Tall Stories (KNP 9)

It's a tall story...

Hope you’re getting ready to pack up. The virtual safari is nearly over, which means we’re talking about beginnings and endings…

So, in the beginning…eyes peeled, peering into the dense gold of the dry bush, hoping to see something wonderful, the first animal we spotted on entering the Kruger National Park was a lone bull giraffe. Tall, stately and looking like he’d seen it all before. There’s a certain look about some giraffes that puts one in mind of camels – which is probably why in Afrikaans they are called kameelperde – literally, camel horses. I think giraffes are exquisite creatures, standing at up to 3.3 m at the shoulder and 5.5 m at the top of the horns – they are, for such huge creatures, gentle and have so much grace – except when trying to drink water – let’s face it, it’s a long way down.

A looooong way down...

Give us a kiss, then.

Mwah!

And here’s an interesting bit of giraffe information gleaned on our early morning bush drive – and it’s not a tall story! Giraffes always have to be upwind from the acacia trees on which they are grazing. Evidently, as soon as the giraffe begins to feed on a particular acacia tree, the tree starts to pump alkaloids into its leaves - which taste nasty and are poisonous to the giraffe. In addition, the tree releases a chemical “signal” into the air, which tells all the other acacia trees downwind that it is “injured” and all those trees then start to pump alkaloids into their leaves to deter “attack”. So giraffes have learned to graze upwind of the trees and to graze against the wind. Who’d have thought getting a bit of leafy dinner could be so fraught!

Hmm, which leaf?

Nibbling delicately...

Which way is the wind blowing?

Slurp!

Unless you want to see some of the landscape shots – you tell me – tomorrow will be the last day of safaring with a peek at the Park’s “fast food”! And then it will be a quick whizz along the Parorama Route before regular (or in my case irregular!) service resumes…

All grace and elegance

Here's lookin' at you, tourist...