09.02.2021
Murchison Falls River Lodge
Watching the sunset was awesome here overlooking the Victoria Nile. I did not spot any Hippos in the river, but the G & T tasted great after the long day.
I tried to sort some photos, but could not post any … there was absolutely no mobile reception here … the WIFI of the lodge was not working either … oh well … digital detox it is then …
At 19:00 we had dinner in the thatched restaurant. It was a set dinner, but we could choose veg or non-veg options. I took the Fish Curry with rice and Chapati. It was … so so … but the Nile Special was cold! After dinner we sat and chatted for a long while.
Around 21:00 I went to my hut. Even though we had a torch and the path was somewhat lit, we got escorted to our accommodation. Apparently Hippos came frequently wandering ashore after dusk to feed … no worries, they are vegetarian … and other animals were also roaming. My hut was #15 and was fairly well inland from the river.
10.02.2021
Murchison Falls National Park
I had a good and undisturbed sleep. The sounds of the savanna did not bother me. I woke up very early, though. Just when the alarm from the neighbour tent was going off at 05:15. I did not even see another tent yesterday. They were all well hidden behind bushes which gave a feeling of being all alone in the vastness of Africa … unless you hear the neighbour snor or their alarm going off … Mind you, that snoring could have been anything … I did not go to check if it was a human in the next tent … maybe Hippos snor as well?
At 05:45 somebody knocked on my door – yes, the tent actually has a proper wodden door! – Are you ready? – NO! … We were going to meet at 06:00 for a quick continental breakfast in the restaurant. And since it was still dark, we were not supposed to walk alone. It was maybe a good thing … When I locked my door a few minutes later, my escort was waiting just up the path.
I had some juice and some pastry pieces for breakfast. It was too early. But especially Ree had much to tell about last night! The tale of Hippos roaming the grounds was not a mare … Her hut was closer to the river banks and in the wee hours of the morning a Hippo was moving around the hut – she could hear it munch on the grass and puff around. It must have been exciting! Ree sure did not dare to open the door to check it out … which was probably for the better.
We departed for our morning game drive at Murchison Falls National Park at 06:45 – it was still dark, but getting lighter by the minute. It was only a 15 min drive to Paara which flanks the river approx 16 km downstream from Murchison Falls. Since we were on the South bank of the Victoria Nile, we had to cross by boat to the other side.
Built in the early 1950s, Paraa – meaning the Place of Hippos in Luo language – is one of the main attractions of the park. Winston Churchill walked the 86 km from Masindi to see Paraa in 1907. Paraa Safari Lodge was established in 1954 and hosted the Queen Mother in the 1950s. Other famous visitors to the park were Theodore Roosevelt and the American novelist Ernest Hemingway, whose plane dipped to catch sight of the Murchison Falls, went too low, caught a telephone wire and crashed in 1954. He and his wife survived the crash.
The river was very high at the moment and much of the ferry landing there was flooded. Makeshift piers were fashioned out of picnic tables and such things … There was supposed to be a car ferry, too, but it was docked and out of service … due to the water levels being so high.
At the old ferry landing, things were changing, though. The new bridge across the Victoria Nile seemed to be nearly finished. It was rather controversial due to the inevitable environmental effects that will result. We had seen the new road being built yesterday already – what was mooted to be one of the major new oil roads. Despite the global plunge in oil prices, a major pipeline that would carry oil 1500 km across East Africa is indeed moving ahead. International experts warn that the project will displace thousands of small farmers and put key wildlife habitat and coastal waters at risk.
In Uganda, Chimpanzee, Hippos and Crocodile populations will be at risk around Lake Albert, where the oil fields are. The 2 oil fields discovered on the shores of Lake Albert – which straddles the border between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo – are currently among the biggest and cheapest new reserves available. French giant Total plans to sink 32 wells into the Tilenga oil field from within the Murchison Falls National Park on the northeastern shore of the lake. The East African Crude Oil Pipeline would be passing through critical Elephant, Lion and Chimpanzee habitats and 12 forest reserves, skirting Africa’s largest lake and crossing more than 200 rivers and thousands of farms before reaching the Indian Ocean in Tanzania.
Construction work has begun at the oil fields, where the China National Offshore Oil Corporation and Total intend to tap numerous wells. They have already spent billions on infrastructure – we saw the road constructions going on – the new road being pushed, thrust and flattened through the forest and beyond – with the bridge over the Victoria Nile being an integral part of it. The new Paraa Bridge measures 525 m and will, however, provide a convenient and permanent river crossing.
It was not finished yet – so we got a small boat to cross and with the sky slowly turning purple with sunrise it was a beautiful 5 min on the Victoria Nile. The water was really calm. The opposite river bank was of course as flooded as the other one.
To my delight there was a geocache at the northern bank in Paraa … it should be easy to find since it was hidden by a globe … When I asked Matovu earlier, if we would come to this spot, he mentioned the globe might be underwater … and it was … I could see it from afar … That cache was gone … nevermind … I photologged!
