Thursday, September 12, 2024

Final reflections on the Tanzania trip





 September 11 and 12 


We had anticipated a long travel day on the 11th, including driving from Tarangire to Arusha, flying from Arusha to Nairobi and then from Nairobi overnight to New York. We were on a somewhat tight schedule, as the camp was 2 hours from the main gate, which in turn was 3 hours from our “lunch and a shower” spot in Arusha and the airport an hour beyond that. We agreed with our driver that we would only pause for something exceptional; “like another Leaser Kudu” he joked.  And then we did see another one. He was amazed… and even more amazed that Kevin managed to snap a photo of it before it bounded away.


We got the the airport to discover that the Nairobi international airport was closed due to a strike. This caused us to stay the night in Arusha and fly out on the 12th instead. While there were certainly a few hours of anxiety, on the whole it turned out well.  We cannot say enough about the dedication and professionalism of the local and global Natural Habitat team to find us housing and new flights.  


Reflecting on our two weeks in Tanzania, a word needs to be said about dust and water. As is true for many nature travel destinations, the best time to see animals is during the dry season, when water sources are reduced and the animals concentrate around them. Not surprising then that passing herds and vehicles stir up dust. What was surprising was the changes in the color of the dust as we neared the Ngorongoro region— deep dark red dust from the iron rich soil. Dust covered everything near roadsides, even up in the rain forest. Leaves were red not green, and made us feel thirsty to look at them.  Water is always a precious resource, but watching donkey- or steer-drawn carts hauling drums of water up steep and rutted dusty roads made it palpable. It also threw into sharp contrast one of the lodges where we stayed, with lush irrigated gardens. 


In Tarangire, some of the soil and roads are not red, as the ash cloud from the Ngorongoro eruption millions of years ago changed the local soil composition. This had an interesting effect: animals that live in the “ gray soil zone” are the colors one expects. Animals in the “red soil zone” are coated with it to a greater or lesser extent, depending on how much they roll or wallow. We saw large herds of “red” elephants and “pink” zebras in particular.


Our unexpected extra day, at the same lodge in Arusha where we started the Tanzania part of the trip, turned out to be a great birding adventure. The lodge sits on a stream-fed lake, with enough flow to enable not only gardens but a small hydroelectric plant to supplement municipal electricity supply. The water and the gardens attract many birds. We saw 33 species and at least 5 new ones, just wandering the grounds today. We also saw both black-and-white colobus and blue monkeys. Driving to the airport to catch our new flights, we gazed at the cloud covered peak of Mt Kilimanjaro; it is sobering to consider that Ngorongoro was originally even taller!


A final reflection on the entire trip—- people everywhere were uniformly kind, welcoming, willing to share their knowledge and curious about our lives in places they have only heard of.  Many live tough lives and all work very hard; the spirit of optimism and generosity is the more striking in that context.  We love many things about traveling in Africa: the landscapes, the animals and birds, the foods, the sounds of the bush coming through the tents flaps at night; but most of all the people. Every time we come we think it will be our final trip to Africa. But we know that we will be back. 


Pictured: Tarangire red elephants, Tarangire zebras (what’s black and white and red all over?), blue monkey, Coke’s Hartebeest

Tuesday, September 10, 2024

Last full day in the bush






 Tuesday, September 10

We started the day with a two hour bush walk led by a park ranger.  Bush walking is a very different way to see the savanna. On a bush walk you get to experience thing like how large an elephant footprint is, or how tall a giraffe is to munch on acacia trees. We saw the scat of all sizes from dikdik (about the size of a dry black bean) to zebra (the size of a domino) to elephant (think rough Belgian blocks). The scat reflects not only the size of the animal but their diet and how efficient their digestion is. Elephants only digest about 25% of what they eat, so there is a lot left for other creatures to scavenge from the scat.  We had to divert our path twice to avoid annoying Cape buffalo. Most animals and even birds have learned to be calm around the tourist vehicles, but they flee from a human on foot. We got to see a lot of running and flying during our walk— and then near the end, some giraffe, warthogs and zebra decided we weren’t so bad after all.


