14.02.2021
Queen Elizabeth National Park – Kazinga Channel
In Katunguru, a few kilometers down the Kasese-Ishaka Road, Matovu turned onto the Mweya Leopard Loop which sort of runs parallel to Kazinga Channel. On this track we passed Katunguru Gate – and whenever passing a national park gate or any other police check point, we had to mask-up in the car, because officially masks were mandatory in a car with more than 2 people …
The first animal we spotted in a tree was an African Fish Eagle – Haliaeetus Vocifer – a large, distinctive, chestnut-and-white eagle that preferably sits prominently on perches near rivers, lakes and other waterbodies. We saw it in the very far distance and only could identify it when coming closer.
And as if we had not seen enough Elephants this morning yet … another family herd was hanging around a mud hole right next to the track. African Elephants are the largest land animals in the world today. The largest African Elephant ever recorded was found in Angola – rocking in at a massive 11000 kg and a shoulder height of 3.96 m – being at least a metre taller than the average male African Elephant!
The average African Elephant will grow to between 2.5 to 4 m from shoulder to toe and weigh between 2260 to 6350 kg, according to the National Geographic. Male Elephants can grow to be significantly larger than their female counterparts. Both genders grow ivory tusks, which are actually elongated incisor teeth. However, the male’s tusks are longer and heavier. African Elephants are famous for their very large ears. Considered to be shaped much like the continent of Africa itself, the large surface area of their ears helps to keep them cool in the blazing hot African sun.
The entire family walked across the track right in front of us. The funniest Baby Elephant stopped right there in the middle of the track and tried to figure out what to use his trunk for … A Baby Elephant is a coordinated little creature. Only a few hours after birth it has already mastered the art of standing and walking. These 2 skills are vital for survival. But figuring out how to use their trunks? That is obviously another story altogether … The Baby Elephant finds its trunk unwieldy initially – flopping it about from side to side as it learns how to manoeuver it. Only at about one year of age, it starts learning how to use its trunk for eating and drinking. It was hilarious how this little Elephant was trying to stand on its trunk …
Calves stay in very close proximity to other members of their family. Under 8 years old calves spend 80% of their time within 5 m of their mother and 91% of their time within 5 m of another adult family member. In fact, immature Elephants spend more than half of their time a meter or less from another family member.
Calves benefit enormously from the presence of these extra care-givers. The more females care for it in an Elephant family, the better chance a calf has to survive. Elephants seem to understand a mother’s relative calf rearing experience, because calves born to inexperienced mothers tend to receive more care from others than calves of experienced mothers.
They say an elephant never forgets.
What they don’t tell you is, you never forget an elephant.
Bill Murray
Elephants are slow-growing, long-lived mammals, surviving up to 70 years in the wild. The length of an individual’s life and reproductive success go hand in hand. Older females are more successful at raising their offspring to maturity than are younger females and the oldest males are the primary breeders. These older and more experienced individuals are often targets of ivory poachers and sport hunters because of their generally larger tusks, but their removal can have serious consequences. Elephants rely on older members for their social and ecological knowledge and leadership abilities and entire families and even populations may be damaged by the removal of a few key individuals.
Within sight of the passing Elephant herd, there was a large troupe of Olive Baboons – Papio Anubis. This time they did not pretend to be highwaymen, though. There were several females with seemingly newborn infants. The gestation period is approx 6 months. Typically, a female will only give birth to one offspring at a time. Infants weigh approx 1 kg at birth and cling to their mother by hanging onto her chest fur as she goes throughout her day. They only drink their mother’s milk until they start weaning at 3-4 months old.
Baboons can live up to 30 years in the wild. Female Baboons can reproduce even when they get very old, unlike human females. Newborns have black natal coats and bright pink skin. Females are the primary caregivers of infants, but males also play a role. In its first few days, the infant may be unable to stay attached to its mother and relies on her for physical support. Its grasp grows stronger by its first week and it is able to cling to its mother’s fur by itself. By 2 weeks, the infant begins to explore its surroundings for short periods, but stays near her. The distance the infant spends away from its mother increases the older it gets. In general, higher-ranking females are usually more relaxed parents than females of lower rank, which usually keep their offspring close to them.
Olive Baboons do not seem to practise co-operative parenting, but a female may groom an infant that is not hers. We watched a mother grooming her infant rather mercilessly … it did not seem to mind, though … a minute later it was happily clinging to her and suckling while watching us curiously.
Soon the troupe of Baboons was moving – maybe we were too close for their liking. Baboon infants are born with a very strong gripping ability. This enables them to help their mothers to carry them all day – the infants cling to the fur on their mothers belly. As a bonus, the infants cling in a perfect position to suckle whenever they choose to! That is particularly important because primate milk is not very rich. Primate infants need to drink frequently throughout the day to obtain enough nutrition to survive and grow.
After a few weeks the infants can climb about and they climb on their mothers backs. Their mothers can then carry them while they stay within the safety of the traveling troupe and forage for food – which requires use of all four limbs.
Just before reaching the Mweya Peninsula we stopped on the track at a viewpoint overlooking the Kazinga Channel to the southeast and Katwe Bay of Lake Edward to the northwest. The view was outstanding. On both sides the shores were teeming with wildlife – we could make out numerous Elephants, Hippos, Pelicans, Buffalos …
The Kazinga Channel is a wide, 32 km long natural channel that links Lake Edward and Lake George. The region shows much evidence of volcanic activity over the last 5000 years. The Katwe-Kikorongo Volcanic Field and the Bunyaruguru Volcanic Field lie on either side of the Kazinga Channel. It is thought that Lakes George and Lake Edward used to be joined as one larger lake, but lava from these fields flowed in and divided it, leaving only the Kazinga Channel as the remnant of the past union. The Channel is a dominant feature of Queen Elizabeth National Park and attracts a varied range of animals and birds and has one of the world’s largest concentration of Hippos. The relatively small Lake George drains through the Kazinga Channel into Lake Edward with water levels fluctuating very little.
Lake Edward – also known as Rutanzige or Edward Nyanza – is the smallest of the African Great Lakes. It is located in the Albertine Rift – the western branch of the East African Rift – on the border between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, with its northern shore only a few kilometers south of the equator. Henry Morton Stanley first saw the lake in 1888, during the Emin Pasha Relief Expedition. The lake was named in honour of Prince Albert Edward, The Prince of Wales, son of then British-monarch Queen Victoria, and later to become King Edward VII.
Jutting into Lake Edward is Mweya Peninsula – a stretch of land with dense vegetation that is home to a plethora of wildlife and one of the most visited locations in Queen Elizabeth National Park – due to the amenities and facilities clustered close – including Mweya Airport, accommodation facilities, access to Lake Edward and Kazinga Channel and abundant game on land, in the water and in the air.
We went to Mweya Village to the Tembo Cantine for our picnic lunch with a view. We found a table in the shade with a great view of Kazinga Channel far below. It was hot at midday, but they had cold Nile Special … Our lunch box was the usual as well – Mango Juice, Bananas, a sandwich, a chicken leg and a boiled egg.
After a good hour relaxed lunch break, we got back in the car and Matovu took us to Mweya Safari Lodge – a huge luxury lodge, but closed at the moment due to the circumstances – where we all had to register for our Boat Tour on the Kazinga Channel. Several times we had to have our temperatures taken and hands disinfected before we signed in for the tour. The parking lot here had been over taken by a huge gang of Banded Mongooses – Mungos Mungo – a Mongoose species native from the Sahel to Southern Africa. It lives in savannas, open forests and grasslands and feeds primarily on beetles and millipedes. While most Mongoose species live solitary lives, the Banded Mongooses live in colonies with a complex social structure.