A so-called Liver-Sausage-Tree – Kigelia Africana – was prominently sitting in the middle of what was usual the ferry landing square. Kigelia occur throughout tropical Africa. The tree owns is name to the fact that it grows a fruit that is up to 60 cm long, weighs about 7 kg and resembles a sausage in a casing.
Marabou Storks – Leptoptilos Crumenifer – large wading birds breeding in Africa south of the Sahara, in both wet and arid habitats, often near human habitation, especially landfill sites – were comfortably sitting on the top of the tree. They are sometimes called the Undertaker Bird due to its shape from behind – cloak-like wings and back, skinny white legs and sometimes a large white mass of hair. We could not see it too well from below, but we shall encounter more of them during our tour.
Once we had all balanced along a narrow rocky dam through the flooded area, we climbed onto an open and very high safari jeep for our first game drive through Murchison Falls National Park. We had a woman named Sharon as driver/guide and our very own Matovu rode shotgun – 4 eyes spot more than 2! We had not driven 50 m yet and we already spotted the first Antilope – a Waterbuck – Kobus Ellipsiprymnus. This large Antelope is found widely in sub-Saharan Africa. It was first described by Irish naturalist William Ogilby in 1833.
The sun had still not risen – it was still dawn – almost too dark to take photos with the long lens yet. Spotting a troop of Baboons at the river bank, we only stopped for a moment and decided they were too far away. We had seen them closer yesterday already.
After a few minutes we reached the northern end of the new bridge and the start of the new road. It was nowhere close to be finished, though. But for a bit we followed the new track and I could imagine what it will mean to the National Park when this road project will be continued …
Below the raised road dam of the bridge access we excitedly spotted our first Elephant – the 1st of our Big 5 sightings! It was a solitary male. The African Bush Elephant – Loxodonta Africana – is a social herbivore with grey skin which has been listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 2004 and is threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation. Poaching for the illegal ivory trade is a threat in several range countries as well. The bulls were believed to be solitary animals, becoming independent once reaching maturity. New research suggests, however, that bulls maintain ecological knowledge for the herd, facilitating survival when searching for food and water, which also benefits the young bulls who associate with them. Bulls only return to the herd to breed or to socialize, they do not provide prenatal care to their offspring but rather play a fatherly role to younger bulls to show dominance.
Now the sun was rising in the east and dipped the savanna into a beautiful orange light. The African savanna ecosystem is characterized by tropical grassland with small or dispersed trees that do not form a closed canopy, warm temperatures year-round and highest seasonal rainfall in the summer. Murchison Falls National Park is with approx 3893 km² Uganda’s largest National Park and managed by the Ugandan Wildlife Authority. It is inland from the shores of Lake Albert, around the Victoria Nile, up to Karuma Falls. Together with the adjacent 748 km² Bugungu Wildlife Reserve and the 720 km² Karuma Wildlife Reserve, the park forms the Murchison Falls Conservation Area.
This early in the morning it is generally the best time to spot wildlife – the temperature was still cool – I put my jumper on – and the animals were still relatively active. Soon we spotted a small herd of Waterbuck – actually the East African Defassa Waterbuck – Kobus Ellipsiprymnus Harnieri Ugandae – widespread in northeastern Congo, Sudan, western Ethiopia, Uganda, western Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi and northwestern Tanzania. A gregarious animal, the Waterbuck may form herds consisting of 6 to 30 individuals – nursery herds, bachelor herds and territorial males.
An African Buffalo or Cape Buffalo – Syncerus Caffer Caffer – the largest and most formidable of Africa’s sub-Saharan bovine – stood calmly in the high savanna grass munching away. The adult African Buffalo’s horns are its characteristic feature – they have fused bases, forming a continuous bone shield across the top of the head referred to as a boss. It is widely regarded as one of the most dangerous animals on the African continent and according to some estimates it gores, tramples and kills over 200 people every year. This one was just eyeing us suspiciously, then turned around and walked off. With this we checked the 2nd of our Big 5 sightings!
Early morning is also when preditors were returning from a night of hunting. While we saw a herd of Antilopes and waited to drive closer, we also noticed a single Spotted Hyena – Crocuta Crocuta – also known as the Laughing Hyena – native to sub-Saharan Africa. It crossed the road far ahead of us and then it plodded along the burnt savanna. Totally excited I followed it with my long camera lens – it was very far away, but it was definitely a Hyena.
We had seen wide areas of the park burnt. In the park the grasslands are seasonally set on management fire to control the growth of the bush. African grasslands are meant to burn. Periodic wildfires maintain open savanna ecosystems. In some regions where these natural processes have been lost, rotational burning may be used to reinstate and maintain more open habitat conditions amenable. Fires are usually lit by park rangers to stimulate new growth of nutritious grass to keep the wild animals inside the park and not having them roam into bordering farmlands. National Parks do not have fences … Without fires, many savannas – and the animals they support – would not exist and lighting them is a key management activity in many of the iconic protected areas of Africa.
