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”

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.”

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.”

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.

The stripe patterns are fascinating, and there are various opinions on why they developed them. Zebras are herbivores.

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.

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. 

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. 

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.

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.” 

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:

Throughout Tasmania and Australian states, there are many wood carvings In honor of Australians throughout history. For more photos, please click here.

Three-for-One….on the Crocodile River; a White Fronted Plover, a female impala, and a male waterbuck. We’d wish it had been a sunny day for this shot, but cloudy days can mean more rain, and rain is desperately needed.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

A vervet monkey was sitting atop a lion statue in the yard of a house.

No, we won’t be spending this entire next 12 months in Africa sitting on the veranda waiting for visitors and posting photos of the same species over and over again. We have many exciting plans on the horizon.

Big Boy is easy twice the size of this other adult male warthog. We’re assuming this may be the same “Big Boy” we saw four years ago, as shown at this link. Warthogs have a lifespan of 18 years.  Once males mate, they don’t hang out with females, nor are they involved in the care of their offspring.  However, who knows, perhaps another male with whom they wander and graze may be an offspring.

But, after the last few months having sailed on two major cruises (30-nights and 17-nights) and spending 33-nights in Buenos Aires, we’re both thoroughly enjoying this time doing exactly what we feel like doing; relishing the quiet, the never-ending stream of “visitors” and time with our friends in Marloth Park.
 
Part of the joys of traveling the world is spending time, just like all of you, settling into a comfortable and pleasurable routine with minor requirements of our time. We can go out. We can stay in, sitting on the veranda. Our time is our own.

“A face only a mother could love,” and yet I find them so adorable with their quirky personalities.

Marloth Park and much of South Africa are often hot, humid with plenty of mozzies and other insects. We have to reapply insect repellent several times a day, especially during this second stay in South Africa. We aren’t taking malaria pills. 

The high-risk malaria season is ending in March or April, depending on the rains. It made no sense to be taking the pills for over a year where there are side effects and hazards in doing so over the long haul. 

Up the steps he goes, to see what we’ve got in the way of pellets!

Taking the risk of getting malaria or taking the risk of possible side effects from taking the medication for an extended period was a toss-up.  With a diligent repellent application, primarily with DEET, the only sure-fire ingredient, there’s another round of risks.

Warthogs tend to eat on their knees due to their long legs and short necks, making foraging for food more accessible. They have special knee pads that make this possible.

We didn’t take these considerations lightly. After speaking to several of our local friends, we opted to do what they do…stay protected with strong repellent and don’t kid ourselves that “natural’ repellents are strong enough to prevent bites. We know this from experience after trying several natural repellents, and yet, we still got bit, Tom, less than me.

“Whew,” says Big Boy. “I need a rest after eating all those pellets.”  He has to comfortably position his head with those razor-sharp tusks used for digging up roots and for his personal defense.  Warthogs aren’t naturally aggressive but will defend themselves vigorously if need be.  Females will become very aggressive in protecting their young.

Plus, taking malaria pills is no guaranty one won’t contract malaria. They aren’t 100% effective. Many tourists coming to Africa for a few weeks begin taking the drugs a week or two before they arrive, during their stay, and a few weeks after leaving the area. Generally, this provides good protection.

After about 20 minutes, Big Boy perked up and was ready to continue his day with his male friend, who hung around waiting for him while he napped.

But, our circumstances are different. After considerable research and speaking with our friends here in Marloth, we feel comfortable with our decision not to take the pills with a few adaptations.

Roadside shop with potatoes, onions, and miscellaneous items.

One way to reduce the risk of mosquito bites is to remove these “tire chairs” from our proximity, as shown in the photo below.  These tires can easily hold water where mosquitoes can lay their eggs.  Yesterday, after it rained, Tom tipped them all over to remove the water. Today, when our pool and groundskeeper Josiah arrives, we’re asking him to move these chairs in a distant area in the yard,

Visitors are checking the ground for pellets near the “tire” chairs.

As pointed out on Saturday night by our friend Don and longtime resident of Marloth Park, these tire chairs could easily provide an ideal hiding place for a deadly black mamba. Four years ago, Don told us a terrifying story about finding a black mamba in his storage room the last time we were here. 

Don escaped unharmed, but it was an incident he’ll never forget and a story we easily remembered after hearing it so long ago. One can’t ever be too careful in ensuring their safety from potential risks in specific environments, and there’s little room for foolhardiness.

This is the bush house we first rented when we arrived in Marloth in December 2013.  We prefer the house we’re in now due to its easier view of the yard indoors (for checking on visitors). However, we’re spending every hour of the day outside as we’d done at that property.

The weekend was spectacular for both human and wildlife visitors.  At one point on Sunday, we had eight large animals in front of us. We do not doubt as they become used to our presence, we’ll see more and more.

Today, we’re finalizing a few details for my upcoming birthday party at Jabula tomorrow night. We can’t wait to share photos from the party and the most unusual birthday cake prepared by the “cake lady” here in Marloth Park. 

Life is good, even better than we’d expected. We hope yours is as well!

Photo from one year ago today, February 19, 2017:

Huon River from the highway in Tasmania. We were nearing the end of our six-week stay. For more, please click here.