13.02.2021
ca. 95 km Kibale Forest Camp – Marafiki Safari Lodge
Leaving Kibale Forest Camp at 11:00 we drove north through Kibale National Park again. The highwaymen Baboons were on watch as usual … they seemed to try taking the road under siege … But Matovu maneuvered us past them without having to pay toll …
Kibale National Park actually forms a continuous forest with Queen Elizabeth National Park further to the south. This adjoining of the parks created a 180 km long wildlife corridor. We would only cross this section of the park and then drive south along the main road outside of it. On this short stretch of road we not only encountered the Baboons, but we also saw a troupe of Black & White Colobus monkeys up in the trees. Of course, we stopped for a photo …
Just after leaving the national Park boundary, Matovu turned off the main road to take us through the Kibale-Ndali-Kasenda Crater Lake region. It was a gravel track leading through a hilly but furtile landscape. We were basically killing 2 birds with one stone – taking a shortcut bypassing Fort Portale and taking the scenic route past several lushly vegetated crater lakes.
Finally I could have a closer look at a beautiful purple and white flowering tree I had already see several times beside the road. It was a Brazilian Potato Tree – Solanum Crinitum – also known as Blue Potato Vine, Giant Potato Tree or Giant Star Potato Tree – a tropical evergreen large shrub to small tree with leaves of a dark rich lustrous green. Here they were completely covered in the red dust of the road, though.
Clusters of attractive 5-pointed star-shaped flowers appear at the margins of the canopy where they are highly visible. Petals overlap and are lightly ruffled on the margins with vertically protruding central yellow anthers. The flowers mature through color changes from lavender, violet or purple progressively fading to lighter tints until individual flowers turn white before senescing – this results in multiple flowers in the bluish purple to white ranges present together at any one time.
These Crater Lakes in the region were formed in the ancient volcanic activity in Uganda about 8000-10000 years ago, which left behind scenic calderas. These feature a sulphuric smell and are characterized by green toxic water which means that swimming in them is not really an option.
There are more than 3 dozen permanent crater lakes in this Toro sub-region scattered across a 10 km wide longitudinal band that runs parallel to the western boundary of Kibale National Park from Fort Portale south to Kasenda. Geographically there are 2 main groups of lakes – the isolated quintet set in the hilly countryside immediately north of Fort Portale and a much larger and more sprawling cluster that starts about 15 km south of Fort Portale. They are the most northerly component in a vast field of volcanic calderas that runs south from Fort Portale via Queen Elizabeth National Park to the Rift Valley Escrapment. Legend has it that these fertile craters, overshadowed by the glacial peaks of the Rwenzori Mountains and numbering more than 100 in total, are the bountiful handiwork of Ndahura, the first Bachwezi king. Geologically the craters – many of which formed within the last 10000 years and host small freshwater or saline lakes – provide a graphic reminder of the immense volcanic forces that have moulded the landscape of western Uganda.
We stopped at a viewpont overlooking one expecially beautiful caldera – Lake Nyinambuga – named for its mildly saline water. It was enclosed by steep cliffs and the viewpoint, where Matovu dropped us off, gave us a spectacular vista. The fertile volcanic soil and high annual rainfall of the lakes region ensures it supports a lush mosaic of verdant tropical cultivation, forest, grassland and swamp.
Walking up the red-dusty road, we had a good view of smaller forest-fringed Lake Kifuruka on the opposite side of the road as well. While the area lacks the biodiversity of neighbouring Kibale National Park, the relict forest patches associated with the steep-sided calderas wherein the lakes are nestled are often conspicuously inhabited by monkeys and forest birds. We did not see any more monkeys, but Dr. D said he spotted some Bee-Eaters on the cliff side. I did not see any.
But it was an interesting little walk anyway. The road was relatively busy … well, there was not much traffic, but motorbikes were plying the road and people walking along … there were several small settlements in the area.
Reaching the small junction village of Kabata, we passed a huge blooming Jacaranda Tree – Jacaranda Mimosifolia – native to tropical and subtropical regions of South America, it is quite common in most tropical and subtropical regions all over the world. I had seen many Jacaranda trees on my recent trip to Madeira, but unfortunately there I had been too early for the bloom. Here they were in full splendor.
The flowers are up to 5 cm long and are grouped in 30 cm panicles. They appear in spring and early summer and last for up to 2 months. The fallen off petals were littering the road like a purple carpet.
We had a little break at Kabata waiting until everybody had taken enough photos. The children of the small settlement eyed us suspiciously. The school was on the other side of the road and it was closed. So they were just hanging out and looking at us might have been their most out of the ordinary thing to do in a while.
Continuing along the gravel road which was lined with Banana plantations, we saw many people transporting Bananas on their bicycles or motorbikes to the traders. The fertile volcanic soil of the reagion seemed to be particularly suitable for cultivation of Matooke – the East African Highland Banana.
Matooke is a starchy triploid Banana cultivar originating from the African Great Lakes. The fruit is harvested green, carefully peeled and then cooked and often mashed or pounded into a meal. In Uganda and Rwanda, the fruit is steam-cooked and the mashed meal is considered a national dish in both countries. Matooke Bananas are a staple food crop in Uganda, Tanzania and other Great Lakes countries.
East African Highland Bananas are easily distinguishable from other Banana cultivars by the numerous black or more rarely brown or bronze blotches on their pseudostems, giving them the appearance of polished metal. The outermost sheath of their pseudostems is a medium green, superimposed over the pink to purple underlying sheaths. Their leaves are also darker green and dull, a difference more apparent when comparing them side by side with other Banana cultivars from a distance. The fruits are recurved and can vary in length. They are inflated with blunt tips. The pulp is white in unripe fruits and cream-colored in ripe fruits.
Per capita annual consumption of Bananas in Uganda is the highest in the world at 0.70 kg daily per person. Uganda is the second-largest producer of Bananas in the world. It is, however, one of the smallest exporters, with the crops being used mostly for domestic consumption. East African Highland Bananas are so important as food crops, the local name Matooke is synonymous for the word Food in Uganda. Also, a portion of the East African Highland Bananas locally known as mbidde is used to produce juice/beer, as we learned yesterday.