The Spotted Hyena is distinguished from other species by its vaguely bear-like build, rounded ears, a less prominent mane and a spotted pelt. It is the most social of the Carnivora in that it has the largest group sizes and most complex social behaviours. However, the social system is openly competitive rather than cooperative. Females provide only for their own cubs rather than assist each other and males display no paternal care. Spotted Hyena society is matriarchal – females are larger than males and dominate them. It is a highly successful animal, being the most common large carnivore in Africa. Its success is due in part to its adaptability and opportunism – it is primarily a hunter but may also scavenge, with the capacity to eat and digest skin, bone and other animal waste. In functional terms, the Spotted Hyena makes the most efficient use of animal matter of all African carnivores. It hunts alone, in small parties of 2–5 individuals or in large groups.
In the meantime we caught sight of our first Jackson’s Hartebeest – Alcelaphus Buselaphus Jacksoni – an Antelope native to Uganda, Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan and Tanzania. The Hartebeest is a large Antelope that stands just over 1 m at the shoulder and has a typical head-and-body length of 200 to 250 cm. It has a particularly elongated forehead and oddly shaped horns, short neck and pointed ears. Apart from its long face, the large chest and the sharply sloping back differentiate the Hartebeest from other Antelopes.
A little further on a Cape Buffalo herd of substancial size stood grazing close to the road eyeing us curiously. The herd size is highly variable. The core of the herds 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.
The Cape Buffalo is not very tall – it stands at only 130-150 cm height and has relatively short legs – but it is massive, weighing 425-870 kg. Bulls are about 100 kg heavier than cows and their horns are thicker and usually wider, up to 100 cm across, with a broad shield covering the forehead. The coat is thin and black, except in young calves, whose coats may be either black or a lighter brown.
Close by we then saw our first Warthog. At this point we were still most excited about spotting any animal … What was so special about spotting the Warthogs here was, that they had babies! It was very hard to spot the tiny piglets, though! The Central African Warthog – Phacochoerus Africanus Massaicus – is found in open and semi-open habitats, in grassland, savanna and woodland in sub-Saharan Africa. They are not territorial, but instead occupy a home range and live in groups called sounders. Females live in sounders with their young and with other females and tend to stay in their natal groups, while males leave, but stay within the home range. Warthogs are seasonal breeders. Rutting begins in the late rainy or early dry season and birthing begins near the start of the following rainy season. The typical gestation period is 5-6 months.
Then we turned off the main road deeper into the park towards Pakuba Airtrip. The savanna was teeming with animals now. Yesterday we had encountered an Oribi – Ourebia Ourebi – already running across the road. Today there were many around. Oribi occur in a variety of habitats – from savannas, floodplains and tropical grasslands with tall grasses to montane grasslands at low altitudes up to 2000 m above sea level. Recently burnt areas often attract groups of Oribi. Their choice of habitat depends on the availability of cover needed to escape the eyes of predators. Population densities typically vary between 2 and 10 individuals per km². The Oribi’s range overlaps with those of larger grazers such as the African Buffalo and Hartebeest. These separate species often occur in close proximity to each other, increasing predator vigilance.
The African savanna ecosystem is a tropical grassland with warm temperatures year-round and with its highest seasonal rainfall in the summer. The savanna is characterized by grasses and small or dispersed trees that do not form a closed canopy, allowing sunlight to reach the ground. Savannas are generally found between the desert biome and the rainforest biome and mostly located near the equator. Nearly half of the continent of Africa is covered with savanna grassland. Different grasses growing here include Lemongrass, Rhodes Grass, Star Grass and Bermuda Grass. The trees are mostly Acacia or Jackelberry Trees. We also noticed several Borassus – Almyra Palm. The game track we were following was a well trodden dirt road.
More of the interesting looking Jackson’s Hartebeest were around. They were very alert and non-aggressive. They are primarily grazers, with their diets consisting mainly of grasses. Inhabiting dry savannas and wooded grasslands, Hartebeest often move to more arid places after rainfall. They have been reported from altitudes on Mount Kenya up to 4000 m. The Hartebeest was formerly widespread in Africa, but populations have undergone drastic decline due to habitat destruction, hunting, human settlement and competition with livestock for food.
There were Warthogs again … this time they were closer to the track and we could clearly see the little piglets. They were so cute. Well camouflaged, though. A litter can be 2-8 piglets – with 2-4 being typical. Piglets begin grazing at about 2-3 weeks and are weaned by 6 months. They quickly attain mobility and stay close to their mothers for defense. I could spot 3 piglets with this sow.
And then … Giraffes! A whole family of them. Very far in the distance, but we had found Giraffes! We were so over the moon! Rothschild’s Giraffe – Giraffa Camelopardalis Rothschildi – is one of the most endangered distinct populations of Giraffe. It was named after the Tring Museum’s founder Walter Rothschild and is also known as the Baringo Giraffe – after the Lake Baringo area of Kenya – or as the Ugandan Giraffe. All of those less than 2000 living in the wild are in protected areas in Kenya and Uganda in savannas, grasslands and open woodlands.
