The lions working as a pack can take down a very large animal like a buffalo. The prey needs to be an animal big enough to feed the pack of as much as twenty members. Each of the members may weigh as much as 400 pounds. The lions depend on coordination, speed and strength. The lions communication among each other with roars, cries, yelps, bellows, and groans along with body expressions and pheromones to express a wide variety of thoughts. You may be aware of the difficulty in “herding cats” so you can imagine a herd of 18 cats organizing and executing a Cape buffalo hunt. Each bull may weigh up to 2 tons, running at 40 miles per hour on the open savanna. These images tell the story of the hunt. They were captured in low light and foggy conditions at considerable distance while the animals were in full running motion. It was impossible to make a video of this with the limitation of the photo equipment at hand.
The featured image is a male lion, “King of the beasts”. See our previous post on African Predators.
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THE HUNT
There were 18 lions strategically placed on the plane. There was a small herd of 9 adult male Cape buffalos grazing at the shore of the river.
Nine male Cape buffalos
The lions included about 8 female, three male and the remainder adolescent and young. All would feed or go hungry depending on the result of this hunt. Three females were in the lead for the hunt with one singled out to do the take down. The pride of lions was spread across the plane between the river and the hills.
Two of three female lioness planning the take down.
In the theater of the hunt the lead three females were closest to the buffalos while the young are farthest. The middle space has the slow-moving remainder of the male and female adult group. The herd of eight Cape buffalos were all male, moving eastward, parallel to the river, grazing in the grass and already angry. There were no surprises as they are always alert and always angry. Easily visible were their heads with their massive horns slashing like a sickles, side to side, as they foraged. This was a bachelor group, boys only, who could no longer keep up with a full herd; no longer able to compete with the younger males for dominance and mating. The cattle egrets had already flown off their backs.
It was morning twilight. The sun was just about to rise and there was a low fog caressing the grass on the plane. We had been waiting for about an hour. The bulls were slowly moving east and the lions were moving west camouflaged in the back light of the sunrise, the tall grass and the low fog.
Sunrise a finger high in the sky.
The cats began to spread out making pincer formation. It appeared that they would have a lead group on the attack from the south driving the buffalo along the river into the pack. Just as the fog was ready to evaporate and as the sun sparked a finger of light over the horizon the approach begins. The prime huntress crept rapidly toward the rear of the prey.
The lead buffalo bolted to a gallop, the others immediately followed suit in a straight line. The lioness was immediately running at full speed charging into the middle of the group. The buffalos all seemed to be in good condition; fast and powerful. In a second, the lioness, now at the end of the line, reached out to grasp the hind quarter of the slowest animal.
Lioness at full run stampeded the buffalos Still running the buffalos were in better condition than she thought. She was in the middle ready to lunge. The group of bulls split!
She missed! Now she was then out of pace with the line of the departing dinner. They outran her and she has no backup! All that work was without reward. The opportunity was lost.
All were scattered and lost to the chase. “Darn buffalo ! What am I going to tell the others?” (They already know.)
The pride, depending on this effort for this meal, watched it evaporate with the fog. I guess that this was not unusual. The buffalos were gone, and the pride began to regather as the harsh sun rose fist high above the horizon of trees miles in the distance. The long shadows of the highlands and the light fog still obscure the details of the undulating plane.
Cape buffalos escaped this time and as the sun rose they were safer in the full light of day. The sun now fist high in the eastern sky burns off the fog as the heat rises.
The adolescent lions who were watching and learning the skill of the hunt began to rough play as they ran in from the eastern fields. They knew that in the evening twilight of the day there would be another show and hopefully dinner.
Rough play among the adolescent cubs.
We did not see the next take down but you can see the result. The dominant male ate first until it could eat no more. The others then dove in to feast. The other members of the pride then devoured the carcass until it was bare bones. When they were finished they slept which may be for days.
Any remaining scraps were the choice of jackals, hyaenas and buzzards. The only remaining signs after the kill was blood-stained grass, teeth, horns, bones and the smell of death.
This Cape buffalo was not fast enough and was invited to dinner by the pride of lions. The carcass was ready for the scavengers.
Life and death on the African savanna is fearsome and pragmatic. This show of cooperative group behavior and sheer power demonstrates the reason for the title. “King of the Beasts”.
#Africa #lions #Cape buffalo #buffalo #hunt #king
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4 responses to “Lions in Africa – Sunrise Hunt for Cape Buffalo”
I’m really enjoying all of your posts. The African articles are really interesting. Your photography is always “top-shelf”.
Must admit you are a grand storyteller as well. The li
This posting focuses on leopards of Africa. We saw them several times during our safari and each time was a special event. They are magnificent animals and are among my favorites of the trip. Leopards are mentioned a previous posting on predators.
The leopard in the cover picture is one of a series at one location.
Leopards are not pack animals but like the lions they are maternal family providers. Yep, momma brings home the antelope. She is out there birthing, nursing, protecting, chasing, fighting and guaranteeing that there is enough for all or else there is no next generation. Except for the lions, male cats are solo actors coming together for mating during estrus season.
Leopard stalking through the woodland of the Okavango
It was easier to watch the leopards than the cheetah because they were more frequently found in areas that we visited. Their visually attractive spotted coats and near proximity to our vehicle made the desire to touch/pet them very strong. As they moved through the underbrush, grass and trees this provided an opportunity to see them from all angles. Only the single female cats were seen but our guide insisted that a single kitten was placed in hiding. We never saw the little ones.
The coloration of these animals is not as diverse as pedigree house pets, but they are so impressive. The cheetah and leopard pelts are similar, however, the leopard spots are more distinctive because of their increased pattern diversity. The patterns on the cat coats make them very difficult to distinguish from their surroundings. It is easy to see that the value component of color helps to break up the visual image.
Leopard with all 4 paws in the air leaping to the next tree
Watching them was like watching water flow. There was no resistance to their smooth movements as they slipped through the grass or leaped through the tree canopy. Their eyes were so brilliant, they were a dazzling attraction better than a “cat eye” agate.
Leopard prepared to make the jump to another higher branch. No need to go up that tree to rescue the cat. She can take care of herself.
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False Color Image
Perception used for hunting by humans is mostly by visual search. This includes shape, color, movement and patterns which attract attention. For most other animals the visual cues that attracts attention are movement and shape. Animal vision sensitivity, focal point and wavelength is different from human. Cats share a common visual perception of the world. Their eyes have a physiology and anatomy very different from humans. Their eyes are exceptionally large making close focusing difficult. The light receptors in the retina of the back of the cat’s eyes don’t have the receptors for red and blue. They best see yellows and greens. A sub-retinal reflective layer increases sensitivity. This layer is what makes the cat eyes look bright when reflecting a pointed light in dim setting. These adaptations are best used for vision at twilight and night. During the daylight hours the coat colors and patterns may make them seem nearly invisible.
No red or blue image. Perhaps this is a cat’s eye view.
Normal view with human retina sensitivity.