Bananas were brought to East Africa by traders from Asia through the routes used by the Arab slave traders. Once the Banana production started in the west of Uganda, it became the core for social and Economic development. Matooke production is tightly concentrated in a zone no more than 250 km wide – 70% of it is in the southwestern and central provinces of Uganda with approx 696000 agricultural households growing Matooke. Banana producers are mostly small/subsistence farmers with a plantation area averaging 0.2 – 1.6 ha. Local traders – forming the function of initial collecting agents – transport the Matooke usually by boda-boda motorbike or bicycle to resell it in marketplaces to other local traders.
We came by a rather larce local Matooke market in one of the villages along the way. Non-local traders based in cities and large towns usually come with big trucks to buy big amounts of Matooke from such specialised marketplaces or public marketplaces in the main production areas. There are also retailers – market vendors that buy multiple products including Matooke from the local traders to later sell in smaller amounts – usually in the same marketplace where they bought the bunches.
The workforce are people who work in temporary jobs performing different activities such as packing and loading Matooke and other products in the market or working on farms – usually they are hired for a shot term activity and get paid on a time basis approx 5000 to 10000 UGX – approx €1-2 – a day. Often they also get paid on a task basis – for example for splitting Matooke bunches in fingers and packing the fingers in large sacs – usually one sac can contain fingers of up to 12 bunches – a worker might receive 2000 UGX – approx €0.5.
Shortly after we reached asphalted road again … the stream of Matooke Banana transports did not subside, though. But we also encountered trucks loaded with Sugarcane. Saccharum Officinarum is one of the tropical herbs of the grass family and locally known as Ekikajo. The Sugarcane production in Uganda is approx 4.89 mio tonnes annually. Uganda is the largest producer of granular brown sugar in East Africa.
Too soon we left the scenic route and it was the main A109 Fort Portal-Kasese Road again. Since it was not that exciting and Matovu stepped on the gas as well, I did what I usually did … take a nap. Matovu actually tried to reach Marafiki Safari Lodge for lunch, eventhough he had brought lunch boxes for us. But somehow we were not so good in time today … So in the town of Kasese he stopped at a city hotel and asked if we could have our lunch in their courtyard. It was a quiet place and they even went to get cold Nile Special for me and HD – who had decided to join me in having a cold one for lunch everyday. Our lunchbox included a sandwich today and some chicken and Banana and cake and a juice box. We collected all packed leftovers – Matovu said he knew who to donate it to later.
Kasese is Uganda’s 9th largest town with approx 108000 inhabitants and lies at an altitude of 950 m on the open plains that seperate the Rwenzori Mountains in the west from Lake George and Queen Elizabeth National Park to the east. Since it was the larged town we would pass today, we stopped at the Post Office to mail the postcards we had bought the other day. I had written 8 cards. A Stamp was UGX 2700 per card international. The stamps were pretty, too.
I looked up in my travel journal from 2002, if I had bought stamps as well … and I did even buy some as a souvenir … and I had been drinking Nile Special back then as well … some things never change …
By the way, I can happily report, that all postcards I mailed from Uganda have arrived only 2 weeks later at their destinations. I know, because I got photo proof from happy receipients!
Only approx half an hour later we reached Marafiki Safari Lodge at Kikorongo – which was really only a junction with a cluster of lodges near the Equator – a blink-and-you-will-miss-it kind of place, distinguished mainly by its hemispehre-straddling location. Our lodge was located at the end of a rough dirt track past some cotton fields. Matovu stopped at the cotton pickers’ huts and gave our leftover lunch to the kids there, who were sure excited about it.
The lodge was located at a hillside and the open restaurant had a wonderful view to Lake George in the far and hazy distance. There even was a small but beautifully positioned infinity pool in the garden. However, we did not have time to use it …
After check-in done, the rooms got allocated randomly today – Point out your bag to one of the staff and follow him to whatever hut he takes you! – Mine was walking up the hill, but soon we reached the hut – it was called Engiri, what apparently meant Warthog in the local language. My home fore the next 2 nights.
It was a proper cabin today and it was beautiful and huge. There was a big porch as well – bushes infront of it, but I could probably see Lake George in the distance if it were not so hazy.
We only had a short break now, because we were going on a later-afternoon safari to Queen Elizabeth National Park and would leave 15:15. There was not enough time to take a nap, so instead I went to the bar and had a cold Nile Special. The others ended up there as well to use the WIFI – since Whatsapp was back online everybody was busy. It turned out almost everybodyelse had a tented hut again. Bud had a proper hut, but he grumbled about it being too small and not having a view … Ree was rather miffed about having to sleep in a tented hut again and complained big time. I could not understand – the tented huts were as comfortable as the any other hut. She asked if I wanted to change – but quite frankly, I was too lazy to climb the hill again – and why should I? Ms Ping was absolutly happy about her tented hut, though, mainly because it had an open air shower which she loved.
Then we were off to the national park, but I asked Matovu to stop at the Cotton field for a quick photo. Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll or protective case around the seeds of the Cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. Under natural conditions, the Cotton bolls will increase the dispersal of the seeds. The plant is a shrub native to tropical and subtropical regions around the world. Cotton was independently domesticated in the Old and New Worlds. It is one of Uganda’s major cash crops alongside Coffee and Tea and is an important source of foreign exchange, producing an average of 300000 bales of Cotton annually.
A bit further down the road we had a fabulous view of Lake George – or Lake Dweru as it is called locally. The lake covers a total surface area of 250 km² and is part of Africa’s Great Lakes system, although itself not considered one of the Great Lakes. Like the other lakes in the region, it was named after a member of the British royal family – in this case Prince George, later to become King George V of the United Kingdom. Lake George drains to the southwest into Lake Edward through the Kazinga Channel. Explorer Henry M. Stanley was the first European to see the lake in 1875 after following the course of the Katonga River from Lake Victoria during his trans-African expedition. Thinking it was part of Lake Albert, he named it Beatrice Gulf. On his second visit to the area in 1888, Stanley also discovered Lake Edward and realizing that there were 2 independent lakes – so he gave Lake George its current name.
