The students are on an animal spotting roll today and whilst on their travels they spot three giraffe in the distance and drive nearer in order to take a closer look. Another jeep sadly manages to beat them to the spot where the two are standing, so instead they drive over and took a good look at the solitary giraffe. Some of them have never seen a giraffe before and I overhear them gushing to each other about how strange and unique they look. The conservation volunteers’ giraffe currently has an abscess on his knee, and I make a mental note to myself to come back and check the progress of it later, it could make for a delicious dinner. Talking of dinner I find it strange watching giraffes eat as they automatically regurgitate their food after swallowing, bringing it back to chew all over again. As giraffes usually spend up to 20 hours a day happily munching on the thorny leaves of the acacia tree it is a wonder that they feel the need to repeat this dexterous activity. Giraffes eat 140lbs of food per day and thorns are definitely not a deterrent to them. This is because their 18 inch tongues have a specially shaped upper palate which enables them to process thorny foodstuffs.
Spotting Lions at Shamwari
Posted by Zazu Oxpecker - June 26th, 2009
My disappointment over the leopards is short-lived as I overhear a call between the rangers confirming that a couple of lions have been seen on a nearby property. The students decide to check out the area and, even though I’m a little frightened of lions, I decided to follow the jeep. Soon I can make out two female lions lazing on the plain ahead. Tanya, the ranger, spots from her binoculars that the lions are covered in animal blood which means that they must have recently made a kill. I watch from a fence-post as she explains to the students …
The Limassol Leopards Get a Gym
Posted by Zazu Oxpecker - June 19th, 2009
I had trouble flying this morning as the air was so heavy with excitement. The excitement comes from the students who are due to build a jungle gym for the elusive Limassol Leopards. Now I’ve never flown as far as Limassol but from what I’ve heard around the reserve, the leopards were rescued from a far-away land called Cyprus. Apparently their arrival was quite the star-studded event attended by celebrities, such as Virginia McKenna and news crews, with flashing cameras, who made a big deal of the fact that the shell-shocked leopards failed to leave their cage for at least …
Sandflats
Posted by Zazu Oxpecker - June 12th, 2009
Last night, I decided to give my tired wings a break and sneaked into a taxi with all of the students and some of the rangers to the local bar called Sandflats. The students had booked themselves a mini bus which seated 20 people and which had ample room for me to hide myself in the back. The nearest town to Shamwari is around 30 minutes away by bus, and not only houses the nearest shop but also the essential internet café which I use to send all my tweets from. There are two bars in this town, one called Louis, …
Continuing the Game Drive
Posted by Zazu Oxpecker - June 5th, 2009
I decide to skip a second dinner and continue on with the game drive. Whilst flying above the student’s jeep, I spot one of my old friends, a secretary bird. These are so named because their feathers resemble the quills that were often used by secretaries in the Victorian times. Secretary birds are strange looking with scales located all over their legs to prevent them from being attacked by snakes. They feed on a diet of small mammals, lizards and snakes and even appear on the South African coat of arms, where they represent vigilance and pride. The students soon …