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A Few Notes About Cat Physiology
Odors for animals are also very different from humans. It has a much broader range for which there are no clear terms. The world experienced by differing species may result in vastly divergent perceptions and experiences. It is difficult to describe a multi-dimensional odor and sound world. We simply don’t have a vocabulary to express our understanding of these concepts.
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#Africa #Okavango #Maasai Mara #leopard #vision #spots #perception
UNDERSTANDING THE TWO ECOLOGICAL SYSTEMS BY COMPARING THEM FROM THE GROUND UP.
To help understand what is happening in this system it may be made easier by look at its parts. There may be some errors in this method but at least this is a reasonable hypothetical start. Let’s begin with the idea that every detail is important and that everything is interconnected. Also, if a part of the system is lost the entire system is compromised. See the map at the end of this posting.
The featured image shows one of thousands of termite colony mounds
The Okavango and Mara locations are very different not only in location and elevation but also in geology. Two soil samples were taken from typical road side areas in the savannah-like landscapes away from human traffic areas. Under the microscope you can see that the individual sand grains are transparent, something which is not obvious when looking at the sand with the unaided eye. The sand of the Delta (Fig. A1 & 2 is made up mostly of silicon dioxide (SiO2). It is completely glassy. It is not soluble and has no mineral content. Volcanic pumice Fig B1 & 2 is a complex particle aggregate of ash feldspar. It is an incomplete glass with other minerals at the particles’ surfaces. The Mara soil has a much higher metabolizable mineral content which makes the soil more fertile than the Delta.
Fig A1. Sand particle sample from Okavango Delta. (20X) Completely translucent. Illuminated with transmitted plane light. This is nearly pure silica.
Fig. A2. Sand particle sample from Okavango Delta. (20X) Completely translucent. Illuminated with transmitted polarized light.
Fig.B1 Sand particle sample from Mara. Note the surface’s complex micro-porosity. Illuminated in dark field with direct lighting. This amorphous, opaque particle is definitely volcanic in origin. (20X)
Fig. B2. Sand particle sample from Mara. (20X) Completely opaque. The red color is iron oxide. Illuminated in dark field with direct lighting.
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OKOVANGO DELTA
The Delta is flat but it is cyclically flooded and the colors are green and tan. The islands of the Delta were built by the humblest of creatures. The termites as architects, engineers and builders have created a landscape of unbelievable variety. They harvest the dead plants and with the sand of the Kalahari desert and they build massive, nearly indestructible castles reaching meters into the sky. The nest height is determined by the water level. The higher the water level, the taller the nest will be. When the population reaches a critical mass, a new colony is initiated. With erosion by water, wind, and the burrowing of animals the mounds collapse and islands grow. As a result of centuries of this cycle the islands provide a collective of soil used by the large mammals, birds and fish. The aquatic plants are supplemented by grasses, brush, bushes, and trees. These form savannas in the Delta for non-migrating herds of grazing land animals and the creatures which accompany them. They also encourage aquatic animals like fish, birds, reptiles, and mammals which are supported by the aquatic environment.
Termite mound on savannah island of the Okavango DeltaPampa Grass (Niscanthus junceus) Assists in forming islands by trapping sand and with decaying plants supports rooted water plants such as water lillies.Blue Water Lilly (Nympheanouchali). These also assist in the formation of islands and support protective areas for aquatic animals.Marshland in the Okavango Delta with grazing zebras. The trees in the background are on the island that emerged from the work of the termites and plants.Impala roaming through of the woodlands of the Okavango Delta. This land is based on the foundation of sand deposited by wind and water sediment which is fixed and enriched by termites and plants. These zebras are grazing on a very large island in the Okavango Delta. It appears like a classic savannah landscape.Tree covered island succumbing to salt accumulation in the Okavango. The islands dehydrate and accumulate salt at the periphery. When high water returns and infiltrates the interior of the island the salt enters the soil. Plants, weakened by drought, are further dehydrated and die.
The water levels rise and fall because of the flow of several rivers that end in the Delta. The water never reaches the sea; hence the Delta. Water is lost by evaporation and transpiration. The animals have a reliable supply of water and plants. They do not migrate.
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MAASAI MARA
The Kenyan savannah is so starkly different from the Okavango Delta they seem worlds apart. The Serengeti plane colors are tan and beige. The Mara land is flat and dry. In contrast to the Delta, the Maasai Mara is the result of volcanism and rain. Dominating the landscape is the ancient volcano of Mt. Kenya along with the range of uplands that are a result of the enormous energy expended in tectonic plate collision and the spread of the great Rift Valley. It stands as a plateau at an elevation of about 1,480 to 2,280 meters. The volcanoes of the area have created a mineral rich soil which when watered by the seasonal rain provides an opportunity for lush grass to grow. There are few trees growing on the savanna of the Mara making it seem like a great lake of soil dressed in golden grass. The Mara also has riverine forests. The seasonal rains are predictably distributed regionally causing the rotation of the animal migration. The people of the Maasai tribe move their domesticated herds in synchrony with the wildlife, plants and rainfall.
When looking at the landscape of the Maasai Mara it is nearly unavoidable to escape the surrounding mountains replete with volcanoes. Mount Kenya (ancient volcano) is just to the right side of the image. The ash of these are the source of the soil. The sand particles seen in Figs. B1&2 came from these volcanoes. Note how dry it is in this region.Mara river cutting through the savannah. The river is a limited but reliable source of water. Seasonal rain is the major water resource however it is variable and recently very deminished.Hillsides erosion adds to the plane.The massive savannah of the Serengeti plane supports an animal migration that may be the greatest seasonal movement of animals on earth. The grass is lush and green.Mount Kenya off in the distance as part of the Great Rift Valley. No migratory animals here.This map* of the central eastern sextant of the continent of Africa shows the relative position of the two areas of our grand safari.
These two systems are much more complex than this simple description. This only becomes apparent after returning from there, collecting and organizing observations, and reflecting on the diversity and life forms and cycles. This leads to many more questions such as: Where did the glassy sand come from? Why do the two areas share so many identical species? Why are there so few cactus or pine species? How would you summarize the comparison of these two areas? Perhaps these questions can stimulate discussion in our comment section.
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Here are portraits of birds of Africa from the clade Aequorlitornithes. The Aequorlitornithes include all shorebirds, waterbirds, flamingos, grebes, gulls, tropicbirds, penguins, including pelicans, ibis, and heron.
The cover picture is a Yellow Billed Stork (Mycteria ibis). It is feeding along the shore with the hippo lying inches away. The hippo provides a sense of scale. Additionally it shows that the animals of differing species cooperate unless they are direct predators.
Be sure to look at our post of portraits of the Inopinaves in a previous blog, African Birds, Inopinaves.