Next we stopped at the Equator – I asked for it … There used to be a geocache hidden, which is now gone, but can be photologged. So I needed a stop! I had passed the Equator in different places of the world numerous times, but everytime it is somewhat special. The most memorable time however was probably around Christmas 2007 when I was working on the sailing ship SPV Starflyer and we crossed the Pacific Ocean from Panama to French Polynesia … Those were the times …
The Equator officially crosses the Kasese-Ishaka-Road at a signposted lay-by approx 400 m south of the junction in Kikotongo. Here, near Queen Elizabeth National Park, there actually used to be a sign, but the road had been recently improved and the sign had been removed. Now, while they had thought about making a proper parking lot, they did not put back the sign, though. However, a clever businessman had made a photo canvas of the old sign for tourists to take a photo …
Of course, we also took a group photo of The Gang and The Gang with Matovu as well … some things are just inevitable … What must be, must be … Eventhough this was not really THE Equator – a gradual northwards drift means, it now more or less runs trough the village of Kikorongo … only there was no sign at the real one …
Our Lodge was located outside the Queen Elizabeth Park boundaries, but the Equator was already inside the park. The main road we took was leading right through the park. On the way to Kasenyi Gate – it was only a few kilometer – we already saw herds of Uganda Kob on both sides of the road. They seemed to be everywhere.
Queen Elizabeth National Park spans the Equator line and occupies an estimated 1978 km². The park was founded in 1952 as Kazinga National Park and renamed 2 years later to commemorate a visit by Queen Elizabeth II. It is said to be home to over 95 mammal species and over 600 bird species. Queen Elizabeth National Park is understandably one of Uganda’s most popular tourist destination – it’s diverse ecosystems – which include sprawling savanna, shady, humid forests, sparkling lakes and fertile wetlands – make it the ideal habitat for classic big game.
Set against the backdrop of the jagged Rwenzori Mountains – which we could not really see due to the haze – the park’s magnificent vistas include dozens of enormous craters carved dramatically into rolling green hills, panoramic views of the Kazinga Channel and the endless Ishasha plains. A lot to look forward to in the next few days!
Our first safari here would take us through Kasenyi Gate and the Kasenyi plains on the western shores of the adjacent stunning Lake George. Our trusted 4×4 Toyota Landcruiser was called Safari Edition because the roof could be opened – and that was what Matovu had done! So we could stand up and look out for better views.
The Kasenyi sector is actually an open savanna and it is swarmed with various wild animals with the Uganda Kob – Kobus Kob Thomasi – being one of most dominant. It is similar in appearance to the Impala but it is more sturdily built. Only the males have horns, which are lyre-shaped, strongly ridged and divergent.
We spotted almost as many Warthogs – Phacochoerus africanus … they seemed to be everywhere. Although covered in bristly hairs, their bodies and heads appear largely naked from a distance, with only the crest along the back and the tufts on their cheeks and tails being obviously haired. The English name refers to their facial wattles, which are particularly distinct in males. They also have very distinct tusks, which reach a length of 25-64 cm in males, but are always smaller in the females. Warthogs are largely herbivorous, but occasionally also eat small animals. They look funny when they kneel down with their frontlegs to feed more easily.
A Brown Snake Eagle – Circaetus Cinereus – was sitting on top of one of the huge Candelabra Trees. It is found in West, East and southern Africa and is an almost obligate predator of a variety of snakes. A very solitary bird, the Brown Snake Eagle has a prolonged breeding cycle and raises a single eaglet.
There was a small herd of African Savanna Buffalos – Syncerus Caffer Aequinoctialis – comming right at us on the track at one point. They are large, heavy cow-like animals and vary greatly not only in size but in the shapes of their horns and their coloring. The young males keep their distance from the dominant bull, which is recognizable by the thickness of his horns. During the dry season, males split from the herd and form bachelor groups. Two types of bachelor herds occur – ones made of males aged 4-7 years and those of males 12 years or older. During the wet season, the younger bulls rejoin a herd to mate with the females. They stay with them throughout the season to protect the calves. Some older bulls cease to rejoin the herd as they can no longer compete with the younger, more aggressive males. Males have a linear dominance hierarchy based on age and size. Since a Buffalo is safer when a herd is larger, dominant bulls may rely on subordinate bulls and sometimes tolerate their copulation.
They just looked at us warily and then walked off the track and past us still eyeing us. Both males and females have heavy, ridged horns that grow straight out from the head or curve downward and then up. The horns are formidable weapons against predators and are used when jostling for space within the herd – males use the horns in fights for dominance. They sure looked formidable.
A little further on we could have a close-up look at a male Waterbuck – Kobus Ellipsiprymnus Defassa. At Murchison Falls National Park we had seen plenty of female Waterbuck a few days ago. The Waterbuck is of a robust build. The shaggy coat is reddish brown to grey and becomes progressively darker with age. Males are darker than females. Though apparently thick, the hair is sparse on the coat. When sexually excited, the skin of the waterbuck secretes a greasy substance with the odour of musk, giving it the name Greasy Kob. The odor of this is so unpleasant that it repels predators … And no, we did not smell it … But this secretion also assists in water-proofing the body when the animal dives into water. The facial features of a Waterbuck include a white muzzle and light eyebrows and lighter insides of the ears. There is a cream-coloured patch called bib on the throat. Waterbuck are characterised by a long neck and short, strong and black legs.
Uganda’s national Antelopes – the Uganda Kob – were everywhere around us at times. It is confined to grassy floodplains and open vegetation near water – and the most common Antilope at Queen Elizabeth National Park – it is estimated that approx 20000 of them are resident in the park. Although closely related to Waterbuck, the Kob is reddish-brown in colour and similar to the Impala, but bulkier in appearance and lacking the Impala’s black side-stripe. Uganda Kob live in herds of up to 100 animals in Queen Elizabeth National Park and neighbouring conservation areas.
