10.02.2021
Murchison Falls National Park
The boat tour to the base of the Murchison Falls has been the National Park’s most popular attraction since the Queen Mother made the inaugural voyage in a sparkling new boat back in 1959. Starting from Paara, our boat cruised slowly eastward along an archetypical African stretch of the Nile fringed by Borassus Palms, Arcacia and Mahogany woodland.
Hippos we had come to see here and Hippos we saw! From there on we were basically surrounded by Hippos. Due to the very high water level at the moment, Hippos were also hiding in the flooded bushes on the river bank.
The Hippopotamus – Hippopotamus Amphibius – mostly just called Hippo – is a large, mostly herbivorous, semiaquatic mammal and ungulate native to sub-Saharan Africa. After the Elephant and Rhinoceros – both of which are found in Africa and Asia – the Hippo is the third-largest type of land mammal. Despite their physical resemblance to pigs and other terrestrial even-toed ungulates, the closest living relatives of the Hippopotamidae are … Cetaceans – whales, dolphins, porpoises etc – from which they diverged about 55 mio years ago.
5 subspecies of Hippos have been described based on morphological differences in their skulls and geographical differences – the Great Northern Hippopotamus or Nile Hippopotamus – Hippopotamus Amphibius Amphibius – which stretched from Egypt, where they are now extinct, south up the Nile River to Tanzania and Mozambique – seemed to be the one around here.
Hippos can be found in both savanna and forest areas – proper habitat however requires enough water to submerge in and grass nearby to feed on. Larger densities of the animals inhabit quiet waters with mostly firm, smooth sloping beaches. With the exception of feeding, most of a Hippo’s life occurs in the water. 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 up to 68 kg of grass each night. Maybe I would get lucky and one of them would come wandering up to my tented hut tonight …
Like most herbivores, Hippos consume other plants if presented with them, but their diet in nature consists almost entirely of grass, with only minimal consumption of aquatic plants. Adult Hippos move at speeds up to 8 km/h in water – typically resurfacing to breathe every 3-5 min. The young have to breathe every 2-3 min. The process of surfacing and breathing is subconscious – a Hippo sleeping underwater will rise and breathe without waking up. A Hippo closes its nostrils when it submerges into the water. They spend up to 16 hrs a day in water. Although Hippos lie close to each other, they do not seem to form social bonds except between mothers and daughters – and they are not social animals. The reason they huddle close together is unknown. One of those groups got all excited and ran off … I think maybe our captain wanted to do us some good and get us closer to them … that was maybe too close for their comfort …
Hippos are territorial only in water, where a male presides over a small stretch of river – on average 250 m in length and containing 10 females. The largest pods can contain over 100 Hippos. Younger bachelors are allowed in a male’s stretch – as long as they behave submissively toward the boss. The territories of Hippos exist to establish mating rights. Within the pods, the Hippos tend to segregate by gender. Bachelors lounge near other bachelors, females with other females and the male on his own. When Hippos emerge from the water to graze, they do so individually.
Hippos appear to communicate vocally – through grunts and bellows – and they may practice echolocation, but the purpose of these vocalisations is currently unknown. Hippos have the unique ability to hold their heads partially above the water and send out a cry that travels through both water and air – individuals respond above and under water.
There were not only Hippos around here, though! The boat was moving through Hippo soup – that is not exaggerated! But of course there was more to see … and while the captain was patient with us taking so many photos. he did urge us on at some point … he had spotted a solitary Elephant! Now, that was also impressive … He stood up to his belly in the shallow waters and munched away in a mat of Water Hyacinth – Pontederia Crassipes – an aquatic plant actually native to the Amazon Basin, but often a highly problematic invasive species outside its native range. It became widespread throughout the world, also due to its attractive appearance. It is commercially available as an ornamental for ponds. At present it occurs as a weed throughout tropical and subtropical regions. It is considered the worst aquatic weed in the world! The rapid increase and spread of the plant into new areas is due particularly to its vegetative reproduction, a single plant being able to develop very rapidly a significant infestation. It appeared first in Lake Kyoga in Uganda in the early 1980s. The most disturbing development in the region during the 1990s was in Lake Victoria – dense mats of this weed were found interfering with fishing on the Tanzanian shore and during the same year mats were recorded on the Ugandan shore. Moving easily with water currents, winds or other accidental means, such as fishing nets and boats, the plant invaded rivers, canals, ponds, lakes, dams and other freshwater bodies. The main problems arising from the growth of Water Hyacinth in thick mats are an enormous water loss through evapotranspiration, the impediment to water flow, the obstruction of navigation and hampering fishing by dramatically reducing the catch and the source of food and income for local populations. The African Elephants seemed to like it as much as the Asian Elephants I frequently observed in Kaziranga National Park in Assam India.
Only around the next set of thicket we spotted the next Elephant … this one shoulder deep in water munching away as happy as the first one. It was having a feast. Adult male Elephants rarely join a herd and often lead a solitary life, only approaching herds for mating. Elephants segregate by sex – with males and females occupying different ranges for at least part of the year. This shapes the males’ behaviour – they have to be in the right place at the right time to mate – and that may take precedence over more mundane needs like finding food and avoiding predators … In male African Elephants, the drive to reproduce has a strong effect on their social relationships. Males also have dominance hierarchies – pecking orders that are strongly affected by the availability of water. Here at Murchison National Park they obviously do not have problems finding water …
Popular culture has painted male African Elephants as aggressive, anti-social loners. But they really are not the solitary beasts imagined … Raised from birth in a female-dominated world of mothers and maternal helpers, males leave their birth families as teenagers. But what happens next? Where do these independent teenagers go, what do they do, and whom do they learn from? Over the years researchers have studied this and it turned out that the male African Elephants had been misjudged. There is no question that male Elephants can be aggressive and hormone-driven. But they can also have friendships and be both leaders and patient teachers. Elephant males may not form the same kinds of close-knit friendships as female-led groups, but male aggregations are far from random.
