green Archives - Page 26 of 84

Grooming

The Impala is a gregarious antelope species encountered in large numbers. Impalas have developed a number of adaptations that allow them to thrive. Grooming and tick removal are high on the list of survival skills. The Impala is the only hoofed animal that does allogrooming – mutual grooming from one animal to another – as well as grooming itself. A herbivorous species, the Impala has adapted to graze and browse, thereby maximising the availability of food. Impala will feed on grasses and herbs, as well as the leaves of bushes and shrubs. The impala makes guttural grunts which are audible for a great distance. An alert impala will bark out an alarm that puts the entire herd to flight – and a fleeing impala is hard to catch. Impalas are very fast runners able to leap distances of up to 10 meters. They use this technique to escape predators and sometimes, it seems, simply to amuse themselves.
=========
The photo was taken during February 2019 at Bushtime at Mabula, Bela-Bela, Limpopo, South Africa.
Info source: https://www.sabisabi.com/wildfacts/impala/

24 April 2019Picture of the day, Wildlife

Hidden

The coat of the klipspringer, yellowish grey to reddish brown, acts as an efficient camouflage in its rocky habitat; the underbelly is white. Unlike most other antelopes, the klipspringer has a thick and coarse coat with hollow, brittle hairs. The incisors might even get damaged by the hairs while grooming. However, the coat is a significant adaptation that saves the animal during steep falls and provides effective insulation in the extreme climates characteristic of its mountain habitat. A study showed that ticks occur in larger numbers on the underbelly, where the hair is less coarse. The hair often turns erect, especially if the animal is ill or if its temperature increases.
=========
The photo was taken during January 2014 at Mabula Private Game Reserve, Bela-Bela, Limpopo, South Africa.
Info source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klipspringer

23 April 2019Picture of the day, Wildlife

Ruffled

The Goliath Heron has a height of 135 cms and weighs around 4300 gms. The head is coloured chestnut while the bill is coloured black. The Goliath Heron is found in the Southern African wetlands, riverine forests and moist grasslands. The bird is at home in riverine forests and close to water bodies such as lakes, dams and streams. You can see the Goliath Heron bird on coastal regions and on the seashore where the bird will be foraging with other birds. This bird forages for food on the ground. This bird has a specially adapted bill which helps it hunt for fish, crabs, shrimp and other aquatic animals in the water. This bird eats insects such as butterflies, bees, wasps, locusts and ants. These invertebrates are usually hawked aerially, killed and then eaten.
Info source: http://www.birdsinsa.com/birds/ardeagoliath.htm

15 April 2019Picture of the day, Wildlife