Khwai River – Part 2
Botswana – Okavango | Anno 2022
The Kwai River meanders slowly through the landscape
The river originates in the Okavango Delta and is an important lifeline for local wildlife
Crossing the river requires coolness and experience
In southern Africa, Nile crocodiles grow slightly smaller than their counterparts in Kenya and Tanzania. Adults average about four meters in length
With their mouths open, the crocodiles try to cool down through evaporation, because they cannot sweat through their armoured skin
Hippos' eyes, ears and nostrils are located high on their heads, allowing them to remain above water when completely submerged
Hippos feel at home in the Khwai River
By also grazing underwater, the hippos keep the waterways open
However, when two hippos graze near each other…
…then there will definitely be trouble
Nothing escapes the searching gaze of an African fish eagle…
…as it calmly surveys the Khwai's surroundings from a towering tree |
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But could it also spot this dragonfly in the grass below? |
Hadada ibises are known for their beautiful bronze-coloured wings with an iridescent metallic sheen. This young hadada ibis will have to wait a while for that. But it already has the white beard stripe on its head
Provided there is fresh water nearby, the hamerkop also ventures into savannas and forests
It seems like an innocent scene, but on closer inspection, you'd better stay well away from this bush…
…because a family group of lions is taking its nap there
Lions are the only felines that have a social lifestyle and normally live in groups
When hunting comes around, it will primarily be the females who handle the task. Males are rarely willing to put in any effort. But as soon as food is available, the males will be the first to eat
The canines of carnivorous mammals have been optimised throughout evolution in length, shape, and sharpness. This has contributed to mammals being among the most successful predators on Earth
Lion cub mortality is quite high. Weaker cubs are usually abandoned. Moreover, when a new male joins the pride, he usually kills the existing cubs
This fork-tailed drongo is no pushover. It rips apart captured insects alive, attacks termite mounds with its own kind in groups, and steals food from other birds by imitating the calls of other species, thus driving them away
The beautiful colours of the fork-tailed roller…
…are even more noticeable in flight
The southern yellow-billed hornbill finds most of its food on the ground. It chases reptiles and grasshoppers by running and jumping
The beautiful colours of the Egyptian goose don't appear until after four to five months. For now, these chicks still have to make do with black, brown, and white plumage
As its name suggests, the common sandpiper forages at the edges of mud pools, ponds and lakes
With its trunk, the bush elephant tears the grass, rinses off the mud, and puts it in its mouth. In an adult elephant, this trunk weighs 150 kg and contains 148,000 muscles
It remains remarkable that an animal weighing 3 to 5 tons lives exclusively on grass, leaves and branches
Elephants usually live in groups with several adult females and their young
An elephant calf nurses for at least four years, but can live on solid food within two years. The female's nipples are located between her front legs
The lesser spotted eagle has a characteristic high-pitched, harsh call
Two one-year-old cubs look up to their four-year-old half-brother – same mother, different father
Lion cubs seem to lead a carefree life
Yet the savanna isn't without danger for them. Male lions readily kill the offspring of other males, hyenas and leopards have lion cubs on their menu, and buffalo and elephants sometimes simply trample a cub
So, mother lioness would do well to keep a close eye on her offspring
Another dangerous predator is the spotted hyena
Its forelimbs are slightly longer than its hind legs, enabling it to handle large chunks of meat and drag away heavy carcasses
The spotted hyena is a carnivore par excellence. But it takes five years for its bite force to fully develop and for it to splinter the heavy bones of its victims
Its night vision is excellent, as is its hearing. It can hear its own kind working at a carcass up to four kilometres away
Its main food competitors are lions, wild dogs, and vultures. If lions approach a carcass, the hyenas usually have to back down
Jaak Palmans
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