LivingNotes - African Safari Experience by Origins & Destinations

LIVINGNOTES AFRICAN SAFARI EXPERIENCE

LivingNotes

* P l e a s e n o t e t h a t t h e l i g h t d i s t o r t i o n s v i s i b l e i n s o m e o f t h e i m a g e s a r e t h e by p r o d u c t o f t h e s o f t w a r e u s e d t o c r e a t e t h i s e d i t o r i a l , a n d

d that they do not appear in the original pictures or print.

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LETTER F RO M THE EDITOR A f r i c a c h a n g e d m e. T h a t ’s w h a t i t d o e s : i t c h a n g e s yo u . I t ’s i m p o s s i b l e t o g o t h e r e a n d c o m e b a c k b e i n g t h e s a m e. Yo u b e come a different person. Yo u s e e t h i n g s i n a n e w w a y. Yo u f e e l m o r e. Yo u u n d e r s t a n d d e e p e r. Yo u c a r e. C a r e s o m u c h ! A b o u t e v e r y t h i n g, w i t h t h e w o r l d , n a t u r e a n d p e o p l e p r e v a i l i n g ov e r all. When I embarked on my jour ney to Afr i c a f o r t h e f i r s t t i m e, Ta n z a n i a w a s t o b e m y f i r s t e x p e r i e n c e. O v e r t h e ye a r s I had seen photos, videos, and heard many s t o r i e s a b o u t i t , b u t n o t h i n g c o u l d h av e truly prepared me for the experience that I had. Tr av e l d u r i n g a p a n d e m i c w a s c h a l l e n g i n g. B e t w e e n t i m e f o r q u a r a n t i n e, t e s t i n g and all additional steps required for safet y, I a m a w a y f r o m m y k i d s h a l f a m o n t h , e a c h m o n t h r i g h t n o w. Ye t , c a p t u r i n g t h e s e m o m e n t s i s w e l l worth the effort. A s yo u l o o k t h r o u g h t h e s e p a g e s , I i nv i t e yo u t o t a k e i t a l l i n a n d s e e t h a t i t i s a p l a c e t h a t w i l l l i v e i n yo u r h e a r t f o r e v e r. T h e w o n d e r a n d b e a u t y o f n a t u r e, a n d i t s balance with everything in this place is something that I will never forget.

O LYA H I L L

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TA B L E WILDLIFE

O F

C O N T E N T S

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THE

NATURE

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MAASAI

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MASTHEAD & C O N T R I BU TO R S OLYA HILL

EDITOR & PHOTOGRAPHER

BABAK AMIREBRAHIMI PHOTOGRAPHAPHER

1 3 2

TAASA LODGE

C O N TAC T

INFO@LIVING-NOTES.COM 415-653-9054 COVER IMAGE BY BABAK AMIREBRAHIMI @THEFRAMED.PHOTOGRAPHY

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The Mane

At around 12 to 14 months old, male cubs begin to grow longer hair around their chests & necks. This is the beginning of their mane, growing properly until they reach the age of two. The coloration of a lion’s mane serves as a signal to other lions about the male’s fitness. Black manes are the most telling status-symbol; manes darken with age, & thick dark hair indicates a well-fed lion. That means a black-maned lion is likely in his prime, eating well, and getting plenty of attention from the lionesses.

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The Courtship

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In captivity lions often breed every year, but in the wild they usually breed no more than once in two years. Females are receptive to mating for three or four days within a widely variable reproductive cycle. During this time a pair generally mates every 20–30 minutes, with up to 50 copulations per 24 hours. Mating multiple times helps the male lions ensure that they are the dominant ones and father as many cubs as possible. This male was patiently waiting for her consent!

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Did You Know?

Flamingos really are what they eat. Many plants produce natural red, yellow or orange pigments, called carotenoids. Carotenoids give carrots their orange color or turn ripe tomatoes red. They are also found in the microscopic algae that brine shrimp eat. As a flamingo dines on brine shrimp and algae, its body metabolizes the pigments — turning its feathers pink.

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Symbiosis Giraffes share a symbiotic relationship with Red and Yellow Billed Oxpeckers. The Oxpeckers, also known as tickbirds eat ticks and parasites off the giraffe and are dependent on their host for much of their food. In return, the giraffe is relieved of blood-sucking, disease-carrying parasites. The birds prefer mature female ticks swollen with blood, but will also comb through the host’s hair looking for more hidden insects. The oxpeckers are perching birds with feet that are built for grasping the thick hide of the giraffe, allowing them to ride and eat while the giraffe is in motion. The hitchhiking birds make a hissing sound when they sense danger. It is debatable whether or not this actually benefits the giraffe, whose keen eyesight & stature allows it to be the first to spot predators, establishing them as the “Watchdogs of the Savanna.” The birds can also be seen cleaning the giraffe’s teeth with their pointed bill, and bedding down under the giraffe’s armpits for the night.

