Tag: Water

Delicate

Having a drink of water tends to be somewhat challenging when you are over four meters tall. In order to get to the water, a giraffe has to spread its front legs at awkward angles, leaving it in a rather vulnerable position to predators such as lions. Giraffes have learnt to deal with this difficulty in various ways. Their need for water is reduced by the fact that they are able to obtain almost all they need from the plants they eat. An adult giraffe will only need to drink water once a day, whereas the more vulnerable younger giraffes are even more efficient at getting the water they need from their diet and often do not need to drink water at all. A giraffe does not sweat or pant like many other mammals, their body temperature fluctuates according to the surrounding temperatures and this allows them to conserve water.

Delicate

Picture of the day, Wildlife

Sweep

The Robberg Peninsula is conserved for several reasons. The mainland connects to an island through a spit called a tombolo. This results from waves sweeping around both sides of the island. Similar to other rocky headlands on this coastline, Robberg Peninsula supports a diverse array of plants and animals that have adapted to this land/sea ecology. But what sets it apart is the distinctive climbing-falling dune (one of only seven on this coastline). The bedrock of the peninsula was dated to the prehistoric breaking up of Gondwanaland and evidence of this can be seen at several sites. Besides the unique and fascinating typography, evidence of middle and later Stone Age inhabitation was found in a few of the caves. It is for this reason that the reserve was proclaimed a national monument.

Sweep

Landscape, Picture of the day

Turmoil

A rip current, often simply called a rip, is a specific kind of water current which can occur near beaches with breaking waves, such as an outflow gap between sandbars. A rip is a strong, localized, and narrow current of water which moves directly away from the shore, cutting through the lines of breaking waves like a river running out to sea, and is strongest near the surface of the water. A rip current forms because wind and breaking waves push surface water towardsthe land, and this causes a slight rise in the water level along the shore. This excess water will tend to flow back to the open water via the route of least resistance. When there is a local area which is slightly deeper or a break in an offshore sandbar or reef, this can allow water to flow offshore more easily, and this will initiate a rip current through that gap.

Turmoil

Landscape, Picture of the day