Here they had opened up some sort of Spa for Warthogs … Banded Mongoose feed primarily on insects, myriapods, small reptiles and birds. Millipedes and beetles make up most of their diet, but they also commonly eat ants, crickets, termites, grasshoppers, caterpillars and earwigs. Only in Uganda and Kenya Banded Mongooses have been frequently observed removing ticks, fleas and other parasites from Warthogs.
The Warthogs seemed to thouroughly enjoy the Spa treatment. It was hilarious to watch the Mongooses busily scurry around the Warthogs sticking their tiny snouts literaly everywhere … and I mean … everywhere …
Mweya Peninsular is home to approx 400 Banded Mongooses and there are about 12 groups. Banded Mongooses forage in groups but each member searches for food alone. They forage in the morning for several hours and then rest in the shade. They will usually get busy again in late afternoon. Mongooses use their sense of smell to locate their prey and dig them out with their long claws, both in holes in the ground and holes in trees. Low grunts are produced every few seconds for communication.
They are sturdy Mongooses with a large head, small ears, short, muscular limbs and a long tail almost as long as the rest of the body. Animals of wetter areas are larger and darker colored than animals of dryer regions. The abdominal part of the body is higher and rounder than the breast area. The rough fur is grayish brown and black and there are several dark brown to black horizontal bars across the back. The limbs and snout are darker, while the underparts are lighter than the rest of the body. Banded Mongooses have long strong claws that allow them to dig in the soil. The nose color varies from gray-brown to orange-red. An adult animal can reach a length of 30 to 45 cm. The tail is 15 to 30 cm long.
Banded Mongooses live in mixed-sex groups of 7-40 individuals and sleep together at night in underground dens – often abandoned termite mounds – and change dens frequently every 2-3 days. There is generally no strict hierarchy in Mongoose groups and aggression is low. Sometimes, Mongooses may squabble over food. However, typically, the one who claims the food first wins. Most aggression and hierarchical behavior occurs between males when females are in oestrus. Female are usually not aggressive but do live in hierarchies based on age. The older females have earlier estrous periods and have larger litters. Mongooses establish their territories with scent markings that may also serve as communication between those in the same group.
We had to tear ourselves away from the Spa scene too soon … our boat was waiting for us. It was only a few minutes drive down to the dock at the banks of the Kazinga Channel. We had done the boat tour on the Nile at Murchison Falls National Park which had been fantastic, therefore we were all excitedly looking forward to another one.
There are several boat rides operated on Kazinga Channel – those operated on small private boats by the Mweya Safari Lodge and others operated on a doubled decked boat by the Uganda Wildlife Authority. We obviousely had the one on the private boat with plenty space for all of us plus one other single tourist – who did not say much the entire time, did not take a single photo and flinched every time an animal came too close to the boat.
The first animal we spotted – still before crossing the channel – was a huge Nile Crocodile – Crocodylus Niloticus. We had seen plenty of those in Murchison Falls National Park, but still it was an interesting sight. We came relatively close and this specimen was massive.
Crossing the channel we reached a beachy spot where tons of animals came to frolick in the water. We had seen this place already from our lunch point. It was even more impressive the closer we got now. There was a large herd of Elephants having fun by the shore side. Some where in the water. Elephants appreciate cooling off in water and may enjoy a good romp in the water with their pals. They are strong swimmers, so being in the water is not unfamiliar to them. In the water, they can enjoy cooling down while playing with their friends and members of their herd. It also gives their joints a break with the buoyancy they get from the water.
Elephants enjoy socializing with one another, as they are highly intelligent and social animals. Often seen caressing one another, they enjoy entwining trunks as if to say hello or offer a tender hug. Biologists believe that trunks may be used to greet other Elephants because, through them, they can also smell the other individual and find out more about them. An Elephant’s trunk is not only long – it is packed with 5 times more smell receptors than humans. Research has found that the African Elephants have the greatest sense of smell among mammals – even beating dogs including the bloodhound renowned for its sniffing ability. Humans were found to have the worst sense of smell …
Close to them was an extensive congregation of Cape Buffalo wallowing in the muddy shallows. They live in all types of grassland habitat in sub-Saharan Africa from dry savanna to swamp and from lowland floodplains to montane mixed forest and glades – as long as it is within commuting distance up to 20 km of water.
An elegant Yellow-Billed Stork – Mycteria Ibis – sometimes also called Wood Stork or Wood Ibis – a large African wading Stork widespread in regions south of the Sahara and in Madagascar – was not at all bothered by their presence.
It is a medium-sized Stork standing at 90-105 cm tall. The body is white with a short black tail that is glossed green and purple when freshly moulted. The bill is deep yellow, slightly decurved at the end and has a rounder cross-section. Feathers extend onto the head and neck just behind the eyes, with the face and forehead being covered by deep red skin. Colouration becomes more vivid during breeding season.
These storks walk with a high-stepped stalking gait on the ground of shallow water and their approximate walking rate has been recorded as 70 steps per minute. They fly with alternating flaps and glides, usually flap only for short journeys and often fly in a soaring and gliding motion over several kilometers for locomotion between breeding colonies or roosts and feeding sites. By soaring on thermals and gliding by turns, they can cover large distances without wasting much energy.
It does not generally migrate far, at least not out of its breeding range – it usually makes short migratory movements which are influenced by rainfall. Due to its migratory patterns throughout Africa, the Yellow-Billed Stork has been termed a facultative nomad. It may migrate simply to avoid areas where water or rainfall conditions are too high or too low for feeding on prey.
Its preferred habitats include wetlands, shallow lakes and mudflats usually 10-40 cm deep. It avoids flooded regions and deep expansive bodies of water because feeding conditions there are unsuitable for their typical grope and stir feeding techniques. Their diet comprises mainly small, freshwater fish which they swallow whole. They also feed on crustaceans, worms, aquatic insects, frogs and occasionally small mammals and birds. This species appears to rely mainly on sense of touch to detect and capture prey, rather than by vision. They feed patiently by walking through the water with partially open bills and probe the water for prey. Contact of the bill with a prey item is followed by a rapid snap-bill reflex, whereby the bird snaps shut its mandibles, raises its head and swallows the prey whole.
In addition to the snap-bill reflex, the Yellow-Billed Stork also uses a systematic foot stirring technique to sound out evasive prey. It prods and churns up the bottom of the water to force prey out of the bottom vegetation and into it’s bill. It does this several times with one foot before bringing it forward and repeating with the other foot.
The Yellow-Billed Stork has been observed to follow moving Buffalos, Crocodiles or Hippos through the water and feed behind them, appearing to take advantage of organisms churned up by their quarry. Parents feed their young by regurgitating fish onto the nest floor, whereupon it is picked up and consumed by the nestlings. The young eat voraciously and an individual nestling increases its body weight from 50 g to 600 g during the first 10 days of its life. Hence, this species has earned the German colloquial common name Nimmersatt – meaning never full.
It is said, that there live approx 2000 Hippopotamus – Hippopotamus Amphibius – in the Kazinga Channel. Our boat tour took us about 5 km down to the mouth of the channel at Lake Edward and back again – and I am sure we saw … at least a quarter of those Hippos! At this time of the day they were still lounging in the water close to shore. Little action was there – but some of them excersized their mouths! A Hippo’s huge mouth consist of lips that are approx 50-60 cm wide.