The drive from camp to the ranger station took about 15 bumpy minutes, but the trip back took longer because we saw several interesting things, including a rare Lesser Kudu (a medium sized antelope with stripes and strong facial markings, which is very skittish and thus hard to photograph).  We returned to came about 10 am, which meant we started our game drive later than usual, going out much closer to the heat of the day.  We drove along the river (pretty narrow this deep into the dry season) and returned along the marsh from yesterday. Most creatures are less active mid day, although we did finally track down a parrot that had been eluding us. We got to see a small leopard tortoise crossing the road. We also saw the usual suspects: elephants, zebra, buffalo (all in huge herds), warthogs, impala and dikdik. 


We saw several herds near camp as we drove back at sunset, which raises the question of what we will hear overnight from our tent. For our final African dinner we sat under the stars, surrounded by the bush. Yet again the staff checked the surrounding grasses with strong flashlights throughout the meal. 


Pictured: (small) leopard tortoise, walking companions,  eastern violet-backed sunbird,  lesser kudu, female African orange-bellied parrot 

Monday, September 9, 2024

Twelve hour game drive






 Monday September 9

We went on a 12-hour game drive today through the savanna and along a marshy area that floods in the wet season. We saw 95 species of birds today, several of them new to us. We also saw several large herds of elephants (one with over 30 members), buffalo, hippopotamus, giraffe, zebra, and warthogs. We saw three types of mongoose and a few different types of antelope ( including dik dik), but no gazelles or wildebeest as they don’t like getting their feet muddy.  


We witnessed several interesting animal behaviors: three African hoopoe seemingly having a disagreement about territory, a female elephant getting frustrated with the cattle egrets accompanying her herd  and chasing them away by swinging her trunk to clear them, a giraffe scratching its ear on a broken tree branch, and we got to hear white-faced whistling ducks whistle.


Our trip back to the camp, retracing our path from earlier in the day, had a number of interruptions. The interruptions included a huge herd of buffalo blocking the road, a pair of vervet monkeys determined to complete their grooming in the middle of the road, and a very large bull elephant who strode towards us down the road. As he got near the front of the truck, our driver turned on the engine. The elephant swerved to the side and, standing about four feet from the vehicle, shook his head, ears, and dust at us before proceeding on his way. 


Pictured: hippo family at the pool, an African hoopoe chasing his rival, a pair of dikdik, giraffe nursery, elephant in the road 

To Tarangire





 Sunday September 8

After saying farewell to our trip companions, we drove (well our driver/guide Jackson actually drove) from Karatu  to the Tarangire National Park (it was a bit of a slow start because we were spotting birds). Tarangire was established in the 1970’s and contains 2800 square kilometers, with conservation zones around it that enable animal migration from Lake Manyara to Amboseli National Park in Kenya. We entered the park about 11 am and spent the remainder of the day on a game drive, arriving at our new camp around sunset.


We saw many wonderful things today, including a large pride of lions on a very recent kill, a lost lion cub calling to find the rest of his family, a den of hyena puppies, and more elephants than we could count. We also saw some spectacular new birds. As well as, you guessed it, wildebeest. Tarangire is also full of baobab trees (the ones that look upside down). They are beautiful in an alien way at all times, but stunning against the horizon or a sunset. 


Our new camp is even more embedded in the bush than the two Serengeti camps. The tents themselves are lovely, spacious and well appointed. No one is allowed to walk unescorted, even in daylight hours. The odd fringe benefit to this is that no one will walk past your tent in the night, so there are no solid panels on the front of the tents, only mosquito netting. We ate dinner outdoors (by candlelight), and periodically a member of staff would scan the surrounding grassland with a big flashlight to be sure there were no animals encroaching; the grasses started about 10 feet from Kevin’s end of our table. 