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EGRET & HERON
Great White Egret (Area aigrette). This appears to be identical to the Great White Egrets of the Florida Everglades. Its ancestors along with those of the Western Cattle Egrets were probably blown over to Florida by some ancient hurricane.African Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea), Chobe National Park, Chobe River, Okavango Delta. BotswanaAfrican Jadcana (Actophilornis Africans) AKA: Lilly trotter
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STORKS
Marabou Stork (Leptopilos cruminifer) Chobe BotswanaYellow billed stork (Mycteria ibis)Marabou Stork (Leptopilos cruminifer). These shadowy figures are backlighted by the sunset as they settle down for the night. Chobe National Park, Chobe River, Botswana
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DUCK
Spur Winged Goose (Plectropterus gembensis). Largest duck in Africa. Chobe National Park, Chobe River, Okavango Delta, Botswana.Egyptian Goose (Alopochen egyptiaca). Actually a duck; there are no true geese in Africa. They are usually found in pairs. Not a well focused photo, however, with a hand held camera from a distance of ~ 450 meters it will get the task done. Why did the duck cross the Mara river?
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OTHER FOWL
Afican Skimmer (Rhynchops flavirosteris) Chobe National Park, Chobe River, Okavango Delta. BotswanaPied Kingfisher (Cercle rudis), Chobe National Park, Chobe River, Okavango Delta. Botswana. I captured this image of the Kingfisher as he was hovering, perfectly still, 10 meters above the river surface waiting for the right moment to strike. He fell like an arrow and he had his fish lunch.
There were many other birds which I observed but did not photograph because of poor conditions. These include Western Cattle Egret, Quella and Red billed African Oxpickers. Several varieties will be mentioned when showing the birds cleaning or riding on the ungulates.
I highly recommend participation in the Cornel Lab of Ornithology found at eBird. It a great resource for identification and information. To understand the naming of birds used in this blog site check out the previous discussion on bird identification in the Everglades Ark posting. When you go to the Okavango in Botswana, Africa, there I recommend a very useful field guide. It may be purchased online or at the Chobe National Park Lodge.
“THE CHOBE COMPANION”, Hancock P, Randall R, Sandor Books Ltd, Maun Botswana, 2014. ISBN 978-99968-0-247-8
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Here are 22 birds portraits. August is not necessarily the best time for birding in the places where we were. Large flocks of varieties of European and North African migratory birds fill the Okavango Delta of Botswana during the “green season”. The best time for this is October through April. The Maasai Mara reserve is most noted hosting the largest bird species, Ostriches. This area is a major destination for migrating birds between November and February. From June to July the Mara River is filled with weaver birds and bishops. We saw only the weaver nest remains from the last season. The Okavango claims 475 confirmed species. Kenya claims 1145 confirmed species.
The cover picture is a male ostrich. He was herding his flock of female birds and would occasionally trot around them with great powerful strides.
The Inopinave clade includes all land birds and songbirds, including raptors, hawks, owls, toucans, falcons, parrots. For conversation in this publication, I subdivided this clade into raptors, hornbills, scavengers, guineafowl, general bush birds and ostrich. To understand the naming of birds used in this blog site check out the previous discussion on bird identification in the Eeverglades ark posting.
RAPTORS
African Fish Eagle (Haliaeetus vocifer)We have seen this example in a previous posting and we will see more of him in a later posting specifically about his behaviorTawny Eagle (Aquila rapx) Maasai MaraLong Crested Eagle (Lophaetus occipitalis), Maasai MaraGabar Goshawk (Micronisus gabar). Found in open woodland of Chobe Okavango, Botswana Secretary bird (Accipitriformes, Sagittariidae) Maasai Mara. Preys on small ground animals. It does fly. Pearl Spotted Owl (Glaucidium perlatum) This was photographed at night with near total darkness and a handy flash attachment. We were returning from viewing a Wild Dog pack hunting and while we stopped for a stampeding nerd of buffalo crossing out path I caught this
White Backed Vulture (Gyps africanus) Okavango. These birds were working on a buffalo carcass that was taken down by lions two days previous to this scene. More on these vultures later.
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GUINEAFOWL
Vulture guineafowl (Acryllium vulturinum) Groups of 50 to 100 of these beautiful birds trotted like turkeys across the floor of the scrublands in the Maasai Mara. Helmeted Guineafowl (Numidia meleangris)Africa yellow necked Spurfowl (Pternistis leucoscepus). AKA Yellow-Necked Francolin. Picking seeds from elephant dungRed Crested Korhan (female ) (Lophotis ruficrista) . Botswana
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GENERAL BUSH BIRDS
This image of a Lilac-breasted Roller (Caracas caudates) is just breathtaking in color when you consider the relatively monochromatic nature of the Maasai Mara. I took more than 90 images over many days of searching to get just the right image.We will see more images of this species because of its color. Maasai Mara. This Little Bee Eater ((Merops pusillus) was also difficult to photograph. Okavango.Grey Go-Away-Bird (Corythaioxides concolor). Gets its name from its song. Yellow Bellied Greenbul (Chlorocichla flaviventris) looking for insects in the bush of the Maasai Mara. Superb Starling (Lamprotornis superbus). Sweetwater lodge at lunch timeCaped Wheatear (Oenanthe pileata) Sweetwater lodge at lunch time.
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OSTRICH
Common ostrich (Struthio camelus). This largest of birds is flightless and is found in the Maasai Mara. They have powerful legs for running and fighting. According to National Geographic: “Ostriches don’t bury their heads in the sand—they wouldn’t be able to breathe! But they do dig holes in the dirt to use as nests for their eggs. Several times a day, a bird puts her head in the hole and turns the eggs. The Common ostrich is an interesting example of evolutionary stasis. The present Struthio camelus belongs to palaeognatha which apparently branched out as neognathous birds about 50 Mya. Check out the quantum analysis
Aequorlitornithes are presented in a following posting. They include all shorebirds, waterbirds, flamingos, grebes, gulls, tropicbirds, penguins, including pelicans, ibis, and heron.
There are so many bird species in these two countries. Many of them are migratory and can be found in Europe and Northern Africa. I sorry to have missed the best of the birding season. Perhaps another trip just for birds and insects would be another adventure. Unfortunately the season for birds is coincident wit insect seasons. I’m not sure that my allergies to biting bugs would appreciate that exposure.
I highly recommend participation in the Cornel Lab of Ornithology found at eBird. It a great resource for identification and information.
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Elephants are so complicated. They live a long time and remember a lot. They have multi generational, socially interactive lives. Their social structure is matriarchal. They are the largest terrestrial animal and spend most of their time eating. They are herbivores that need a large ranging territory with water, grass and trees for grazing and drinking. They maintain their dispersed social interactions by communicating great distances using growls that are at very low frequency. Most of this vocalization is inaudible to humans.
Featured image is a rogue male elephant showing his stuff.