Rothschild’s Giraffes live in small herds, with males and females with their calves living separately, only mixing for mating. They are tolerant of other animals around them as long as they do not feel threatened. They just sauntered through the savanna this morning … it was so cool! We could hardly tear away from the view to keep moving …
Maybe we would find more Giraffes for a better look later. For now we rocked over the uneven road and Matovu was constantly scanning the savanna and the trees for predators … he kept saying Leopards and Lions like to sit in those trees …
For now we did not find any of those, but … Oi oi oi … what was that? … a bird? … can we go back a few meters? … yes yes … a bird on the left … and a bird on the right … Sshhhh … hopefully it will not fly away … But Matovu said … no, it will not, it is too lazy to fly!
They were Abyssinian Ground Hornbill – Bucorvus Abyssinicus – which are found in sub-Saharan Africa north of the equator in open habitats such as savanna, sub-desert scrub and rocky areas, preferring short vegetation which enables its visual foraging technique. It is the 2nd largest species of African Hornbill, only surpassed by the slightly larger Southern Ground Hornbill.
The Abyssinian Ground Hornbill was described by the French polymath Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon, in 1780 in his Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux. The generic name is derived from the name of the genus Buceros introduced by Carl Linnaeus in 1758 for the Asian Hornbills where corvus is the Latin word for a Raven.
It is a large, terrestrial Hornbill with black body feathers and white primary feathers which are visible in flight only. The adult male has a patch of bare blue skin around the eye and an inflatable patch of bare skin on the neck and throat which is red, apart from the upper throat which is blue. The bill is long and black except for a reddish patch at the base of the mandible. On top of the bill there is a short open-ended black casque. The female is similar but smaller with any bare skin being wholly dark blue. The Abyssinian Ground Hornbill live in pairs and patrol their territory by walking – being very reluctant fliers, they usually only take to the air when alarmed … they did not seem alarmed at the moment …
A little further on there was a gathering of Abdim’s Storks – Ciconia Abdimii – also known as White-Bellied Stork. The common name commemorates the Turkish Governor of Wadi Halfa in Sudan, Bey El-Arnaut Abdim (1780–1827). The Abdim’s Stork is found in open habitats throughout East Africa. It is a black Stork with grey legs, red knees and feet, grey bill and white underparts. It has red facial skin in front of the eye and blue skin near the bill in breeding season. It is the smallest species of Stork.
They were close to a herd of Ugandan Kob – Kobus Kob Thomasi – a type of Antelope. Apparently the area we passed at this moment was considered a Kob mating ground. The Uganda Kob is found in sub-Saharan Africa in South Sudan, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is normally reddish-brown, similar in appearance to the Impala but it is more sturdily built.
A Ugandan Kob appears on the coat of arms of Uganda – along with a Grey Crowned Crane – representing the abundant wildlife present in the country. And it is also depicted on the new UGX 1000 shilling note that is in circulation since 2010.
Only the males have horns, which are lyre-shaped, strongly ridged and divergent. Males are slightly larger than females. Apart from the throat patch, muzzle, eye ring and inner ear, which are white, the coat is golden to reddish-brown. The belly and inside of the legs are white and the front of the forelegs are black.
The Uganda Kob is typically found in open or wooded savanna, within a reasonable distance of water and it also occurs in grasslands near rivers and lakes. Its habit of lying out in open grassland make it an accessible target for poachers. 98% of the present population are therefore found in national parks and other protected areas.
Passing Pakuba Airstrip we turned onto Victoria Nile Game Track towards the west. The Paraa and Nile Delta Area of Murchison Falls National Park was located near the confluence of the Victoria Nile and the Albert Nile. The White Nile is one of the 2 main tributaries of the Nile – the other being the Blue Nile – which in Uganda goes under the name of Victoria Nile from Lake Victoria via Lake Kyoga to Lake Albert and then as the Albert Nile from there to the border with South Sudan. On this game drive we did not come anywhere near the river, though, we stayed in the savanna always on the lookout for whatever animal might make an appearance … Oribis were plenty around as well as Uganda Kob and Jackson’s Hartebeest.
And all of a sudden a single Rothschild’s Giraffe was standing next to a bush close to the track posing for us in the morning sun. The Giraffe is the tallest living terrestrial animal and the largest ruminant. The name Giraffe has its earliest known origins in the Arabic word zarāfah, perhaps borrowed from the animal’s Somali name Geri. The Arab name is translated as fast-walker. The Italian form Giraffa arose in the 1590s. The modern English form developed around 1600.
Matovu kept scanning the trees as we progressed through the savanna. All of a sudden he and our driver got somewhat excited and we turned onto a side track. The car slowed only a hundred meters or so from the turn off and Matovu said – Be quiet! Look all to the right in the tree! – What? There is just savanna on the right … Do you mean the other right? – Ah yes! Look in the tree! …
Ooohhhh … look look! … first we could only make out a wide bum and a long tail with a black tuft … there were big paws as well … Could it possibly be … ? … a Lion? … in the tree? … Oi oi oi … a Lion! Check #3 of the Big 5!