We came by a small pond – more a water hole – with a few Hippopotamus – Hippopotamus Amphibius. They were submerged in the muddy water and would only come out after dusk to graze. We had see so many Hippos in Murchison Falls National Park, that we were not too excited about looking at some muddy backs and ears. But the Cattle Egret – Bubulcus Ibis – on their backs were worth a photo. This cosmopolitan species of Heron is found in the tropics, subtropics and warm-temperate zones. Originally native to parts of Asia, Africa and Europe, it has undergone a rapid expansion and successfully colonised much of the rest of the world in the last century.
It is a white bird that nests in colonies, usually near bodies of water and often with other wading birds. Cattle Egrets exploit drier and open habitats which include seasonally inundated grasslands, pastures, farmlands, wetlands and rice paddies. They often accompany Cattle or other large mammals, catching insect and small vertebrate prey disturbed by these animals and removes ticks and flies off their bodies and consume them – hence the name Cattle Egret.
Often we spotted Red-Necked Francolins – commonly also called Spurfowl – Pternistis Afer Cranchii – a gamebird in the pheasant family that is a resident species in most sub-Saharan Africa. The Red-Necked Francolin was first described in 1776 by the German zoologist Philipp Ludwig Statius Müller. The specific epithet Afer is the Latin word for African. It is 25-38 cm in length and a generally dark Spurfowl, brown above and black-streaked grey or white underparts. The bill, bare facial skin, neck and legs are bright red. We saw a Francolin many times during our safaris and everytime it was in the middle of the track and running away infront of the car … running … not flying … and instead of heading off into the bushes to the side, it kept running ahead … crazy bird … more than once we thought Matovu had hit one with the car … but it always jumped out of the way in the very last second …
As Matovu drove along and we all were scanning the surroundings for any kind of wildlife, Ms Ping gave a shout … Oi oi oi … there is something! … Oi oi oi … Of course Matovu did not stop immediately … why would he? Oi oi oi did not mean stop, did it? – Guys, can we make clear announcments, please! We had already established “Bescheid!” – the German word for notice or notification – as the sign that we had finished taking photos and Matovu could drive on. So, please! If you see something interesting, then shout Stop! … not Oi oi oi or There there there … Clear announcments! Can we agree on this?
In this case, Matovu stopped to late and by the time he had backed up the car, the Nile Monitor Lizard – Varanus Niloticus – Ms Ping had spotted sitting next to the track, was gone … and we only saw its tail. It is found throughout most of sub-Saharan Africa and along the Nile and can grow up to 220 cm in length with an average snout-to-vent length of approx 50 cm.
In the same bush the Nile Monitor disappeared into, Dr. D spotted a bird in the thicket – it was a White-Browed Coucal – Centropus Superciliosus – is a species of Cuckoo in the family Cuculidae. It is found in sub-Saharan Africa and inhabits areas with thick cover afforded by rank undergrowth and scrub. This Coucal is a medium-sized species growing to 36-42 cm in length. Adults are having a blackish crown and nape, a white supercilium, rufous-brown back, chestnut wings, blackish rump and black tail with a white tip. The underparts are creamy-white, the eyes red, the beak black and the legs and feet greyish-black or black. It was pretty much hiding in the bushes, though …
On the short-grass savanna plains of the park Candelabra Trees – Euphorbia Candelabrum – have been quite widespread. This is an unusual habitat for tall Succulents, as they have been proven to typically be poor invaders of frequently burned stands of land. However, it’s success as a tall Succulent seems to be a result of over-grazing by African mammals such as the Ugandan Kob and Waterbuck and an overall decrease in intense wildfires.
In the far distance we made out a herd of Elephant – Queen Elizabeth National Park is home to an estimated 3500 Elephants – approx 60% of the national population. We could not get closer to them today – by the time Matovu had driven around there, they had moved off.
A group of young male Waterbuck were grazing in the savanna. They often form all-male groups near the occupied territories while the young females stay in their mother’s group. These Antelopes are large, robust animals – males are generally about 25 % larger than the females. Only the males have horns, which are prominently ringed and as long as 100 cm, widely spaced and curve gracefully back and up. They are sometimes used with lethal results when males fight one another over territories.
Again it was Dr. D who spotted a bird in the bushes … a White-Throated Bee-Eater – Merops Albicollis – sat close to the track on a branch as if posing for us. It is migratory, wintering in a completely different habitat in the equatorial rain forests of Africa from southern Senegal to Uganda, but breeding in semi-desert along the southern edge of the Sahara. This Bee-Eater is a richly coloured, slender bird. It is predominantly green, but its face and throat are white with a black crown, eye stripe and neckband. The underparts are pale green shading to blue on the breast. The eye is red and the beak is black. It can reach a length of approx 20 cm – excluding the 2 very elongated central tail feathers, which can exceed an additional length of 12 cm.
Just before the setting sun was disappearing behind lowhanging clouds, we passed a lushy green swamp where Buffalo and Waterbuck had a rendevouz with the Egrets having a fest as well. There are an estimated 16000 resident African Buffalo in the park, with probably as many Waterbuck … Many of them have seemingly come here for sundowners.
Now, while that had been a sight to behold, so far it had not been a really exciting safari … We had not seen anything new really … All those animals we had encountered already in Murchison Falls National Park. While the landscape was beautiful and every animal sighting was different … there had not been any wow-moment yet … Hmmm … what was so special about Queen Elizabeth National Park? … I wondered … maybe the sheer number of animals … at this time of day also the predatory animals begin to stir from their heat-of-the-day slumber and similarly, their prey become ever more active and alert as darkness slowly falls … but sofar I was a little disappointed …
Until Matovu slowed the car and said … Look look! … LEOPARD! – What? Where? – Instantly we were all excited! … Ahead of us there was indeed a Leopard sitting right on the track! … Incredible how lucky we were! … It was too far away to take a good photo in the fading light … Can we go closer? … Shhh, be quiet! …
Matovu let the car roll down the bumpy track … The Leopard started walking through the savanna grass … Stopp! … Stopp! I want to take photo! … Can you turn off the car, please! … It vibrates too much to take a proper photo in this light!
