Wednesday, 3 May 2023

Endangered African Antelopes, The Fastest Impalas and the Largest Oryx

Endangered African Antelopes, The Fastest Impalas and the Largest Oryx


These graceful antelopes are known for their incredible
speed and agility.  They are a vital part of the African
ecosystem, providing food for predators and helping
to maintain the balance of nature.


Antelope is a mammal species.  There are always thousands of these antelope sin Africa than in any other part of the world. As a matter of fact, the antelope do  resemble cow dog and sheep. All antelopes belong to  the even-toed species of ruminant mammals, which are herbivores. There are no better movies and videos about antelopes than the ones taken on an African safari. 

Many a times you will always see a cheetah chasing an antelope or a gazelle a long the African savannah and the American plains they are  plenty of antelopes   which make up  from  over 90 species. Many of the antelopes from different parts of Africa and the world at large may vary in appearance from each other . habitat strategy and range. A group of Antelopes can be referred to as a 'herd'.


Facts About Antelope

Kingdom: Animalia


Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Family: Bovidae
Genus: About 30 genera
Species: About 90
Weight: 589kg
Length: 150 cm
Top Speed: 43mph
Age: 12 years
Diet: Herbivorous
Habitat: Woodlands, forests, savannahs, grassland plains, and marshes.
Number of Offspring: 1


Eland

Just like the antelope, the eland on the other hand is one of the largest African antelope in the African content The eland is about 600kg  and has a height of 1.8 meters. Just as the antelopes of the African Savannah lands the eland is also found in many parts of e central, east and southern parts of Africa, coastal plains, mountain areas and  semi deserts regions. With many of the antelope species and mainly the eland, this animal is already considered an endangered. People in different parts of the eland natural habitat have  been hunting the eland for its meat and for the skin as well. Despite many efforts to help quell the problem, poaching is one aspect which has no borders as may of these elands just cross national boundaries only to be victims of animal attacks and poaching there laws are not enforces.

Kudu

There is no animal as beautiful as far as the impala species are concerned. The kudu being a  sub-species of African antelopes consists of mainly  two subspecies. There are  two different kinds of  kudus the smaller kudus and the bigger kudus which are loved for their beautiful colors. In Africa and some of the many beautiful animals along the African Savannah you find that  kudus are found in East Africa, Kenya, Uganda, Burundi and Tanzania  in protected national reserves and national parks as well. As far as the weight of the kudu is concerned, Kudus generally weigh abut  52kg to 60kg. The male African kudus are larger than the females African kudus. The bigger kudus are characterized by their massively prominent long horns which are borne by the males.  Kudus  are the largest  of all species of antelope which  can grow  to  around  2m in length.

Impala- ( Aepyceros melampus)


impala is a species of antelope family very beautiful magnificent, elegant , vulnerable  and harmless when you  stair at them. It is mainly characterized by its amazing leaping abilities. A male impala averagely weighs 45 - 76 kg, while a female, 30 - 50 kg. The impala creatures can be commonly found in places ranging from southern Africa especially in Kurgan Park in south Africa  to the northern limits of East Africa in Masai Mara park, Amboseli park and many other parks in East Africa.


Gerenuk-


 Gerenuk.  have a long neck, they don’t need water for survival as the plants they eat contain water which keeps them  going and this amazing antelopes are found in eastern region of Africa especially in arid and semi arid areas.


Nyala(Tragelaphus angasii)


Nyala are another subspecies of antelopes the  colour resemblance is different from each other The male antelope is dark brown with vertical white stripes running on its masculine  body, while the female is of the color of  red rustish, marked with clear striping their so shyness makes them to  hide in water holes places 


The Largest Oryx: The gemsbok, oryx gazella, is the
largest of the oryx species. It is a powerful and majestic
 animal, and it is well adapted to life in the
harsh desert environment.

 Oryx
The Oryx (Oryx gazelle) is one of the large species of African antelopes and most dangerous  due to its sharp lethal horns  which  kills their prey  by protecting themselves or their young ones , they are mainly known for killing lions ,their habitat is in the desert areas  where  they survive without water for a long time  they are  also known as the sabre antelope


Tuesday, 21 March 2023

The Games that Elephants Play Where the Wild is Not the Limit

The Games that Elephants Play Where the Wild is Not the Limit

Elephant Games: More Than Just Trunk Twisting!