There is a mixed opinion regarding the ecological impact of elephant herds. On the small scale when elephants crash through a small village or hut the residents are not amused. They want the animals out. When the elephants tear up the trees on the sparsely vegetated savannah the plants are demolished and can’t reproduce. Conversely the elephants help to propagate the trees and other plants by eating the tree fruit and, after digestion, they drop the undigested seeds with nutrients along their paths. Hence they promote new growth. Survival of plants and animals comes down to population density and environmental pressure. The poachers are a terrible plague on the animals of these areas. The local game rangers pursue this criminal behavior in the park areas armed with high powered rifles. Outside the parks the issue is more complicated. The people in the near park areas depend upon tourism. They know that it is in their best interest to cohabitate with the animals. Progressive seasonal drought is another problem for the elephants. They may need to travel long distances from the vegetated areas to water. During this search for food and water the weak may succumb to predators such as lions or to dehydration. This is the reason that Okavango Delta is a high value breeding area for elephants.
In the Maasai Mara elephant families wade and drink in the riverbank just afternoon. Notice the lack of ground vegetation along the way to the water.Young elephants learning to use their trunks. Maasai MaraTwo of six male elephants in a bachelor party out of the heat of the day feeding on grass in the late afternoon shade. Maasai MaraReaching for the succulent leaves just like the giraffes. Okavango DeltaElephant portrait. Chobe, Okavango Delta
Young elephant hiding in the Okavango marsh grass.
Protective elephant cow just a few steps away
You might notice the difference between the two reserve areas. In the Okavango the elephants can easily stand in the marshlands feeding and drinking. In the Maasai Mara the elephants live on the savanna and need to go to the rivers and drink from the shore where they are less protected.
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5 responses to “Elephants”
Anonymous
Thank you for posting the fantastic pictures. It’s always amazing seeing animals in their natural surroundings.
Hello! This is my 1st comment here so I just wanted to give a quick shout out and say I genuinely enjoy reading your articles. Can you suggest any other blogs/websites/forums that cover the same subjects? Thank you!
Monkeys are always amusing to watch and in Africa there were no exceptions. Here are a few images that captured my attention in Chobe National Park, Botswana. Most of these were Chacma Baboons.
Ouch! This doesn’t look like fun.Please take my picture while I’m not scratching myself.
Baboon and baby along for the ride
Looking out for one another. Baboon and Impala.Safe in mom’s arms. Baboon.
These animals are smart, agile and prehensile. Always lock your tent or cabin because these little rascals will open the door and look for food making a mess as they go. There were so many opportunities to photograph the primates and so little time.
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Feature image is a pride of Cheetah (Acinonyxjubatus) including female and her three cubs in Kenyan scrub.
Typical daytime lion setting with an ATV trying to navigate around them. We passed them several times during the day and they never moved.
Lions spend a remarkable portion of the daylight hours sleeping. I saw this typical behavior in the Florida Naples Zoo but I didn’t expect to see it so frequently in the wilderness of Africa. I expected them to be walking about and hunting and / or engaged in group activities. Seeing them sleeping up to 20 hours per day was a rude awakening. During the best daylight hours where photography would be easy, these critters were usually completely out of it. They would be sleeping in the roads and pathways without any care for traffic trying to pass. They were communally grouped, sleeping together among family members. Occasionally, they might be seen finishing off a meal from last night’s hunting but in general they were boring subjects
In the twilight hours, however, with the sun just at the horizon, the scene was dramatically different. Despite the near darkness, fog, and distance I was able to see the spine-chilling hunt of the packs in action. The pursuit could have been taken from a professional soccer coach’s play book. Each pack member had their position to play – scouting, blocking, hunting, and a final charge for the throat. Without team play all 16 lions would go hungry.
When visiting the local Naples Zoo, I imagined an animalistic sense. It was as if the captive animals knew the truth of their sheltered, human dependent relationship. At the zoo the animals pace around in their enclosures. There is nothing to hunt. There is no territory to defend. There are no mates to pursue. No families to care for. See out previous blog on the Naples Zoo. This is in contradiction to the animals seen in the African wilderness. There they were busy surviving as hunter, prey or both. On safari the animals are indifferent to the viewer. It is a sense that the people are not there because they are in a vehicle. The vehicle was of no importance. It was simply a noisy passing distraction.
From our nearly three-week visit, several species stood out as apex predators. These included lions, leopards, cheetahs, wild dogs, crocodiles, and eagles. Each of these meat-eating animals is magnificent in color, shape, skill, and speed. These animals need a large area under their dominion. The area could easily range from 20 to 400 square kilometers. Lion prides and dog packs hunted using carefully laid out strategies and roles. Of the cat and dog, it is difficult to suggest that one is superior to another as their hunting behaviors were very similar. What do they do the rest of the time? They sleep and just hang out.
Male Lion (Panthera Leo) Naples Zoo, Florida, mid afternoon
Male Lion, Okavango Delta mid afternoon with a full belly lying in the shade.
Cheetah pair Naples zoo lying in the mid afternoon shade
Cheetah mom and two cubs, Kenya savanna mid afternoon lying in the shade of an acacia tree during the heat of the day
Leopard, Naples Zoo, late afternoon
Leopard, ( Panthera pardus), Okavango Delta, Botswana, late afternoon. Lying on a branch after hanging its Impala catch in a branch.
Rescue panther in Naples Zoo. So few remain; we need to take better care of our Everglades.
African black panthers have not been photographed in 100 years until recently. The term black panther is most frequently applied to black-coated leopards (Panthera pardus) of Africa. I did not see this African animal.
A melanistic color variant of the African leopard – was filmed in Lorok, Laikipia County, Kenya, on remote cameras set up as part of a large-scale study aimed at understanding the population dynamics of leopards. Dramatic night photos of this are available at the link mentioned here. (*)
Murphy is a Floridian rescue greyhound (Canis Lupus Familiaris) He sleeps most of the day. He might be able to survive for a day or two on the African savanna before finding a friendly human. He is an excellent hunter and can outpace a cheetah on the long run, clocked at 45 to 50 mph for at least 275 yards and 35 mph for 7 miles. The best African animal survivors are pack animals, and the domesticated dog has lost this complex behavior instinct important for family group survival.
Wild dogs ( Lycaon not Canine), Maasai Mara, Kenya. Just rising from their nest to begin their hunt.
There were some Florida animals in the wild that were directly comparable to those seen in our African safari. These are birds and reptiles. The two apex predators that I saw most often were the Sea Eagles (Osprey) / African Sea Eagles as well as the Florida alligator/African crocodiles. The lizards spend most of their time cruising the water and lying on the shore waiting and watching for an opportunity to eat. The birds, on the other hand, were busy and exceptionally photogenic.
Osprey (Pandion haliaetu) (aka fish eagle), Florida, Everglades. Half eaten fish in talons after plucking it from the Gulf
Fish Eagle (Haliaeetus vocifer) Okavango Delta, Botswan. Going out to fish in the near by river.
Florida alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) waiting for a raccoon or turtle.
Kenyan crocodiles (Crocodylus suchus) waiting for wildebeest
No doubt about it. The birds worked throughout the day. The African Sea Eagles and their cousins, Florida Osprey, were constantly searching and bringing fish back to eat or to feed their brood in the nest. The surprise was to see that these unfettered bird species which are different species but so similar in their size, behavior, and call.