The elusive and striking Leopard – Panthera Pardus Pardus – is one of the hardest large species to observe in Uganda, thanks to its nocturnal, solitary behavior and well-camouflaged coat. Their survival is partly due to their adaptability to warm and cold climates and to climb trees while carrying heavy prey – keeping it safe from other predators such as Lions and Hyenas. They can run at incredible speeds of up to 58 km/h and hunt antelopes and monkeys as well as fish, birds, insects and reptiles. Historically, Leopards were hunted for their beautiful fur – loss of habitat is now their greatest threat.
The African Leopard exhibits great variation in coat color, depending on location and habitat. It varies from pale yellow to deep gold or tawny, sometimes black and is patterned with black rosettes while the head, lower limbs and belly are spotted with solid black. Compared to other wild cats, the Leopard has relatively short legs and a long body with a large skull.
Sensational! Ree had been going on about wanting to see a Leopard ever since we arrived – now she was really happy! I had been fortunate enough to catch a glimpse of an Indian Leopard while on safari in Tadoba National Park in India 2019. Now this sighting here, was even better! I was happy! And if we had been able to visit Ziwa Rhino Sancuary on our first day, then we could now say – We saw the Big 5! … We ticked off 4 of them and were just missing the Rhino … The term Big 5 refers to 5 large mammals found in Africa – Lion, Leopard, Elephant, Rhino and Buffalo. But why not a Hippo or a Giraffe – they are quite big … The Hippo certainly is. The reason for the Big 5 term is that these 5 animals were the hardest to shoot by big-game hunters as they are particularly ferocious when cornered and injured. Tour operators and guides have picked up this phrase and used it as a marketing term and it very cleverly has stuck.
We were close enough to see, that Leopard had a radio collar! The Mweya-based Uganda Predator Project by Uganda Carnivore Program – a multi-disciplinary organization established in the 1990s that is devoted to the research and conservation of Uganda’s large carnivores including Lions, Leopards and Hyenas – monitors the movement of these predators by fitting them with radio collars.
The conservation challenges concerning Lions, Leopards and Hyenas are tremendous. They are among the most popular animals in the world, but unfortunately, their numbers have declined significantly – mainly due to the growing needs of an expanding human population. This is particularly true in and around Queen Elizabeth National Park, where the Uganda Carnivore Program is based and where there are 11 enclave villages with a total population of 50000 people within park borders. Monitoring, research and rescue activities for predator species in the northern sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park are important aspects of conservation – They collar the animals to monitor their movements via radio-telemetry, map out their territories and detect when they are sick. Tracking them when they venture into conflict hot zones, where they face the danger of meeting up with people and their livestock, is important. The researchers are also assisting the Uganda Wildlife Authority in conflict mitigation as well as wildlife rescue and relocation operations if necessary. Collars do not bother the animals. It is made sure the collar is loose enough to be comfortable and snug enough to prevent the wild animals from getting stuck in vegetation. It takes them in general 2 days to get used before eventually ignoring the collar..
We had the good fortune that our Leopard seemed not at all bothered with us. After walking a bit, it sat in the tall grass again and just looked at us. I took so many photos … and I am sure the others did too … It was an awesome sighting!
Eventually the Leopard walked off into the savanna … As the grass got taller we could only see his spots for a while longer. Matovu backed up the car, because the Leopard walked around some bushes and would maybe appear again … but it did not … it turned away from us and walked into the sunset …
That safari had turned out to be a highlight after all! We were all so excited! This Leopard sighting had made our day! How lucky had we been! At the right time at the right spot!
Now Matovu had to step on the gas … we were late getting out of the park. It was well after 19:00 and as we passed Kasenyi Gate, the rangers had already left. We just drove past. It was rapidly getting dark.
We reached Marafiki Safari Lodge at 19:30 and went straight for dinner. I picked up my half-finished Nile Special from this afternoon at the bar and it sizzled down my throat in almost one gulp. For dinner there was Tomato Soup today, which was very good. Also the main course – Beef Curry with Chapati – was tasty. Everything was followed by a Crepe Suzette wannabe … but it was good.
I climbed the hill to my hut right after dinner. There was much to process today … We had seen so much today! I had already forgotten what we had done this morning … The shower was hot and then I sat and sorted through the photos and posted some. Mobile reception was OK here. The hut had 2 different power supplies – the light was run with solar energy probably produced with solar panels at the lodge and the sockets were said to be run by hydroelectric power which was rather unreliable. And sure thing … the lights were on, but the batteries plugged in were not charging. No problem, I just plugged in everything in every available outlet and hoped the power would be back at some point. I had 2 powerbanks to charge my mobiles and I had enough batteries for the cameras … but charging the batteries for tomorrow was necessary … we had another full day of safaris ahead of us! Sure thing – the power was back around 22:00 and everything was charged by the morning!
14.02.2021
Queen Elizabeth National Park – Kasenyi Sector
Once again I was up early. We had an early breakfast at 06:30 today and by 07:30 we all piled in the car and were off with the sunrise.
Reaching the main road and the viewpoint over Lake George, we – of course – had to take a sunrise photo stop. Sunrise was beautiful – the haze gave it an orange tinge. I did not get out of the car, though …
I never knew of a morning in Africa when I woke up that I was not happy.
Ernest Hemmingway
The short drive to Kasenyi Gate did not take long. We were going on safari in the same sector like yesterday. As with late afternoon, an early morning game drive is often the best time to see wildlife. Formailties at the gate were quick today, since Matovu had done most of the paperwork yesterday afternoon. He just had to show the papers and on the track we were. We had not opened the roof yet due to the fresh morning air.
