THE GREAT SERENGETI MIGRATION STORY - 1

Pictures and information shared with TTB sources:

Serengeti, the stage of one of the greatest natural productions in the world. It is here were over 1.3 million animals come together to take part in the Great Migration!. 

It looks spectacular, both in daylight and night!


The Great migration takes place once every year. The main actors and actresses of this huge production are the wildebeest.

These are in fact antelopes and are able to sense thunderstorms from up to 48km away!

 Wildebeest calves stand and move about in about 7 minutes after they are born. And in about 2 days, these little ones are able to keep up with their mothers once the Great Migration starts!

 

ZANZIBAR - SPICE ISLAND

ZANZIBAR

The word ZANZIBAR is of Persian or Arabic origin.

The Persians derive the name from Zangh Bar, meaning "the Negro Coast."

PHOTOS BY Gilbert Jean Van Lee.

 

MAASAI OF TANZANIA - PART 1. HISTORY

MAASAI OF AFRICA: NOT MASAI

The Maasai's territory was one of the last parts of East Africa that Europeans ventured into. In the 19th century even the ruthless slave traders' caravans circumvented the Masai territory for fear of encountering these fierce warriors.

Despite their claim over the area though, the Masai are actually relative newcomers to their present lands, with historians estimating their arrival in the area as taking place in the 17th or 18th century, when they forcefully kicked out tribes already there.

At the close of the 19th century though, the Europeans not only moved into the Masai lands, but also brought new diseases into the region. The Maasai were hard hit by rinderpest and smallpox epidemics.
 Severe drought and bloody land disputes further weakened the warrior tribe. Ironically, much of the Masai territory was now reclaimed by the tribes they had displaced a century earlier. This colonial era also appropriated some 50 percent of Masai land for game reserves and settler farms.

Despite the massive loss of land, the area occupied by Maasai today is still among the most extensive of any Tanzanian tribe's. Their territory flows from the Masai steppes of northeast Tanzania to massive parts of the Ngorongoro Highlands and Serengeti Plains.

Today the Masai co-exist peacefully with their local and foreign neighbours. Although their tolerance for other cultures has increased in recent decades they hold onto their traditional lifestyle and display little, if any, interest in changing it.

TO BE CONTINUED.........................................................................................................................

'CHEEATAH' - SPOTTED ONE

 Did you know: The name 'CHEEATAH' comes from an Indian word meaning "SPOTTED ONE."

How cute it this little guy...

Kilimanjaro Mountain - MEANING

KILIMANJARO MOUNTAIN

 

Kilimanjaro's meaning or origin is unknown. Though it is thought to be a combination of the Swahili word 'Kilima', meaning mountain and the KiChagga word 'Njaro', loosely translated as whiteness, giving the name White Mountain.

Kori Bustard

Kori Bustard, a large and strictly terrestrial birds. They are primarily carnivores, dining especially on large insects such as grasshoppers and locusts. 

 They are found in savanna grasslands and scrub, Serengeti is a great place to find these huge birds.

Our favourite animal of the week - The Cheetah (BORN TO RUN )

Specialist Sprinter

This cat is truly built for speed! Virtually every part of its body is adapted in some way to help it run faster. Special paw pads and semi-retractable claws provide great traction.

 Large nostrils and  lungs provide quick air intake; a large liver, heart and adrenals also facilitate a rapid physical response.



A long, fluid, greyhound-like body is streamlined over light bones. Small collarbones and vertical shoulder blades help lengthen the stride.

The tail acts as a rudder for quick turning plus the eye's retinal fovea is of an elongated shape, giving the cheetah a sharp, wide-angle view of its surroundings.

 The dark tear marks beneath each eye may also enhance its visual acuity by minimizing the sun's glare. The spine works as a spring for the powerful back legs to give the cheetah added reach for each step. But the great speed is very taxing physiologically.

 The top speed, 71 miles per hour (114 kilometers per hour), can usually be maintained for only 200-300 yards. (274 meters). At that point the cheetah's body temperature increases from the exertion and rest is mandatory. (cheetahspot.com)

 
Since a cheetah needs to see its prey to run after it, it usually hunts in the day. The black streaks running from the side of its eyes to the sides of its mouth protect it from the sun’s glare as it hunts. 

One major disadvantage of cheetah speed however is that it takes a lot of energy away from the cheetah. If it runs at its top speed for a minute or two, it will become exhausted. Hence, if it chooses to run after an elusive prey at this rate, it will quickly lose the energy to pin down its prey. A cheetah will therefore let go of a prospective catch if it can’t get it quickly. 

Cheetahs also have to conserve their energy because they may need the speed to avoid other predators. Once a cheetah catches its food with its incredible cheetah speed, other larger and more aggressive animals may attempt to fight with it for the food.

 A cheetah is more likely to avoid potentially disastrous confrontations by moving away quickly rather than by facing it head on. This is a good decision on the cheetah’s part since its light body frame and small mouth structures will not stand a chance against large, heavily built aggressors.  

  It is an animal built for a specific purpose and has adjusted well to its nature-endowed traits