Our expert driver Sharon circled around the tree and positioned the vehicle in a perfect spot for us to observe what turned out to be a Lioness resting high up in the tree. African Lions – Panthera Leo – are the largest and most imposing carnivore in Africa. They are the only true social cats forming groups called prides and have special cultural significance in most countries on the continent. In Uganda, Lions enjoy a reputation as King of the Beasts and are popular symbols of royalty, strength and bravery. This Lioness here lounging in the tree seemed to be all alone … mind you … there were more trees and bushes in the vicinity … the rest of the pride might have been hiding out and watching us intruders from a safe distance.
In Uganda Lions are mainly found in the 3 largest savanna parks – Murchison Falls National Park, Kidepo Valley National Park and Queen Elizabeth National Park. It is somewhat uncommon for Lions to actually climb trees. There are no more than 2 populations in the whole world of such Lions that do actually climb trees as their day to day behavior. One of these populations is found within the Ishasha sector of the well known Queen Elizabeth National Park – we would be visiting there in a few days. We were lucky to find a tree-climbing Lioness here.
Supposedly those Lions climb trees as a way of protecting themselves against the numerous biting Tse Tse flies on the ground level, whereas other people claim that they actually climb into the branches to escape from the heat on the ground and enjoy the cool breeze – nonetheless the reason why they climb up into the tree branches remains still unknown … This Lioness seemed rather relaxed … Wait! … Did she wink at me?
The Lion is a muscular, deep-chested cat with a short, rounded head, a reduced neck and round ears. Its fur varies in colour from light buff to silvery grey, yellowish red and dark brown. The tail of all Lions ends in a dark, hairy tuft. Of the living felid species, the Lion is rivaled only by the Tiger in length, weight and height at the shoulder. The size and weight of adult Lions varies across global range and habitats.
When the Lioness had enough of the stupid aliens staring at her through clicking apparatus, she turned away. Sharon then moved the car around the tree so we could have a different angle look at her through the leafy branches of the tree before we had to keep moving …
After this phenomenal and rather unexpected sighting The Gang was totally excited! What a fantastic game drive so far! Sensational!
Nevertheless – we did not pack up and leave … we kept on looking out for animals … We were long from having spotted enough! Soon we came across a huge – and I mean huge – herd of Cape Buffalo.
One of the most successful of Africa’s wild ruminants, the Cape Buffalo thrives in virtually all types of grassland habitat in sub-Saharan Africa, from dry savanna to swamp and from lowland floodplains to montane mixed forest and glades – as long as it is within commuting distance of up to 20 km of water. The herd size is highly variable. The largest populations occur in well-watered savannas, notably on floodplains bordering major rivers and lakes, where herds of over 1000 are not uncommon – safety in numbers.
Moving along the Albert Nile Track now, we got absolutely lucky once more – a herd of Rothschild’s Giraffe was hanging out and munching away right next to the track! So close! It was awesome! I could not believe our luck today! And they did not give us a second glance … At some point I counted 10 individuals roam close by.
Rothschild’s Giraffe have large dark patches that usually have complete margins, but may also have sharp edges. The dark spots may also have paler radiating lines or streaks within them. Spotting does not often reach below the hocks and almost never to the hooves.
The Giraffe’s chief distinguishing characteristics are its extremely long neck and legs, its horn-like ossicones and its distinctive coat patterns. Its scattered range extends from Chad in the north to South Africa in the south, from Niger in the west to Somalia in the east. Giraffes usually inhabit savannas and woodlands. Their food source is leaves, fruits and flowers of woody plants, primarily Acacia species, which they browse at heights most other herbivores cannot reach.
A giraffe is so much a lady that one refrains from thinking of her legs,
but remembers her as floating over the plains in long garb, draperies of morning mist her mirage.
Karen Blixen
Giraffes live in herds of related females and their offspring – or bachelor herds of unrelated adult males – but are gregarious and may gather in large aggregations – safety in numbers here as well … Giraffes may be preyed on by Lions, Leopards, Spotted Hyenas and African Wild Dogs … Males establish social hierarchies through necking, which are combat bouts where the neck is used as a weapon. Dominant males gain mating access to females, which bear the sole responsibility for raising the young. And NO! … The next photo does not show one Giraffa sticking its head up another Giraffes bum …
Confusing to early explorers – who described the animal as a cross between a Camel and a Leopard – the Giraffe is certainly an awkward-looking creature. Its swaying gait comes as a result of it moving both right legs simultaneously, followed by both left legs – and its favourite food is the hideously spiky Acacia, which it strips of leaves using its long, dark purple tongue. Surprisingly – a Giraffe’s neck contains just 7 vertebrae – exactly the same as a human! Did you know that?
The Giraffe has intrigued various cultures – both ancient and modern – for its peculiar appearance and has often been featured in paintings, books and cartoons. It is classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as vulnerable to extinction and has been extirpated from many parts of its former range. Giraffes are still found in numerous national parks and game reserves but estimates indicate that there are only approx 97500 members of Giraffa in the wild.