And all good things are 3 … another huge male Elephant was standing on the riverbank just around the next bend …
Oi oi oi … we had surprised him while he was powdering his trunk … actually he was doing No. 1 and No. 2 … Did you know, an Elephant can urinate approx 160 liters in one go … Perhaps “taking a leak” is not the accurate way to describe that … It was more like the gush out of a fire hose – almost 6 liters of liquid launching from the urethra every second ... Though … an Elephant – which has a bladder holding the equivalent of 3 large trash bags of pee – relieves itself in the pretty much same amount of time as a small dog – in approx 20 s … The “Law of Urination” states that nearly all mammals empty their bladders over the same amount of time … It takes 20 to 40 s to empty a bladder, whether the animal can hold 1 liter of liquid in its body or 100 … We arrived at the spot at exactly the right time to watch the entire ceremony …
But it was not just us watching in awe … there was a flock of White-Faced Whistling Duck – Dendrocygna Viduata – seemingly staring at the Elephant in shock … This Whistling Duck breeds in sub-Saharan Africa, is gregarious and as the name implies – these are noisy birds with a clear three-note whistling call. They have longish legs, a long grey bill, a long black neck and head with a distinctive white face. The back and wings are dark brown to black and the underparts are black with a fine white barring on the flanks, the neck is chestnut.
That peeing Elephant brought up the question … Which animal has the longest penis? … Unsurprisingly, it is the biggest animal to ever exist – the Blue Whale! A Blue Whale’s penis is estimated to range from 2 to 6 m long … although “average” is hard to gauge – shockingly, very few people have been around to measure an erect Blue Whale penis during intercourse … But there apparently is a tastefully-mounted tip of a Blue Whale penis at the Icelandic Phallological Museum in Reykjavik – and the tip alone is 170 cm long … so we can imagine … On dry land, however, it is the Elephants who have the longest penis of any land animal … reaching lengths of up to 1 m! … I think we saw the whole glory of this Elephant’s pride and joy … especially when he had finally finished his toilet and sauntered off …
Spread out on the river bank was also a flock of African Skimmer – Rynchops Flavirostris – a near-threatened species of bird found along rivers, lakes and lagoons in Sub-Saharan Africa. African Skimmers have long wings, a black back, hindneck and crown. The forehead and rest of the body is white with a bright, long, orange-red beak that ends with a yellow tip – black tip when immature. Their short forked tail is white and their legs are bright red. The average size is about 38 cm. They live at large tropical rivers with sandbanks for nesting and roosting, lake shores and coastal lagoons. The African Skimmer is generally uncommon and the total population is estimated at only 15000-25000 individuals total.
While the Elephant ambled away, a lone Giraffe appeared at the far end of the clearing. It seemed to be on the way to the river to drink. A Giraffe’s neck is too short to reach the ground. As a result, it has to awkwardly spread its front legs or kneel to reach the ground for a drink of water. Therefore, Giraffes only drink once every few days. Most of their water comes from all the plants they eat. We could not wait until it reached the river, though, to watch it sipping water …
Moving on, we encountered some Black & White Colobus – Colobus Guereza – posing for us in the trees. We could get close enough to have a good look this time. They did not seem to be bothered with us, just eyed us curiously. Black & White Colobus monkeys are generally found in high-density forests but also in primary and secondary forests, riverine forests and wooded grasslands where they forage on leaves, flowers and fruit – they play a significant role in seed dispersal … Social groups of Colobus are diverse, varying from group to group. Research shows, individuals spend 150 min actively feeding each day. They live in territorial groups that vary in both size of 3-15 individuals and structure. It was originally believed that the structure of these groups consisted of one male and about 8 female members. However, more recent observations have shown variation in structure and the number of males within groups. There appears to be a dominant male, whilst there is no clear dominance among female members. Here we were able to watch a female feeding and interacting with a baby … it was so cute …
Of course, we found more birds as well … a pair of Greater Blue-Eared Glossy Starlings – Lamprotornis Chalybaeus Sycobius – were hanging out by the sandy cliffs of the river bank. They are usually found from Senegal east to Ethiopia west and south through eastern Africa to northeastern South Africa and Angola in open woodland. They are mostly resident. It is an approx 22 cm long bird – glossy blue-green with a purple-blue belly and blue ear patch. The iris is bright yellow or orange. The sexes are similar, but the juvenile is duller and has blackish brown underparts. It nests in holes, either natural or excavated by other birds, being highly gregarious and forming large flocks, often with other starlings.
Another colourful bird made a first appearance, too – the Grey-Headed Kingfisher – Halcyon Leucocephala. It has a wide distribution from the Cape Verde Islands off the north-west coast of Africa to Mauritania, Senegal and Gambia, east to Ethiopia, Somalia, southern Arabia and south to South Africa. It has a pale grey head, black mantle and back, bright blue rump, wings and tail and chestnut underparts. The beak is long, red and sharp. This bird grows to an average length of 21 cm.