Hippos can open their mouths to a massive 150° or over a meter wide which show their large tusk-like canines and razor-sharp incisors, capable of biting a small boat in half. However, they are only used for defense and challenge in combat with conspecifics or enemies. That looked quite impressive – even from afar. The vegan – who feeds almost exclusively on grasses – uses his comparatively small molars as a grinding tool for eating only.
We were lucky to see Hippo babies for the first time as well! Female Hippos reach sexual maturity at 5-6 years and have a gestation period of 8 months. Males reach maturity at around 7.5 years. A study of Hippo reproductive behaviour in Uganda showed that peak conceptions occurred during the end of the wet season in the summer and peak births occurred toward the beginning of the wet season in late winter. After becoming pregnant, a female Hippo will typically not begin ovulation again for 17 months.
Mating occurs in the water, with the female submerged for most of the encounter, her head emerging periodically to draw breath – on land the female would be crushed by the immense weight of the bull. Female Hippos isolate themselves to give birth and return within 10–14 days. Calves are born underwater at a weight between 25 and 50 kg and must swim to the surface to take their first breaths – therefore they can swim and suckle underwater immediately after birth.
The young often rest on their mothers’ backs when the water is too deep for them. Mother Hippos are very protective of their young and may keep others at a distance. However, calves are occasionally left in nurseries which are guarded by one or a few adults. Weaning starts between 6-8 months after birth and most calves are fully weaned after a year. Like many other large mammals, Hippos are described as K-strategists – in this case typically producing just one large, well-developed infant every couple of years – rather than many small, poorly developed young several times per year as is common among small mammals such as rodents.
There was so much too observe on this site. I did not know where to look first or where to point the camera first … maybe looking with one eye through the pointed camera and letting the other eye roam would have been the best solution …
Some of the Elephants had enough and started to walk off into the savanna again. A Goliath Heron – Ardea Goliath – a solitary forager and highly territorial towards other Goliaths entering their feeding territories – was wading on the carpet of Water Hyacinth. A diurnal and often rather inactive feeder, this Heron often hunts by standing in the shallows, intently watching the water at its feet. It may also perch on heavy floating vegetation, in order to prevent water from rippling around it. As prey appears, the Heron rapidly spears it with open mandibles and then swallows it whole. The handling period is long, with Herons often placing their struggling prey on floating vegetation while preparing to swallow it. Due to its generally slow movements and handling time, the Goliath is frequently vulnerable to kleptoparasitism. In Africa, African Fish Eagles frequently pirate food caught by Goliaths, although other large birds may also steal their prey.
That was maybe why some Hadada Ibis – Bostrychia Hagedash – were staying close to it. This Ibis is native to Sub-Saharan Africa and named for its loud calls uttered in flight especially in the mornings and evenings when they fly out or return to their roost trees. Although not as dependent on water as some Ibises, they are found near wetlands and often live in close proximity to humans, foraging in cultivated land and gardens. A medium-sized Ibis with stout legs and a typical down-curved bill, the wing coverts are iridescent with a green or purple sheen. The resting Nile Crocodiles and Buffalos did not mind the birds foraging around them.
For magnificence, for variety of form and color,
for profusion of brilliant life – bird, insect, reptile, beast – for vast scale –
Uganda is truly the Pearl of Africa.
Winston Churchill
Hippos were sleeping in the water and a flock of Egyption Goose – Alopochen Aegyptiaca – were hanging around as well. Some of the Buffalos went for a dust bath – they had been sitting in the water and now covered their wet bodies in dust or mud. Mud-wallowing is used by a variety of animals for a number of reasons. The animals which wallow are generally those which have sparse hair and few sweat glands on their hides – species such as Cape Buffalo, Warthogs and Elephants. They stir up the mud with their feet, horns or snouts before getting down for a roll. Wallowing acts as a cooling method. Warthog and Buffalo spend time lying in mud-wallows to reduce their body temperature.
While the boat kept drifting along the shore line we spotted a pair of African Fish Eagle – Haliaeetus Vocifer – hight up on a tree. The African Fish Eagle Feeds mainly on fish, which it swoops down upon from a perch in a tree, snatching the prey from the water with its large, clawed talons. The Eagle then flies back to its perch to eat its catch. We were not lucky to see them hunt, though.
Pied Kingfisher – Ceryle Rudis – were plenty around as well. They are named for their black and white plumage and crest with a mottled wing pattern. This and its habit of hovering over lakes and rivers before diving for fish, make it distinctive and the most recognizable Kingfisher.
The boat took us around the corner into the Channel now. The shoreline changed from the beachy type to somewhat of a short cliff – like a vertical mud bank. Soon we saw why the captain had brought us here – the entire cliff was a breeding colony of the Pied Kingfisher! You will not spot the Pied Kingfisher’s nest in a tree – he said.
Staying true to its species name of Water Kingfisher, the Pied Kingfisher make their nests close to water – by digging out holes in those vertical mud banks. These peculiar nests are generally 1-1.5 m deep. The birds do not spend too much time in their cavernous nest, however – they rather spend many hours perched outside to conserve energy for hunting.
Pied Kingfishers are permanent residents and unlike some of its relatives, they prefer a more permanent home. Spread throughout Asia and Sub Saharan Africa, they are not at all migratory birds. They will move short distances according to seasons. But are happy with their unexpanded horizons.
It takes a village to raise a child – is the saying – and the Pied Kingfisher know this. They are extremely social birds and often hang out in pairs or small groups. We spotted so many of them – it must have been hundreds – and at one point I caught 10 on one photo.
Pied Kingfisher breed in any month near the equator. Courtship involves dancing displays and males offering food to females. Dancing displays are gregarious and done with 3-12 males at one time. They noisily call to each other while holding their wings half spread and may also engage in fights by interlocking their beaks or holding their wings. Once formed, breeding pairs are monogamous and both sexes assist in digging nest holes. Nests can be built alone or colonially with up to 100 other birds building nests in the same area. They take 23-26 days to complete. They are cooperative breeders. This means that there can be up to 4 helpers who assist the parents in caring for their young. These helpers are often adult birds who have failed to raise chicks of their own.
Habitat restrictions are not a worry for these adaptable Kingfisher either. The unique hunting strategy extends beyond their ability to catch prey. The Pied Kingfisher’s method of hovering is also called aerial perching. Unlike other Kingfisher, the Pied Kingfisher can swallow small prey while flying. They do not require a perch to eat. This means that they can hunt over large bodies of water that are lacking places to sit or stand.
Perhaps the best fact about the Pied Kingfisher is that the species is not endangered. Africa has no shortage of critically endangered species, but these birds are not one of them. Pied Kingfisher have a wide and populous reach throughout the world. I had observed them hunting on a safari tour in Tatoba National Park in India a few years ago as well – but only ever a pair of them … never in those numbers like here.
Sometimes it can be tricky to identify gender in birds – not so with the Pied Kingfisher’s perpetuate gender stereotypes. The male has 2 black bands across the chest which looks similar to a bowtie.
While the female has a singular gorget often split down the middle – a startling likeness to a bikini!
Turning the boat around again and cruising back around the corner towards Lake Edward, we passed the animals favourite beachy spot again. The Goliath Heron was still strutting along in search of food between the Water Hyacinths, Buffalos and Crocodiles …
The Nile Crocodiles – Crocodylus Niloticus – had come out of the water in the meantime. Some of the Buffalos eyed them suspiciously … others did not give a damn about them being close and kept enjoying their mud bath …
Nile Crocodiles are thought to live 70-100 years. This gives them a higher life expectancy than many other Crocodile species that only live around 40-60 years. The oldest Nile Crocodile recorded was 56 years old, but that was a creature raised in captivity. Wild Nile Crocodiles are reported to live much longer.