We will spend additional time describing these bird and cat predators. The Zoo is wonderful to visit and see these animals. It is a good place to sharpen your camera skills for animal portraiture. It is a great place to show the real-life animals to children. Zoos are excellent for research and help preserve endangered animal stock. In the wild these same creatures are daily interacting with one another and their environment. There are no barriers separating them. They all struggle for survival. They pay no attention to people. If you want real understanding of the life in a giant working and evolving ecosystem you need to go out and experience it. We live in the Everglades reserve area. This is one of our National and State treasures. If you simply drive a few miles and walk into the Florida reserve area with a guide you may have an experience similar to ours in the Okavango Delta of Botswana
When visiting the Zoo I have a better appreciation why the animals are sleeping and just hanging out most of the time. It is just their nature to do so.
More than a pretty face. The Giraffes are some of my favorite animals of Africa
Check out the earlier blog posted describing the giraffes at the local Naples Zoo. How differently their wild behavior is when compared to the captive animals. In the Naples Zoo there is a group of male Reticulated giraffes.
Giraffes appear very elegant with long necks and legs, brightly patterned coats, large eyes, and a crown of horns. They seem elegant. You can see them eating vegetation and walking or gently lopping across the grass land or through the woods. They are very quiet with almost no voice. It is surprising that a 1400-pound 15-foot animal can vanish as it wanders through the brush and tree scape. We saw them nearly everywhere we went. They do seem to group together in small clutches or shorter animals may partner with them for added alert of predators. Even when they are solitary, they don’t seem to be the choice of lions. We did see the remains of one which apparently perished from dehydration or disease. Drought is a problem in eastern Kenya.
The zebra are often found with other animals for mutual protection. Here is a parade of zebra book-ended by the tall giraffe. Their height offers an advantage for sighting predators.
The giraffes seem more whimsical in their behavior than on casual appearance. Drinking seems almost acrobatic as they assume an oddly geometric balancing act and when done almost jump to a full standing position. The birds which pick insects from their skin may at times get a bit too aggressive. Look at the photo of a jumping giraffe. It looks like it is dancing on its hind legs as it tries to shake off the pesky bird. It was so amusing to watch this performance. The group behavior of the giraffe clan was startling. They can be tough combatants. During some sort of competitive behavior, probably mating, these animals showed some of their true skills. In a pugilistic competition two giraffes went about using their heads, necks, teeth, and bodies in a full-body contact fight. At first, they seemed to be necking which I thought to be friendly. During the next hour, they rapidly progressed into an aggressive slugfest whacking one another with their heads and horns into the torso, head, and hind quarters. They beat each other ceaselessly with full strength occasionally biting, butting, and pursuing. From our vantage point we could hear nothing except the concussive thud when they bashed each another. We moved on after what seemed to be the end where the two protagonists walked away from each other. There seemed to be a winner. The larger of them walked a little and the smaller left the field into the bush. Simply imagine the bruises incurred after the hourlong fight; a 60-pound head with horns swing on a five-foot-long muscular neck and a thousand pounds of animal force behind each blow. It was impressive and gave a completely new dimension into my imagined elegance of these creatures.
The giraffe is so vulnerable in this drinking position. With legs spread and head down is could be an easy prey for a pack of lions
This giraffe quickly stands up and brings its legs together
There are four giraffe species. I could easily identify two, the two others not seen are the Southern and the Northern.
Maasi Giraffe, more brown irregular patch shapes, wider lines
Reticulated Giraffe, more orange, smooth patch shapes, narrow lines
The Masai giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchii) is the tallest of all land animals and it is an extraordinary sight to see. The giraffe is known for its graceful movements and for being very picturesque. At top speed, the giraffe can run up to 50-60 miles per hour. Kenya is home to giraffe (sub)species. In northern Kenya you’ll see the reticulated or Somali giraffe. Particularly rare is Rothschild’s giraffe (about which there is ongoing discussion whether it concerns an actual subspecies). In southern Kenya, you’ll come across Massai giraffes. Massai giraffes are different from reticulated giraffes in that they have jagged spots on their bodies, instead of polygonal liver-coloured spots. Approximately 33,000 Masai giraffes live in this region and most of them live in small groups. Approximately 16 – 20 hours of their day is spent feeding. Their favorite snack are Acacia tree leaves. Their long tongues and lips skillfuly avoid the Acacia tree thorns to snack on the tree’s leaves. As long as they have fresh vegetation, they can go without water for weeks. Typically the male giraffes eat from the top branches of the Acacia trees and the females eat from the bottom branches. Their greatest enemies are hyena, lions and poachers. Their greatest defence is their ability to escape at high speed and if necessary they defend themselves with their powerful kick.
Holy jumping Giraffe! She is shaking her booty to loose the birds. 15 feet tall and 1500 pounds dancing on two legs!
Two males battling for dominance in the group of reticulated giraffe pictured above
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The cover picture is sunset at the Savute safari lodge. It was our first camp site of the trip.
To give you a sense of location, distance and time this post provides maps, lodging, accommodations, and transport details
This map shows the scope of the trip:
Here is a map of the big picture locating the campsites of the African continent
Africa Camp sites were:
Savute Safari Lodge on the Savute Channel and water hole Linyanti, Botswana,
Camp Okavango on the remote Nxaragha Island on the edge of Moremi Game Reserve, Botswana
Chobe Game Lodge in the Chobe National Park on the Chobe River, Botswana
Sweetwaters Reserve, private 24,000-acre sanctuary, Kenya
Samburu Game Reserve, Kenya
Kichwa Tembo Camp in the Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya
All of our accommodations were in “tents”. These were substantial secure structures with partial masonry walls and floors and included lavatories and toilets, electricity, beds with nets, flaps over screens that open to panoramic views of the wilderness and walking paths. The camp sites had a central hotel like area that included meeting and dining areas, full service bar, and observation decks,
We stayed two to four nights at each camp site. We took as many as four “game drive” trips from the central camp with a private driver/guide to see the surrounding countryside and wildlife. The vehicles were open sided with covered or convertible tops. In the afternoon there was always a civilized picnic from the parked car, parked in a cleared spot in the bush, with coffee, tea, mixed drinks or wine along with baked snacks. Breakfast, lunch and dinner were served buffet style at the camp site dining lodge.
Although the camps were fenced, animals were able to pass through the camp. Walking guests were always accompanied by staff in the twilight as they went to or from the central lodge. The animals were diverse and not threatening. On every walk in camp I saw small hippo, dic-dic, antelope, baboon, warthog or impala. Many of these were visible throughout camp during the day or night.
This fawn wasn’t shy and scampered along the elevated board walk providing photo opportunities.
Detailed map showing the relationship of the two locations and travel from Okavango to the Massai Mara
The travel distance between the two target areas is about 1500 miles by air. We flew from Okavango delta to Chobe by bush plane and then drove to Livingston and continued to Nairobi by jet. From Nairobi to the Sweetwater lodge we went by private car. From Sweetwater we flew to Kichwa Tembo.