Do you want to learn more about how elephants play and socialize with their families and herds? Elephants are known for their close bonds and love for playing in open grasslands, but did you know that they also find amusement in any object or activity that catches their interest? As humans, we still have much to learn about these beautiful creatures and their behavior in the wild and in captivity.



From their first steps as baby elephants to splashing in nearby rivers and watersheds, games involving mother elephants are crucial for young elephants to develop and grow. Have you ever seen elephants jumping on each other in the water or getting fully submerged to cool off in the scorching sun? With their six major muscles, elephants use their trunks to show affection, play games of catching and throwing, and even twist objects they find in their natural habitat.

Elephants Just Want to Have Fun: The Importance of Play


But how do elephants know when to play and when to avoid others? With their cute sense of smell, elephants can detect moods and even sense trouble in the air.

Learn more about the fascinating world of elephant play and socialization, and discover why the African red elephants of Tsavo are such a unique and photogenic sight.


Elephants have been known to have a very close bond to their families or elephant herd. Keeping this in mind just as human beings, socialization is just part of these beautiful animals.  Playing in the open grass lands is what elephants do but when you come to think of it, much as they would love to do it in the open, elephants will find interest in any thing which will amuse them and thereby make use of it while the fun gains momentum.

Elephants at Play: Making the Most of Life in the Wild

How much or what would it take elephants to gear up and start playing their games? This is just one question which we humans have yet to understand as we have just very little knowledge with all the elephant research which has been carried out in trying to understand the African and the Asian elephants on how these beautiful creatures behave while in the wild and while in captivity as well. As the baby elephants take their first stem after plunging on the hard ground when they a e born, taking that first step in their life is just as crucial as it is for the elephant heard making the elephant train across the wilderness in may of the African plains and protected national parks and game reserves.


With every inch of the spent in its early life, many games involving the mother elephants take place while the elephants are eating or just taking that plunge in the nearby river or watershed. Spectacular splashing of water is just what elephants like to do. Jumping on one another in the water among the young elephants is a game which elephants like to play and to crown it all nothing is more fun that getting fully submerged in the water or just sitting down in the scorching sun enjoying the water in places where water is in plenty for the elephants. With little or scarcity of water in many of the forest or regions of the world, elephants just prefer to take a birth in the shallow or muddy water they can find, Where do you thing the name African red elephants of Tsavo came from?




The rich red volcanic soil along the Tsavo area is just the perfect red soil to turn a gray African elephant to an amazing pure photogenic red elephant worth a million bucks amazing safari photograph. Its always amazing to see the different elephants playing not just according o their age group but as a herd within their natural boundaries.  These elephant games which seen not to have a clear code of ethics is just one of its kind. With a s little effort or with as much effort needed, these amazing huge elephants can be as hard on one another and as caring while playing their own games as any other wild animal who wants to socialize and to get along with others depending the weather and the nature of festivity. 

Fun and Games with Elephants: You Won't Believe Your Trunks!

Blessed with their six major muscles elephants use their trunks to show affection and to convey any kind of communication only understood by the elephants. The elephant trunk is just the perfect tool for playing games of catching and throwing, some of the elephant games include twisting of objects they find within their natural habitat and breeding grounds while at the same time trumpeting and bellowing to show dissatisfaction and satisfaction as well.


With more or less extra sensory perception, these elephants with a very cute sense of smell can just detect when to play games or when not to be around other elephants depending on their moods as well. As they say, if there s trouble in the air, the elephants can smell it. If there is rain, the elephant can smell it.

Elephant games and socialization in the wild and captivity

















Discover the fascinating world of elephant play and socialization! Learn about their close bonds, love for games, and use of trunks for catching and throwing. Explore the unique behavior of African and Asian elephants in the wild and in captivity, and understand the importance of bonding and socialization for their growth and development.




#elephants #play #socialization #bonding #trunks #AfricanElephants #AsianElephants #wildlife #animalbehavior #catchandthrow