A flock of Egyptian Goose – Alopochen Aegyptiaca – also known as the Nil Goose – was not being bothered by the proximity of the Crocodiles either. Named for its place of origin – being the Nile Valley – the Egyptian Goose is a large, very distinctive waterbird with conspicuous eye patches of dark chocolate-brown.
Nile Crocodiles are cold-blooded animals with efficient metabolisms – they can go long periods without eating. Technically speaking, they can survive for years without a meal … but most of them do not wait that long. They eat a few times per month … or whenever opportunity arises. When they do decide to indulge, Nile Crocodiles can consume up to half of their body weight at a time. This meat is stored and digested very slowly.
The Hadada Ibis – Bostrychia Hagedash – was also still around and we could have a closer look at it. The iridescent green patch over the wing was clearly visible shimmering in the sun. It had a large grey-to-black typical down-curved bill – and obviuously it was breeding season, because it had a red culmen on the basal half of the upper mandible which only occurs at this time. The narrow, white, roughly horizontal stripe across its cheeks – sometimes called the moustache though it does not reach the mouth corners – was there as well.
A bit further down the beach a solitary Elephant – Loxodonta Africana – had just come out of the water and was now being busy covering itself with dust. An Elephant’s skin is 2.5 cm thick in most places, but actually it is very sensitive skin. The folds and wrinkles in their skin can retain up to 10 times more water than flat skin does, which helps to cool them down. Elephants have invented their own sunscreen – keep their skin clean and protected from sunburn by taking regular dust and mud baths!
Kazinga Channel is obviously a haven for bird watchers … We spotted another of the Goliath Herons and more Egyptian Geese. The Yellow-Billed Stork was still busy foraging in the shallow water and a whole bunch of Pied Kingfisher were perched along with a Cormorant on a small bush in the water.
An African Sacred Ibis – Threskiornis Aethiopicus – a wading bird native to Africa and the Middle East – was there, too. It is especially known for its role in the religion of the Ancient Egyptians, where it was linked to the god Thoth and was supposed to preserve the country from plagues and serpents. The birds were often mummified and then buried with pharaohs. An adult individual has an all-white body plumage – apart from dark plumes on the rump – with a bald head and neck, thick curved bill and legs which are all black. In sub-Saharan Africa the Sacred Ibis occurs in marshy wetlands and mud flats, both inland and on the coast. It preferably nests on trees in or near water. It feeds wading in very shallow wetland or slowly stomping in wet pastures with soft soil. The diet consists of mainly insects, worms, crustaceans, molluscs and other invertebrates, as well as various fish, frogs, reptiles, small mammals and carrion.
The Yellow-Billed Stork was now stalking along the sandy banks close to a herd of Buffalos. Despite their gregariousness during breeding, most individuals generally ignore each other outside nesting-sites. As well as being abundant and widespread, the Yellow-Billed Stork also appears tolerant of short-term natural habitat changes. However, in East Africa it is known to be at risk from poaching and habitat reduction despite abundance and population stability.
Several Water Thick-Knee – Burhinus Vermiculatus – usually found close to water across sub-Saharan Africa – were there totally unimpressed by our boat or the other animals. A Water Tick-Knee has a heavy bill that is black with yellow at the base. The wings are broad and blunt and the tail is short. It is a terrestrial feeder that preferably forages at night.
All of a sudden some of the animals got spooked … maybe the Buffalos got scared of our boat … or maybe by the Elephant still blowing dust onto its back … I would not know … but all abruptly started running or flying off in a stampede … That was a sight to behold!
They stopped running only a few meters off the shore, though … the entire herd of Buffalos seemed to turn around then and stared at our boat as it slowly backed off the beach … it was a stunning sight … I wondered what they were thinking …
The Goliath Heron had moved on to the sandy beach as well and was seemingly scanning the horizon for whatever he was searching for. Since the Pied Kingfisher looked into the same direction … I was wondering what was out there …
Pied Kingfisher were everywhere around here. The sheer numbers of them were impressive. They sure where a social type of bird … perching in groups on the bushes near the water.
Then we had the good fortune of watching another African Fish Eagle high up in a tree taking off to fly. First it was just sitting there, but soon it spread its wings and took off. It had a brilliant black, white and chestnut appearance – these 3 colours make for a distinctive appearance. Adults have a brown body with a striking bald white head, plus large black wings. Their tails are white and easily recognisable when spotted from below. Females grow to have wingspans of up to 2.4 m, that of males is a little narrower at 2 m. It was an awesome sight to see it fly so close.
A lot of the approx 10000 Cape Buffalos that thrive in Queen Elizabeth National Park, seemed to have congregated along the Kazinga Channel banks today. We observed countless Buffalos drinking or bathing. Often they were accompanied by a myriad of Yellow-Billed Oxpeckers – Buphagus Africanus. It is native to the savanna of Sub-Saharan Africa. In 1760 the French zoologist Mathurin Jacques Brisson included a description of the Yellow-Billed Oxpecker in his Ornithologie. This small bird eats insects and ticks and its name arises from it’s habit of perching on large wild and domesticated mammals such as Buffalos and eating arthropod parasites. Ticks, lice, flies and fleas colonize on Buffalos. The Oxpecker will remove embedded ticks from all areas of the hosts body, entering ears and nostrils and excavating around delicate nether regions. This has always been thought of as a symbiotic relationship, with both creatures benefiting relatively equally, but recent observations suggest that the Buffalo – or any other mammal – does not benefit nearly as much as the Oxpecker. Their preferred food is blood and while they may take ticks bloated with blood, they also feed on it directly, pecking at the mammal’s wounds until blood flows. Once thought to keep Buffalo wounds clean by removing dead tissue, it is now thought that the Oxpeckers actually interfere with and delay proper healing. Whatever the net result, mammals generally tolerate Oxpeckers.
Bird watching seemed to be the name of the game along the channel this afternoon … A Squacco Heron – Ardeola Ralloides – a small Heron breeding in southern Europe and the Greater Middle East and wintering in Africa – was rummaging around in the floating vegetation. The crepuscular Heron is usually active at twilight, hunts aquatic insects, frogs and small fish in thick bushes or in the reeds. Outside of the breeding season, the bird lives solitary or in small groups and defends its feeding ground against other conspecifics. This is a stocky Heron with a short neck, short thick bill and buff-brown back.
One bird I had never seen before was hunting on the water line – a Hamerkop – Scopus Umbretta – and it looked rather conspicious. It is a medium-sized wading bird with brown plumage and its closest relatives are thought to be the Pelicans and Shoebill. The shape of its head with a long bill and crest at the back is reminiscent of a hammer, which has given it its name after the Afrikaans word for hammerhead. It is found in Africa, Madagascar and Arabia, living in a wide variety of wetlands, including estuaries, lakesides, fish ponds, riverbanks and rocky coasts. The Hamerkop takes a wide range of prey, mostly fish and amphibians and prey is usually hunted in shallow water, either by sight or touch.