The bush planes were modern single engine aircraft with a passenger capacity from 12 to 20 people. These bush planes did have a luggage weight limit of 30 pounds, however, it was not severely enforced. There were no scales and some passengers did have hard suitcases. I would not recommend pushing the regulations. There is no real need to take more as the weather is relatively constant and there are laundry options at all of the lodges.
There are other travel options such as automobile which were greater in duration and have additional risks. Driving from the Okavango to Massai Mara takes two days to cross Botswana Zambia, Tanzania and Kenya. Considering the condition of the roads, questionable accommodations, and cost differential I don’t thing that it is advisable.
Aerial: Are there roads in Okavango? The green is actually vegetation over the marshlands
Aerial: Nairobi to Moremi road. Yes, those are elephants crossing the road.
Road: Outsides of cities were lined by huts, stalls, standing people and motorcycles.
For more information, all of the camp sites and lodges have their own websites. They are reasonably accurate. If youconsultthe national websites they provide excellent detailed information. When we were in Zambia and Kenya no-one checked for yellow fever vaccination. There were no significant insects seen on our travel throughout our trip. We did wear long pants and shirts and hats for insect and sun protection. Most of our clothing was purchased from REI or Eddie Bauer. There was no internet service. Emergency communication services was available for guests through the business offices at most camp sites.
All of our travel arrangements were done through Nature Expedition International agency. I provided an agenda, list of desired observations and time schedule. The agent then shopped the trip to providers and agencies to build a trip. This included camp sites, accommodations and transportation. All meals were included. We arranged all of our in and out of Africa flights. These flights could be cancelled with full refund up to 24 hours prior to departure. We purchased travel insurance through Berkshire Hathaway Travel and did not include the cost of the flights.
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#Okavango #Kenya # travel #Savute Safari Lodge #Camp Okavango #Chobe Game Lodge #Sweetwaters Reserve #Samburu Game Reserve #Kichwa Tembo Camp
The previous posting on Africa showed the photographic preparation for the trip. This posting is an introduction to the upcoming blogs which will feature the animal and plant wildlife in more detail. This photo safari was planned for thirty years. It has been postponed three times. At last, this was the opportunity to go. Botswana and Kenya are the two countries we visited in sub-Saharan Africa. The reasons to go there were their diversity of wildlife, ecosystems, and safety. The month of August was selected to be timely to see the greatest density of animals in the most clement season. It was also an opportunity to look for the similarities and differences of the comparable African and US locations. Here are thoughts, impressions and recounting of the two weeks of experience there.
The title sunset image is typical of the African sky. The beautiful sunset red comes from sand and minerals of the desert suspended in the air and refracted by the light. These same sands which are blown across the Atlantic Ocean color our Floridian sunsets too.
This lengthy monologue is only a rudimentary description of a very large subject. It is intended to help understand and appreciate the reasons for these features seen on this expedition and to summarize the complexities of the climate, geology, the flow of water on the land, the interdependency of species and some similarities to areas in the USA. The two major eco systems were marshlands and savanna. In Botswana the wetlands of the Okavango delta were the focal point. In Kenya the savanna of the Maasai Mara section of the Serengeti was of greatest interest. The Okavango delta ecosystem has some similarities to the wetlands found in the Southwest Florida Everglades National and State Park systems. The Maasai Mara is more like the grasslands of Montana where, 250 years ago, buffalo, antelope, elk, and wolf roamed in their own great migration.
Climate and Geology:
The Okavango delta is 19 degrees south of the Equator. The Florida Everglades are 19 degrees north of the equator. They receive approximately the same amount of energy from the sun. The marshlands of the Okavango delta and the Florida Everglades are both essentially inland dispersions of fresh water. The Okavango is a unique feature of the Kalahari Desert. This delta is deep in the interior of the land mass and the climate is continental. Unlike the Everglades, it does not have the moderating exposure to a neighboring ocean. It has a soil basis of sand that averages 200 feet deep. On top of that is a soil of a few inches depth with mixtures of soil brought by wind, flood, and a thin organic compost. The average elevation is 3100 ft. The delta has three biome types that include savanna, woodlands, and swamp. The Okavango River supply is derived from the confluence of the Cubango and Cuito rivers in Angola. The annual flow reaches the delta between March and June with maximum flow in July. Additionally, there is seasonal 18-inch rainfall in the Okavango from November to February which adds to water shed.
Floridian Everglades are at sea level and are founded on petrified sea bottom called sedimentary rock with a high calcium carbonate basis called limestone. The Florida Everglades topsoil is an average 17-foot-thick layer of marl (calcitic mud), peat and muck. The Everglades are subtropical wetlands whose freshwater system begins near Orlando in the Kissimmee River. The average annual rainfall is 60 inches. The Everglades have a maritime weather with tropical storms and moderation of climate. Climatically, there are no hurricanes in the Okavango and in the Everglades there is no drought.
In support of the science of plate tectonics. The Americas and Africa were one land mass 200 million years ago.
The concept of moving plates of the crust of the earth suggests that at a distant time in the past the assembly of the plates separated into the various land bodies. The shapes of the land mass fragments seen today can be manipulated as puzzle pieces into a larger land mass that fits together quite well. This particular assembly is called Pangea. If this is how the continents formed then there is a strong relationship between the eastern geology of the Americas and the western African geology. This fit is not entirely perfect, however, when considering the length of time for the division to transpire it is remarkably good. This has been supported by substantial evidence of rock formations that span the continents.The science is based on continental fit, matching rocks, fossils, corals, mountains, glacial striations, magnetic lineages and direct measurement of the movement.
About 98% of the water that goes into the Okavango delta is eventually lost through evaporation and transpiration. Transpiration results when water moves through the plant and evaporates from leaves and flowers. Despite the subtropical sun generating intense evaporation, the delta’s water is fresh, not salty. I was surprised by this because non circulating ponds of water in the middle parts of the islands have very high chemical and salt concentrations. This chemical concentration occurs in thousands of islands. The reason the water is fresh is that trees on the edges of the islands create a barrier of natural filters between the inner part of the islands and the floodplain. The second reason is a process of transpiration caused by trees. Water flows into the delta and carries with it silica and soluble minerals like sodium carbonate. As the water is lost from the trees, the silica and salts remain to build islands. The center of the islands concentrates the accumulated salt and as a result the vegetation dies from dehydration leaving a central bare white mineral spot. Termites facilitate island formation when they build nests of organic material, fungus, soil and water. These mounds of soil and nutrients promote tree and other plant growth. When the seasonal water rises the termites build skyward forming islands. Eventually the nest is abandoned to form a new colony. The mound then collapses from animal invasion and erosion. Termites are the keystone species of the Okavango. Without them the delta would be like the desert. Water would be lost, and life would be less dense and less diverse.The Okavango has no palm trees and pines are also nearly absent.