After that magnificent sighting, Matovu decided it was time for a break to use the facilities … not that I needed to go … but some of the others were looking forward to the opportunity … The thing was … we had been driving through open savanna for hours … wide open spaces with few bushes and scattered Umbrella Thorn Acacia everybody automatically associates with Africa … at least I do … Anyway, not only Bud was somewhat shocked when Sharon stopped in the middle of the track and Matovu announced that this was our picnic stop and the bush toilette was on the opposite side of the car … I did not need to go …
Well, we then all agreed this was only the bush toilette stop and we would move on for a bit for the picnic … We stopped on elevated ground overlooking the savanna for the picnic which consisted of fresh pineapple. We could get out of the car and have a walk around surrounded by wild animals … an exciting thought …
Under a tree close by a Giraffe with a juvenile had been hanging out, but when we stopped there they lumbered slowly away.
It turned out there was another juvenile close by … could it have been twins? … Twin births are rare for Giraffes. Out of 8600 normal births worldwide, there are only 32 twin births – statistically. After pregnancies of about 15 months, Giraffes are born by dropping approx 2 m out of the womb with the mother standing up. They are 2 m tall already at birth and usually are able to stand up immediately – they nurse within 30 min later. Those juveniles here seemed to be already somewhat older and might be not twins but just siblings … or maybe not … they did look like twins, though … there were no other Giraffes around that we could see …
It was only a short stop – we had to head back to the river crossing … While we drove a bit faster on the return trip, be still had our eyes peeled for animals. And we spotted many. I mean … the savanna was animal soup … if you get my drift … animals were everywhere and they were not shy … as if they knew they are save to roam in the national park. Uganda Kob were everywhere … literally …
We spotted a Patas Monkey – Erythrocebus Patas – also known as the Wadi Monkey or Hussar Monkey – in a lone tree. Actually this monkey is a ground-dwelling monkey distributed over semi-arid areas of West Africa and into East Africa. The species avoids dense woodlands and lives in more open tropical savanna in multi-female groups of up to 60 individuals – this one seemed to be all alone … probably the troupe was hiding out in the grassland …
For a split second we also met a Cape Bushbuck – Tragelaphus Sylvaticus – a widespread species of Antilope in Sub-Saharan Africa. Bushbuck are found in rain forests, montane forests, forest-savanna mosaic, savanna bush and woodland. It was so shy … it was off into the bushes before we could have a closer look … it was the only sighting of a Bushbuck during our tour …
Totally unexpected a male Waterbuck stood in the middle of the track a bit further on. We only had spotted female Waterbucks so far. Found only on males, the long, spiral horns curve backward, then forward. They range from 55 to 99 cm in length. To some extent, the length of the horns is related to the bull’s age. 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.
Quickly the animal ran off … but it stood not far from the track observing the aliens … Waterbuck inhabit scrub and savanna areas along rivers, lakes and valleys. Due to their requirement for grasslands as well as water, the Waterbuck have a sparse ecotone distribution. The population trend is downwards, with large numbers being eliminated from certain habitats because of poaching and human disturbance.
Too soon we reached the river bank and ferry landing again … and a hundred meters before the parking lot the car broke down … already a bit before that Sharon had stopped the car and checked the front left wheel. She said it was blocking. But Matovu checked it … visually … while Sharon drove on … and it seemed to work … she said as well … It did sound funny, though … Maybe some gravel had gotten stuck between the brake discs … I remember the sound from when we were on our road trip in Iceland. Then it stopped after a few minutes when apparently the gravel popped out. But today it did not work like this … the wheel obviously completely blocked … We decided to get off and walk the last hundred meters so Sharon could have the car fixed. There was no point in making it worth by pushing on.
That gave us the opportunity to observe the Marabou now standing in the shallow flood waters. The Marabou Stork is actually a massive bird – large specimens are thought to reach a height of up to 152 cm and a weight up to 9 kg. Their wingspan of up to 4 m make it the species with the largest wing-spread of any living bird. The Marabou is unmistakable due to its size, bare head and neck, black back and white underparts. This huge, macabre-looking Stork has a massive dagger-like bill and naked pink head and neck that appear severely sunburned. A pink gular sac at its throat, a neck ruff and black legs and wings complete the weird look.
A solitary Elephant was happily bathing and spraying himself with river mud in the flooded area as well. Elephants continue to roam across much of Africa, but these magnificent animals remain under severe threat from poaching, habitat loss and human-wildlife conflict. The IUCN estimates the total population of African Elephants in the wild is 400000 to 600000 only. The large Savanna Elephant – Loxodonta Africana Africana – roams grassy plains and woodlands. Tusks, which are large modified incisors that grow throughout an Elephant’s lifetime, occur in both males and females and are used in fights and for marking, feeding and digging. The other notable feature of African Elephants is their very large ears, which allow them to radiate excess heat.
