“There is language going on out there – the language of the wild. Roars, snorts, trumpets, squeals, whoops, and chirps all have meaning derived over eons of expression… We have yet to become fluent in the language – and music – of the wild.” – Boyd Norton
One of the many exciting things about being on a safari in Africa is listening to the night sounds. We were assured that the thin canvas walls of our tents would keep us safe at night, even so, each evening as we returned to our tents and cabins it was with a “guide” who was often armed with a rifle that would make sure we were securely tucked away for the night. And each night it wouldn’t be long until the sounds of the night started to entertain us – it became interesting breakfast conversation to compare sounds and guesses as to whom our night visitors could have been.
However long the night, the dawn will break. ~ African proverb
While at night we could hear them and during the days we had ample opportunities to see prime examples of African wildlife. The primary reason most visitors make the trek to Africa is to see the animals, for some it is the pursuit of the “big 5” for others the incredible number of bird species and likely for most it is just the diversity of animals and plants found here. Our binoculars did come in handy, especially for those tiny bird species, but it was amazing how close we were able to get to some of the wildlife. As it was in the Galapagos, we were no more threatening than the 1,000’s of Impala wandering the plains. Our guides were well versed in the “normal” behavior of the animals but stressed repeatedly that they are wild animals and certainly can behave as such at any time. In general, tooling around in our safari vehicles we must have blended into the animal’s daily lives to such a degree that they pretty much ignored us altogether.
The sheer number of animals and birds that we saw on safari was astounding. With over 50+ species of mammals and an impressive 500+ species of birds the parks and protected areas we visited delivered new sights and experiences each day. The running joke became “oh, it’s just another Impala” as we would see these beautiful nimble antelope like creatures virtually every day. The Impala are an important food source for many of the predators that visitors to Africa are in search of and reading their behavior to find the other animals was a skill (along with incredible tracking experience) that our guides had mastered.
Lions of course are what many tourists come to see and yes it was awe inspiring to have them so close yet so unconcerned about our presence, but I became especially enamored with the elephants that we saw in nearly every location and in the Okavango Delta with a pack of African Wild Dogs (or Painted Dogs as they are sometimes known).
Observing the family dynamics and the behavior of these amazing creatures was something I will never forget. All I can say is that I believe they are closer to humans than I ever thought and at times behaved in a much more “civilized” way than I currently see happening with the Human Race in America.
As we watched a pack of Wild Dogs sleeping off what seemed to be full stomachs from a fairly recent kill we were rewarded with the opportunity to watch some of their pack behaviors. The dogs seemed as if on cue to wake and gather together, greeting each other with happy twittering and whining sounds. There were a couple of the dogs that had fresh injuries and the rest of the pack was caring for those members. The African wild dogs live in tightly knit social groups of between 2 and 27 animals. They are strongly bonded and as we observed will even look after injured dogs, bringing them food until they recover.
Of all the African predators, wild dogs are among the most successful hunters. They can reach speeds of up to 60 kilometers an hour and have an overall hunting success rate of roughly 70% (by comparison, lions have about a 30% success rate).
These enchanting family oriented animals are not your typical friendly house pet, we’re talking about an animal with the strongest bite force quotient of any living carnivore, an animal with massive premolars designed for crunching through bones, an animal that hunts with one of the highest success rates of any predator on earth. But these are not wantonly wielded weapons of destruction. They are highly evolved tools that have allowed an animal the size of a border collie to survive on a continent full of horns and teeth and claws, and survive fairly well if it wasn’t for the impact of humans.
Throughout Africa, wild dogs have been shot and poisoned by farmers who often blame them when a leopard or hyena kills their livestock. And the wild dogs are losing their living spaces. As human populations expand, leading to agriculture, settlements, and roads, wild dogs are losing the spaces in which they were once able to roam freely and their population numbers have dropped dramatically. Estimates are that there are only 3,000-5,000 left in the wild and these can be found mostly in game reserves and national parks. Opportunities to observe these interesting and beautiful animals may become more and more rare as their numbers dwindle even lower.
“Africa – You can see a sunset and believe you have witnessed the Hand of God. You watch the slope lope of a lioness and forget to breathe. You marvel at the tripod of a giraffe bent to water. In Africa, there are iridescent blues on the wings of birds that you do not see anywhere else in nature. In Africa, in the midday heart, you can see blisters in the atmosphere. When you are in Africa, you feel primordial, rocked in the cradle of the world.” – Jodi Picoult
Elephants on the other hand seemed to roam freely in all of the parks we visited. Similar to that of the wild dog packs, elephants also have a scientifically thrilling family structure, which resembles that of humans. Many parallels exist between the these two seemingly unrelated species, and years of research have brought some truly fascinating facts regarding elephants and their unique family structure to the attention of the public. Elephant families, also known as a parade, are an amazing example of not only natural beauty but through their compassion for one another, they will stick together through even the harshest of circumstances.
Because of their intricate family structures, which rely so heavily on respect and compassion, elephant herds are a marvel to observe. Sticking together is what elephant families do best, a life lesson from which many human families could greatly benefit.
There just isn’t a way to describe the experience of being a part of these animals’ homes and daily lives, sometimes almost as friends or neighbors, other times as that annoying family member that has come to visit and it is obvious that our presence isn’t appreciated.
“If I have ever seen magic, it has been in Africa.” – John Hemingway
One afternoon the guides posed a question to our group “who has the rights to the land, the animals or the humans?” And there was some disagreement in the group as to the answer. The more I ponder that question the more it seems obvious that unless we can co-exist with not only each other but with all other species on the planet we may all be doomed to failure.
It is a jungle out there, well okay; more of a savannah, but either way, life in the wild can be hard to handle on your own. That’s why we saw so many species of wildlife teaming up, forming symbiotic relationships that help them both survive (or at least get a little more comfortable).
In the wild animals generally hunt for survival and not for “sport”, numerous species will band together to ensure all of their safety and they often seem to enjoy (or at least appreciate) the others presence.
We saw Black-Backed Jackals relaxing next to Impalas, Zebras and Wildebeests forming interesting herds and watched birds circle over a cheetah family alerting a nearby herd of impala that they were being considered for dinner. All were examples of animals working together to make survival a bit easier. The different species seem to recognize the need to cooperate for survival even when they look different, speak different languages and have different lifestyles. It therefore shouldn’t be a matter of “rights to the land” but how we can share the limited resources that are available on our planet.
Our Earth is one world no matter which continent you live on and for our best hope for the future we should count on each other for survival. Lessons learned from Africa’s amazing animal populations….
“Africa changes you forever, like nowhere on earth. Once you have been there, you will never be the same. But how do you begin to describe its magic to someone who has never felt it? How can you explain the fascination of this vast, dusty continent, whose oldest roads are elephant paths? Could it be because Africa is the place of all our beginnings, the cradle of mankind, where our species first stood upright on the savannahs of long ago?” – Brian Jackman
Animals of Africa – Just a few more photos to whet your appetite for your own safari!
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