In the trees on the banks we spotted more monkeys as well. Those were Vervet Monkeys -Chlorocebus Pygerythrus – Old World monkeys native to Africa. These mostly herbivorous monkeys very much resemble a Grey Langur, having a black face with a white fringe of hair, while its overall hair color is mostly grizzled-grey, ranging in body length from approx 40 cm for females to approx 50 cm for males. Vervets live in social groups ranging from 10 to 70 individuals. We only spotted a couple of them, though …
Watching them climb the trees through my long camera lens I noted something blue flash past … What? … It cannot be! Can it? … I checked the photo … Yes it can! … Those monkeys have blue … crown jewels! Believe it! … Doing some research I found out I had not been mistaken – Some male Old World monkeys – including Patas and Vervets – sport their … accessories … in an unusual colour. I can assure you – these blue testicles are not due to sexual frustration! The color is also not caused by hormonal shifts – as in the case of the red genitalia seen in Baboons. Though the blue pigments are not completely understood, they are likely linked to sexual selection. Male Vervets of East Africa have more intense blue scrota and might be more likely to be aggressive with and bully juvenile males. They also like to show off their bonnie blues. Overall, greater contrast and larger size are probaby alluring traits – similar to the eye-catching Peacock’s tail – so those males with the most vibrant and biggest scrota easier attract females … Hopefully we would encounter more of the Vervet Monkeys to have a better look at those colourful parts …
Moving on we were constantly scanning the banks of the river for wildlife, but we did not forget to look at the vegetation as well. What really caught my eye were Candelabre Trees – Euphorbia Candelabrum – a succulent species of plant. Its Latin name derives from its growth habit – often considered to resemble the branching of a candelabrum. Candelabra trees can be found in dry deciduous and evergreen open wooded grasslands and on rocky slopes. Trees typically grow to be up to approx 12 min height. I was sure the Candelabre Tree was a Cactus Tree … but Ms Ping taught me otherwise. She said it is a Succulent … Sure? … If you say so … What is the difference between Cactus and Succulent? … Not easy to explain … because while all Cacti are considered to be Succulents, there are Succulents that are not Cacti!
Cacti are distinguished from the rest of the Succulents by the rounded indentations along their stems. These are modified buds called Areoles. In botany, Areoles are small bumps out of which grow clusters of spines. Areoles are important diagnostic features of Cacti and identify them as a family distinct from other Succulent plants. A Succulent is any plant that stores water in juicy leaves, stems or roots in order to withstand periodic drought … But I was not all that wrong … A Cactus is simply a Succulent that can store moisture but is placed in a separate category. Conversely, not all Succulents are Cacti. Succulents do not belong to one plant family but are represented in over 40 botanical families that are spread around the world. Cacti can be easily identified – with rare exception, they do not have leaves. Most Succulents evolved under less severe conditions than Cacti in areas where rainy seasons were followed by long dry periods and most have leaves or modified leaves. So … basically … a Cactus has spines and a Succulent has leaves? … We shall believe Ms Ping! … Got it, Bud?
On the steep riverbank our captain also pointed out our first Nile Crocodile – Crocodylus Niloticus. The large crocodilian native to freshwater habitats in Africa was sitting on dry land relatively high up from the water. We could hardly make it out behind the bushes. Hopefully, we would come across another one to have a better look later on.
More captivated I was at that point by a huge African Fish Eagle – Haliaeetus Vocifer – sitting in perfect sight up ahead in a tree. It was magnificent. This large Eagle is found throughout sub-Saharan Africa wherever large bodies of open water with an abundant food supply occur. This species may resemble the Bald Eagle resident in North America in appearance – though related, each species occurs on different continents, however. As the boat slowly slid closer, we all had excitedly pointed our cameras at it and clicked away … only Ree was looking at the opposite direction … Had she spotted something more interesting? … It is OK, I see the bird! What are you so excited about? – You are looking in the wrong direction! – What? – You have to look THERE! – … Oh oh oh … I was wondering what you were all going on about that little bird for … NOW I see it! Awesome!
High up on the cliffy riverbank we found another Nile Crocodile as well. It is widely distributed throughout sub-Saharan Africa and lives in different types of aquatic environments such as Lakes, rivers, swamps and marshlands. The range of Nile Crocodile once stretched northward throughout the Nile as far north as the Nile delta. They are often found in waters adjacent to various open habitats such as savanna or even semi-desert but can also acclimate to well-wooded swamps, extensively wooded riparian zones, waterways of other woodlands and the perimeter of forests.
Generally, Nile Crocodiles are relatively inert creatures. Although they can remain practically motionless for hours on end, whether basking or sitting in shallows, Nile Crocodiles are said to be constantly aware of their surroundings and aware of the presence of other animals.
Of course we met numerous Hippos as well. Eyes, ears and nostrils of Hippos are placed high on the roof of their skulls. This allows these organs to remain above the surface while the rest of the body is still submerged. I was always amazed by those creatures – just imagine the huge body of the Hippo below the surface … like an iceberg … only the smallest part of it is above water …
And more Elephants! A solitary young Elephant was happily bathing in the river. He was clearly having fun. But we noticed something strange about his trunk … it was very short … could it even survive without it? An Elephant trunk is the nose of an elephant, contains more than 40000 muscles and can be about 2 m long. The trunk is crucial for an Elephant to survive since it is used for eating food, drinking water and breathing. An adult Elephant needs to eat up to 300 kg of food and drinks up to 200 liters of water per day. It is nearly impossible for an Elephant to have enough food or water without the use of its trunk. This insury however, seemed to have healed already and obviously he had been living it it for a while already quite happily …
Our captains said it most probably had been ripped off by a Lion or a Crocodile. It could also be possible that the calf had been caught in a snare and lost its trunk when it tried to get out of it.
