A small baby elephant crosses the road, chewing on a stick. Maybe his teeth are coming through? Actually, elephants are born with four small molars, which they will lose when they are about two years old. Unlike humans, who have milk teeth first and then change to their final set of teeth, elephants change their teeth troughout live. A long-living elephant goes through six sets of molars that replace the teeth that become worn out by chewing grasses and trees. The loss of their final set of teeth is a major cause of death among aged elephants.
Tag: animals of africa
Secretary bird
The magnificent secretary bird is one of my favorite animals to encounter on a safari. So it really felt as a gift from the universe to encounter one on my birthday yesterday! We spotted it while it was still far off. Luckily, while we waited he came closer and closer to our vehicle so that I was able to capture this image.
Photo taken in Rietvlei Nature Reserve.
Giraffe
Giraffes are so tall they are actually quite hard to photograph with a telelens. Glad to have gotten some landscape in there with this one!
Photo taken in Pilanesberg National Park
Maximus in black and white
Maximus is one of the big male leopards in Pilanesberg National Park. In general, male leopards are larger and more muscular than the females. They live alone, seeking the company of females only in the mating season. Male leopards are known to fight with other males who intrude in their territory. Females are less aggressive towards other leopards, and their territories are smaller.
Don’t look back in anger
As he walked away from our attention, the leopard threw one last look at us over his shoulder. These sightings are always too short!
Photo taken in Pilanesberg National Park.
Klipspringer resting on a rock
One of my favorite animals since we first saw them in a zoo in the Netherlands. Klipspringer literally means ‘rock jumper’, and it is one of the things they do best. You can find them on rocky outcrops, although they are hard to spot because their coat blends in so well with the environment. Klipspringers are largely monogamous, and partners generally stay within five meters of each other. Females are generally a bit larger than the males, but only the males have short and spiky horns. Such a joy to find these in the wild!
