Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Ostrich in Safari Land
Bellostrich8.08 Earl Plato
Keep your windows closed! If not, one of the workers in their zebra-pattered pick up trucks will tell you so. We remembered the ostriches from the last visit to African Lion Safari. One ostrich in particular this August day wanted to see what was inside our car. We tapped on the inside of our windows and she approached quickly. Was there food inside this car? She tapped her huge beak on our windows. We had a good look at this large female bird. Ostriches usually weigh from 93 to 10kg (200 to 285 lb.) This was a good sized female probably around 250 pounds. Females are greyish-brown and white. The head of and neck of both male and female ostriches is nearly bare. we could see a thin layer of down. She was that close to us. The strong legs of the ostrich has no feathers. The bird has just two toes on each foot.. The nail of the larger one resembles a hoof. The inner one lacks a nail. We are told that it aids in running. The wings are not used for flight but are still large with a wingspan of over six feet. The group of ostriches we saw had young ones present. It looked as the mother used her wings to shade her chicks. Makes sense, eh.
The beak we saw on our female ostrich was flat and broad with a rounded tip. It was that tip that repeatedly hit our windows with some force. Definitely an interesting bird
Keep your windows closed! If not, one of the workers in their zebra-pattered pick up trucks will tell you so. We remembered the ostriches from the last visit to African Lion Safari. One ostrich in particular this August day wanted to see what was inside our car. We tapped on the inside of our windows and she approached quickly. Was there food inside this car? She tapped her huge beak on our windows. We had a good look at this large female bird. Ostriches usually weigh from 93 to 10kg (200 to 285 lb.) This was a good sized female probably around 250 pounds. Females are greyish-brown and white. The head of and neck of both male and female ostriches is nearly bare. we could see a thin layer of down. She was that close to us. The strong legs of the ostrich has no feathers. The bird has just two toes on each foot.. The nail of the larger one resembles a hoof. The inner one lacks a nail. We are told that it aids in running. The wings are not used for flight but are still large with a wingspan of over six feet. The group of ostriches we saw had young ones present. It looked as the mother used her wings to shade her chicks. Makes sense, eh.
The beak we saw on our female ostrich was flat and broad with a rounded tip. It was that tip that repeatedly hit our windows with some force. Definitely an interesting bird
Monday, September 22, 2008
Rhino Time
Bellrhino.08 Earl Plato
We were on our second drive through the fenced African Lion Safari landscape on that bright sunny August afternoon. This time it was close-ups of the behemoth - the rhinoceros. This sunny day the rhino group rested. Only one huge beast separated himself from the small enclave. I learned that these White rhinos are gray coloured. How come “white”? Remember their native home is South Africa. Early Dutch settlers there called them “weit” rhinos. Why? It was in reference to its wide (weit) square muzzle adapted for grazing. Confusing, eh? Note these white rhinos have a pronounced hump on the neck and a long face. Two horns on all rhinos (white and black) and the bigger one sits at the front of he nose. It is that horn that is prized in Asia.. It is sought for uses in traditional medicine and ornamental carvings. Our safari rhinos are saved from that pursuit.
We were told the White rhino male is the larger of the two species - over two tons! Wow! Our big guy was over twenty years. Life span 35-40 years.
No charging at us. Their eyesight is poor which may explain why hese often ill-tempered animals will charge without apparent reason. Their sense of smell and hearing are very good. On both trips no sounds from them but we learned that they have an extended vocabulary of growls, grunts, squeaks, snorts and bellows. I can picture their charge - frightening. The white rhino lowers its head, snorts, breaks into a gallop reaching speeds of up to 30 miles an hour. Using its sharp horn it gores or strikes powerful blows with its both horns. The white rhino is very agile and can quickly turn in a small space. Would be hunters - leave him a alone.
Our White rhino was content to munch on the grass,
We were on our second drive through the fenced African Lion Safari landscape on that bright sunny August afternoon. This time it was close-ups of the behemoth - the rhinoceros. This sunny day the rhino group rested. Only one huge beast separated himself from the small enclave. I learned that these White rhinos are gray coloured. How come “white”? Remember their native home is South Africa. Early Dutch settlers there called them “weit” rhinos. Why? It was in reference to its wide (weit) square muzzle adapted for grazing. Confusing, eh? Note these white rhinos have a pronounced hump on the neck and a long face. Two horns on all rhinos (white and black) and the bigger one sits at the front of he nose. It is that horn that is prized in Asia.. It is sought for uses in traditional medicine and ornamental carvings. Our safari rhinos are saved from that pursuit.
We were told the White rhino male is the larger of the two species - over two tons! Wow! Our big guy was over twenty years. Life span 35-40 years.
No charging at us. Their eyesight is poor which may explain why hese often ill-tempered animals will charge without apparent reason. Their sense of smell and hearing are very good. On both trips no sounds from them but we learned that they have an extended vocabulary of growls, grunts, squeaks, snorts and bellows. I can picture their charge - frightening. The white rhino lowers its head, snorts, breaks into a gallop reaching speeds of up to 30 miles an hour. Using its sharp horn it gores or strikes powerful blows with its both horns. The white rhino is very agile and can quickly turn in a small space. Would be hunters - leave him a alone.
Our White rhino was content to munch on the grass,
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