But we did not only see birds now … Nile Crocodiles were plenty around as well. Often we just saw a snout disappearing in the water close to shore. A couple of times there were juvenile Crocodiles swimming past us. An interesting fact is that Nile Crocodiles have gastroliths in their stomachs and it completely baffles scientists. Gastroliths are rocks that certain animals hold in their gizzards, stomachs and intestinal tracks. They are usually for the purpose of grinding or digesting food. Certain types of Lizards, for example, do not have very strong teeth, so they use gastroliths to help them break down their food before they swallow it. However, this does not apply to Nile Crocodiles. They do not need any help munching on a bird or Buffalo. Scientists have no idea why they use gastroliths, so it really stumps them when they cut open a dead Croc and see an entire rock quarry in its stomach …
There were endless photo opportunities. My travel mates’ cameras clicked as much as mine. Eventhough I had taken umpteen photos of Buffalo and Egyptian Geese … I could not have passed when they posed for us on the channel bank once more … The distinct colouring of this Goose made always for a good motive and this Buffalo had so cool ears …
A little bit down the shore our captain spotted something in the swampy grass … He navigated the boat very close again and then we could spot it as well … A Nile Monitor – Varanus Niloticus – was happily munching away and was not the least bothered with us. It was a fairly sizable Lizard, too …
This large Monitor is found throughout most of Sub-Saharan Africa and along the Nile. Common names include the African Small-Grain Lizard, Iguana and various forms derived from it – such as Water Leguaan or River Leguaan.
It is a hefty reptile and Africa’s longest lizard – sometimes reaching lengths of over 2 m of which more than half is tail. They have muscular bodies, strong legs and powerful jaws. Their teeth are sharp and pointed in juvenile animals, but becoming blunt and peg-like in adults. They also possess sharp claws used for climbing, digging, defense or tearing at their prey. Like all Monitors, they have forked tongues, with highly developed olfactory properties.
It has quite striking, but variable, skin patterns, as they are greyish-brown above with greenish-yellow barring on the tail and large, greenish-yellow rosette-like spots on their backs with a blackish tiny spot in the middle. Their throats and undersides are an ochre-yellow to a creamy-yellow, often with faint barring.
Their nostrils are placed high on their snouts, indicating these animals are very well adapted for an aquatic lifestyle. They are also excellent climbers and quick runners on land. Nile Monitors feed on a wide variety of prey items, including fish, frogs, toads, rodents, small reptiles and birds, eggs, invertebrates and carrion.
It turned out there seemed to be an entire family around us. At one point I counted 5 Nile Monitors of various sizes ahore, in the water or lounging in the sun. There was the big one right in front of us, another big one walking along the shore and a big one enjoying the warm sun, while 2 juveniles were actually hiding in the water.
Seldom wandering far from water, it is a common sight across much of the region, usually seen rummaging around the riverine undergrowth, basking on a rock or swimming through the shallows. A versatile predator, able to swim, run and climb with equal ease, it will take prey using its forked, flicking tongue to track down its quarry by scent.
A Nile Monitor’s tail may grow more than a metre in length. It serves as a counterweight when running, an oar to help power it through the water when swimming and a whip with which to lash out at an assailant in self-defence.
In spring, a female Nile Monitor breaks into a live Termite mound to lay up to 60 eggs – the largest clutch size of any Lizard. The Termites repair the damage, leaving the eggs to incubate in warm, humid conditions. They hatch with the following spring rains, when the softened soil allows the hatchlings to break out.
After a while the Monitor had enough of the boat and the funny creatures pointing cameras at it and it quickly turned around, ran off through the grass to then jump in the water and swim to shore without ever looking back at us.
Leaving the Monitors behind, we came to a stretch of the channel which was clearly in the hands of the Kingfisher! Somebody spotted a tiny colourful speck in a bush by the water and having a closer look it turned out to be a Malachite Kingfisher – Corythornis Cristatus. This is a River Kingfisher which is widely distributed in Africa south of the Sahara which was first described by the German naturalist Peter Simon Pallas in 1764 and is a rather small Kingfisher. The general color of the upper parts of the adult bird is bright metallic blue. The head has a short crest of black and blue feathers, which gives rise to the scientific name. The face, cheeks and underparts are rufous and there are white patches on the throat and rear neck sides. The bill is reddish-orange in adults – the legs are bright red. The Malachite Kingfisher is common to reeds and aquatic vegetation near slow-moving water or ponds.
A few bushes over a Grey-Headed Kingfisher – Halcyon Leucocephala – was perched on a branch – it can sit there unmoving for long periods while watching the ground for signs of insects or small Lizards, bobbing head before diving on prey. We had spotted one of those already on our cruise on the Nile in Murchison Falls National Park.
The everpresent Pied Kingfisher were doing their favourite thing again – being sociable … there were 6 of them perched on one bush …
Of course we encountered many more Hippopotamus as well. Basically they were still lazing around in the water waiting for dusk to go feed on land.
Is a Hippopotamus a Hippopotamus or just a really cool Opotamus?
Mitch Hedberg
It was getting late in the afternoon and it was rather overcast today, so an bloat of Hippos had already moved on the riverine grassy bank. A Hippo herd is called a bloat and usually consists of one adult male, 10-30 females and their young. There were several juvenile Hippos here … They were huge already … we could only identify them as juveniles, because they were next to their Mamas and those were even huger!
Sensitive skin is the primary reason Hippos spend so much time in the water and away from land. But interestingly, their bodies have been designed to create their own sunscreen of sorts. They have evolved over time to be able to secrete a certain kind of pinkish sweat that covers the length of their bodies. They do not actually have sweat glands, but this oily substance comes from pores in their skin and acts to protect them from sun damage and prevent infection.
So, Hippos bask on the shoreline and secrete an oily red substance … that gave rise to the myth that they sweat blood. The liquid is actually a skin moistener and sunblock that may also provide protection against germs.
The Hippo is an even-toed hoofed mammal, but scientists think it is more closely related to the Whale and Dolphines than other even-toed hoofed mammals. The Hippo has a bulky body on stumpy legs, an enormous head, a short tail and 4 toes on each foot with hooves covering each toe. The hooves are more like nailes since they do not fully envelop the Hippo`s toes like in other hoofed mammals.
The hippopotamus is a vegetarian and looks like a wall.
Lions who eat only red meat are sleek and slim.
Are nutritionists on the wrong track?
Erma Bombeck
A Grey Heron – Ardea Cinerea – a long-legged predatory wading bird of wetland areas – was arriving at the scene and settled close to the Hippos. It can be seen around lakes, rivers, ponds, marshes and on the sea coast and feeds mostly on aquatic creatures which it catches after standing stationary beside or in the water or stalking its prey through the shallows.
A flock of Yellow-Billed Oxpecker was having a feast on the Hippos. A bulbul-sized olive-brown bird that sports a diagnostic red-tipped yellow bill, a red eye without an eye-wattle and a pale buff rump, it occurs in savanna and farmland, where it forages on large wild ungulates and domestic stock. The juvenile lacks the bright bill and eye coloration but shows the pale rump. They clamber agilely over host mammals, gleaning ticks, mites and other ectoparasites.
As they fly between large mammals, they give a distinctive sizzling-crackle call. Some Oxpeckers act as warning systems for their hosts. When a predator is nearby, they will make high screeching sounds that warn of the oncoming danger and the hosts will know to get a move on. This can be life-saving for animals like Rhinoceros that have terrible eyesight.
A Sacred Ibis, a Hamerkop and a African Jacana were having a cozy threesome foraging for prey at the swampy shore. The Sacred Ibis has a slender, curved bill that is used to probe into shallow water, mud or grass when foraging. The Sacred Ibis is a quiet bird, only grunting or croaking on breeding grounds. It is an ancient species with fossil records going back 60 million years.
Next to it a Hamerkop – a squat, brown, ibis-like bird with a bushy-crested hammer-head – was observing the surroundings. It usually struts about in wetlands foraging for frogs, fish and insects. Calls include a high-pitched nyip in flight and a distinctive, rollicking call ending in a purring rattle kyik-kyik-kyik-kyik-kyik kyik-keeek-kreeeeek.
