Hunter's Hartebeest

 

The Hunter’s Hartebeest is a medium-sized antelope, tan to rufous-tawny in colour with slightly lighter under parts, predominantly white inner ears and a white tail which extends down to the hocks.

It has very sharp, lyrate horns which lack a basal pedicle and are ridged along three quarters of their length. As hirola age their coat darkens towards a slate grey and the number of ridges along their horns increases.

They are critically endangered. When I do slideshow presentations in the schools on our trips abroad the image of the Hunter's Hartebeest never fails to get a laugh from the kids.

Impalas Dueling

Today's blog features a couple of images of dueling Impalas.

Thompson's Gazelle

Thompson’s Gazelles are small gazelles, named for researcher Joseph Thomson.

They have light-brown coats with dark stripes running down their sides, a white patch on their rumps extending underneath the tail, and ridged horns that curve backward.

Females may have shorter, smoother, and slimmer horns than males or none at all.

Eland

The Eland is the world’s largest antelope and has the endurance to maintain a trot indefinitely.

Both males and females have horns that spiral tightly, though female horns tend to be longer and thinner. 

Usually fawn or tawny-colored, they turn gray or bluish-gray as they get older; the oldest animals become almost black.

Defassa Waterbuck

The Defassa Waterbuck is a large, robust animal with long, shaggy hair and a brown-gray coat that emits an oily secretion from its sweat glands, which acts as a water repellent.

It also has large, rounded ears and white patches above the eyes, and around the nose and mouth and throat.

Rothchild's Giraffe

 

Rothchild’s Giraffes were one of the many highlights here. Incredible to watch them come to the waterhole directly in front of our tent.

The Rothschild’s Giraffe is named in honor of Walter Rothschild. Mr. Rothschild founded the Tring Library and was a noted zoologist. He had many species named after him, including over 150 types of insects, 58 species of birds, and 17 mammals.

The Rothschild’s giraffe lives in desert and savanna plains areas of Africa. They are primarily located in eastern Uganda and western Kenya.

Adult Rothschild’s giraffes weigh between 1800 and 2500 pounds, with the adult males weighing more than the females. At birth, giraffes typically weigh around 150 pounds.

Rothschild’s giraffes mature to between 16 and 19 feet, with males being larger than females. Young can be 5 and a half feet tall at birth. Giraffes are the tallest land mammals.

An adult Rothchild’s Giraffe will eat about 75 pounds of food each day.

This was the view from the front of our tent.

White-bellied Bustard

 

The White-bellied Bustard is a small, tawny-backed bustard with a reddish base to the bill and a strongly demarcated white belly.

The male has a blue-gray neck and dark facial markings. Small groups strut through open grassland and bush. Often first detected by a characteristic, continuous, croaking, nasal “anghara-anghara”, as well as by other similar calls.

Ostrich

 

The flightless Ostrich is the world's largest bird. They roam African savanna and desert lands and get most of their water from the plants they eat.

Though they cannot fly, ostriches are fleet, strong runners. They can sprint up to 43 miles an hour and run over distance at 31 miles an hour. They may use their wings as "rudders" to help them change direction while running.

An ostrich's powerful, long legs can cover 10 to 16 feet in a single stride. These legs can also be formidable weapons. Ostrich kicks can kill a human or a potential predator like a lion. Each two-toed foot has a long, sharp claw.

Greater Blue-eared Starling

 

Black-headed Heron

 

The Black-headed Heron is a large, grayish heron of drier habitats with a distinctly dark cap and nape contrasting with white throat.

In flight the underwing is strongly contrasting black-and-white. The juvenile is duskier and duller. It walks slowly, hunting for small animals, and is often found far from water foraging in burnt grassland or open savanna, though it may also occasionally haunt a pond or quiet river bend. Ebird