Authorities believe that thousands of these illegal devices have been hidden within Murchison and Uganda’s 9 other national parks since the coronavirus lockdown began in mid-March 2020 and flatlined the wildlife tourism industry. The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) recorded 367 general poaching incidents in the parks between February and May of 2020 alone … more than double the number during the same period in 2019 … Let that sink in! And those numbers likely underestimate the problem, because dead animals and traps may be whisked away before authorities detect the activity.
Tourism is a central pillar of Uganda’s economy 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. Tourism also financed all the anti-poaching work. It does not appear to be related to the organized criminal networks that drive commercial-scale poaching for Elephant ivory, Rhino horn and other lucrative wildlife parts, though … now local people mean to catch Antelopes and Wild Boars to provide bushmeat to sell or eat themselves, because they have lost the income from tourism …
But Elephant poaching is real, too. It seems clear that young males are learning from their elders. So when poachers target the largest and oldest males for their ivory tusks, it does not just shrink the population, but means the loss of an old tusker’s influence on the next generation. And because Elephants require substantial amounts of food and a large area in which to forage, habitat destruction across their range is a major threat to survival as well.
The ban on international trade was introduced in 1989 by CITES – Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora – because in the 1980s up to 80% of the herds were lost to illigale paoching in some regions. The ban allowed some populations to recover – especially where Elephants were adequately protected. But despite the ban African Elephants are still being poached in large numbers. As of late, poaching has caused the most serious damage to the population with an estimated 25000 being lost every year for their ivory tusks. The ivory is often carved into ornaments and jewellery – China is still the biggest consumer market for such products.
Then, passing a particularly favourite hangout of a rather large group of Hippos, we of course stopped again for more Hippo photos … you would have thunk we had enough Hippo photos by now … but no! There was always one more to take …
Hippos will also express threat and alarm with exhalations. We could hear the snorts and see the sprouts from their nostrils. Most of them intensely watched the boat slowly approaching before quickly disappearing underwater …
Wisdom from a Hippopotamus
Have big ideas
Charge ahead
Make a big first impression
Swim gracefully in the water
Take a big bite out of life
Do not be afraid to open your mounth
Live large!
Not too far from there a small group of Elephants was enjoying a bath in the river. There were 3 Elephants first, but one wandered off as the boat approached. The other 2 were frolicking in the shallows seemingly having tremendous fun alongside some Hippos.
One of them did not like the boat coming closer, though … Elephants are peaceful, gentle creatures most of the time, but they can be dangerous. Fortunately – their body language gives them away every time.
Watch the tail – when an Elephant’s tail is softly swishing from side to side or occasionally swatting at flies, it usually means a relaxed state of mind. Add an element of tension to the picture and the Elephant tail becomes more rigid, either held to the side or lifted away from the body. In most cases an Elephant showing anxiety in this way will move off to avoid conflict.
Elephant ears alert – many people believe that an Elephant flaps its ears as a sign of aggression. This is simply not true. Flapping ears are used to cool the animal down. If an Elephant turns with its ears extended to the sides and head and trunk raised – different story, though. This intimidating display is an attempt to frighten intruders off. In most cases the animal will continue on its way after giving a scare, but this behaviour can lead to a charge should it be ignored.
The trunk position – an Elephant’s trunk has so many uses, that it almost never comes to a standstill. For communication purposes, it can be used as part of a domination display or to trumpet a warning. There are different theories about the way that an Elephant holds its trunk during a charge. Mock charge or not, if an elephant gives any sign that it is about to run towards tourists – the guides will have them out of there before they have time to check for its trunk position … Here he thrashed the water with his trunk as if to make his point known … Move away!
He was for sure not too much of a happy camper … but our captain stopped the boat in a safe distance. So the Elephant rather turned his angry attention to the Hippos nearby … he could not intimidate the aliens, but to blow off his anger he charged the Hippos instead … When they did not really care, he just wandered off …
On a tree nearby an African Darter – Anhinga Rufa – sometimes called the Snakebird – was sitting in the afternoon sun. The male is mainly glossy black with white streaking, but females and immature birds are browner, most recognizably by a thin white lateral neck stripe against a rufous background colour. The pointed bill should prevent confusion with Cormorants. It is an 80 cm long fish-eating species with a very long neck, native to sub-Saharan Africa. It usually swims with only the neck above water – hence the common name Snakebird. We also spotted a couple of them in the water, but they are always so fast … I never got a photo of them.
The afternoon stretched … we were already a good 2 hrs on the river … and we had not even reached the base of the falls yet … in fact … the falls were not even in sight so far … Hmm … I think we just took too many photos … Just like at this moment when we had to stop again to watch a small herd of Elephants in the thicket on the river bank. They were retreating back to the savanna, though. Therefore we did not stop for long …
And what can I say … there were more Hippos! I love Hippos! This late in the afternoon – when the sun was getting lower and the heat of the day subsided – they started to come more out of the water. There were not only ears, eyes and nostrils visible now, but also their backs and sometimes the entire huge animal – whitout our boat making them run from us …
Hippos are recognisable by their barrel-shaped torsos, nearly hairless bodies, columnar legs and large size – adults average 1500 kg for males and 1300 kg for females. Despite its stocky shape and short legs, it is capable of running 30 km/h over short distances on land. They emerge at dusk to graze on grasses ashore. While Hippos rest near each other in the water, grazing is a solitary activity and Hippos are not territorial on land. The Hippo is among the most dangerous animals in the world due to its highly aggressive and unpredictable nature. They are threatened by habitat loss and poaching for their meat and ivory canine teeth.
