Yesterday we saw almost as many animals as the day before. About 50 elephants and countless giraffes, zebras and so on. What's more, we came across a lion feasting on a dead zebra, and witnessed the playfulness of two baby rhinos and their mothers by a watering hole last night. A bunch of elephants enjoyed the water hole while others kept watch and protected the young.
Things I learned from spending hours watching the watering hole:
Far from being dumb brutes, elephants and rhinos are highly sociable, playful and intelligent creatures. I already had this impression, but spending hours observing them made this absolutely clear. What's been and is being done to them and their habitat is sickening;
Elephants fart a lot. So do rhinos, though not as often nor with such hilarious resonance;
Life for these creatures, and many others in the wild, seems for the most part very slow, chill and relaxed while simultaneously alert, mindful and cautious. There is no big rush to get anywhere. Life is now, and here. All you really need to do is eat and not be eaten, drink water, make love, play and sleep. Don't let your big brain tell you otherwise. ;)
Giraffes are graceful and cautious. Zebras, while pretty, are skittish and damn vicious/violent with each other. Springbok are happy to gaze into the void a good part of the day. Jackals are cool, sneaky dudes.
Things I learned from spending hours watching the watering hole:
Far from being dumb brutes, elephants and rhinos are highly sociable, playful and intelligent creatures. I already had this impression, but spending hours observing them made this absolutely clear. What's been and is being done to them and their habitat is sickening;
Elephants fart a lot. So do rhinos, though not as often nor with such hilarious resonance;
Life for these creatures, and many others in the wild, seems for the most part very slow, chill and relaxed while simultaneously alert, mindful and cautious. There is no big rush to get anywhere. Life is now, and here. All you really need to do is eat and not be eaten, drink water, make love, play and sleep. Don't let your big brain tell you otherwise. ;)
Giraffes are graceful and cautious. Zebras, while pretty, are skittish and damn vicious/violent with each other. Springbok are happy to gaze into the void a good part of the day. Jackals are cool, sneaky dudes.