Lake Nakuru is well known in Kenya for its rhino population, and it has one hundred white and fifty black rhinos to be seen.
Black and white rhinos naming has created confusion because both species of rhino are in fact grey… I hope I didn't make a mistake identifying this one as black!
The Augur Buzzard is a large, stocky hawk, which usually perches in full view on the ground on a prominence of ground or on a perch (tree, rock, post,…) and is not shy, so that one can often observe it at leisure.
Named for their preferred proximity to water, the Common Waterbuck feeds on plants near bodies of water in various habitats, including savannas and forests.
These creatures are designed for protection from Kenya’s predators in several ways. Their eyes are situated on the sides of their face in order to maximize their field of vision. Their bodies give off a strong odor that helps to ward off predators as well.
Another notable trait is their long horns, which are sometimes used by males when fighting over territory.
More Grant’s zebras are in the wild than any other species or subspecies of zebras. Unlike Grevy and mountain zebras, they are not endangered.
Grant’s zebras eat the coarse grasses that grow on the African plains, and they are resistant to diseases that often kill cattle, so the zebras do well in the African savannas.
However, recent civil wars and political conflicts in the African countries near their habitats has caused regional extinction, and sometimes zebras are killed for their coats, or to eliminate competition with domestic livestock.
Splitting time today between the long task of processing photos from our recent #cruise and the long task of swapping out the Jetpack tiled gallery in heavy use on my site, and this photo is from the former long task.
This is the Powerscourt Estate in #Ireland and the #mountain peak in the distance is Great Sugar Loaf.
While many might assume that the birds are a constant annoyance to the majestic buffalo who carry them across the plains of Kenya, they would only be half right.
A classic alliance in the animal kingdom is often seen in the African Buffalos. Birds often sit on the back of buffaloes, pecking in open wounds, picking vermin from the host's fur, and even looking deep into their ears and noses for food - typically a win-win situation for both.
Day trip today to Soumenlinna, the inhabited sea fortress about 4 km southeast of the city center of Helsinki. Weather was perfect, and the place very interesting - a really pleasant area for walking.
The African buffalo is not an ancestor of domestic cattle and is only distantly related to other larger bovines. Its unpredictable temperament means that the African buffalo has never been domesticated, unlike its Asian counterpart, the water buffalo. African buffaloes have few predators aside from lions and large crocodiles.
A characteristic feature of the horns of adult male African buffalo (southern and eastern populations) is that the bases come very close together, forming a shield referred to as a “boss”.
Forgot to upload any phone photo from our #cruise on the day we were anchored near South Queensferry, #Scotland. We ditched our original plan to head to Edinburgh with the masses and instead booked a local boat trip out under the three bridges (Forth Road and Rail, and Queensferry Crossing) and then to Inchcolm Island where we explored the 13th century abbey and engaged in a battle of wills with the population of angry gulls around.
The Rhino Sanctuary in Lake Nakuru National Park was the first Rhino sanctuary in Kenya and is currently home to the largest number of black rhinos in the country. The rhino sanctuary was established in 1984 when the first two rhinos were introduced to the lake Nakuru National Park grounds.
Lake Nakuru National Park was chosen as the first Rhino sanctuary because it was already a bird sanctuary and it had the needed land for the rhinos to be relocated at the time. Also because rhinos need water every day, the presence of the lake made it advantageous for rhinos to make their life in the park; the vegetation in the park is also suitable for both the white and black rhinos, so Lake Nakuru National Park was and still is the perfect place for the rhino sanctuary.