On the floating mat of Water Hyacith we spotted an Africa Jacana – Actophilornis Africanus – a conspicuous and unmistakable wader identifiable by long toes and long claws that enable them to walk on floating vegetation in shallow lakes, their preferred habitat. Jacanas are found worldwide within the tropical zone and are very common in most wetlands in Uganda.
As we came close to the riparian vegetation we started noticing insects biting us. First we though mosquitoes … but then we saw it … Tsetse Flies … also known as Tik-Tik Flies, are large biting flies that inhabit much of tropical Africa. They are obligate parasites that live by feeding on the blood of vertebrate animals. Tsetse have been extensively studied because of their role in transmitting diseases. They have a prominent economic impact in sub-Saharan Africa as the biological vectors of Trypanosomes, which cause human Sleeping Sickness and animal Trypanosomiasis. It is worth noting – and our Matovu had assured us as well – that Sleeping Sickness is no longer as deadly as it once was and has been eliminated in this area. In the early 20th Century several hundred thousand people were infected each year. By the 1960s the disease was considered under control and had reached very low numbers, making its spread more difficult. But in the 1970s there was another major epidemic, which took 20 years to control. Since then, better screening programmes and earlier interventions have reduced the number of cases dramatically. In 2009 there were fewer than 10000 cases for the first time since records began and in 2018 this figure dropped to fewer than 1000 – according to the latest figures from the World Health Organisation. The WHO hoped the disease will be completely eliminated by 2020.
I never really saw those flies … so I am actually not sure if it was flies biting us or mosquitoes … but from there on every time we came close to vegetation I felt the stings on my back … through the T-shirt …
In a tree a flock of Reed Cormorant – Microcarbo Africanus – also known as the Long-Tailed Cormorant – were hanging out. They breed in much of Africa south of the Sahara and are resident but undertake some seasonal movements. It is a small Cormorant at 50–55 cm length and an 85 cm wingspan, mainly black or glossed green in the breeding season. Sexes are similar, but non-breeding adults and juveniles are browner with a white belly. The Reed Cormorant can dive to considerable depths, but usually feeds in shallow water. It breeds on freshwater wetlands or quiet coasts usually in colonies.
And then … finally … we spotted the mighty Murchison Falls in the distance! Slowly we moved closer, but unfortunately the boat was not allowed to get much further upstream due to the extremely high water levels and the unusual volume of water coming down the falls. Nevertheless, it looked absolutely mighty from afar as well. The river current was so strong here that the boat could not really go further anyway. Ahead the river valley was much narrower …
Murchison Falls – also called Kabalega or Kabarega Waterfall – sits on the lower Victoria Nile approx 32 km east of Lake Albert. The Victoria Nile passes through many kilometers of rapids before narrowing to a width of about 7 m and dropping an approx total of 120 m in a series of 3 cascades. The initial fall of 43 m is generally recognized as the main Murchison Falls. The English traveler Sir Samuel White Baker visited the falls in the mid-1860s and named them for the geologist Sir Roderick Murchison.
Too soon we had to tear away from the view and the captain turned the boat around to go back to Paraa. He crossed the river to the northern bank again and maneuvered us past a huge tree with a breeding colony of White-Breasted Cormorant – Phalacrocorax Lucidus. It is distinguished by its white breast and by the fact that it 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.
On inland waters it commonly occurs together with the Reed Cormorant and the African Darter – with whom they often share breeding colonies – but it is ecologically separated from these species by its fishing habits and the size and nature of its prey. The 80-100 cm long White-Breasted Cormorant has a white neck and breast when adult – and the white area tends to increase as the bird becomes more mature. Juveniles are black.
In the same tree we could spot nests of the African Darter – the juveniles shove their heads into their parents’ beaks to reach their food. They reside in the nest for about 3 weeks, then they are able to climb out of the nest and onto a branch – they fledge at about 6 weeks of age. They stay with their parents for several more weeks before becoming independent. Immature Darters are much paler than the adults … almost white.
Even Reed Cormorants were nesting in that particularly huge tree. In breeding season they are monogamous with long-term pair-bond. They often breed with African Darter and White-Breasted Cormorant, even with Herons and Egrets. Such colonies may include 10-50 pairs.
One tall tree over an African Fish Eagle with its distinctive black, brown and white plumage was perched high up having a good view of his stretch of river. With an abundant food supply, a pair may require less than 2 km² of water to find enough food, whereas next to a small river, they may require a stretch of 15 miles or more. Some tend to move around to avoid the wettest weather, whereas others stay where they are all year round.
It was getting late in the afternoon already and we noticed the difference in the animals behaviour already … while we cruised at the same side of the river downstream now – the northern bank – we already observed different animals hanging out now. A huge – and I say huge – Nile Crocodile was sleeping peacefully on the sandy river bank.
On average, the adult male Nile crocodile – Crocodylus Niloticus – is between 3.5 and 5 m in length and weighs 225 to 750 kg. However, specimens exceeding 6 m in length and weighing up to 1089 kg have been recorded. It is the largest freshwater predator in Africa and may be considered the second-largest extant reptile in the world – after the Saltwater Crocodile. Sexual dimorphism is prevalent and females are usually about 30% smaller than males. They have thick, scaly, heavily armoured skin.