A lightweight beauty – the African Jacana – Actophilornis Africanus – was balancing on the floating vegetation where it can move easily thanks to long toes which spread the weight of its body evenly over a larger area. Weighing in at around 260g, the female is almost double the male’s size and their mating system is reversed. This means the male performs all the nesting duties while the female has access to several males and defends the territories against other females.
On a submerged Hippo’s back a pair of Pied Kingfisher was perching … maybe they had mistaken it for a branch … But obviously other birds had used that particular back as a resting place as well … that Hippos was showing certain signs …
And of course there were more Elephants to watch! Some were in the water, but walked out as our boat approached and ambled up the bank towards their herd.
One of them Elephants went straight for a tree – It is one of the most pleasurable things an Elephant can do – having a good long scratch after being in the mud! This relationship with a piece of old stump or a tree trunk was like a love affair – he caressed it with all parts of himself starting with the sole of his foot, then behind the ears and finally his bum … and rubbed and rubbed and rubbed with obvious delight – his pleasure was palpable. It was visible that this tree had been often used as scratching post … after many years these stumps turn into incredible polished reminders of the relationship that has been had with them.
A flock of Sacred Ibis – Threskiornis Aethiopicus – were rummaging around on the water’s edge. This Ibis was sacred to and associated with Thoth the God of wisdom and writing in ancient Egypt. Thoth was often represented in the form of a man’s body with the head of the Ibis and was the patron of the educated scribes who were responsible for the administration of Egypt. Using DNA from Ibis mummies buried around 2500 years ago, research suggests this bird’s status in ancient times and that ancient Egyptian priests practiced short-term taming of wild Sacred Ibis. This was likely done somewhere in natural Ibis habitats such as local lakes or wetlands. Also, it was probably done close to the Thoth temple at Tuna el Gebel in a bid to meet an Ibis demand fuelled by religious burial rituals. As a sacred animal the Ibis on death was embalmed and put inside the hollow body of a figure or the mummified remains were placed in pottery jars and deposited in vast underground galleries. Hundreds of thousands of such burials have been discovered at Sakkara, near Memphis the ancient capital of Egypt. The Sacred Ibis is by far the most common bird mummy in ancient Egypt’s underground catacombs – more than 2 mio were found.
Naturally we found more Hippos dawdling in the shallow waters. It seemed the babies were more restless than the adults … always moving around and climbing through the mass of reposing, humangous adult bodies.
Just at the mouth of the Kazinga Channel before it reached Lake Edward, there was a fishing village on the southern bank. Our captain told us, that the channel was part of Queen Elizabeth National Park, but the Lake was not – in mutual agreement the fishermen did not disturb the wildlife in the channel, but could go about their fishing on the lake.
The village of Kazinga was not located directly at the river banks, but approx 300 m up on slightly higher ground – not surprising considering the possibility of fluctuating water levels. Several colourful boats were up on the beach. We were assuming, that most fishermen might be still out on the lake.
The boat took as a little bit past the village closer to the Lake to observe a colony of birds. An African Fish Eagle had just landed on the water line. The head, breast and tail of African Fish Eagles are snow white, with the exception of the featherless face, which is yellow. The hook-shaped beak, ideal for a carnivorous lifestyle, is yellow with a black tip. The feet have rough soles and are equipped with powerful talons to enable the Eagle to grasp slippery aquatic prey. They are kleptoparasites – meaning they actively steal food from other birds. Goliath Herons and Yellow-Billed Storks are their common victims, but Fish Eagles can scavenge like the best of them and will take from almost any other bird. You could call them the pirates of Africa’s rivers and lakes!
More Hippos were occupying the mouth of the channel … Lake Edward lies at an elevation of 920 m, is 77 km long by 40 km wide at its maximum points and covers a total surface area of 2325 km² making it the 15th-largest lake on the continent. The lake is fed by the Nyamugasani River, the Ishasha River, the Rutshuru River, the Ntungwe River and the Rwindi River. Lake George to the northeast empties into it via the Kazinga Channel. Lake Edward itself empties to the north via the Semliki River into Lake Albert. Lake Edward lies completely within the Virunga National Park of DR Congo and the Queen Elizabeth National Park of Uganda and does not have extensive human habitation on its shores. About 2/3 of its waters are in the DRC and 1/3 in Uganda.
A squabble of Grey-Headed Gulls – Chroicocephalus Cirrocephalus – also known as the Grey-Hooded Gull – was crowding around some Hippos. This small Gull breeds patchily in large colonies in reedbeds and marshes in Africa south of the Sahara. It is not truly migratory, but is more widespread in winter. Flocks numbering hundreds or thousands of these Gulls can form when the feeding conditions are appropriate. The summer adult has a pale grey head, a grey body and red bill and legs.
And then we spotted them … A squadron of Pink-Backed Pelican – Pelecanus Rufescens! They were loitering around the sandy bank having the fresh breeze blowing off Lake Edward tickle their bills.
Their plumage is grey and white with a pinkish hue on the back occasionally apparent. The top of the bill is yellow and the pouch is usually greyish. In flight, the outer wing is dark gray and it contrasts little with the pale portions of the wing.
The Pink-Backed Pelican is found in a range of aquatic habitats, but prefers quiet backwaters with shallow water, avoiding steep, vegetated lake banks. It prefers freshwater lakes, swamps, large slow-flowing rivers and seasonal pools, but also frequents reservoirs, seasonally flooded land and flood-plains near river mouths. It tends to roost and breed in trees, but will also roost on sandy islands, cliffs, coral reefs and sand-dunes.
A resident breeder in the swamps and shallow lakes of Africa, southern Arabia and southern India, it is a relatively small Pelican, although by no means is it a small bird. Its length is from 125 to 155 cm – with a wingspan of 2.15-2.9 m and a body mass from 4 to 7 kg. The bill is 30-38 cm in length.
A large Marabou Stork – Leptoptilos Crumenifer – was standing there unmistakable due to its size, bare head and neck, black back and white underparts. Crumeniferus means carrier of a pouch for money – referring to its pink gular sac at its throat. It was neither bothered by the Pelicans nor by the Sacred Ibis happily rummaging around it. The White-Breasted Cormorants around them did not mind either.
The White-Breasted Cormorant is the only form of Great Cormorant found in sub-Saharan Africa, the only form that has strictly freshwater populations and the only form with a white breast and throat. It is distinguished from other Great Cormorants by its white breast and its white flank spots. As its name suggests, this 80-100 cm long Cormorant has a white neck and breast when adult and the white area tends to increase as the bird becomes more mature. It has a wide distribution on the African mainland occurring more frequently in eastern and southern parts, rather than in the drier western regions, where it usually is found only on perennial rivers and dams.
At this point the boat turned around and headed back to the dock. We passed the herd of Elephants once more. The scratching was done and they all ambled through the thicket up the hillside. Elephants are the largest animals on Earth and they love to engage in big fun. They can live 60-70 years and they develop deep and remarkably close bonds with their families. With a lifespan that long and close social ties, this means lots of time for fun and closeness. Just like people, Elephants love to engage in good old-fashioned play. They enjoy socializing with one another, as they are highly intelligent and social animals. Elephants are often seen caressing one another. They enjoy entwining trunks as if to say hello or offer a tender hug.
It was a quick ride back to the dock and the last animal we stopped to take a photo of was a Long-Crested Eagle – Lophaetus Occipitalis – prominently sitting on a candelabra tree. This sub-Saharan African bird of prey is a distinctive Eagle when perched due to the long, shaggy crest and all dark plumage. The adults are blackish-brown with long, thin feathers growing from the rear of the crown which are held erect to form a crest. The secondary feathers are black barred with light grey and with broad black tips. The tail is black, barred with pale grey. The eyes of adults are bright yellow.