The first animals we spotted this morning were Vultures in the sunrise. The White-Backed Vulture – Gyps Africanus – is an Old World vulture with only down feathers on the head and neck, very broad wings and short tail feathers. It has a white neck ruff. The adult’s whitish back contrasts with the otherwise dark plumage. It is a scavenger, feeding mostly from carcasses of animals which it finds by soaring over the savanna. It also takes scraps from human habitations. It often moves in flocks, breeds in trees on the savanna of sub-Saharan Africa and is mostly resident. As it is rarer than previously believed, its conservation status was uplisted to critically endangered in 2015, because the population size has been decreasing significantly within the past few decades.
Having seen the Vultures, we at least could tick of The Ugly 5 as seen! – It is a real shame that the Ugly 5 have actually been given a grouping … Yet, they are the underdogs on the African plains and they have just as an important role as any of the other African animals. The members of this most exclusive of clubs are – Hyena, Wildebeest, Vulture, Warthog and Marabou Stork – OK, we did not see the Wildebeest … but Matovu adapted the list to our route and changed Wildebeest to Baboon! And what can I say … The Ugly 5 added to our Ugandan experience as much as the Big 5!
The Kasenyi plains are crissed-crossed by a labyrinthine network of game-viewing tracks running east from the Kasese-Ishaka Road that covers a moist short-grass savanna interspersered with the aforementioned Candelabra Trees – Euphorbia Candelabrum – and low clumps of bushy thicket. Apparently the main attraction of the sector is not only the Uganda Kob breeding ground – with thousands of them congregatingher at times – but also 3 Lion Prides that like to lurk around there. The open habitat means that its super-habituated Lions are usually easy to locate, particularly in the first one or 2 hours after sunrise … However, we did not see any Lions today …
BUT … only 5 min into the drive … Matovu stopped suddenly … LEOPARD! … What? Where? … Up ahead just off the track to the left … ah, the other left … to the right! … Damn … we had not opened the roof yet! … Quick quick … let’s open the roof! Common guy, get up and push! … It was not complicated to open the roof, but it needed a lot of power to push it high enough … the girls did it! … And then we saw it! … A Leopard was leisurely sauntering through the high grass! Awesome!
Slowly Matovu let the car roll closer. How he spotted this one was beyond me … I could hardly make it out with the naked eye and needed the long camera lense to see it. It was definitely a different Leopard from that we saw yesterday … it had no radio collar on!
The Leopard is a solitary and territorial animal. Adults associate only in the mating season. Females continue to interact with their offspring even after weaning and have been observed sharing kills with their offspring when they can not obtain any prey. The whitish spots on the back of its ears are thought to play a role in communication as well as it has been hypothesized that the white tips of their tails may function as a follow-me signal in intraspecific communication.
The Leopard has the largest distribution of all wild cats – occurring widely in Africa as well as the Caucasus and Asia, although populations are fragmented and declining. It inhabits foremost savanna and rainforest and areas where grasslands, woodlands and riverine forests remain largely undisturbed. In sub-Saharan Africa, it is still numerous and surviving in marginal habitats.
Leopards are active mainly from dusk till dawn and rest for most of the day and for some hours at night in thickets, among rocks or over tree branches. They have been observed walking up to 25 km across their range at night – they may even wander up to 75 km if disturbed. In western African forests, they have been observed to be largely diurnal and hunting during twilight, when their prey animals are active.
Now, that was a fantastic start of this safari! Who would have thought we would see another Leopard today! We had considered ourselves lucky to have had the sighting yesterday … another one was just outstanding! Ree was completely over the moon and kept saying her husband would be gutted since he had decided to not join this tour …
Driving on, the track was lined with low plants containing purple flowers and yellow fruit – it turned out to be Solanum Linnaeanum – known as Devil’s Apple or Apple of Sodom. This poisonous relative of the Deadly Nightshade bearing tomato-like fruit is native to many African countries. When raw its fruits are green and look exactly like the Thai eggplant and when ripe they are yellow.
In the early morning light we passed a water hole with a big herd of Buffalo as well as Uganda Kob around it. Herd size of the Buffalo is highly variable. The core of the herd is made up of related females and their offspring in an almost linear dominance hierarchy. The basic herds are surrounded by subherds of subordinate males, high-ranking males and females and old or invalid animals. Here we saw many young animals. Adults are usually dark gray or black – or even look red or white if they have been wallowing in mud of that color – and the young are often reddish-brown.
African Buffalo mate and give birth only during the rainy seasons. Birth peak takes place early in the season, while mating peaks later. Cows first calve at 5 years of age after a gestation period of 11.5 months. Newborn calves remain hidden in vegetation for the first few weeks while being nursed occasionally by the mother before joining the main herd. Older calves are held in the centre of the herd for safety.
The maternal bond between mother and calf lasts longer than in most bovids. That bonding ends however when a new calf is born and the mother then keeps her previous offspring at bay with horn jabs. Nevertheless, the yearling follows its mother for another year or so. Males leave their mothers when they are 2 years old and join the bachelor groups. Young calves, unusually for bovids, suckle from behind their mothers, pushing their heads between the mothers’ legs.
Dr. D was hoping to catch a photo with Egrets sitting on the back of a Buffalo … so we were hanging around the herd for a while. For a bit it looked as if they would cross the track ahead of us. They rather eyed us suspiciously … and then the boss of the herd decided it was safer to stay where they were … and the Egrets were not cooperative either …
Buffalo and Kob aside, it is unlikely to see many other large mamals in the Kasenyi plains … we had noticed already yesterday … an interesting selection of grassland birds inhabit the area, though. One bird we heard more often than saw it was the Spur-Winged Lapwing – Vanellus Spinosus – a largish wader breeding around the eastern Mediterranean and in a wide band from sub-Saharan west Africa to Arabia and abundant in much of tropical Africa – being seen at almost any wetland habitat in its range. The conspicuous and unmistakable birds are medium-large with black crown, chest, foreneck stripe and tail. The face, the rest of the neck and belly are white and the wings and back are light brown. The bill and legs are black. Its striking appearance is supplemented by its noisy nature – with a loud did-he-do-it call.