We had to balance over the narrow rocky dam through the flooded river bank again to reach the docking spot of the boat that would take us back to the South bank. The crossing only took a few minutes and then it was a quick drive back to Murchison River Lodge.
Arriving at the lodge at 12:30 it was just time for a quick lunch, because at 13:30 we would already depart for our afternoon adventure again. First we of course had the discussion on when to have lunch … I mean … Go to powder your nose and then straight to lunch! – But I have to take a shower first. – What? We are going on safari again in the afternoon, what you need a shower for? Save water! You are in Africa! Powder your nose, wash your hands and then … food!
Fast enough we were all at the restaurant and had ordered lunch. While waiting I quickly went to the sunset point – No, it was not sunset yet, I know! – but this morning I had noticed there was actually a geocache hidden there. I wanted to find it. Unfortunately … I did not find it … I looked everywhere … It was supposed to be behind a tree behind the bench … but there was nothing anywhere remotely reassembling a secret box … What is it with the geocaches in Uganda? … 4 secret boxes I looked for and none was there … all disappeared … another photolog was in order … yesterday’s sunset shot would do just fine for that …
Lunch was OK. It was Beef Lasagne today. The cold Nile Special sizzled down my throat as well. Then we even had time for a short break before our next adventure. I walked around the premises a bit. They had really great chillax corners here and absolutely cool Hippo statues everywhere. From afar they could be mistaken for real Hippos!
The Hippo heads sticking out of the lawn like the real ones looked out from the water were absolutely intriguing. I wished the souvenir sellers would sell something like that! I would buy it without a blink.
I absolutely loved the social distancing signs around the Lodge. Mind you, the staff all wore facemasks and we were supposed to as well … but everything was open air and very few guests were here. Last night we had met 5 other tourists … in a distance … today they had left. For lunch we were the only guests around. But the social distancing signs … they were spectacular … I hate those dry signs telling us everywhere to stay 1.5 m appart … But here you just have to keep a Lion’s lenght between you and other people … but do not use an actual Lion! … and do not forget to keep 4 Elephant lenght between you and an actal Lion whilst you are at it … if you cannot count to 4 … just use the Giraffas neck to meassure the distance …
Another African Rainbow Lizard – Agama Agama Africana – was sitting at the armrest of one of the chillax sofas eyeing us suspiciously … or maybe it was just sunbathing … We could not watch too long, though. It was time to walk back to the parking. We were off to a boat tour on the Victoria Nile this afternoon.
It was a short drive back to the ferry landing. For 14:00 Matovu had ordered a boat to take us on a cruise up the Victoria Nile to the Murchison Falls. The Nile is the major north-flowing river in northeastern Africa. The longest river in Africa, it has historically been considered the longest river in the world, though this has been contested by research suggesting that the Amazon River is slightly longer … The Nile is about 6650 km long and has 2 major tributaries – the White Nile and the Blue Nile. The White Nile is considered to be the headwaters and primary stream of the Nile itself. The Blue Nile, however, is the source of most of the water, containing 80% of the water and silt.
The White Nile is longer and rises in the Great Lakes region of central Africa, with the most distant source still undetermined but located in either Rwanda or Burundi. It flows north through Tanzania, Lake Victoria, Uganda and South Sudan. Here in Uganda the White Nile goes under the name of Victoria Nile from Lake Victoria via Lake Kyoga to Lake Albert and then as the Albert Nile from there to the border with South Sudan.
By the way … the Source of the Victoria Nile and the John Hanning Speke Monument are also depicted on the new UGX 2000 shilling note issued since 2010. Discovering the Source of the Nile proved to be a most tantalizing prospect for many Adventurers during the Victorian Age. Whoever would lay hold of this – the Holy Grail of British Exploratory zeal – was sure to win for himself fame, wealth and nobility. In 1856 James Burton and John Hanning Speke set off for a joint expedition which from its onset was fraught with mishaps and calamities and culminated in a bed-ridden Burton being left behind while a virtually blind John Hanning Speke proceeded to the southern shores of Lake Victoria. The locals told of a vast river at the northern tip of the Lake Nalubaale, which Speke renamed Lake Victoria as a tribute to his financial benefactors, the British Royal Family. Speke concluded that this must therefore be the Source of the Nile and returned to proclaim his discovery. Burton however contended that Speke never actually saw the Nile and suggested instead that Lake Tanganyika was the Source of River Nile. It was Burton who was believed and knighted with the noble Sir. The day Speke was to present evidence of his claim that it was Lake Nalubaale rather than Tanganyika that was the Source of River Nile he tragically shot himself while scaling a wall with his hunting rifle hanging at his side. It was through analysis of his notes that the truth was finally established and a monument was erected on the western bank of the River Nile which today is in Jinja Uganda.
The Victoria Nile starts at the outlet of Lake Victoria at Jinja on the northern shore of the lake. I had visited this source of the Nile on my trip in 2002. This time around it was unfortunately not on the schedule. But back then I went white water rafting there! The source of the Nile is one of the most spectacular white-water rafting destinations in the world. There is a long, rollicking string of Grade IV and V rapids with plenty of thrills and spills. I remember having tremendous fun back then!
