Savuti’s Mystery – Part 2
Botswana – Chobe | Anno 2022
Sometimes the Savuti Canal remains dry for many decades, until suddenly water appears
The rise and fall of the water is incomprehensible. It certainly has nothing to do with the high or low water levels of the Okavango or Zambezi
Roan antelopes are among the largest antelopes. They are beautiful, elegant animals with a robust body. The black and white markings on their faces vary from individual to individual
Roan antelopes prefer wet savannah with many trees and tall grass
The greater kudu is still slightly larger than the roan antelope. However, the kudu is considered a bovine species, not an antelope
Hills like Leopard Rock are a favourite habitat for leopards. They are remnants of volcanic activity
Long ago, baobabs angered the gods. The angry gods uprooted the baobabs and planted them upside down in the earth. Hence their bizarre appearance
It is considerably smaller than the kori bustard, this red-crested korhaan. And its plumage is just as attractive…
…with that beautiful spotted pattern on its wings.
The female lacks the black and white band on the forehead that gives the double-banded sandgrouse its name
For the warthog, sitting at the table means kneeling
The magpie shrike prefers to stay in open dry forest, in scrubland or in the savanna
Magpie shrikes usually live in small flocks. Within each flock, only one monogamous pair breeds. The flock then defends the small territory surrounding the nest
The largest and heaviest bird in the world is also the fastest running bird – it runs up to 70 kilometres per hour with steps of 3.5 meters. The male has black feathers, the female grey
The lions' siesta is slowly coming to an end
Some lionesses are still enjoying the peace and quiet for a while
Now the lionesses are slowly preparing for the hunt
Lions in groups are efficient hunters. Their prey consists primarily of antelope, zebras, Cape buffalo, and other large herbivores
Within half an hour they will catch a little steenbok
A family group of elephants comes to drink at the artificial waterhole of Rhinovlei
There are young animals present, and the elephants don't take any risks. No animals are allowed near the watering hole, …
…except for a Burchell’s starling
But this black-backed jackal must wait its turn, although this relatively small animal does not seem to pose an immediate threat to the enormous pachyderms
Still, the elephants remain relentless and resolutely fight off the black-backed jackal
But he doesn't let it get him down. The black-backed jackal carefully drinks from the rippling water, hyper-nervous and hyper-alert, ready to make a quick getaway
During the rainy season, the baobab can store a lot of water in its trunk and branches. During the dry season, it sheds leaves to prevent moisture loss through evaporation
The roan antelope's ears are long and narrow with tufts of long hair on the tips. A brown mane runs from neck to shoulders
The male's horns are sickle-shaped and 50 to 100 centimetres long. They are ringed and clearly curved
The roan antelope can reproduce year-round, but most foals are born during the rainy season. After birth, the young remain hidden for several weeks among dense vegetation
Only when the young one is old enough will it follow its mother back to the herd. If it's a male, it will be expelled from the herd after three years and join a bachelor group until it's old enough to lead a family group of its own
The horns of a female are shorter than those of the male and less curved
The mating season lasts only a day or two. But in that short period, the female wants to mate with as many males as possible
Whenever water flows through the Savuti Canal, the local ecosystem explodes. It even rivals the Okavango Delta. Zebras, wildebeest, and buffalo flock here en masse. Predators too, of course
Even now, in this bone-dry area, part savanna, part desert, there is still plenty to experience
The red-billed hornbill doesn't actively hunt for prey. It prefers to dig for food with its powerful beak
Burchell’s starling lays two to four eggs. But often an uninvited guest joins them, as the great spotted cuckoo parasitises the starling. The cuckoo chick won't kick the other chicks out of the nest, but it will grow much faster and receive more food from its foster parents
The red-billed spurfowl can be seen foraging on the ground almost everywhere in southern Africa
For lions, this 3- to 5-kilogram dik-dik is nothing more than an appetiser. They won't tire themselves out in this heat, because they need prey weighing 50 to 300 kg. So being small can be an advantage
The carcass of a Cape buffalo lies under a bush. Soil is piled against its belly. What happened here?
These are the perpetrators. They killed the buffalo and then dragged it under a bush so vultures wouldn't spot the carcass too quickly. To prevent vultures from detecting the strong odour of organ meat, they covered the buffalo's open belly with dirt
This giraffe calf is almost four meters tall, hopping through the grass. Apparently, it's still easily startled
It runs timidly to its mother to hide behind her high back
That giraffes evolved their long necks to enjoy the highest leaves in the trees is now being questioned. Males fighting over a female confront each other in a neck-wrestling match, taking turns slamming their necks into the rival's neck with brutal force
The longer and heavier their neck, the better their chances of winning the fight. This would have led to the males' necks becoming increasingly longer. But why females also developed such long necks remains an open question
Kalahari apple leaf
Lying in the grass carefree and fearless, only lions can afford to do that in this unforgiving environment
Sometimes the jeeps have a hard time with the loose sand between Savuti and Kasane
Jaak Palmans
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