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Majestic

Ancient cultures in Africa revered the giraffe, as some modern cultures do today and commonly depicted it in prehistoric rock and cave paintings. Unknown outside of Africa, early written records described the giraffe as “magnificent in appearance, bizarre in form, unique in gait, colossal in height and inoffensive in character.” The giraffe’s high shoulders and sloping back give the impression that its front legs are much longer than the hind legs, but they are in fact only slightly longer. The giraffe has a distinctive walking gait, moving both legs on one side forward at the same time. At a gallop, however, the gait changes, and the giraffe simultaneously swings the hind legs ahead of and outside the front legs, reaching speeds of 35 miles an hour. Its heavy head moves forward with each powerful stride, then swings back to stay balanced. Giraffes have “horns”; not true horns but knobs covered with skin and hair above the eyes to protect the head from blows.
Info source: https://www.sa-venues.com/wildlife/wildlife_giraffe.php
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The photo was taken during February 2018 at Mabula Private Game Reserve, Rooiberg, Bela-Bela, Limpopo, South Africa.

Majestic

Picture of the day, Wildlife

Poser

As its name would indicate, the waterbuck inhabits areas that are close to the water in savanna grasslands, gallery forests, and riverine woodlands south of the Sahara. Such habitats not only provide sustenance but long grasses and watery places in which to hide from predators. These antelopes are large, robust animals; males are generally about 25 % larger than the females. They have large, rounded ears and white patches above the eyes, around the nose and mouth, and on the throat. Only the males have horns, which are prominently ringed and as long as 100 centimetres (40 inches). The horns are widely spaced and curve gracefully back and up. They are sometimes used with lethal results when males fight one another over territories. They have a shaggy brown­-gray coat that emits a smelly, oily secretion thought to be for waterproofing.
Info source: https://www.awf.org/wildlife-conservation/waterbuck
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The photo was taken during May 2018 in Kruger National Park, Mpumalanga, South Africa.

Poser

Picture of the day, Wildlife

Salty

The graceful impala is a slender, medium-sized antelope so adaptable that it is found from southern Africa to the northern limits of East Africa. The body is reddish-brown with white hair inside the ears, over each eye and on the chin, upper throat, underparts and buttocks. A narrow black line runs along the middle of the lower back to the long tail, and a vertical black stripe appears on the back of each thigh. Unlike other antelopes, impalas have large, brush-like tufts of long, coarse black hair that cover a scent gland located just above the heel on each hind leg. Grazers and browsers, Impalas eat tender young grass shoots in the wet season and herbs and shrubs at other times. During the dry season, they drink daily.
Info source: https://www.sa-venues.com/wildlife/wildlife_impala.php
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The photo was taken during August 2018 at Segaia Bush Retreat, Buffelsdrift, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa.

Salty

Picture of the day, Wildlife