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The Matriarch Elephant families have a matriarchal head, meaning that an older, experienced female elephant leads & protects the herd and is chosen based on her leadership qualities and personality. A family usually consist of a mother, her sisters, daughters, & their babies (calves). Occasionally, non-related elephants join to form families. Female family units range from 3 to 25 elephants.

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The Towers!

Giraffes are social animals and live in herds of about 10 to 20 individuals and they can be up to 50 members. Groups of giraffes are called a “Tower”, since they can get up to 14-18 ft tall. Giraffes do not have strong social ties like other animal species, except the mothers with their calf. Each member of the herd can leave the group at will.

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B a b o o n s are social primates who tend

to live in groups of around 50 individuals (groups can be up to 300 though!). They are routinely seen participating in social behaviours such as grooming and food sharing. They have a range of different vocalisations for communicating with one other. Over 30 distinct vocalisations including grunts and screams are used in addition to a plethora of non-vocal gestures such as shrugging and lip smacking. Their daily routine is somewhat similar to our own. They tend to wake up around 7:30am. They spend some time in their group before going out to forage for food. They spend the daylight hours foraging, eating, resting and grooming, before heading back to their sleeping areas at night. Baboons have co-existed with human ancestors for many millions of years. The oldest baboon fossil is a skull found in South Africa that is thought to be two millions years old.

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The Shrinking Hearts!

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Although gazelles need to eat 3-6 pounds of grass and plant matters each day, they are also well-adapted to life in dry environments. Some species can adjust their physiology to cope . For example, some have evolved the ability to shrink oxygen-demanding organs like the heart and liver during lean times. This allows them to breathe less, which might reduce the amount of water lost to respiratory evaporation.

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Despite its name, the waterbuck is not actually aquatic. Rather, they are frequently found in the vicinity of rivers and lakes. They will often venture into the water to escape predators. When sexually excited, the skin of the waterbuck secretes a greasy substance with the odour of musk, giving it the name “greasy kob”. The odor is so unpleasant that it repels predators. Like some other antelopes, the male does not mark his territory with dung or urine; his presence and smell are sufficient.

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River Horses!

Hippos can hold their breath for an average of 5 minutes. That’s long enough to take walks along lakebed & riverbed floors, earning them their nickname “river horse”! While not considered nocturnal, most of the hippos’ foraging & activity happen during the night. They leave their resting waters near dusk & return in the morning. To survive the sub-Saharan Africa’s strong UV rays, hippos have adapted an ability to produce a red, oily liquid which acts as a natural sunblock.

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MAGICAL S T R I P E S No animal has a more distinctive coat than the zebra. Each animal’s stripes are as unique as fingeprints - no two are exactly alike although each of the three species has its general pattern.

The pattern has been called camouflage to confuse big predators. While black and white may not seem like a particularly the best option for camouflage, most of the zebras’ predators, such as lions, are colorblind. So zebras bunch together to confuse their colorblind predators, which mistake the striped pattern as grass. Also, the pattern serves as an identity signal to other zebras and a kind of wearable air conditioner and sunscreen. Now most scientists agree that the function of a zebra’s stripes is to ward off biting flies that can carry deadly diseases. The stripes ward off blood-sucking insects by dazzling them to the point where they are unable to land on the animals’ skin.

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The Lone Bull

Elephants are notorious for their community bond and t i g h t - k n i t b e h a v i o r, b u t n o t a l l e l e p h a n t s r e m a i n i n the herd for life. Male elephants spend their formative years with the herd, but leave around age 13 to 15, when puberty sets in. Females stay with the same herd till death. Around the age of 30, males will begin breeding and will temporarily rejoin herds when looking for a mate.

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Did You Know?

Unlike most cats, male cheetahs team up with their brothers or other males to form ‘coalitions’ - groups that defend a shared territory & team up to take down larger prey while the females are solitary & raise their cubs alone. Ceetahs mainly hunt during the day & their chase usually lasts less than a minute, given that they go from 0-60 mph in just under 3 seconds, which is faster than most sport cars!

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B U I L T to H U N T Since unlike most big cats cheetahs hunt during the day, they climb a termite mound or small hill and rely on their amazingly sharp vision to locate the prey. Cheetahs have spotted coats, which help them blend in with their surroundings. That not only helps them hide when they are stalking prey, but it also keeps them safe from predators. The spots aren’t just fur-deep – their skin has black spots. Cheetahs also have a very distinctive dark tear-mark lines that run from the corners of their eyes down to their mouth. These marks deflect the sun, making it easier for the cats to hunt during the day. Without the sun’s glare, they’re able to zero in on their targets. And then it is off to a quick race, covering about 21 feet (6 to 7 meters) with each stride at ful speed. No wonder they need 30 minutes to catch their breath befor they can eat!

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THE

G r e y Crowned C r a n e

Unlike other cranes, crowned cranes usually roost in trees. They can flock in large numbers, anywhere between 30 and 150. The grey crowned crane is the national bird of Uganda. They’re omnivores, so that means they can eat both plants and animals. Their diet usually consists of plants, grain, insects, snakes and small fish. They eat as much as they can… they actually spend their entire day foraging for food. They lay between 2-5 eggs and their chicks are ‘precocial’; they can run as soon as they hatch.