Our Matovu was waiting for us at the dock when the boat returned and we all piled back into our car. It was late afternoon by now and he said, we would take a special route back to the Lodge. I have a surprise for you! – he said …
From Mweya Peninsula, he took the track to Kabatoro Gate, where we sort of left the national park. At least it was a check point and Matovu had to do some paperwork. Time for us for a photo stop and a facility break for those in need of it. I did not … I usually sweat it through the rips – as we say in Germany. There was a group of local women posing for photos by the national park sign and it made for a good photo. In return I posed with them for their photo.
Bud – our photos-with-locals-champion – took the opportunity as well and took some of the ladies one by one to pose with him in front of the gate.
We took the scenic route from there – the Crater Lake Drive – instead of the main road. It was another rough safari track – HD was complaining the entire time … When it was not his problem with not being able to use his hair dryer, it was the condition of the road … I tuned him out on both counts … Newsflash … Welcome to Africa! … I enjoyed the scenery. There were not as many animals around here, but the landscape was very African … savanna as far as we could see and Vachellia Tortilis – widely known as Acacia Tortilis – known as Umbrella Thorn Acacia, Umbrella Thorn or Israeli Babool, a medium to large canopied tree native to most of Africa, primarily to the savanna.
We did encounter some animals along the track, though. There were a few Uganda Kob, Warthogs and even a couple of Waterbuck … and Helmeted Guineafowl! While we had spotted Helmeted Guineafowl – Numida Meleagris – a couple of times before on our safaris, I had never managed to take a proper photo of them. They are just too fast in running away. They are often called suicide chicken as Guineafowl sometimes appear to have non-functioning brains … they think quite literally nothing of taking on cars or trucks running in front of them and will fight their own reflections to death … The Guineafowl is native to Africa – mainly south of the Sahara – and has been widely introduced as a domesticated species elsewhere in the world. The Helmeted Guineafowl is a large bird with a round body and small head. The body plumage is gray-black spangled with white, the unfeathered head is decorated with a dull yellow or reddish bony knob and bare skin with red, blue or black hues, the wings are short and rounded and the tail is likewise short.
The track was mostly leading up towards crater rims, I suppose. The vistas over the savana were stunning, eventhough it was very hazy today again. This region here – part of Queen Elizabeth National Park – is the Katwe-Kikorongo Volcanic Field – stretching from the north-east shore of Lake Edward to the west shore of Lake George and is the most extensive of a series of volcanic fields in the Western Rift Valley of Uganda. The field covers an area of about 180 km² and contains a group of about 80 foiditic tuff cones and maars, some of which are filled by lakes. Local folk tales suggest that volcanism in and around this area has continued into historical times.
There were actually several calderas – large cauldron-like hollows that formed shortly after the emptying of a magma chamber in a volcanic eruption. When large volumes of magma erupted over a short time, structural support for the rock above the magma chamber was lost. The ground surface then collapsed downward into the emptied or partially emptied magma chamber, leaving a massive depression at the surface, which can be from one to dozens of kilometers in diameter. Although sometimes described as a crater – this feature is actually a type of sinkhole, as it is formed through subsidence and collapse rather than an explosion or impact. Only 7 caldera-forming collapses are known to have occurred worldwide since 1900 – the most recent one at Bárðarbunga Volcano in Iceland in 2014.
The track followed more or less the crater rims of different calderas. To the south of Kazinga Channel lies the May-ya-Moto thermally active volcano 30 km away and the Nyamuragira Volcano in the western Virunga Mountains lies 80 km south, but its lava flows have reached the lake in the past. The Katwe-Kikorongo Volcanic Field features dozens of large craters and cones covering an area of 30 km by 15 km between Lakes Edward and George and includes 7 crater lakes.
A colourful speck caught our attention at one point – it was a Cinnamon-Chested Bee-Eater – Merops Oreobates – with a bright green head, upper parts and tail. Its chin and throat is yellow and outlined in black with a white extension to the side, its breast is cinnamon-brown, darkening towards the belly. When perched, its stance is upright with the tail pointing downward. The tail is blackish with an orange base and white tip when seen from the front, while from the back it is mainly green.
The views over the endless savanna in all directions were wonderful. The African savanna is a mixed tropical woodland-grassland ecosystem with warm temperatures year-round and with its highest seasonal rainfall in the summer. The savanna is characterized by grasses and small or dispersed trees that do not form a closed canopy, allowing sunlight to reach the ground and support an unbroken herbaceous layer consisting primarily of grasses.
The trees here in the volcanic field were mainly Acacia Tortilis – Umbrella Thorn Acacia – one of the most recognizable trees of the African savanna – which occurs from sand dunes and rocky scarps to alluvial valley bottoms, avoiding seasonally waterlogged sites. A very drought resistant species, the Umbrella Thorn grows in areas with annual rainfall as low as 40 mm and as much as 1200 mm, with dry seasons of 1-12 months. It favors alkaline soils but will colonize saline and gypseous soils. The Umbrella Thorn is one of the most widely distributed Acacia’s. It has been described in Egypt and Arabia already 200 years ago. It is said that stands of this tree show areas of good soil and good grasses.
This tree can survive in up to 50°C temperatures during the day and freezing temperatures at nights. It grows up to 20 m high and has a spreading, flat-topped crown that gives it its name. The bark on the Acacia is black to gray in color and feels rough. The branches are gnarled. The Umbrella Thorn has 2 types of thorns on the branches – long, straight, brownish thorns and shorter, hooked thorns that grow alongside each other. The thorns grow in pairs and disguise themselves in the clusters of flowers of up to 400 white or yellow puffball flowers that grow on a twig. The Acacia’s leaves are composed of small alternate leaflets on a central rib. They are 2.5 cm long and 1 mm wide. The seeds are 8 to 12 cm long twisted pods. The Acacia’s belong to the family Mimosaceae and until recently was known as the Mimosa Tree.
One of the Umbrella Thorn’s adaptations to hot and dry conditions is a deep taproot which can reach up to 35 m under the ground. This adaptation helps it get water during dry spells. A second set of roots spreads out just under the ground about twice the area of the crown. The little leaves prevent water loss. The Acacia’s umbrella-shaped tops enable the tree to capture large amounts of sunlight with the smallest possible leaves. The thorns are used to keep the savanna animals away from eating the leaves, flowers and seedpods. The only animal that is immune to the thorns is the Giraffe. There are over 700 species of the Acacia in Africa.
In one of the trees sat a Bateleur – Terathopius Ecaudatus – a medium-sized Eagle closest relatived to the Snake Eagle. It is endemic to Africa and small parts of Arabia. Bateleur is the French word for street performer. This colourful species has a bushy head and very short tail – Ecaudatus is Latin for tailless – which, together with its white underwing coverts, makes it unmistakable in flight. The tail is so small the bird’s legs protrude slightly beyond the tail during flight. Both adults have black plumage, a chestnut mantle and tail, grey shoulders, tawny wing coverts and red facial skin, bill and legs. The range of the Bateleur spreads across sub-Saharan Africa, but has diminished significantly in recent decades – possibly due to poisoning – and as such has been confined mostly to conservation areas such as national wildlife parks.
Matovu stopped at a particularly large crater which was all covered with forest, but was entirely visible from the viewpoint by the track. The individual craters vary widely in size and the unusual formations were formed individually by a series of violent volcanic explosions over the last 1 mio years. The explosions were a result of superheated gas and steam, but despite the volcanic activity, there was apparently no lava flow. Many of the craters have now developed into saltwater lakes or lush grasslands.