An Egyptian Goose – Alopochen Aegyptiaca – seemed to stalk the Crocodile. Native to Africa south of the Sahara and the Nile Valley, this Goose was considered sacred by the Ancient Egyptians and appeared in much of their artwork. Because of their popularity chiefly as an ornamental bird, escapees are common and feral populations have become established in Western Europe, the United States and New Zealand. We have plenty of those in Germany – they are called Nile Goose in German – I was not too excited to spot it here as well.
For a fleeting moment we also saw a Malachite Kingfisher – Corythornis Cristatus – sitting on a branch near the water. A river Kingfisher widely distributed in sub-Saharan Africa, it was described by the German naturalist Peter Simon Pallas in 1764. This small Kingfisher has metallic blue upperparts but has black banding with pale blue or greenish-blue on its forehead. It is common to reeds and aquatic vegetation near slow-moving water or ponds. I think it was the only time we saw this particular Kingfisher on our tour …
Of course we encountered more Hippos! They were now actually much more visible … during the day, they remain cool by staying in the water or mud – reproduction and childbirth both occur in water – as the sun was moving lower, the Hippos were moving higher … Maybe they got ready to emerge from the water to go grazing as soon as dusk was coming.
I think, for the first time we saw a Hippo in all its glory completely out of the water … Hippos have barrel-shaped bodies with short legs and long muzzles. Their skeletal structures are graviportal, adapted to carrying their enormous weight and their specific gravity allows them to sink and move along the bottom of a river. Hippopotamuses have small legs – relative to other megafauna – because the water in which they live reduces the weight burden. They are incapable of jumping, but do climb up steep banks.
Most amazing was the sheer number of Nile Crocodiles we sighted! It seemed they all had come out of whatever place they had been hiding during the heat of the day and were lounging on the river bank now. There were so many … some were mouth-gaping … and none were bothered by Warthogs frequenting the same strech of beach …
They were showing off a common pose – basking in the sun with mouth agape. Do they do this to look intimidating? Are they hoping some animal will wander close enough for it to snap down and have a snack? The reason is actually a lot more practical than all this … They hang around with their mouths open as a way to avoid overheating … simple as that!
To my delight we also encountered juvenile Crocodiles. Hatchling Nile Crocodiles are 280-300 mm long at first and weigh around 70 g. The hatchlings grow approx that length each year for the first several years. Judging by that … the juveniles walking the bank here were at least 4-5 years old … maybe they could be called teenagers already … in Crocodile years … several of them swaggered around, rested and eventually disappeared in the water.
Normally crawling along on their bellies, Nile Crocodiles can also do a sort of high walk with their hulk raised above the ground. Smaller specimens can gallop and even larger individuals are capable on occasion of surprising bursts of speed, briefly reaching up to 14 km/h. We did not see them running, though … they just leisurely walked …
Nile Crocodiles usually dive for only a few minutes at a time, but can swim under water up to 30 minutes if threatened – and if they remain fully inactive, they can hold their breath for up to 2 hrs. They can swim much faster by moving their bodies and tails in a sinuous fashion and they can sustain this form of movement much longer than on land – with a maximum known swimming speed 30 to 35 km/h, more than 3x faster than any human.
Now Dr. D desperately was looking out for another colourful Grey-Headed Kingfisher – he wanted a better photo than we have been able to get earlier. We did not not find one, but I told the captain that we are searching one … and what can I tell you? … only minutes later, as the boat slid along the thicket near the cliff, he pointed out a beautifully posing specimen very close by! … Oh, that clicking of the cameras … it almost matched the sound when spotting the Lion this morning … Such a small bird … but so pretty … and so much attention …
The Grey-Headed Kingfisher – Halcyon Leucocephala – is a dry-country Kingfisher of scrub and woodland. It is solitary or in pairs often found near water, but unlike most Kingfishers it is not aquatic. It prefers perching on a branch, unmoving for long periods while watching the ground for signs of insects or small lizards. Nesting in holes in steep riverbanks it is aggressively protective of its nest by repeated dive-bombing of foraging monitor lizards for example.
At the clearing where we had observed the peeing Elephant before, several Nile Crocodiles were lounging in the afternoon sun now. The Elephant was gone, but some Waterbuck were peacfully grazing close by as well. Nile Crocodiles are relatively social crocodiles. They share basking spots and large food sources, such as schools of fish and big carcasses. Their strict hierarchy is determined by size. Large, old males are at the top of this hierarchy and have primary access to food and the best basking spots. Other Crocodiles tend to respect this order.
Nile crocodiles are opportunistic apex predators – a very aggressive species of Crocodile, they are capable of taking almost any animal within their range. They are generalists, taking a variety of prey. Their diet consists mostly of different species of fish, reptiles, birds and mammals. They are ambush predators that can wait for hours, days and even weeks for the suitable moment to attack. They are agile predators and wait for the opportunity for a prey item to come well within attack range. Like other Crocodiles, Nile Crocodiles have an extremely powerful bite that is unique among all animals, and sharp, conical teeth that sink into flesh, allowing for a grip that is almost impossible to loosen. They can apply high levels of force for extended periods of time – a great advantage for holding down large prey underwater to drown.
The flock of African Skimmer – Rynchops Flavirostris – was still there as well. The black and white tern-like bird with a graceful, elastic measured flight complemented by a long, bold red bill is often see on the sandbanks or skimming above the water in Murchison Falls National Park.
