SAFARI – DAY 13 (South Luangwa National Park, Zambia; Mfuwe Lodge)

TRIVIA QUESTION:  What animal has a matriarchal organization and, in fact, any female no matter how young can (and does) dominate all males in the group?  Females have both female and male genitalia and have very high testosterone levels.   Answer in tomorrow’s post.

As we left our room this morning to go to breakfast, a baboon mom with her baby on her back was sitting just outside the door.  She just sat and watched us for a few seconds, then left just as I got my camera out.  Figures.

My sister and decided to take all day off to rest and relax.  Most everyone is taking time out at this point.  Actually, we were able to watch a fair amount of animal activity from the main deck of the lodge.  Saw quite a few lions drinking in the river this morning.  The lodge is amazingly quiet after everyone leaves on game drives.

Spent an hour in the pool this afternoon holding a big umbrella over me and watching impala, zebra, and warthogs come down to the water to drink.  I must have been an interesting picture but I didn’t care – I was in cool water and in shade.  Then watched a herd of elephants walk by.  It's still hard to believe it is real. The pool is a fun way to beat the heat. It rained a little yesterday afternoon and it looks like rain again today. It helps to cool things off a little.

Had a really cool hyena sighting tonight.  We were driven to a surprise sunset stop on the river bank where the lodge had set up camp chairs.  We sat in the comfy chairs and the lodge staff kept passing appetizers while we sipped our cocktails in one hand and looked thru our binoculars with the other.  It felt very poshy.  As the sun went down, we watched a raft of 30-40 hippos frolicking and snorting in the river.  Then someone spotted a hyena on the river bank rolling in dung and one just lying in the short grass.  On the way back, we saw a civet (in the mongoose family but somewhat cat looking with a raccoon face).  Earlier, I saw a tsetse fly – they are fairly big and apparently can give nasty bites.  Insect repellent is supposed to keep them away.

CAMOFLAGE:  How can large, distinctive animals hide so easily?  For example, elephants are so big that they couldn’t possibly hide.  Right?  And giraffes have such a distinct shape that they couldn’t possibly hide.  Right?  And the stripes on zebras are so bright and distinct that they couldn’t possibly hide.  Right?  Big wrong!  The animals quickly and easily just become invisible by stepping behind a bush.  It is amazing to watch, every time.