Passing another waterhole – maybe the same one as yesterday – there were Hippos hanging out. This early in the morning they were still somewhat active … moving around in the water … and maybe they were digesting? … they were farting a lot … not that we smelled it, though … but we saw frequently big bubbes rising from their behinds …
The water hole was of course shared by many different animals. Uganda Kob were plentiful around here as well. And several pairs of Egyptian Goose – Alopochen Aegyptiaca – were around, too. This species swims well, but in flight looks heavy. There is a fair amount of variation in plumage tone with some birds greyer and others browner – a large part of the wings of mature birds is white, but in repose the white is hidden by the wing coverts. When it is aroused – either in alarm or aggression – the white begins to show.
Not far down the track we indeed spotted a Hippopotamus actually walking through the savanna … Being of semiaquatic habits, Hippos spend their days submerged in lakes and rivers close to both savanna and forest areas. Hippos leave the water at dusk and travel inland – sometimes up to 15 km – to graze on short grasses, their main source of food. They spend 4-5 hours grazing and can consume 68 kg of grass each night. This one here might just have missed sunrise and was now on the way back to a suitable water hole.
Of course, we saw more Warthogs … This comical-looking creature seems to have an oversized head, protruding tusks, bristly long mane and excessively long-skinny legs, causing it to kneel down to graze. When frightened, they run away with their tails standing vertically – this behavior gives them the nickname Radio Africa.
A few female Waterbuck were showing us their behinds not really minding us passing them. Waterbuck are more water-dependent than other Antelopes and must remain close to a water source. Mainly grazers, they consume types of coarse grass seldom eaten by other grazing animals and occasionally browse leaves from certain trees and bushes. They feed in the mornings and at night. They rest and ruminate the remainder of the time.
And then … Elephants! … First we saw only a couple of the big grey animals in the distance! They were meandering through the bushes and munching away. Elephants eat roots, grasses, fruit and bark. An adult Elephant can consume up to 150 kg of food in a single day. These hungry animals do not sleep much and they roam over great distances while foraging for the large quantities of food that they require to sustain their massive bodies. African Elephants range throughout the savannas of sub-Saharan Africa and the rainforests of central and West Africa.
African Elephants – Loxodonta Africana – are the largest land animals on Earth. They are slightly larger than their Asian cousins – which I had seen many times during our safaris in Kaziranga National Park in Assam India – and can be identified by their larger ears that look somewhat like the continent of Africa. African Elephants are a keystone species – meaning they play a critical role in their ecosystem. Also known as “ecosystem engineers”, Elephants shape their habitat in many ways. During the dry season, they use their tusks to dig up dry riverbeds and create watering holes many animals can drink from. Their dung is full of seeds, helping plants spread across the environment – and it makes pretty good habitat for dung beetles too. In the forest, their feasting on trees and shrubs creates pathways for smaller animals to move through and in the savanna, they uproot trees and eat saplings, which helps keep the landscape open for other plains animals to thrive.
Matovu had strategically well stopped the car. We had a great view of them as it was. However, more and more Elephants seemed to appear from behind the bushes and they seemed to wander in our direction … coming closer and closer … Elephants are matriarchal – meaning they live in female-led groups. The matriarch is usually the biggest and oldest. She presides over a multi-generational herd that includes other females and their young. Having a Baby Elephant is a serious commitment. Elephants have a longer pregnancy than any other mammal – almost 22 months. Cows usually give birth to one calf every 2-4 years. At birth, Elephants already weigh approx 100 kg and stand approx half a meter tall.
Poaching for the ivory trade is the biggest threat to African Elephants’ survival. Before the Europeans began colonizing Africa, there may have been as many as 26 mio of Elephants. The arrival of Europeans kicked off the commercial ivory trend, in which tusks were used for piano keys, billiards balls, combs and all kinds of other items. By the early 20th century, Elephant numbers had dropped to 10 mio. Hunting continued to increase. By 1970, their numbers were down to 1.3 mio. Between 1970 and 1990, hunting and poaching put the African Elephant at risk of extinction, reducing its population by another half. Today, the International Union for Conservation of Nature lists them as vulnerable to extinction. As few as 400000 remain in the wild today.
Though the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) banned the global commercial ivory trade in 1989, the illegal tusk trade remains strong and poaching continues across the continent. In 2016, the Great Elephant Census revealed that Elephant numbers were declining at a rate of 8 % or 27000 Elephants a year. Compounding the problem is how long it takes for elephants to reproduce. With reproduction rates hovering 5-6%, there are simply not enough calves being born to make up for the losses from poaching.
If elephants didn’t exist, you couldn’t invent one.
They belong to a small group of living things so unlikely,
they challenge credulity and common sense.
Lyall Watson
African Elephants are also losing their habitat as the human population grows and people convert land for agriculture and development. Elephants need a lot of room to roam, so habitat destruction and fragmentation not only makes it harder for them to find food, water and each other, but it also puts them in increased conflict with humans – a dangerous prospect for both.
Currently, pandemic-induced poaching surges not only in Uganda – a lot of wildlife are recent casualties of the collapse of ecotourism. Tourism is a central pillar not only of Uganda’s economy, bringing in more than a billion dollars a year – and wildlife tourism, in particular, creates thousands of jobs. But the sudden loss of visitors in the parks, where their presence helps deter poachers, has hampered ranger operations. Without tourists, it is easier for poachers to monitor the comings and goings of rangers and make a move the moment they leave an area. Most importantly – tourism also financed all the anti-poaching work.
It is absurd for a man to kill an elephant.
It is not brutal, it is not heroic and certainly it is not easy –
it is just one of those preposterous things that men do,
like putting a dam across a great river,
one tenth of whose volume could engulf the whole of mankind
without disturbing the domestic life of a single catfish.