From there we relativle quickly cruised back to the ferry landing in Paraa where we reached after a wonderful 4 hrs tour! Remember … Matovu had spoken of 2 hrs, the captain said 2.5-3 hrs … we returned after 4 hrs! Fantastic! There had been so much to see and take photos of. It is truly a blessing, that all in the group are hobby photographers and nobody was complaining when it took too long to get this one special shot … Just imagine, if there was only one person not photographing and constantly complaining that it would take too long … Nightmare! … We were so lucky being all sort of at the same line when it came to take pictures … Shortly before sunset we climbed out of the boat … You think, Matovu had missed us?
A short drive back to the lodge and we were just in time for sunset! I just went quickly to powder my nose and pick up the chargers for all the batteries, then I was directly at the bar – my G & T was being prepared as I plugged in all the devices and in no time I was up on the sunset platform enjoying another fantastic sundowner. Today I lined up all the geocaching Trackables I had brought to Africa. They needed a photo proof of being here since I had not found a suitable geocache to leave them in yet …
Then it was already time for dinner – today I had Chicken and it was actually very good … absolutely not Ugandan … but good. We sat and chatted for long and then went to pay the bill. Mine was US$ 14 for all the G & Ts and Nile Specials I had.
Back in my hut it was very hot today. There was a staff party going on somewhere and it sounded like much fun. The music was good and loud. I did not mind. But maybe it scared off the Hippos I was hoping would visit my camp tonight? I sorted photos and wrote the journal … it was too hot to sleep. The party stopped at 23:30 and soon I fell asleep as well … too many awesome impressions to process today …
11.02.2021
ca. 340 km Murchison Falls River Lodge – Kibale Forest Camp
Once more I woke up early. No Hippo had come by during the night … at least I did not hear anything … I might just have slept too well and missed it … We were leaving this morning and I had to pack as well.
In the bathroom I had a visitor … a huge beetle was sitting on the floor … I am not a friend of beetles, but I tolerate them. I even went close enough to take photo … it was sitting close to the loo … so I had to get close … and I put a toilet roll next to it for size comparison … I think it was a Macrotoma Palmata – a Large Brown Longhorn Beetle – which is distributed nearly all over Africa. It feeds on wood, fruits and woodlike plants. The bathroom was open air, so it probably got lost here by mistake … I let it be …
Breakfast was set at 07:00 and on the way over I met Ms Ping who’s hut was near mine. This morning we did not get an escort because it was already light. Ms Ping excitedly told me that a Hippo had been around her tented hut last night! She had clearly heard it munch and snort. Why … I mean … her hut was only a few meters away from mine behind some bushes … why did she hear it and I did not? … I was gutted … maybe I had just slept through it all … Now, that is a good story! … A Hippo had been around my tented hut, but I had not heard it, because I slept all through it!
For breakfast I had my usual Cheese Omelet and plenty fresh juice. The others did not have any Hippo stories to tell this morning. Only Bud complained about the music … that is why I call him Bud … I slept well, but … That Hippo was cool, but … This is beautiful, but …
Then it was already time to head back to the hut and put the luggage out. We all met at the car park, were Matovu was doing his Tetris Zen again fitting all our bags in the small trunk. He always put his music on when doing it. Today the staff and Matovu were all very happy … it must have been a great party last night … anyway … when finished with packing the car, they put a little dance on for us.
Once everybody had piled in the car – I was riding in the front seat today – we were off at 08:00 sharp. Coming out of the lodge Matovu turned right – away from Murchison Falls National Park. We were headed south today and had a long way to go. The first part of the road was a narrow gravel side track. Whenever we passed small clusters of thatched huts, kids would come running out waving at us … Mzungu! Mzungu! Bye bye! …
That is a Bantu language term used in predominantly Swahili speaking nations to refer to Caucasian – white – people and was dating back to the 18th century. Literally translated Mzungu meant “someone who roams around” or “wanderer.” The term was first used in Africa to describe Arab, Indian and European traders and explorers, apparently because they moved around aimlessly. Though, the term is now used to refer to “someone with white skin” or “white skin”, but can be used to refer to all foreigners more generally. The word Mzungu in Swahili can also mean someone who speaks English. The possessive Kizungu translates as “behaving rich”. However, in some areas it does not necessarily refer to the colour of one’s skin. Traditionally, Europeans were seen to be people of means and rich and so the terminology was extended to denote affluent persons regardless of race. It would therefore not be unusual to find any employer being referred to as Mzungu. Wachizungu literally translates to “wandering people” and has come to mean people who adopt the Western culture, cuisine and lifestyle. Matovu called himself a black Mzungu …
On the way we every now and then encountered road construction crews with heavy machinery. Often an Asian – presumably Chinese – supervisor was accompanying the crews. The road construction we had noticed already on the way here, was continuing south as well. After a while we turned onto this wide, newly finish – and partly still being under construction – highway-like gravel road.
Matovu had promised we would stop in a village this morning to meet some local people. We were truly looking forward to this. Right by the road we stopped at a small settlement. It was not a real village per se … it actually was a family residence … if you want to call it that.
We had been prepared by Matovu – poverty is relative! What we might consider really poor, local people might consider wealthy. Here we were invited by this family – they showed us around there family compound. If I remember right there was the senor father who had 2 wifes, one son with 2 wifes and one son who was not married yet. Plus all their children. Considering the set up of the compound and the surounding agricultural fields – this family was indeed wealthy by local terms. This is also what amazes me every time I visit local villages when on assignment in India.
We all wore our facemask out of respect, because we were the outsiders coming in and would not want to bring whatever desease we might have picked up on the way. After all, we have learned in recent months that facemasks prevent the spread of all kinds of viruses … We also kept our distance, which was not always easy with the curious children.
