Barbi

Dave and I were so fortunate to see quite a few Leopard on this trip. I love seeing Leopard in a tree. And look at those eyes!

Leopards are strong climbers. Pound for pound, the leopard is the strongest climber of all the big cats. Their shoulder blades even have special attachment sites for stronger climbing muscles. Leopards spend much of their time in trees even when stalking prey and for eating. Both lions and hyenas will take away a leopard’s food if they can. To prevent this, leopards will often store their meal high up in tree branches where they can feed in relative safety.

Warthogs are members of the same family as domestic pigs, but present a much different appearance. These sturdy hogs are not among the world’s most aesthetically pleasing animals—their large, flat heads are covered with “warts,” which are actually protective bumps. Warthogs also sport four sharp tusks. They are mostly bald, but they do have some sparse hair and a thicker mane on their backs.

Though warthogs appear ferocious, they are basically grazers. They eat grasses and plants, and also use their snouts to dig or “root” for roots or bulbs. When startled or threatened, warthogs can be surprisingly fast, running at speeds of up to 30 miles an hour.

Wild Earth was filming the Wild Dogs!!!! I was so excited to see their setup, since I watch Wild Earth quite often.

As the sun began to set, all of a sudden the Wild Dogs stretched and began to nudge each other awake. Tails were high in the air. You could feel the excitement.

Then…. they were off……

African wild dog, or Painted Wolf, is the second most endangered carnivore in Africa after the Ethiopian wolf. African wild dogs are among the most effective predators in the world. They use extraordinary cooperation and teamwork to pursue, overhaul and bring down their prey. As a result 80% of their hunts end successfully, compared to, say, lions at 10%. This is nearly all a result of their pack coordination.

We had an AMAZNG experience with a pack of African wild dogs. I will share some  pictures of this in the next few days.

The Vervet Monkey is an omnivorous animal, meaning that they consume both plant matter and other animals in order to get the nutrition that they need to survive. Leaves and young shoots make up the bulk of the Vervet Monkey’s diet, along with tree bark, flowers and fruits that can also be found in the trees surrounding them. On the ground Vervet Monkeys forage for roots, bulbs, seeds and grasses and are also known to supplement their diet with insects, eggs, rodents, birds and other small animals. The Vervet uses its incredibly dexterous hands in order to collect food, with its long tail aiding in balancing on the tree branches.