Beryl Markham in “West with the Night” 1942
Given the loss of revenues and income from tourism as well as overall economic hardship caused by strict lockdown measures, it is not surprising if illegal activities have increased recently. People are trying to survive. Conservation needs to have multifaceted approaches and the needs of local communities require more attention so the whole house of cards does not fall apart when global tourism comes to a halt … It is believed that COVID 19 will most probably reverse 30 years of conservation gains …
Mesmerized we watched the herd draw closer and closer to our position. Matovu did not move the car anymore … he insisted they would walk past us towards Lake George … we would not have let him anyway … everybody was just staring open-mouthed out of the open roof, taking photos or video … it was just breathtaking to watch those magnificent animals – majestic gentle creatures.
We spotted many Baby Elephants amongst the herd. Under the watchful eye of their mothers, young Elephants are free to do as they please – and they sure gave us a wonderful show! Young Elephants still in the developing stage are very curious about the world and interact with nature and each other. Under the age of 3 they are still very dependent on their relatives, though. Often they just mimick their elders and this is how they learn and build their own personality over time. But Baby Elephants are also very playful – and will not hesitate to charge the vehicle!
With knowledge of animal behavior, it can be told if its playful behavior or if it is from feeling pressured or threatened. If young Elephants are feeling uncomfortable with the presence of a vehicle, they can often give out a cry of distress which will alert the bigger relatives, who will often rush in and try and defend the little one. This does not occur often, though, if a respective distance is kept. Elephants will generally continue with their day as if we were not even there.
This was a huge herd of Elephants … at some point they were all around us … Female social structure is similar to concentric rings – with the innermost circle comprising a family unit of related adult females. Family units range in size from 3 to 25 individuals – including the eldest, most dominant female called the matriarch, her adult daughters and their calves as well as a number of juveniles. From this stable core, the groupings widen to include less familiar individuals. The matriarch is the backbone of the Elephant family unit because she provides stability and determines ranging patterns for the rest of the family. The hierarchal ranking for these females is based on leadership, experience and age. Generally, the older the female, the higher her ranking.
The primary function of Elephant family units is the protection and rearing of calves. Adult females cooperate in the assistance of calf movements, foraging, protection and social experiences. Calf survivability greatly increases with an increased number of females taking care of them. Elephant family units may have consistent, friendly interactions with other units. These associated families are called kin or bond groups and will mingle, feed and interact with one another frequently. Under ideal environmental circumstances, family units may congregate in groups of up to 6 families. Occasionally, there may be herd aggregations ranging in size from 500 to 1000 individuals around watering holes and other consolidated resources. Herd aggregations have also been documented in areas of intense poaching – illegal hunting – pressure.
We admire elephants in part because they demonstrate
what we consider the finest human traits – empathy, self-awareness and social intelligence.
But the way we treat them, puts on display the very worst of human behavior.
Graydon Carter
Watching them I did a quick estimate count of the Elephants I could see around us – I got to 70! And I am sure I did not see all of the Baby Elephants or juvenilees behind the adults or in the bushes … In any case … this was a breathtaking encounter with the grey giants. They were indeed crossing the road all around us. And besides us, there were only 2 other safari vehicle here … Something that would never happen in regular times, I would say … when there would be many more vehicles stalking the herd …
The cohesive structure of such a family serves as a defense against predators as well as providing a social environment in which young Elephants can mature and learn. Young Elephants learn normal behavior in a social context and learning from others – or social learning – plays a crucial role in their development. Calves follow their mothers’ responses to learn who are their relatives and friends and who represent potential threats. They rely on their social companions to learn appropriate behavioral responses to others. Calves gradually acquire foraging knowledge by sampling what the adults around them are eating and they practice their mothering skills by associating with and following the behavior of mothers of newborn calves.
Elephants are not territorial. Their home range is between 10 and 70 km² – possibly larger – depending on herd size and seasonality. Elephants have been described as having an ambling walk at a normal rate of 6-8 km/h and are crepuscular in nature, primarily active at dawn and dusk – in twilight hours – when the environment is cooler. This clan was obviously on the way to the lake … at least that was the direction they were slowly heading.
We were so happy about this outstanding encounter with the Elephants. We could hardly tear away from the sight of the Elephant bums sauntering off into the savanna. But Matovu said we needed to get on, now that the Elephants were walking off.
Driving on we came to a waterside viewpoint facing a papyrus-lined island in Lake George. We watched a couple of fishermen going about their work right next to the resident Hippos. There are several villages within the park boundaries and many more located just outside its borders, with no buffer zone in between. 2 of the largest ethnic groups in this area are the Basongora – who were traditionally pastoralists – and the Bakonzo – who are predominately cultivators. Given the proximity of Lakes Edward and Lake George, fishing is also an important livelihood for many people here.
By now the sun was very high already. Most of the animals were finding cover from the midday heat which was quickly approaching. The light was not good for photos anymore and we did not see much wildlife anymore anyway. Matovu was driving quickly to reach the main track again. But of course, we kept our eyes peeled for whatever was lurking in the Candelabra Trees … Leopards like to slep there during the day … but we only spotted a Vervet Monkey – Chlorocebus Pygerythrus. Apart from being Africa’s most abundant monkey, Vervets have a highly distinctive appearance. Black faced with blue balls – they are one of the easiest African animals to identify. If you see the blue balls … We did not today … Vervets love Acacia woodland, especially close to water. But they can survive in most woodland habitats and also live on savanna plains, especially at higher altitudes where there are less predators.
On the way out we passed Kasenyi Gate – the mandatory facility stop … – before Matovu turned south on the main Kasese-Ishaka Road. Only a few kilometers on – just before the road crossed Kazinga Channel – he turned west in Katunguru onto the Mweya Leopard Loop. This track passed Katunguru Gate and lead parallel to Kazinga Channel to Mweya Peninsula were we would have our lunch break and take an afternoon boat cruise on Kazinga Channel …