The first son – who was a teacher – was proudly showing us around the compound. On one side was the father’s area with a kitchen hut for each of his wifes, storage hut and a new childrens’ hut – all mud and wattle huts – the most indeginous house for most, if not all, tribes in the country. Even though modernity dictates that the hut be phased out, it is still built especially in the rural areas. Vernacular architecture is one that is synonymous with the African society. One characteristic that is common to the architecture is the shape and that all the materials are locally sourced in every region. Generally, the huts would be small and simple in nature because they would be occupied by a single person or utmost 2 or utilised as kitchen or storage. They also had a modern brick building here, where the father with his wifes had their living quarters.
Both wifes seemed to be getting along fine. Each had her own kitchen and they were taking turns in cooking for the family. The legal status of polygamy varies widely around the world. Polygyny – the most common and accepted form of polygamy, entailing the marriage of a man with several women – is legal in 58 out of 195 sovereign states, the vast majority of them being Muslim-majority countries in Africa and Asia.
Polygyny is more widespread in Africa than in any other continent. Some scholars see the slave trade’s impact on the male-to-female ratio as a key factor in the emergence and fortification of polygynous practices. Generally in rural areas with growing populations, the higher the incidence of polygyny, the greater is the delay of first marriage for young men. The higher the average polygyny rate, the greater the element of gerontocracy – a form of oligarchical rule in which an entity is ruled by leaders who are significantly older than most of the adult population – and social stratification. Throughout the African polygyny belt stretching from Senegal in the west to Tanzania in the east, as many as a third to a half of married women are in polygynous unions.
We were allowed to have a look into the very dark kitchen hut of the first wife of the father. It did not have much inside other than the stove and some storage baskets full of dried Cassava – Manihot Esculenta – commonly called Cassava, Manioc or Yuca. Cassava, Yams and Sweet Potatoes are important sources of food in the tropics. The Cassava plant gives the third-highest yield of carbohydrates per cultivated area among crop plants – after sugarcane and sugar beets. Cassava plays a particularly important role in agriculture in developing countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, because it does well on poor soils with low rainfall. Because it is a perennial, it can be harvested as required. Its wide harvesting window allows it to act as a famine reserve. It offers flexibility to resource-poor farmers because it serves as either a subsistence or a cash crop. Worldwide approx 800 mio people depend on Cassava as their primary food staple. Through dehydration, local farmers can preserve the Cassava roots and at the same time detoxify them – bitter Cassava contains cyanogenic compounds – and improve their otherwise bitter taste. Dried Cassava roots can be kept for several years.
The other wife prefered to cook outside the hut in the open. Both used the traditional 3-stone stoves. Worldwide, millions of people cook on these 3-stone fires or open fires as this is the simplest and cheapest stove to create. Only 3 suitable stones of the same height are needed to balance a pot over a fire. However, the daily use of these fires has disadvantages – high fuel consumption, only a small proportion of the heat is actually directed to the pot and actually transferred into the food, very slow cooking, smoke and health risks due to burns. Advantages however are that open fires burn slow and do not require frequent attention. This is convenient if other household chores have to be done at the same time. Smoke can chase away mosquitoes, which is especially beneficial in malaria-infested areas, smoke can be used to preserve food and open flames emit light and heat …
Walking around we also found the shower – a simple bucket set up. We had not seen a pump of any kind in the compound, so I assume they had to get the water from a well somewhere around.
As we came around to the other side of the compound we also spotted the toilette hut a little off in the field. I did not dare to go and have closer look, but when I mentioned it to Bud, he immediately was up to come with me to check it out. It was a simple mud hut with a hole in the ground … I had seen worse latrines during my travels … I have often been thinking, I should have started taking photos of bathrooms when I started travelling decades ago … I could write a book about toilets now …
We for sure were making especially the childrens’ morning … Since apparently the married son had only 4 children, I assumed the news of arrival of the foreigners had travelled fast through the vicinity and all children from the extended neighbourhood came running to have look.
There were so many of them now … of all ages … boys and girls … some of them carrying their siblings as well … some more shy than others … all barefoot …
And more and more seemed to show up. First they were shy and kept their distance … still curiously eyeing the visitors. But soon they inched closer and posed for photos. When we showed them their pictures on the camera display, they lost most of their shyness and excitedly pointed to see more. Ree was all amazed – They do know already how to scroll on the touch screen display!
If you think, at least some of them were of school-age and should be at school this time of the morning – you would be right. But in the new normality schools are still closed in Uganda as well … probably all over Africa. Which is a disaster concerning education efforts on the continent. There is no home schooling or digital learning here …
The son’s area in the compound was on the other side from the father’s. One of his wifes was busy with meal preparations as well. We did not meet the second wife, though. The son was building a brick house as his family’s living quarters, too. It actually looked almost finished …
Before we left the family, Matovu presented the children with a donated soccer ball. On his last visit here … I think it had been in December … his tourists had noticed the children playing football with an empty plastic bottle. So one of them had later donated a soccer ball and Matovu had brought it with him from Kampala. It was presented with much fanfare and in no time the boys were engaged in a heated game under the 2 huge 40 years old Mango Trees that shaded the courtyard of the compound.
It was time to say thank you for the friendly and interesting visit – we waved the children good bye and got back in our car. We had still a long distance to cover today …
Having travelled to some African countries, I find myself, like so many visitors to Africa before me,
intoxicated with the continent.
And I am not referring to the animals, as much as I have been enthralled by them during safaris ...
Rather I am referring to the African people.
Dennis Prager
