In the Bush: Chapter 3: The 100 Rand

I must really apologize on how slowly I have been with my blog updates.  I figure that in order to make up for it, it's best that I start sharing with you my actual wildlife viewing experience.  Needless to say, I think it's best that I start with the Big 5 which were the famous sightings at the game reserves that I was at.

The Big 5

I found out much later, but apparently the Big 5 used to be the Big 5 most dangerous animals to be hunted (and also the most popular).  In these modern days, they are still referred to as the Big 5 for viewing only.

So you might now wonder, which 5 are they?  Interestingly enough (and again, the connection was NOT AT ALL obvious to me at first) I was introduced to them on my very first day to South Africa.

And yes, there they are, on each of the 5 South African notes, the Big 5 (left to right): Rhino, Elephant, Lion, Water Buffalo, and the Leopard.

I have decided to start the series of Big 5 animal sightings with the most popular bank note (it's like our CAD $20 at the ATM) here in South Africa - the 100 Rand or the Water buffalo.



Big 5 series 1: Water Buffalo

In fact, the water buffalo was one of my first sightings at Kirkman's Camp on our first game drive.  After seeing some impalas, Ralph, our ranger at KC,  drove quickly into a marshy area where there were two water buffalos hanging out (eating and relieving themselves).

 

We were told that they were both bulls (males) and they were likely kicked out of the breeding herds because the herd they were likely older, so they stay close to but not inside the herds. Some older bulls cease to rejoin the herd, as they can no longer compete with the younger, and so they hang out in their own groups.


The next day on another drive, we saw another set of water buffalos (this was the day when we saw all of the Big 5 over the morning and the afternoon drive, and it was my 2nd day only! Absolutely amazing but more on that later!)  This time, they continued to eat and relieve themselves...

Check out the relieving...# 1

We then continued to encounter them throughout my stay. I must say they were very often spotted at Kirkmans and at Ngala.  At Phinda, the frequency of sighting was slightly less, but we did encounter a herd once at night (where we spotted a baby water buffalo very quickly).  But unfortunately, because they were day-time animals, we couldn't keep the light on them for too long. It was one of my first evening drives at Phinda Forest, so Wayne, my ranger, said we'll go look for them another day - on days when my request was, let's go find some baba whatevers!

Here's one that has been rolling in the mud with oxpecker birds on it

@ Phinda Forest, and we saw one cross the road in front of us, and the rest of the herd on the right, just outside the picture

The herd hanging out under the trees to get some shade and cool down

And there's the baby that I was looking for!

You can see that the baby (or the calve) stick very close to its mother and only has little stubs as horns! They generally stay in the middle of the herd for safety

These two were busy drinking

A picture of the baby again

This one was not as little but was definitely another baby water buffalo

aww

the baby was feeding

And it was so small that it disappeared into the tall grass =P

 We also ran into another herd of water buffalos while at Phinda Mountain.  The landscape is completely different and there was a big herd.

This one decided to pose for my picture ;)

Supplementary details


Apparently due to their sizes, these buffalos have few predators and they are able to defend themselves against the lions (and sometimes kill a lion - youtube - battle at kruger)  Apparently sometimes there are prides of lions who have learned how to kill buffalos successfully and they have a method of ambushing them.
According to wiki, the cheetah, leopard and spotted hyena are a threat only to newborn calves, though spotted hyenas have been recorded to kill full grown bulls on occasion. (yes, I will also have features of these animals ;) - as I've mentioned, I've seen quite a bit


Afterthought


I must say though, at certain part of my two week trip, I did get a bit bored of seeing these water buffalos.  I mean when I see them all they do is eat (chew chew chew, nom nom nom) and relieve themselves (no.1 & no. 2).  My excitement was revived when we saw the big herd with a few little ones.  They are quite cute.  Another excitement revival time was when I started teaching people what water buffalos are called in chinese (because there are asian ones for farming called "water cows" - 水牛 )However, I have learned (more so from watching other animals than these ones) that you have to be patient because they are wild animals, you never know what they will do next... and that's what so fascinating about this experience...


To be continued... don't miss the next part of the series...can you guess which one it would be?