We all lined up for another photo of The Gang … Matovu climbed on top of the car to get a better perspective. He still could not get the huge caldera on the picture behind us, though … it was just too big. But it turned out to be a great group shot!
While we all tried to get the entire crater on one photo, Bud indulged in his favourite activity – selfies with the locals! The group of local ladies we had met at the gate, were in a car just ahead of us and had stopped at the same viewpoint.
The the car was bumping along the rough from one crater rim to the next crater rim and the views were great in all directions. Matovu got nervous … we were taking too many photo stops … I told you, every single one in the group was a hobby photographer of some sort … some were more avid than others, but generally we were all on the same page … But Matovu clearly had planned something … he kept talking about a surprise he had for us … and kept pushing on …
So he was probably rolling his eyes, when the shout – Stoooop! Photo! – came once more … Due to the haziness we did not expect a very good sunset, but the late afternoon light was compelling. Sunset was anyway still a few minutes away …
While taking the photos of the view I noticed something in a tree in the distance … It was really hard to make out … I did not have the long lens on the camera … but still … it was a monkey! A Vervet Monkey! There were actually a couple of them visible in that tree … The Vervet Monkey very much resembles a Hanuman Langur – I know those from various occasions on safari in India – having a black face with a white fringe of hair while its overall hair color is mostly grizzled-grey. They were very hard to spot in the distance here, though, but they were there.
Coming up the track, we stopped at yet another couple of awesome viewpoints with stunning vistas over Lake Kitagata – a caldera actually filled with water. Lake Kitagata is a hypersaline crater lake which is fed by the famous Kitagata Hotsprings. Those springs are believed to have natural healing powers … they were located at the opposite side of the lake, though. We drove around the entire east rim of the cater and we wanted to stop for photos, but Matovu kept saying – Wait, wait! It gets better! Wait! …
At the highest point of the track on the northeastern edge of the crater we almost caught the sunset … The sun was still relatively high up, but with the haze hanging over the horizon it was not going to be a stunning sunset, but still … it was an amazing view with the sun reflecting in the lake and the savanna all dipped in orange …
I did not forget to look in the opposite direction, however … The view to the east over the Kasenyi Plains was amazing, too. We did get a bit … maybe not worried … because we could just close the open safari roof of our trusted Landcruiser … but there seemed to be a thunderstorm brewing in the far distance over the plains … it had come only marginally closer in the last hour … only Matovu would have to drive this very rugged track in possible rain … but I think he was more worried about his surprise than navigating a muddy track …
Finally we reached the viewpoint Matovu had in mind for his surprise! It was a great viewpoint. There was a platform over the valley with a fantastic view to the east over the plains. The sky was grey in the distance … not only from the threatening thunderstorm but also because of the deliberately set fires which confined to the herbaceous layer and do little long term damage to mature trees, but make room for a fresh growth of grass.
Finally Matovu pulled out his surprise … a bottle of Uganda Warangi local Gin and some Tonic! I was in heaven! Sunset was behind the craters, but what do I need the sun for to have a sundowner? It was outstanding! And hey … Gin & Tonic is medicinal in Africa!
Malaria can be treated with quinine, the main component of tonic water! Quinine is isolated from the bark of the cinchona tree, which has been used for hundreds of years by groups like the Quechua people to treat maladies like shivers and diarrhea. In the 1700s the Scottish doctor George Cleghorn discovered that quinine could be used to treat malaria. This quickly led to tonic water being drunk by British soldiers stationed in India to fight malaria. But as you may know, tonic water is quite bitter. So, in the 1800s, soldiers took to adding first gin and eventually lemon and lime to their tonic water to hide the bitter flavour, thus inventing the classic – and my favourite! – Gin & Tonic!
My luck was that most of my travel mates stuck to pure tonic … I had much of the Gin to myself! Yeah! But everybody agreed to pose for another group photo … It was a perfect spot and moment for it!
Then the group of local ladies pulled up. We had passed them somewhere along the track when they had a flat tire. Matovu had helped them fix it, but then we overtook them. Now they caught up with us here. They had the same idea for a photo session on this viewpoint … and they had brought a Ugandan flag for just that purpose!
The flag of Uganda was adopted on 9 October 1962 – the date that Uganda became independent from the British Empire. It consists of 6 equal horizontal bands of black, yellow, red, black, yellow, and red – a white disc is superimposed at the centre and depicts the national symbol – a Grey Crowned Crane facing the hoist side. The 3 colours are representative of Native ethnic groups of Africa – black, Africa’s sunshine – yellow and African brotherhood – red being the colour of blood, through which all Africans are connected. The Grey Crowned Crane is fabled for its gentle nature and was also the military badge of Ugandan soldiers during British rule. The raised leg of the Crane symbolizes the forward movement of the country.
It is a handsome flag, you have to admit. I thought it would be a great idea to ask, if we could borrow the flag for a group photo just for the fun of it. I mean, we were here … in Uganda … there was no sign anywhere stating where we were … posing with a sign would be fun … there was not one … so the flag seemed a good substitute. At first zhe others were not really enthusiastic about it … then they agreed to it anyway … it turned out to be a grand photo in the end. And Matovu and the ladies got a kick out of us posing with their country’s flag!
It was getting very windy up on that viewpoint. We were quite high up over the plains and the rain clouds slowly drew closer. That did not stop us from more photo sessions, though. Bud – of course – had his selfie taken with the ladies again …
Before we left … and I had finished the Gin & Tonic … I had to take photos … no time to drink … we made Matovu pose with the flag and one of the ladies as well. That had to be done! And what a great photo it turned out to be … P.s. He had only Tonic in his cup! And I did not send the photo to his Butterfly – he called his wife Butterfly and his daughter Princess – how adorable was that!? … It was only posing for the photo anyway …
Then it was time to get going. I finished my sundowner in the car. We had closed the safari roof as the wind got fresher with the setting sun. The bumpy track led down towards the main road now. We got treated to a sort-of sunset after all.
At the northern end of the Crater Lake Drive as we passed the Crater Gate of the park and reached the main road, there stood the Queen’s Pavillion – which we only caught a glimpse of when Matovu sped past … The Conservation Through Public Health CTPH and the Uganda Wildlife Authority operate the Queen’s Pavilion with a Telecentre and Visitor Information Center. The Queen visited Uganda in 1954 and in 2007, the latter time to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. The Kazinga National Park was renamed Queen Elizabeth National Park in 1954 to commemorate her first visit. The Queen’s Pavillion was officially opened in 2007 by His Royal Highness Prince Phillip, the Duke of Edinburgh. It was built with funding from the British High Commission during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.
We reached Marafiki Safari Lodge right in time for dinner around 19:30. We did not even run up to our huts before dinner, but went straight to the open restaurant. It was stuffed chicken and mashed potatoes today and it was actually very good. I skipped the Nile Special tonight … I was still feeling the sundowner G & T …
After dinner I went to my hut fairly early. I was beat … what a day it had been … so many impressions again … I could hardly remember what the day had started with … But I could not go to sleep just yet. The hut had 2 power lines – one solar for the lights and one hydro electric for the sockets … that power was out … again … I nevertheless plugged everything in … I had taken so many photos … I had to charge all batteries and powerbanks … Then I took a shower and tried to write down some points for the journal, sort through at least some of the photos and post a few … the power came back around 23:00 and after I made sure everything charged, I turned off the lights, listened to the sounds of the savanna and slept …
If there is nothing I could do, it would be to go on a safari once again.
Karen Blixen
