWE.
Our Cameras
#1 - NIKON Coolpix P1000
#2 - iPhone 16
Unless credited, all photo content is by LOAFin Around
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