UNIQUE SAFARIS M ARCH - A PRI L 2013 Weather & Migration By January, the wildebeest herds had arrived in the although females are able to stall their birthing for up southern Serengeti in preparation for the anticipated to three weeks to wait for better conditions, they heavy rains. It is the rain that coaxes the growth of could no longer prolong the inevitable. With swollen the short green grasses rich in nutrients the females bellies, the females began dropping their calves in need to produce healthy milk for their soon to be the third week in February and by the end of Febru- born calves. Historically the calving season peaks in ary the calving had peaked with nearly 400 thousand mid-february. However, due to the sporadic and calves dropping within a two week period. With the mostly dry conditions in February, the herds, looking absence of healthy milk, many calves did not gain for better grazing areas, had dispersed and scattered the strength needed to run from predators and many to Kusini, Ndutu and Masswa. Many had returned to succumbed to an early death. However, many sur- Hidden Valley and large herds had settled in Naabi vived and with the rains that came in March, the en- and the Gol area. tire southern landscape was green again. In fact, it It continued to be dry though much of February and continued to rain throughout all Tanzania for much
P AGE 2 of March and April. This is the first time in ten years that the rains in late March and April came close to being the typical long rain pattern of years past. With the rains, the entire country s landscape had transformed into what seemed like the garden of Eden and guests who visited Northern Tanzania in April saw for themselves this emerald jewel of Africa. Amidst this lush oasis, the migration continued on, with large herds of zebras moving into the Naabi Hill area and more than a million wildebeests settling in and around the Ndutu triangle. Ungulates everywhere were well fed and predators were happy to take advantage of the engorged prey. Many guests who returned from trips in March witnessed amazing hunts from lions, cheetahs, leopards and hyenas. Even the birds were happy, some bellies full from insects others from hunting vertebrates. Central Serengeti was devoid of the migratory herds, however there were large herds of elephants seen all along the Seronera Valley. Giraffe sighting were equally good along with leopards, antelopes, lions and cape buffalo. The birding was excellent. With all the rain, the road conditions were less than ideal and some roads were actually difficult to access. At times vehicles had to wait for flooding to subside before crossing a few roads. In Tarangire, the Tarangire River had flooded so that guests were usually restricted to one side of the river. However, guests embraced the spirit of the adventure and our experienced drivers easily navigated the road system while still pointing out animals and sharing their expertise on various wildlife. The colorful Bateleur eagle eats mostly other birds. The eagle gets it name from the French word bateleur which means street performer whose acts include tight-rope walking. The bird often rocks back and forth when in flight as if it were catching its balance.
P AGE 3 HIGHLIGHTS Lions and Cubs It only took two huge leaps before this serval cat successfully caught his dinner. His reward for the gigantic leaps was a rabbit. Serval cats are able to leap up to 12 feet horizontally from a stationary position, landing precisely on target with enough force to stun or kill its prey upon impact Clients overnighting at Buffalo Luxury Camp had the opportunity to see this prowling solitary leopard on a night game drive. Night game driving is not permitted within the Serengeti, however Buffalo Camp, located in the Loliondo area, has the advantage of being near the Serengeti without having the night game restrictions that other accommodations have in the Northern Serengeti.
P AGE 4 The Hillary Clinton Shop located in the outskirts of Karatu near the Ngorongoro Crater. The owner came up with name knowing that people would recognize the name, be curious and stop. And it works. Every year thousands of people stop at his shop. Down the road, there is a little competition from The Congratulation Barak Obama Gift Shop on wheels. Giraffes are vulnerable to predation whenever they drink from a watering hole. The activity requires them to spread their legs out awkwardly so that their necks can actually reach the water when bent. They can t watch for predators so they rely on other giraffes to alert them to possible danger. Luckily, giraffes only need to drink once every several days as they get most of their water from the luscious leaves they eat. Young girl in Arusha studying the camera. Tanzania s youth population is extremely large, with more than half of the population - roughly 23 million under the age of 18. Mother and child playing affectionately.
P AGE 5 OLIVE BABOON Featured Animal Photo courtesy of Grant Smith The olive baboon, named for its coat which appears a shade of green-grey from a distance, is found in 25 different all situated along the equatorial line running through Africa. The olive baboon is one of the largest species of monkeys with the male averaging 53 pounds and the female 32 pounds, although its weight can range 22-82 pounds. Some males have even weighed up to 110 pounds. At the shoulder while on all fours, females measure an average 22 inches whereas males are slighter taller, averaging 28 inches. Like other baboons, the olive baboon has an elongated, dog-like muzzle, with powerful jaws that have sharp canine teeth. With its tail standing almost erect when walking on all fours, it does appear to have a canine quality. In fact, the olive baboon is also known as the Anubis baboon due to its likeness to the mythological dog-headed Egyptian god Anubis. Other physical characteristics include close-set eyes, thick fur, except on their muzzles, and hairless buttocks. Who doesn t love a hairless butt? The olive baboon lives in hierarchical groups, ranging from 15-150 individuals, made up of many females and their young and a few males. Each baboon has a
P AGE 6 social ranking, depending on its dominance. Female dominance is hereditary, with daughters having nearly the same rank as their mothers. Adult females form the core of the social system with related females showing friendliness to each other. They tend to stay close together and groom one another, as well as team up in aggressive encounters with other troop members. Males establish their dominance more forcefully than females. After reaching sexual maturity a male will leave his natal group and join another group. Adult males are extremely competitive with each other and will fight to establish dominance. Higher dominance means better access to females and earlier access to food, so naturally the newer younger males are constantly fighting to try to rise in position. Frequently, when older baboons drop in social hierarchy, they will move to another troop. Females are sexually mature at seven to eight years old, and males at seven to 10 years. When a female begins her ovulation the skin of her anogenital area swells and turns a bright red/pink. This signals to the male that she is ready to mate. Olive baboons tend to mate promiscuously although a male will guard his partner jealously against any other males trying to mate with her. However the female will often copulate with more than one male during the duration of their cycle. Olive baboons consume a wide variety of foods, including plants, invertebrates and small mammals as well as birds. Their foraging tactics are equally diverse, finding food on the ground, in the trees and even underground. They are opportunistic hunters as well, capturing prey if they come across it as well as group hunters, with both males and females participating. They will commonly hunt for small rodents, hares, other primates and small antelopes such as the Thomson s gazelle. On rare occasions, they will also hunt for sheep, goats and chickens. Photo courtesy of Greg Downing The olive baboon bears a resemblance to the mythological dogheaded Egyptian god Anubis. Photo courtesy of Mark Donahoe
P AGE 7 Vocal communication is important to olive baboons. One of the most common vocalizations given by olive baboons of all ages is the "basic grunt", heard throughout the day as the group spreads out to feed, while traveling, during friendly social interactions, and as they settle down in the evening to sleep. Lip smacking is another common behavior heard in a variety of social contexts including grooming and sexual behavior. It conveys affiliation, reassurance, appeasement, submission, and content. Visual communication is equally important to baboons and comes in many variations. Yawning to display the canines is done by adult males when a rival group or predator is approaching. It is also a threatening behavior and given by lower-ranking males to higher ranking males when he is mating with a female. Other threatening behaviors include staring, eye brow raising and toothgrinding. Photo courtesy of Marcio Silverberg Baboons spend a lot of time grooming each other. Many females develop non sexual relationships with male baboons. The males assist them with caring for their infants and protecting them from danger. These males are often immigrants from a different troop and will form a long lasting friendship with the female. They may even mate in the future.