whiskers Archives - Page 12 of 32

Siesta

The dark silver-grey body of the Blue wildebeest is marked with dark vertical bands on the front quarters. Blue wildebeest are characterised by a long black mane and a beard of hair hanging from the throat and neck. Both sexes grow short curved horns. In adult bulls, the horns are heavily bossed. Bulls weigh 250 kg and measure 1.5 m at the shoulders. Cows are slightly smaller, measuring 1.4 m at the shoulder and with a mass of 180 kg. Blue Wildebeest are seasonal breeders. Births of single calves per cow occur during summer after a gestation period of nine months. Calves can run with the herd within minutes after birth.

28 November 2018Picture of the day, Wildlife

Disordered

The African Gray Hornbill prefers open woodland and savannah. The female lays two to four white eggs in a tree hollow, which is blocked off during incubation with a cement made of mud, droppings and fruit pulp. There is only one narrow aperture, just big enough for the male to transfer food to the mother and the chicks. When the chicks and female outgrow the nest, the mother breaks out and rebuilds the wall, after which both parents feed the chicks. The male has a black bill, whereas the female has red on the mandibles. The plumage of the male and female is similar. Immature birds are more uniformly grey. The flight is undulating. The similarly sized red-billed hornbill has uniformly grey plumage.
The African grey hornbill is omnivorous, taking insects, fruit and reptiles. It feeds mainly in trees.

23 November 2018Picture of the day, Wildlife

Fascinated

The lesser bushbaby, known to scientists as Galago Moholi, is a small, tree-dwelling primate active by night. They are capable of leaps of remarkable distance between trees. At times they may venture on the ground when they walk either on their hind legs or on all fours. Apart from adult males avoiding confrontation with each other by maintaining individual territories, their social system is similar to that of the Thick-Tailed Bushbaby. Adults are solitary foragers, but companions do meet at night to interact and congregate before going to sleep during the day in groups of up to six.

13 November 2018Picture of the day, Wildlife