Yesterday I posted some photos that reader Michelle de Villiers sent from Botswana. I’ll finish up her contribution here. No IDs were supplied; readers can contribute here. Michelle’s notes:
I recently had the good fortune to join in the trip of a lifetime to South Africa and Botswana. Herewith a sampling of pictures taken. None of the animals should need description for your readers, I’m sure. The photos were taken in Selindaand Moremi Game Reserves in Botswana. (More information on the trip can be found here.)
Wonderful photographs. I especially love the first lion picture. What a magnificent creature.
Apropos the photographs of wallowing hippopotami, the inimitable Flanders and Swann wrote and performed a splendid song in praise of the noble river horse:
We had some Hippo Hijinx of our own! They can be pretty scary.
https://michelledevilliersart.files.wordpress.com/2018/02/f1760-img_2917.jpg?w=640&zoom=2
IDs for anyone who needs them:
Cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer)
Steenbok (Raphicerus campestris)
Giraffe – likely a Angolan/Namibian giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis angolensis)
Lion – likely a Southwest African lion (Panthera leo bleyenberghi)
Hippopotamus – probably a Cape hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius capensis)
Warthogs (Phacochoerus africanus)
And a water monitor – probably a Nile monitor (Varanus niloticus)
Once again, very good! I love these pictures.
South African Giraffe.
Cape Buffalo, some think it the most dangerous animal in Africa. I still have scars on my legs from running through thorns to get away from one of those guys.
Steenbok.
I’m reminded by the yawn of the hippopotamus: what animals can yawn?
This yawning (or laughing) behaviour is a warning. Things are about to get anything other than boring.
http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20160108-why-you-should-beware-a-laughing-or-yawning-hippo
Yes – and aren’t they and elephants good evidence for the idea that having a vegetarian diet doesn’t necessarily make you docile? 🙂
Great shots.
Nice book end to yesterday’s photos. Loved the monitor!
I liked particularly the young male lion.