Pond in center of a large island in the Okavango delta. Salt has accumulated in the water causing the trees to dehydrate and die.Okavango Savana, for centuries built from sedimentation and termite mound building. Trees in the center of the island died from dehydration caused by salt accumulation. Grass is a monocot and is salt tolerant. The termites moved out and the mound is vacant.Intermittently flooded lowland in the high water season of the Okavango deltaFreely flowing fresh water in a branch of the Okavango river. The plant is Pampas grass (Miscanthus juncos).
The vegetation in Florida also plays an important role. The ocean barrier to salt invasion are mangroves which are salt tolerant. These mangroves are key to prevention of back flow of the salty ocean and hold the soil preventing erosion. Some fresh water flow does reach the ocean creating a relative partial positive pressure. The soils of the Everglades are rich in nitrates and farmers increase the nitrogen of a large portion of the Everglades. This has resulted in an overgrowth of a complex of bacteria species which feeds on the nitrates and deplete the nutrient value of the topsoil. The Everglades have no Acacia trees and lots of mosquitos.
The Kenyan savanna is climatically and geologically very different from the Okavango savanna. Kenya is at the Equator. It is a mile high in altitude and the soil is volcanic in origin. It is more like the area around Denver CO. It is surrounded by hills and mountains and has two rivers flowing through it. The major river flow is the Mara. The other is the Talek. It is part of the Mara-Serengeti ecosystem spanning Tanzania and Kenya and has been geologically very active with ancient and recent rock formations. It is in the Great Rift Valley. It is in this valley that the million-year-old petrified remains of very early hominoids have been found.
High planes savanna of the Maasai Mara portion of the Serengeti plane. Mt Kenya is on the right horizon.River cut into the Mara plane providing water to the vegetation and wildlife. This is a spot where the Wildebeests would cross during their migration. They would climb the banks of the river during a stampede. The animals are subject to the risks of death from the crocodiles that ply the river during the crossing. Igneous rock formation on exposed hill side in the western Mt Kenya highlands.
The plants and animals are widely different in speciation in these three areas but they have similar behavior. This may be the result of adaptation to similar geologic and weather conditions. The apex predators of all locations are big cats. All have eagles, egrets, large carnivorous reptiles and cats and lots of grass.
Human impact:
The effect of the behavior of large numbers of modern people on the Florida ecosystem is dramatically different from the African locations. The Everglades water flow is highly engineered and not necessarily for the best. Southward flow of the Florida delta is interfered by highways and farms to the point that it does not meet the sea as it original did. The Okavango delta also does not meet the sea. In Africa the observed locations have relatively low populations and have been benignly neglected or protected from hunting, industrialization, mining or drilling and farming so that the plants and animals have survived basically unchanged for centuries or even millennia.
Romancing Wild Africa:
We went to see the animal life of Africa and did not go to see the cities, towns, or villages. We did not have much contact with the people of the areas we visited. Africa is a huge, populous, resource rich continent with a history that dates to the origin of most species. There is great wealth and great poverty. Too many people have nothing. They live an impoverished stone age existence in the space age. I acknowledge that many of these are desperately poor and politically persecuted to enslavement and/or death. The NGOs, like CARE, work to help many but must be careful to manage their limited resources. They also try not to support the migrant people in camps to a better level than the local people. The native residents also live by subsistence on gardening, raising a few cattle, contract farm working, tourism, and crafts. Some also engage in a variety of illegal endeavors such as poaching and grazing their animals on park land. You can read the newspapers for details of other antisocial behaviors such as intertribal warfare, abduction, extortion, theft, civil insurrection etc. Desperate people do desperate things.
The wilderness of the savanna of Africa is nothing like anything in eastern US. There is no sense of luxury to the plants or the soil. Much of the topsoil is sand deposited by wind and water. The stark beige color varies little by the source of volcanic mineralization. The organic content is not a rich loam of plant breakdown. It is thin and the organic content is from the sparse droppings from animals or the occasional bush or more rarely from a tree. Animal droppings are recycled by the life on the planes and provide an episodic line of trees from incompletely digested seeds. The brilliant emerald green plants, startling blue sky and the breathtaking color of twilight is such a relief from the monotony.
Next:
We will look in greater detail at the findings of this two-week photo expedition in the following blogs. They will focus more on species than locations.
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#Africa #Okavango #Botswana #Kenya #Everglades #transpiration #Maasai Mara #salt #tectonics #transpiration #evaporation #Tanzania #marsh land #savanna
Here is a short video clip of the neighborhood after the flood waters have subsided and residents have discarding the water soaked and contaminated contents of their houses. This is repeated across thousands of neighborhoods in the entire storm flood ravaged coastline.
Ian was a category 4.5 hurricane with a storm surge that washed over our community and much of the western coast line of Florida up to Clearwater. The worst hit community was 25 miles north of us called Fort Myers Beach. Much of that community is gone. In our county of Lee more than 50 people died. The storm demolished thousands of homes and 45000 automobiles. It devastated the lives of thousands of people who are now dependent on the government for temporary housing, food and water. Just now electricity is returning and damaged bridges and highways are in repair. Millions of tonnes of trash piles the streets and dumps with the remnants of the storms damages. The news is filled with pictures and stories of the experiences of the traumatized communities and people.
I bicycled out to see more of my favorite observation sites and made some photos of these places for comparison to their condition prior to the storm. Much of the plant life is damaged, missing or dead. The winds uprooted trees and broke branches The storm surge did much more. The direct force of the water uprooted plants and swept away the wildlife. The after effects of seawater compounded the result of the surge spreading toxic levels of salt and bacterial contamination. It is difficult to survey the animal life because or the tangled deadfall of trees. The plant life is easier to assess.
May 2022. Check out the identifying markers of the center palm tree and the two framing palm treesSeptember 2022 same location as above. Note the center palm tree as a reference.
The two photos above are from a location in a swamp area photographed 4 months prior to and 10 days after the storm. As seen the photos, the plants that best survived were the monocotyledons and those with the ability to bend with the wind. Hence the palm trees are managing ok. The dicotyledons with deciduous leaves and thick stiff branches have suffered the most.
The butterfly garden showed below will need to be replanted.
Butterfly garden where all flowering plants attracting butterflies died.Butterfly garden 10m days post flood.Butterfly garden pathway Sea water contamination. This shows the effects of salt at a concentration of 4% in dicot hardwood tree. It lost leaves after 10 to 14 days.
What is wrong with sea water?
Unlike mangroves, plants that are not specially adapted to sea water may die from dehydration when flooded by storm surge. The salt introduced into the difusion driven circulatory system of plants causes water from the cells be pulled out of the cells because of a process called osmosis. When there is a semipermeable barrier separating salt water from fresh water the dynamics of the condition promotes a balance of both sides. The semi permeable cell wall will not let salt in but water can pass freely through in both directions. Therefore water in the cell is depleted in an effort to dilute the salty water. The imbalance is so great that cellular water is exhausted and the plant dies from dehydration. Additionally this introduces plant stress which inhibits photosynthesis and protein synthesis. No synthesis and no water = no growth.
