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| We drove down this bumpy dirt road to find several zebras while they grazed. This one stopped to look at us but didn’t seem to mind our presence. |
“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”
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| Young zebra’s stripes appear more brown than black, and the hair on its neck is fluffier than on an adult. |
After a fair amount of rain, it’s good to see the bush has become greener, providing more vegetation for the animals to forage. Most of the wildlife in Marloth Park are herbivores, as described here:
“A herbivore is an animal that gets its energy from eating plants and only plants. Omnivores can also eat parts of plants, but generally only the fruits and vegetables produced by fruit-bearing plants. Many herbivores have special digestive systems that let them digest all kinds of plants, including grasses.”
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| Zebras are such fascinating animals, especially when considering the uniqueness of their varied stripes. |
There are several omnivores in the park as well, described as follows here:
“Omnivore /ˈɒmnivɔːr/ is a consumption classification for animals that can obtain chemical energy and nutrients from materials originating from plant and animal origin.”
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| Zebras often live in “harems” with a male and several females and their offspring. This appeared to be the case here when we noticed this youngster in the group. |
Many species of birds are omnivores, such as the local helmeted guinea fowl, rodents, frogs, and other bird species, known to eat carrion, the rotting flesh of dead animals. Many types of vultures and birds of prey are carnivores.
Of course, as we all know, a carnivore is a creature, both human and animal that consumes meat, of one variety or another. With no particular affinity or opinion as to veganism as a personal choice for diet, especially for those who eat a “clean” vegan diet, they often claim humans weren’t intended to eat the flesh of other animals.
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| The stripe patterns are fascinating, and there are various opinions on why they developed them. Zebras are herbivores. |
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| The adult male in the harem. |
Indeed, I’m no scientist or expert and our perspective may hinge entirely upon a lifetime of preconceived notions we’ve garnered over decades. Living in the bush opens our eyes to possibilities we’d never considered in the past.
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| There she is, Ms. Bushbok, climbing the steps looking for pellets. Of course, we respond to her request, as we do for all visitors. |
We do know for sure that whatever we thought we knew about wildlife, even after our prior six months living in Kenya and South Africa was infinitesimal compared to the knowledge that lifetime residents of these parts have gleaned from education, personal encounters, stories passed down from generations. Innate curiosity to understand their country and their environment.
Each day as we discover a new species, a unique encounter or behavior, we find ourselves grasping for knowledge to understand better the magnitude and power of this vast wildlife-rich continent.
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| Several male impalas stopped by for a visit. |
Fortunately, there’s considerable information online from reliable sources aiding us in our research and, like hungry vultures ourselves, we devour every morsel we can gather to enhance our perspective. Plus, our friends and landlords, Louise and Danie, native South African, are a valuable source in educating us.
There’s no way we can capture it all. This morning a half dozen vervet monkeys visited the marula tree in the yard which daily drops hundreds of the green fruit to the ground. As fast as they constantly moved, it was impossible for me to get a photo I would have loved to share here.
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| There wasn’t a single female in the herd. |
At times, a photo is just not meant to be although in no way does it diminish the quality of our experience. We can tell you about it and eventually, we’ll be able to share a photo. It’s all a part of the joy of being here. It’s not always instant gratification. Often, patience and gentle determination will provide the outcome one desires.
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| Big Boy is on his knees eating pellets on the steps to the veranda. His friend nibbles off to the side. |
And so, we’ve heard from several reliable sources, there are lions that have entered Marloth Park via the fence and the Crocodile River between Kruger National Park and Marloth Park. One was spotted a few days, only a few blocks from us.
Sure, we’d love to see it and the other lions that apparently have taken up residence in the park and of course, if “safari luck” prevails, we’ll be ultra-careful and never attempt to “push our luck.”
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| This pretty young female stops by every few days for some pellets. |
Today, as soon as we upload this post, we’re heading out for a drive, hoping to spot more of Mother Nature’s wonders in the veritable paradise for wildlife enthusiasts.
Be well. Be happy.
Photo from one year ago today, February 22, 2017:
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| Throughout Tasmania and Australian states, there are many wood carvings In honor of Australians throughout history. For more photos, please click here. |