Know the Land & Animals

Lion country

This is the part of the national park where lions live.

What does lion country look like?

• low grass
• high grass
• open spaces
• near rocks
• ravines
• near water

Number of lions I saw in lion country: 2

Leopard country

Where is it?

• open spaces
• amongst trees
• near rocks

Time spent in leopard country: 6 days

Number of leopards seen: 0

ANGRY ELEPHANT

What types of elephants are angry?

Solitary

This guy is so angry that even other elephants don't want to be near him. Best to avoid these guys, as they love to show their dominance. An elephant held up cars for 3 hours in Kruger National Park, just for the sake of it, and can easily crush your car (courtesy Dad).

If you see a secretion from his eye, it is because he is feeling mushty (in heat). The rangers claim that the secretion is hormonal, and the increased testosterone causes aggressiveness. Looking at the elephant in this state, he actually looks quite sad. Maybe because even though an elephant's heart weighs 40kg, a good heart these days is hard to find.

It is hard to know if an elephant is truly alone. Dad says they communicate for 6km on a low frequency. After our escapades with the elephants in Skukuza, I'm pretty sure all the Letaba bulls were on the lookout for a guy in mauve (or purple).

Herd with calf

These mothers protect their baby elephants and are ultra-protective. Watch out for them as they take no risks. Baby elephants can walk with the herd after 2 hours of birth.

So does that mean small groups of elephants are not angry?

Sorry, but they are. We have documented evidence of elephant fighting in a waterhole. One elephant started charging and spraying another elephant and practically drove him out of the waterhole.

Conclusion

I think we can safely conclude that all elephants are angry.

Grazer

An animal that eats the lower level of foliage. Identified as animals that look down. - similar to Aneka

Browser

Eats the higher level; generally the tips of branches and shrubs. Looks up, and head may or may not be in clouds.