Pictured: hyena pups and adults, red-and-yellow barbet, lost lion cub, yellow collared lovebird 

Ngorongoro Crater




 Saturday September 7


Ngorongoro Crater is famous for good reasons. It is the largest intact caldera in the world, with a floor of 100 square miles. One-third of the floor is a soda (salt marsh) lake, with the balance as open savanna. The original volcano cone is estimated to have been 19,000 feet. Since its collapse 2.5 million years ago, the caldera rim is at 9000 feet and the floor at about 6000 feet. The Crater sits inside a larger conservation area. It is not a national park, as other activities (like Maasai villages and some lodges) are allowed on the outside slopes of the crater although no such activities are allowed within it. While some animals do climb in and out of the crater, most remain within, creating a feeling of Noah’s Ark inside. 


We entered the conservation area through the south (main) gate, drove around the rim through cloud forest mist to the North Gate, and then drove down the steep wooded incline into the caldera for most of the day.  We also had an exceptional lunch at a private picnic area, with food provided by a nearby lodge. It was quite a surprise as we had expected box lunches and fighting for a picnic table with all the other tourist jeeps. The crater is a very popular destination and the animals are not frightened of the trucks. It also meant that at lunchtime there must have been 30 other vehicles at the public picnic area, making our private lunch the more special.


Today was a day of near and far.  We drove on a circuitous route throughout the savanna and along the lake shore. We stopped to see a pod of hippos, and were surrounded by assorted water birds. Of most interest was the cooperative, coordinated feeding behavior of a group of great white backed pelicans. They swam together to form a circle and then all dove into the water at the same time. It was explained to us that, similar to the bubble net feeding of humpback whales, they were herding fish together in the center of the circle, or in one case trapping the fish against the shoreline. It was beautiful to watch. We had several other unusual bird species appear close beside our truck. Perhaps the highlight of the day was seeing a Serval, a medium sized cat, walk through the tall grass right up to the truck.  Or perhaps the highlight was an elephant who strolled into our picnic site and then settled down for a mud bath in the adjacent marsh. 


We saw a number of hyenas and two pairs of lionesses from a distance. There is no driving “off-road” to get closer to animals in the crater, so what you get to see is what you see from the road. As we were leaving, we saw three black rhinoceros so far away that it required the big camera lenses to verify their identity. Still, it was great to see them. 


Today was the last full day with the rest of our tour group. Tomorrow we drive to Tarangire National Park for three days of private exploration.


Pictured: Serval, view of the crater, pelicans fishing 

Friday, September 6, 2024

Leaving the Serengeti





 


Friday September 6


Today we left the Serengeti and traveled southwest to the Ngorongoro highlands. “Driving to the airstrip” takes on a whole new meaning here, as the two hour dive featured more lions, hyenas, many herds, and of course birds. 

 

Reflecting on our six days in the Serengeti, it is hard to fathom or describe the sheer scale of the grasslands and the herds.  One hears about the migration of 1.5 million wildebeest and 300,000 zebra, but until you see the herds spread out over the landscape or in long lines trudging towards the river, it is hard to appreciate or visualize. The area was recognized and set aside for conservation in the 1940s, one of the earliest UNESCO world heritage sites.  Flying across the Serengeti in a small plane gives you another appreciation of its size and the size of the herds. 


A few other aspects: not all herbivores migrate. Some are general grazers and can make due with less tender grass in the dry season. Others are prone to hoof rot and cannot move to places where the ground will be very wet. And while the big herbivores migrate, the predators do not. So in different areas of the Serengeti, the lions, leopards, cheetahs, hyenas and jackals have a feasting season (when the migration is in town) and a lean season (when only non-migratory prey are around).   


Today we flew to an airport on the shores of Lake Manyara, and drove to the town of Karatu, in the foothills near the crater and one of three towns that serve as access points for the conservation area.  


We stopped to visit a primary school that Natural Habitat clients have been supporting for over a decade. The government and the local community are responsible for the running of the school, but Nat Hab projects have provided them with a better school kitchen and a new water tank. The school has 892 students, ages 7-14 in seven grades, and only 10 paid teachers as that is the limit of the government funding. Many of the students come from poor farms and villages and walk three hours to get to school. The improved kitchen enables the school to offer lunch for the students, and a new vegetable garden is intended to improve the overall nutrition of the students. The head master has worked hard over the past 8 years to improve the passing rate on the national exit exams from 16% to 90%. He will clearly not be satisfied until every one of his students passes and can advance to secondary school. 


