Fast Food (KNP 15)

Female impala, such a pretty girl

Pack up your gear, check the wardrobes. Got everything? Good, because today’s our last day in the Kruger National Park. We might yet pay a visit to the Panorama Route (no animals but staggering vistas), but you’ll have to wait a while for that bit of virtual traveling because there are a whole lot of other posts that need to happen – some awards, notification about Blog Action Day, news about an awesome (and highly addictive) widget, and some other abstract witterings and warblings. You know, “regular” service… But for now, here’s the last bit of animal mania.

A beautiful boy

The last animal we saw on leaving the Park was an impala, in fact, the animals most predominant in the Park are impala. There are estimated to be about 86 000 - way more than any other animal. When the guide on our sunset drive asked us what we expected to see, D very smartly announced, “Impala”. Methinks perhaps what the guide had meant to say was, “What would you hope to see”!

All lined up at the waterhole... sitting ducks (erm, I mean, impala)...

Impala, beautiful, graceful antelope, are known as the Park’s fast food – food on the hoof, you might say. They are a one-of-a-kind antelope and have no close relatives. They are a highly successful breed and dominant in their chosen habitat. But because there are so many of them, they are easy pickings for any of the big predators – though they’re not to everyone’s taste – lions, for example, are not that keen on them. You might think the impala would be putting themselves at risk - being so numerous, but a little like zebras, they work on the bafflement factor.

Cute girl

Herds consist of a harem of females and single dominant ram. During breeding season the ram has a busy few days and all his girls are impregnated at approximately the same time. As soon as the first calf is born, there follows an intense period of calving that may last about two weeks. A herd can easily grow from 10 animals to 50 animals during this time. Although it is a vulnerable time for the herd, the sheer number of dinner options baffles the predators. “Hmm, this one, or that one, no, hang on, how about that one there, no, wait, there’s one over there …” and by the time the predator has made up its mind, the herd have scarpered. Okay, so it’s not quite that simplistic, but you get the idea.

Don't mess with me!

But being an impala provides for a pretty straightforward sort of life. Eat (and they both graze and browse) and then get eaten. You can kind of imagine the following conversation:

Mummy Impala – “Now there’s just one thing you need to know about life, dear.”

Baby Impala – “What’s that, Mummy?”

Mummy Impala – “One day you will be eaten.”

Me and a few of my girls - and my oxpecker

(the oxpecker picks ticks off most animals in the park - a nicely symbiotic relationship)

Take me seriously!

As I said when I started this series, one of the things that struck me most about the Park’s animal kingdom was that it was a case of eat or get eaten, shag or get beaten. Simple philosophy though not high on compassion!

Hope you’ve enjoyed the journey with me!

Not a zebra crossing

On the Hoof (KNP14)

I had, rather mistakenly, assumed I'd see plenty of "on the hoof" in the Kruger National Park - and frankly, was quite surprised at how few antelope species we did see. I had hoped to see some eland - Africa's biggest bovid - but Mr and Mrs Eland had clearly eloped and were nowhere to be found. I'd also assumed we'd see springbok - our national animal - but not a chance. I kind of hoped to see Sable or Roan antelope (very beautiful creatures) but wasn't terribly surprised that we didn't. But here are some shots of a few "on the hoof" beasts that we did see - and okay, so one is not antelope at all - but he's still hoofed and a ruminant.

Not an antelope.
One of South African's Big Five - the buffalo. Short tempered and prone to crankiness. If he eyeballs you, run.

Buffalo can weight up to 870 kgs and stand up to 165 cm tall. They're non territorial and extremely sociable - amongst themselves, that is! They live in large mixed herds but bulls past their prime leave the breeding herds and form cantankerous batchelor herds. Talk about grumpy old men...

A gnu by any other name, more commonly known as the common or Blue Wildebeest

Napping Gnus... or woozy wildebeest

The wildebeest is a large bearded antelope who many reckon looks like it was put together by a committee... The poor old wildebeest is the preferred prey of lions though it's chief predator is the spotted hyena which kills more wildebeest - fit and unfit, adults and calves - than any other predator.

Waterbuck sheltering from the midday heat

Waterbuck are from the Reedbuck tribe. It's a large, shaggy antelope with a very distinctive round circle on its backside - sort of like a target... Waterbuck, as their name suggests, stay very close to water and are active both day and night.

And now here is the real rarity, which I'd never heard of and so didn't expect to see at all...

Nyala

The Nyala - mostly nocturnal and seldom sighted in the Kruger National Park, it lurks in thickets and densely wooded lowlands and only emerges at night to feed on grassland. I'm guessing we only spotted the rear end of this one because it was winter - in summer, during the hottest hours, they tend to stand motionless and almost invisible in the deep shade of trees.

Mrs Bushbuck...

...and her husband, Mr Bushbuck.