Today we were going on a leisurely boat cruise for approx 16 km upstream from the Paraa ferry landing. Our Matovu stayed behind … he had things to do, he said … He put us on the boat and waved us off. He told us the boat ride would be 2 hrs and he would be waiting here when we return … the boat captain however said it would be 2.5 – 3 hrs … Hmmm … We had the small boat to ourselves and pleanty space for all to take photos in every direction.
The first animal we spotted this afternoon was a Goliath Heron – Ardea Goliath – also known as the Giant Heron – a very large wading bird found in sub-Saharan Africa, with smaller numbers in Southwest and South Asia. It was well carmouflaged when standing in the shallows on the river bank – we almost missed it and I only caught a photo when it flew off. This is the world’s largest living Heron – with a height of 120-152 cm and a wingspan of 185-230 cm. In flight it has a slow and rather ponderous look and – unlike some other Herons – its legs are not held horizontally. Male and female look similar, with an overall covering of slate gray and chestnut feathers. The Goliath Heron is very aquatic – even by Heron standards – and rarely venturing far from a water source and preferring to fly along waterways rather than move over land. It typically is found in shallows, though can be observed near deep water over dense water vegetation. They tend to prefer pristine wetlands and generally avoid areas where human disturbances are a regular occurrence. No wonder it flew off as soon as we came closer …
The southern river bank was partly covered in awesome looking reed like swamp vegetation … I had noticed it already this morning. I did not know what it was, but the other would enlighten me later during the trip … it was Cyperus Papyrus – also known as Papyrus, Paper Reed, Indian Matting Plant or Nile Grass – a species of aquatic flowering plant. It is a tender herbaceous perennial, native to Africa and forms tall stands of reed-like swamp vegetation in shallow water. In nature, it grows in full sun, in flooded swamps and on lake margins throughout Africa, Madagascar and the Mediterranean countries. I could not remember ever noticing it conciously anywhere else …
Apparently the northern river bank was the more interesting for animal spotting, because the captain maneuvered the boat over there. Still close to the Paara ferry landing was a breeding colony of Marabou Storks on top of a huge tree. Like most Storks, the Marabou is gregarious and colonial breeder. In the African dry season – when food is more readily available as the pools shrink – it builds a tree nest made of sticks in which 2-3 eggs are laid. Eggs hatch after an incubation period of 30 days. I could easily make out several nests with at least 2 juveniles in each.
In the bushes close to the shore a whole bunch of Red-Throated Bee-Eater – Merops Bulocki – beautiful green and red birds – were busy keeping the species from extinction … This Bee-Eater has a wide range within tropical Africa – its range extending from Senegal and Gambia in the west to Uganda, southern Sudan and Ethiopia in the east. Its typical habitat is savanna with scattered trees, farmland with trees, the edges of marshes, bushy pastures and gardens, but the birds are seldom to be found far from the erosion gullies, streams and small rivers, in the banks of which they nest.
The adult grows to about 20-22 cm in length with a moderately long tail. The upper parts are green and the red chin and throat are distinctive, though about 1% of individuals have a yellow throat. The hind neck, breast and underparts are buff and the under-tail coverts and thighs are bright blue.
As the boat slowly chugged along the river back, we saw the first Pied Kingfisher – Ceryle Rudis Rudis – a species of Water Kingfisher widely distributed across Africa and Asia. Originally described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758, its black and white plumage and crest, as well as its habit of hovering over clear lakes and rivers before diving for fish, make it rather distinctive. I remember this one from my safaris in India – especially when I went to see Tigers at Taboba National Park in 2019.
At this point I was already thinking if that boat tour was only a bird-watching safari … Maybe we were in the wrong place? We had come here to see Hippos! Where were they? This place was supposed to be Hippopotamus heaven! You know … The name comes actually from the ancient Greek for River Horse … and the common German name for Hippo is indeed Nile Horse … if they were not in the Nile … where would they be?
I should not have worried … just in that moment we heard the first distinct snort … and not too far away from the boat the funny looking eyes, ears and nostrils of a couple of Hippos appeared on the surface with another snort … I am not exaggerating when I say, we all got really excited! … Curiousely we were eyed from a distance, but when the boat slowly glided closer … the head quickly disappeared with another snort …
Hippopotamus Amphibius spend most of the day in water since they do not have sweat glandes. Hippos come out of the waters at dusk to spend the night grazing ahore … I was hoping to have a visit around my hut tonight … Despite being semiaquatic and having webbed feet, an adult Hippo is not a particularly good swimmer nor can it float. It is rarely found in deep water. That first Hippo we spotted probably told the others hiding below the surface about the aliens above and all of a sudden 4 or 5 heads popped up on the surface ….
Africa changes you forever, like nowhere on earth.
Once you have been there, you will never be the same.
But how do you begin to describe its magic
to someone who has never felt it?
Brian Jackmann
… stay tuned for more Hippos …
