memorablemeanders.blogspot.com

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Kenya Safari Part VIII

If you've been following my recent posts about our trip through various wildlife parks in Kenya, you will know that although I'm alread at part eight, I've only covered the first leg of our safari. If this is your first visit to my blog and would like to see where we've been and the amazing wildlife and birds we've seen so far, please go back to Kenya Safari Part I and follow our travels from there. 


Leaving the Mara, we were heading for an overnight stop at a lodge on Lake Elementeita. We left Fig Tree Camp shortly after 8.30 that morning and only arrived at our destination at 4pm. After long ride on  very challenging roads, we were looking forward to a hot shower and an early night. However, on the road leading to the lake and lodge, we were treated to a number of animals.


As we trundled along the dirt road to our accommodation, we spotted a small herd of zebra. And voila! A zebra female and her foal. Another baby animal to add to my collection!

A zebra female and her young foal. Note how the baby's tail is quite bushy while the adult's tail almost looks as though it's been plaited, leaving a tassle on the end!

The Plains Zebra (Burchell's Zebra) stands 1.3m tall and weighs up to 320kg. It's life expectancy is 20 years. In the Maasai Mara, the zebra and wildebeest congregate in large numbers and form the migration to the Serengeti between September and early December.

Zebras are very alert and often detect predators in time to flee. The herds stampede in a large group, making it difficult for individuals to become isolated and caught. The zebra protects its young when confronted by a single predator, but lone foals are easy prey. There are no known predators in the Elemeteita lake area (where I took the above photo) so this little foal will hopefully make it to adulthood. 

Zebras are best known for their distinctive black and white stripes, which come in different patterns unique to each individual.  Have you ever wondered whether a zebra is white with black stripes or vice versa? Zoologists maintain that the animal is black with white stripes as white equids would not survive on the plains of Africa. The zebra, although related to the horse and donkey, has an erect mane. 

If you'd like to read some more interesting facts about zebras in Africa, please click here.

Then we came across the signpost which said we had arrived. Yay!

 The view of Lake Elementeita from the lodge

To be continued...

11 comments:

  1. HI Jo, I love the Zebras and very cool to see the baby zebra. The view from the lodge looks gorgeous too. Wonderful photos. I have really been enjoying your safari series.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Do you remember the Ship Rena that went aground in our water three months ago? It has split into two, almost sunk completely and littering the sea and beach with containers and food stuff.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi Jo, your photos and tales of your safari are a delight to see and read.
    What an amazing opportunity.

    Be well and and happy,
    Hugs,
    Pam :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. what an adventure! The baby zebra is adorable.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi Jo, Great pictures of the Zebras... I'd love to visit that place!!!!

    The lodge must have been fabulous. What a great view!!!!

    Hugs,
    Betsy

    ReplyDelete
  6. OH how I wanted to ride a zebra. ;)
    Nice view from the sleeping warrior.

    ReplyDelete
  7. How wonderful, Jo, a zebra foal, so precious.
    And I love the view from the lodge.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I love zebras. I took so many photos of them myself ;-)

    Lake Elementeita is one of my favourite places in Kenya. I didn't get a chance to stay there but I cherish my photos of the place. It's very picturesque.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Beautiful pictures, Jo! Of course. Look who took them and look where they were taken. Ha. I spent many happy hours watching the Zebra in the Nairobi Game Park in our early days there when I could buy a yearly pass for my vehicle for a ridiculously low price. We lived just 15 minutes away - so whenever I wanted a break from the office that's where I headed. Lovely! Really. That Sleeping Warrior Lodge must be new. I don't remember ever seeing it altho I've been to Elmenteita many times.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Wow - amazing and so interesting. You are so lucky to be having such an experience. The birds are incredible. I feel inspired to get a longer lens and try my luck - I used to be a keen birdwatcher until I had to turn into a child-watcher for a while. I also wanted to correct my last blog post - the display must have said Charles Darwin, not Dickens, and I misread it as I have been trying to find some reference to a visit by Dickens to SA and there is absolutely NO way he was ever here. Sorry about that! Must buy some specs!

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for visiting my blog and taking the time to leave a comment. I appreciate your feedback. Jo