Only a few (maybe 60 or so) of the students were there today, as it is a school holiday period but they came to study for those exams. They sang, danced and played drums for us. We met with them in a classroom to allow for some questions and answers (in both directions).  It was a delightful time, but also inspiring and sobering. 


Posted: Oribi (a small antelope), flap-necked chameleon, Yellow-throated Longclaw, classroom at the school 

Thursday, September 5, 2024

Serengeti treasures





 Thursday, September 4


Today we didn’t go near the river at all. This morning we explored north towards the Kenyan border, “looking for whatever we could find”.  We had the time to stop and identify a number of small birds we’ve been seeing in the grass. We saw 4 lionesses, 3 cubs and 1 male from a single pride. An older daughter of the mother of the cubs played with two them while the mother relaxed in the tall grass. 


A short time later, we watched as a herd of 13 elephants come towards us then flow around our vehicle. We were entertained by the antics of three small ones. The elephants pick out small acacia trees from the grassland, preventing its conversion to scrub. This somewhat offsets their tendency to destroy woodland if they cannot move to new territory fast enough. We also saw large herds of zebra and wildebeest, baboons and warthogs, all of them with young ones of various ages. It proved once again that baby anything are cute!


The plan for the afternoon was to look for cheetah or leopards near the camp, and then go over to the river to look for hippos. We spent quite a while quietly watching a bull elephant eating in a marshy area. Then we were informed via short wave radio that a leopard had been seen over in the area we’d visited in the morning. We drove pretty quickly to get over there, as the day was fading rapidly.


The beautiful female leopard was sleeping and grooming in the tall grass, nearly hidden with her camouflage.  We waited patiently, and after about 15 minutes she got up and started slowly walking towards some herds of zebra, perhaps scouting for her hunt tonight. We kept moving the truck to stay aheatd of her. Just about the time we needed to head back to the lodge, she walked around our vehicle and found a new place to snooze while awaiting nightfall and the time she hunts. It was an amazing end to the day.


Pictured: elephant family, lioness and cub playing, male ostrich, leopard 

Wednesday, September 4, 2024

And more migration!





 Wednesday September 4


We decided to spend the morning on a leisurely game drive followed by checking out a couple of crossing sites along the river, just in case we were lucky again. Within about a mile from camp we saw three lionesses and a young male lion, as well as many other animals and birds. 


When we got to the river, we saw a large group of wildebeest near the water at “crossing No. 2”. We watched for about 45 minutes but all they did was mill around, sometimes distracted by zebra which seemed to be able to convince the wildebeest to reverse their intended path. We also noticed several large crocodiles on a nearby sandbar. 


We went to “crossing No. 4” and saw a huge herd of wildebeest in a meadow far from the water that showed no interest in moving closer. 


After 15 minutes we gave up and drove back to #2. The wildebeest had come closer to the water, but then started climbing back up the bank (much to our dismay). Suddenly one wildebeest (we named him Frederick the Great for his leadership skills) waded into the water by himself. Suddenly the whole herd said “oh, Fred’s in the water, let’s go”… and within 15 minutes about 700 had crossed the river right in front of us! The crossing was the more dramatic for us because we knew there were crocodiles nearby—- which in the end claimed two of the wildebeest (one after a tremendous struggle). 


We went back to #4 for a picnic lunch, and saw that the wildebeest had moved slightly to the east and slightly closer to the water. A group of them had even congregated at the top of a sandy cliff as if they were considering leaping the 40 feet to the water.  After lunch we decided to hang around just in case.  We waited about 30 minutes, the main herd milled about aimlessly. Then the group from the cliff returned; the first 20 or so just rejoined the herd. The rest of the cliff group sneaked through bushes along the cliff edge to approach the crossing point. Suddenly  one animal (we named him Clifford) dashed down the slope and into the water.  The entire herd followed — an even larger herd than we had realized. The dust they stirred up as they rushed to the shoreline added to the drama. 