Bushbuck and Nyala are from the same tribe - Tragelaphini - along with kudu. The Bushbuck Tribe are "a close-knit group of antelope with spiral horns. They differ from all other African antelope in having a non-territorial social/mating system. Most depend on cover to avoid predators." (Source: The Safari Companion - Richard D Estes 1993/1999)

Like the Nyala, the Bushbuck is mainly active at night - so again, not usual to spot in the daytime - though these two were hanging around a tea room and were completely unphased by human activity - I'm guessing they probably were used to handouts.

And then we have this rather elegant lot... the Kudu - the second tallest antelope - they can stand up to 150 cm tall and they have the most spectacular horns . They also have the most amazing leap. One, which we disturbed whilst driving, bounded across the road in a single jump, doing the most remarkable kick with it's back legs. Oh if only I'd had the camera at the ready!

See me, see you

Pretty Poser

Grazing and browsing

Grazing applies to nibbling the grass, browsing applies to nibbling leaves on tree. Just so you know.

Female Kudu

The main man, with an imposing set of very beautiful horns.

I suppose I shouldn't say this, but kudu make terrific eating... In South Africa, kudu biltong (dried meat, like American jerky) and dried sausage, are hugely popular. Ask me, I know. Yes, yes, I ate one or some of them... Having "met" them, you have no idea how bad I know feel!

The next post will be the last in the Kruger Park - and I'll tell you about the Kruger's "fast food" - the other antelope not present in this post...

Best of Birds (KNP 13)

Yellow-billed Hornbill - you've met him before...

"Spring is sprung and da grass is riz, I wonder where da boidies is?
Da boid is on da wing!
But dat's absoid! Da wing is on da boid!"

Yes, well, that's quite enough words for today - too many pictures of birds - so let's just be getting on, shall we?

Whiteheaded vultures - Can you see dinner, Harry?

Tawny Eagle at the waterhole - he sure scared off the impala...

Pied Kingfishers at Lake Panic - oh and an Egyptian Goose too

Mousebird at dawn

Lilac-breasted Roller - I'm so pretty, oh so pretty...

Ground Hornbill - Who? Me? Uh...duh...

Grey Loerie - this time not hopping up a tree (as it usually does).

Grey Hornbill - neat camouflage

Grey Heron - coming in to land

Grey Heron - so stately

One Glossy Starling...

... and another Glossy Starling. Total iridescence.

Flycatcher - where are those flies...

Crested Barbet - bright bird indeed

Bokmakierrie - sweet sort of chap

Bee-eater - bzzzzzzz....

African Jacana - oh look at me!

Vulture - so whaddayawanna do today, I dunno, whaddayawanna do...?
(Remember the Jungle Book vultures...?)

Hakuna Matata (KNP 10)

Pumba - Phacochoerus africanus

Oh dear, oh dear, very, very remiss of me, I’ve forgotten one animal almost entirely from my ramblings – so we’re staying in the Park a couple of days longer – and also because Scarlett (dear sweet girl!) has also asked to see some of the landscape shots. Hope you don’t mind…

The “person” I forgot is none other than Pumba. How could I?! Yes, Pumba means I’m talking about warthogs. Feel free to sing along while you read this post…

“Hakuna Matata, it means no worries for the rest of your days, it’s our problem free, philosophy, Hakuna Matata!”

Turn up the volume now...

Warthogs really are the most delightful animals – so much character – and they were among the first we spotted on entering the Park - and then we discovered a mother and child and a whole lot more at the Renosterkoppies (translates as Rhinocerous Hills) waterhole. They’d had a drink, had a wallow and were intent on having a really good scratch. You’ve no idea how tempted I was to hop out of the car and offer to help – it was the look of sheer delirious bliss on their faces that did it.

Itch-itch...

Scratch-scratch...

Hmm-mmm...

Hakuna Matata...

Phacochoerus africanus is known as the naked swine of the savanna – it’s slimmer than other hogs (go figure) and has longer limbs – so yes, that makes it the tall leggy one…though not blonde. Warthogs live in burrows to escape predators and heat and although they can dig quite well they apparently use holes that have been excavated by aardvarks (no, sorry, didn’t see any aardvarks). Perhaps one of the funniest things about warthogs is how, when they all set off running, their little piggy tails go straight up in the air like radio aerials. Remote controlled warthogs, anyone?

Young Pumba...

I need a problem free philosophy...

Thinking of warthogs I recall a story once told to me by a friend about her mother-in-law… Mom-in-law was fond of a tipple or two which made her a wee bit unfocussed. “You never know what I saw last night,” she said to my friend as they sat on the porch of the farmhouse, “warthogs, a whole lot of them, running across the farm road, their little tails straight up in the air – and you know what, they ran across the road, such dear little animals, and straight up the tree.” Hmmm, yes, have another gin and tonic, my dear, why not? Africa does this to one. No worries, you know. Hakuna Matata.

No worries...

And no, sorry, didn’t see any meerkats a la Timon, but did see some banded mongooses.

Not quite Timon - the banded mongoose