Seeing Elephants and Chasing Monkeys!
A couple weekends ago the Sunset Rotary Club in Grahamstown took me and the other three scholars - Eben, Haley, and Rosa (seen above) - to Addo Elephant Park. It was fun to be out of the University and in nature camping for a whole weekend. It was also fun to remember that I am in Africa – not just staying at a University attempting to intake large amounts of knowledge in massive chunks. For three days all I had to do was intake large amounts of scenery and it was beautiful!
We were warned before our arrival that we may only see a couple of elephants. Even though there are 450 elephants in the park, the park is big and they have a lot of room to roam – a good thing for sure. The warning proved to be futile however, because our very first night camping next to the game park we say 4 elephants at the watering hole. It was fun to breathe deep and enjoy the awesomeness of being so close (about 50 yards away separated by a very large fence). I am glad that we enjoyed that moment because it only got better. The next day we drove into the park and started our first of many wart hog sightings. These creatures (Pumbas as you might recall from the lion king – a name that rightfully so means warthog in Swahili) are very cute in an odd sort of way and squeak like pigs. They get down on their knees when they are eating and they run with their tales straight up in the air. We searched for some Meer cats so see if there were any Timons around, but couldn’t find any. We also saw Ostriches at the beginning of our trek and kudu – which I ate later at the restaurant and I heard is very healthy for you! It wasn’t too long, however,
until we saw the elephants again – once again drinking from a watering hole in all of their majesty. We were content with the morning, but drove on since it was still early… then we came upon the jackpot – two full grown elephants standing in the road ahead of us. They moved to the side and we were able to drive next to them. In fact we got so close that I was able to make eye contact with one. But when it’s ears started to wave we decided that it was time to drive away (Ear waving is one of the early signs of aggression). We drove only to be stopped by a car that told us that there were TONS of elephants ahead at a watering hole down the road. The driver wasn’t lying either, we counted close to 40 elephants in one place with some babies as well! Later during the drive we stopped at a look out and were able to see the elephants while we were on foot – separated from each other by a nice big wooden fence. It is amazing to see how huge they are! We stood underneath a stuffed head of an elephant that had died in the park and there was enough room for a 6 foot person under there.
As we drove back from our excitement we saw a tortoise lumbering slowly across the street and a number of birds – called butcher birds – because they hang the bugs and small reptiles that they catch out on display to attract other insects and also for the males to show off their providing skills.
When we got back to the camp we were greeted by a Rotary member that told us we had had visitors in our tent while we were gone. I had brilliantly left our food in our tent and the monkey had opened the zipper (it is really hilarious they can do that!) went into our tent – opened everyone’ backpack until she finally found the bananas in my backpack. She then took the bananas out of the skin and ran away with a fist (and mouth) full of banana. We thought it was hilarious! The only regret we have is that we didn’t get to see the shenanigan – only got to see the evidence thereof. I guess we are lucky that they didn’t steal anything valuable – they are known to like shiny things!
A couple weekends ago the Sunset Rotary Club in Grahamstown took me and the other three scholars - Eben, Haley, and Rosa (seen above) - to Addo Elephant Park. It was fun to be out of the University and in nature camping for a whole weekend. It was also fun to remember that I am in Africa – not just staying at a University attempting to intake large amounts of knowledge in massive chunks. For three days all I had to do was intake large amounts of scenery and it was beautiful!
We were warned before our arrival that we may only see a couple of elephants. Even though there are 450 elephants in the park, the park is big and they have a lot of room to roam – a good thing for sure. The warning proved to be futile however, because our very first night camping next to the game park we say 4 elephants at the watering hole. It was fun to breathe deep and enjoy the awesomeness of being so close (about 50 yards away separated by a very large fence). I am glad that we enjoyed that moment because it only got better. The next day we drove into the park and started our first of many wart hog sightings. These creatures (Pumbas as you might recall from the lion king – a name that rightfully so means warthog in Swahili) are very cute in an odd sort of way and squeak like pigs. They get down on their knees when they are eating and they run with their tales straight up in the air. We searched for some Meer cats so see if there were any Timons around, but couldn’t find any. We also saw Ostriches at the beginning of our trek and kudu – which I ate later at the restaurant and I heard is very healthy for you! It wasn’t too long, however,
until we saw the elephants again – once again drinking from a watering hole in all of their majesty. We were content with the morning, but drove on since it was still early… then we came upon the jackpot – two full grown elephants standing in the road ahead of us. They moved to the side and we were able to drive next to them. In fact we got so close that I was able to make eye contact with one. But when it’s ears started to wave we decided that it was time to drive away (Ear waving is one of the early signs of aggression). We drove only to be stopped by a car that told us that there were TONS of elephants ahead at a watering hole down the road. The driver wasn’t lying either, we counted close to 40 elephants in one place with some babies as well! Later during the drive we stopped at a look out and were able to see the elephants while we were on foot – separated from each other by a nice big wooden fence. It is amazing to see how huge they are! We stood underneath a stuffed head of an elephant that had died in the park and there was enough room for a 6 foot person under there.
As we drove back from our excitement we saw a tortoise lumbering slowly across the street and a number of birds – called butcher birds – because they hang the bugs and small reptiles that they catch out on display to attract other insects and also for the males to show off their providing skills.
When we got back to the camp we were greeted by a Rotary member that told us we had had visitors in our tent while we were gone. I had brilliantly left our food in our tent and the monkey had opened the zipper (it is really hilarious they can do that!) went into our tent – opened everyone’ backpack until she finally found the bananas in my backpack. She then took the bananas out of the skin and ran away with a fist (and mouth) full of banana. We thought it was hilarious! The only regret we have is that we didn’t get to see the shenanigan – only got to see the evidence thereof. I guess we are lucky that they didn’t steal anything valuable – they are known to like shiny things!
That evening we saw some jackals far away at the watering hole and the next day we saw a herd of buffalo there as well. All in all I would say it was a very successful viewing weekend
3 comments:
Hey!!!
I stumbled across your blog... Glad to see you are in SA and congrats on your new niece! How exciting!
I will try to email sometime soon (I'm in the midst of finals).
-Rebecca N
I just got your blog as well - congrats on working towards your Doctorate! That is so amazing! Look forward to hearing from you!
I loved the elephants when we went to a game park in Botswana! Amazing when they are so close you feel like you can reach out and touch them. I was fascinated by watching them eat! So cool. Sneaky little monkey... I remember trying to finish meals quickly because they would come on the patio of the restaurant and try to steal food right off your plate!
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