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Alert

One of the more common antelope of the African savannah, Impala have been referred to as the Macdonalds of the bush as they are of the most common prey for predators. The distinctive markings on the rump also resemble the company logo to a degree. The Impala is preyed upon by most of the large carnivores and the young often fall prey to Pythons. The Impala is therefore on constant alert. Should one of them spot danger, it will snort an alarm and the whole herd will scatter. It is one of the treats offered by nature to see this antelope perform their incredible 3 meter high and 12 meter long leaps.

5 October 2018Picture of the day, Wildlife

Prickly

Elephant trunks have multiple functions, including breathing, olfaction, touching, grasping, and sound production. The trunk’s ability to make powerful twisting and coiling movements allows it to collect food, wrestle with other elephants, and lift up to 350 kg. It can be used for delicate tasks, such as wiping an eye and checking an orifice and is capable of cracking a peanut shell without breaking the seed. With its trunk, an elephant can reach items at heights of up to 7 m and dig for water under mud or sand. Individuals may show a lateral preference when grasping with their trunks: some prefer to twist them to the left, others to the right. Elephants can suck up water both to drink and to spray on their bodies. They will also spray dust or grass on themselves. When underwater, the elephant uses its trunk as a snorkel.

3 October 2018Picture of the day, Wildlife

Joyous

Like most members of the horse family, zebras are highly social. Their social structure, however, depends on the species. Mountain zebras and plains zebras live in groups, known as ‘harems’, consisting of one stallion with up to six mares and their foals. Bachelor males either live alone or with groups of other bachelors until they are old enough to challenge a breeding stallion. Unlike the other zebra species, Grévy’s zebras do not have permanent social bonds. A group of these zebras rarely stays together for more than a few months. The foals stay with their mothers, while adult males live alone. Like the other two zebra species, bachelor male zebras will organize in groups.

1 October 2018Picture of the day, Wildlife