Why Evolution is True is a blog written by Jerry Coyne, centered on evolution and biology but also dealing with diverse topics like politics, culture, and cats.
If you didn’t see the white lion in the last “spot the” picture, here’s your chance to find an easier cat. (And no wisecracks about how “the leopard is already spotted”)!
Here’s a picture taken from one of the “hides” in Kruger where you can spot wildlife from inside a shed with a viewing slit. Can you spot the leopard? I bet you can.
This, by the way, is the only leopard we saw in Kruger, though I got awesome views of one in Manyelete (see photos from that trip).
I overestimated people’s ability to spot the white lion in yesterday’s post, probably because I knew where it is. It’s hunkered down in the grass with only its back showing, and the circle below shows you where it is:
A photo with the camera zoomed in to the max:
We’ll have more and better photos tomorrow. I took this intending it to be a “spot the” photo. Soon we’ll have a double entendre photo: “spot the leopard.”
As a harbinger of the day after tomorrow’s post, here’s a “spot the” photo. Our guide Isaac saw a leucistic (white mutant) lion while driving down the road, and this is what he saw. I tell you, the guy’s good.
Can you spot the leucistic lion in this photo? I’d say it’s “medium hard”. I won’t give a reveal, but please don’t tell in the comments where the animal is. You can say “I have found it,” or “that wasn’t too hard,” or other such stuff.
Click on the photo if you want to enlarge it.
Can you spot the African bush elephant (Loxodonta africana) in this photo? It’s not that hard, but it shows you how well camouflaged they are, although there’s really nothing they need to hide from (the only predators go after babies, who are well protected by their mothers, and of course they’re herbivores.) In fact, this one’s so easy I don’t think I need to give a reveal.
It was taken in Kruger, and presages my five posts on the five days we spent in the park. Click photo to enlarge.
Did you spot the young crocodile in yesterday’s post (South African time)?
Here’s the reveal:
And a close-up photo of the basking reptile:
This is a young Nile Crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus), a species found throughout Africa, and greatly feared by humans and wildlife alike. Some information from Wikipedia:
Generally, the adult male Nile crocodile is between 3.5 and 5 m (11 ft 6 in and 16 ft 5 in) in length and weighs 225 to 750 kg (496 to 1,653 lb). However, specimens exceeding 6.1 m (20 ft) in length and 1,000 kg (2,200 lb) in weight have been recorded. It is the largest predator in Africa, and may be considered the second-largest extant reptile in the world, after the saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus). Size is sexually dimorphic, with females usually about 30% smaller than males. The crocodile has thick, scaly, heavily armoured skin.
Nile crocodiles are opportunistic apex predators; a very aggressive crocodile, they are capable of taking almost any animal within their range. They are generalists, taking a variety of prey, with a diet consisting mostly of different species of fish, reptiles, birds, and mammals. As ambush predators, they 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. Even swift prey are not immune to attack. Like other crocodiles, Nile crocodiles have a powerful bite that is unique among all animals, and sharp, conical teeth that sink into flesh, allowing a grip that is almost impossible to loosen. They can apply high force for extended periods of time, a great advantage for holding down large prey underwater to drown.
Oy!
This one was small—less than a foot long, I’d guess—and was hard to spot among the rocks, both being gray in color. It was pointed out by our guide on a river trip, and was taken from a moving boat.
The croc is young and still subject to predation. I hope it make it to adulthood!
One of many photos taken over the last two days around Hoedspruit and the Blyde River Canyon, a fantastic canyon not far away. Can you spot the baby crocodile?
I’ll provide a reveal tomorrow South African time, though this one shouldn’t be too hard. Click to enlarge the photo.
(There will likely be a photo post tomorrow, though perhaps from Manyeleti.)
This is just a taste of what I’ll be posting in a few hours, along with a “lion wedding” involving copulation, and far closer pictures of the big cats. I’ve been on two game drives already, each 3.5 hours long, and have seen a ton. Join me in a few hours. In the meantime, spot the lion.
(I hope to get a “spot the leopard” photo soon.