Two large crocodiles immediately swam towards the line of wildebeest, and grabbed one. The line halted and bunched up, with the ones closest to the middle of the river attempting to turn around. But there were so many animals pouring down the slope that the flow was re-established, and in 15 minutes 3000 animals had passed!  Only one other young wildebeest was grabbed by a croc. 


Just as we were ready to leave, a lone wildebeest appeared, and seemed to wander around where the herd had been, looking lonely. She decided to cross by herself, long after the others. An enormous (we estimate 15 feet long) crocodile was just waiting for her. It was an inevitable and sad conclusion, but it was still interesting to watch him manipulate the carcass in the water.


Three crossings in 24 hours! And in the last case, there were only our two jeeps on our side of the river, and about 12 on the southern shore. The nearest bridge has washed out, ensuring us much more privacy than in prior years.  We saw a sign that said our vantage point for the 2nd  of today’s crossings was limited to 60 vehicles. That would have been dreadful.


Pictured: 2nd crossing with dust clouds, 1st crossing with spectator zebras, lioness, zebra with young foal.

Tuesday, September 3, 2024

Migration!

 Tuesday September 3




Often when people talk about the Great Migration, they have in mind the vast herds of wildebeest (gnu) crossing the Mara River is treacherous circumstances. Crossing the Mara may be the most dramatic element, but the Great Migration is much more than that; it comprises a full twelve months cycle of movement, primarily by 1.5 million wildebeest but also including other antelope species. The motivation for the migration is rainfall and fresh green grass. While species like zebras can digest any kind of grass, wildebeest are very particular and need the tender new shoots and clean drinking water. New grass sprouts are a function of rainfall, but also are a function of natural (originally) or controlled (now) burning.  The rains come to the southern part of the Serengeti in October to December, so the herds migrate to the south in January and have their babies in February, staying until  April. The rains come to northern Serengeti and the Masai Mara in the spring, and in general there is more rain in the north because of the influence of Lake Victoria. The herds start a long circular migration west and then north, crossing the Mara in August through October. But as both sides of the Mara have green grass in that season, some herds have changed their routes and are still crossing from south to north in September, even though  the traditional model would say they should all be in the Masai Mara already.  This whole migration cycle is one of the seven wonders of the natural world. And we got to see some of it today!


Early in the morning, we drove 2 hours back to the Seronera airstrip and flew for 30 minutes to an airstrip north of the Mara but still in Tanzania. We noticed, first from the plane and then from the ground, how much more green everything was here compared to where we have been the past three days. We also immediately noticed that there were wildebeest everywhere—- small family groups, big herds, isolated older males.


There are 12 “established” crossing sites along the Mara. We drove west from the airstrip along the river, watching the herds on the southern shore for signs they were going to cross. The collective noun for wildebeest is “confusion” and it seemed an apt description today. We watched as herds combined into massive groups. Some individuals would wander down to the river bank and then change their minds and go back up. There were large processions of the animals moving single file to the west and then they’d turn around and go east again. 


We watched for about two hours. Then suddenly, for no apparent reason, they decided to go. A phalanx of animals came down to the river, entered the water and started swimming across, fighting the current and avoiding the rocks. More and more animals entered, creating traffic jams mid-stream.  New entry points, some involving jumping down the bank, were created. Multiple exit points on the northern shore (our shore) were used to scramble back up to the grasslands. Sometimes a wildebeest would balk at entering the water and the line would halt—- until a new leader emerged and the flow went on. We watched for 25 minutes, with an estimated 2500 wildebeest crossing in front of us. We only saw two fall prey to a crocodile.  It was truly an unforgettable experience. 


Our new camp is a bit more “camping than flanking” but is still very comfortable. It started raining as we settled in before dinner, another new experience for us. 


Pictured: the crossing, the midstream congestion snd the leapers.