Some places had 4 to 9 feet of water in their living g rooms. If the water had risen two more inches we would have had water in the house. We are thankful that we did not experience the extent of damage shown above.
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The orchids have been very prolific in flower production during the growing season this year. I believe that this was the result of a dedicated automated watering system, consistent generous fertilization, control of direct sunlight and pest control. In addition to the production of flowers, the leaves, air roots and stems have multiplied. This has put some of the plants outside of their designated boxes. The air roots have attached to their boxes, trellis and the wall of the house. The stems have extended themselves into the walking space and often times the blossoms overgrow one another obstructing the view. To bring some order into the orchid garden I tried something new. There are many choices to propagate plants including germination of seeds, plant division and budding/grafting. In this instance I have started two new plants by division. Below is a photo record of the process I followed.
Example one shows a phalaenopsis orchid with devision at a level well above the base of the plant. In this area, at a node, the plant has sprouted a group of air roots and three new leaves. These are substantially separated from the root and leaf ball of the main portion of the plant. Using a razor I sectioned the stem from the base of the plant and trimmed away all remaining portions of the stem system leaving just the roots and leaves.
Ex.1a The secondary root and leaf section started at an area just distal to a node on the stem. a portion of the original stem was lost and this is the secondary growth result.
Ex.1b It is easy to see the conflicted growth of this area. The excess stem growth was cut back to form a more organized growth start point.
Ex.1c Exposed stem above the root ball and below the new air roots.
Ex.1d Sectioned stem just distal to a growth node.
Ex.1e Here is the trimmed plant section
Ex.1f The plant section is fastened into box and stem covered with rubber mulch.
Example two demonstrates a cattleya orchid. The growth has a clearly defined section with air roots and three leafs at the base of the plant. This area of the Cattleya is relatively new and had a well defined stem. Using a razor blade I sectioned through the stem and removed the segment.
Ex.2a Plant in crowded pot. It needs to be replanted into a box. Blue arrow points to cut point.
Ex.2b Before repotting the entire plant I elected to thin the growth. Blue arrow points to cut point.
Ex.2c Sectioned through the root stem with a sharp blade.
Ex. 2d The cutting is placed into a box with the air roots protruding through the wooden slats. It is held in place with ties to facilitate anchorage
Ex.2e Anchored and air roots protruding
Ex 2f Plant section fastened into box with mulch.
Both new plant segments were placed into appropriately sized boxes with some of the air roots protruding through the wooden slats and gently fastened to the sides of the box for stability. The base of the box was lined with Sphagnum moss and the remainder filled with shredded rubber mulch for stability and appearance. I have found that the rubber mulch retains some moisture but does not decay. This also reduces the possibility of mould and insect growth.
The new specimens were replaced into the orchid garden and will be treated in the usual routine. In time we can check the viability and growth of these new cuttings. If successful, they may provide new blossoms for the next growing season. I feel that the new plants are a return on investment for the good care provided to the orchids.
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Mushrooms are not plants or animals . They have a classification all their own. They are fungi. This is a sample of a local SWFL mushroom that should start a discussion on fungi. The purpose is to provide a vocabulary for description and to show the various forms of these fungi. The growth that is seen above ground typified by this example is the fruit of the fungi. From this fruit spores are shed to facilitate reproduction. Below the ground is the bulk or the working organism. This undergrowth is very extensive in both size and spread. The undergrowth also provides a network of communication for further reproduction and communication with plants that share the same environment. Showed here are both the macroscopic and the microscopic structures.
From this you will also see that fungi are not plants but are a completely different life form. When entering data in the Epicollect5 database be sure to use the fungi classification and not the plant option.
Fig. 1 Destroying Angel (Amanita bisporigera)Fig. 2 Gross anatomy of mushroom fruitFig. 3 Mushroom gill structure where you can see the spores dusting the sides of the gills.Fig.4 Mushroom cap divided to show internal anatomy of gill structure.Fig. 5 Spore on mushroom gill. 100x magnification.
Note in
Fig. 6 Ball of soil, tree roots and fungal mycelium. 4X magnificationFig. 7 Deep network of entangling mycelium. Magnified 40XFig. 8 Mycelium encompassing root tip of tree.This provides an opportunity to communicate with and exchange communication among neighboring plants.
Fungi form a vast, complex part of the floor of the forest, grassland, sloughs and savanas in almost all environments and on all of the continents. Unfortunately they are rarely seen or discussed. I hope that we have the opportunity to explore them in greater detail in the future,
Specifically the four of us are going on a guided safari trip to Kenya and to Botswana. The goal of this trip is multifold. This will be our first visit to Sub-Saharan Africa. We hope to have fun enjoying the experience of the sights and sounds of two very special places at a particular time in Africa. I will collect samples of images and sounds of the animals and plants which we will see on our trip. These will be our special mementos of a very personal experience in two unique eco-systems. I will share with you these images and collected thoughts and relate them to our SWFL environment.
In preparation for our African photo safari some special measures are made. The multiple camp sites are in the wilderness and have no internet connection. We will be on safari for about 18 days. There are no retail outlets for spare parts or camera repair. Therefore, some redundant equipment will be carried. The cost of this excess lies in its weight. We are allowed a total of 33 pounds/person to be carried in soft-sided bags.
Here is most of the camera gear to be taken on safari.
Canon camera bodies (Only one showed here). 2 Canon lenses, filter and lens hood, flash attachment, power adapters, CF memory cards, one terabyte hard drive, camera and flash batteries, binoculars, iPad, IPhone, lens cleaners and camera dust bag, cables and flashlight, one Sealife point and shoot camera (not shown here) battery chargers, belts and straps and card adapters.
The total weight of this ensemble with back pack and miscellaneous is about 25 pounds. The remaining eight pounds will be for two weeks of clothing, meds, bug repellant, water flask, masks etc. Plastic bags are not allowed. Not inventoried here are protective cases for the camera gear, bubble wrap and styro-pellet camera support bag.
Some desirable equipment will not be available. This includes mono or tripod, additional lenses, audio gear, spotting scope.
All of this will go into an Osprey Stratus 24 back pack. It will go as carry-on for the transoceanic and local flights. In the field the cameras and lenses will be hand carried and a camera vest with pockets will support the in-field small stuff like note pad and pen, batteries, filter, CF cards etc.
I expect that there will be little need for fixed long lenses. The Canon lenses are 28-300 and 100-400. I expect the guides will take us into the bush and trails with close proximity to the wildlife.
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4 responses to “Lions in Africa – Sunrise Hunt for Cape Buffalo”
It was amazing to see how fast they ran away
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Your prose is as engrossing and entertaining as the pictures. Well done! Cindy
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I’m so happy that it pleases you.
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I’m really enjoying all of your posts. The African articles are really interesting. Your photography is always “top-shelf”.
Must admit you are a grand storyteller as well. The li
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