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The Hug!

Zebras are usually in big herds. However, when they are only 2 of them around, they “hug” to ensure that no predator can sneak up on them since, as each is looking in the opposite direction, together they have a full 360 degree view of the plain around them. Cute, right? But remeber that zebras have been known to kick each other to death, they will viciously bite any human that comes too close, and there are even many accounts of zebras killing lions!

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Did You Know?

The flightless ostrich is the world’s largest bird, with wings reaching a span of about 2 meters used in mating displays, to shade chicks, to cover the naked skin of the upper legs and flanks to conserve heat, and as “rudders” to help them change direction while running. Ostriches are the fast runners of any birds or other two-legged animals & can sprint at over 70 km/hr, covering up to 5m in a single stride.

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The

Crossing

Each year, more than 1.5 million wildebeest trek from the Serengeti to the Masai Mara and back again in search of fresh grazing. Their crossing of the Mara River is the climax of this odyssey, a spectacle filled with drama, death endeavour and one of the best safari experiences.

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Did You Know?

To p i i s t h e f a s t e s a f r i c a n a n t e l o p e ( r e a c h i n g t h e s p e e d o f 5 6 m p h ) & l o o k s l i k e a c r o s s b e t w e e n d e e r & c a t t l e . T h e y ’r e i n t e l l i g e n t , h i g h l y s o c i a l , a n d f a s t - p a c e d a n i m a l s . He r d s o f To p i s m i g r a t e searching for fresh grass. The largest migration is in the S erengeti where they join wildebeest, zebra, and gazelle, forming huge herds.

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Did You Know?

Vu l t u r e s h a v e e x c e l l e n t s e n s e s o f s i g h t a n d s m e l l t o h e l p t h e m l o c a t e f o o d , a n d t h e y c a n f i n d a d e a d a n i m a l f r o m a m i l e o r m o r e aw ay. T h e y p r e f e r f r e s h meat but can consume carcasses that may have rotted and can be toxic to other animals. This gives vultures a unique and important ecological role because they help prevent the spread of diseases from rotting corpses. A v u l t u r e’s s t o m a c h a c i d i s s i g n i f i c a n t l y s t r o n g e r a n d m o r e c o r r o s i v e than that of other animals or birds. This allows these scavengers to feed on rotting carcasses that may be infected with dangerous bacteria.

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Maasai Colors

Red – stands for bravery & unity Yellow or Orange – symbolises hospitality White – represents peace, purity, & health Blue – represents energy & the sky Green – symbolises health & land Black – represents the people & the struggles they must endure

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Did You Know?

The Maasai language called ‘Maa’ is spoken but not generally written. When you have such a strong oral tradition there’s almost no reason to write anything down at all. In fact, the oral tradition of the Maasai people carries such weight that they decided to name themselves after it. In simple terms, the name ‘Maasai’ itself means ‘people who speak Maa’.

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Did You Know?

The traditional Maasai meal is a cup of cow’s blood mixed with fresh milk first thing in the morning. Maasai people heavily depend on their cattle for nutrition. Their diet also includes milk, meat, fat, honey, and tree bark.

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Ngorongoro Crater

The World’s Largest Inactive Caldera

The crater floor covers about 260 square kilometers (102 sq mi) and is 600 meters deep. Due to the collapse of an active volcano over 2 million years ago, the Ngorongoro crater was formed and is now home to more than 100 mammals.

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TA A S A L O D G E

A Tr u l y U n i q u e S a f a r i E x p e r i e n c e

L u x u r y. S a f a r i . M a g i c . TA A S A L o d g e i s a l l t h r e e. T h e r e i s t r u l y n o comparison to waking up in comfort right in t h e m i d d l e o f n a t u r e. I h av e n o w o r d s . M a g i c i s t h e o n l y w o r d t h a t comes close to describing the experience of s t a y i n g a t TA A S A . Fr o m t h e m i n u t e yo u a r r i v e, t h e TA A S A f a m i l y i s t h e r e t o g r e e t yo u a n d w e l c o m e yo u i n t o t h e i r c o m m u n i t y. TA A S A i s n o t j u s t a l o d g e, i t i s a l s o a v i b r a n t c o m m u n i t y w h e r e e v e r yo n e w o r k s t o g e t h e r t o m a k e t h e g u e s t e x p e r i e n c e o n e t h a t yo u w i l l s u r e l y r e m e m b e r. E a c h a n d e v e r y d e t a i l is thought out, from the welcoming common a r e a s , t h e d i n i n g e x p e r i e n c e, yo u r r o o m , a n d a l s o t h e p e o p l e yo u m e e t . E a c h d a y yo u a r e e n g a g e d i n v a r i o u s a c t i v i t i e s i n n a t u r e. B e t w e e n TA A S A’s k n o w l edgeable staff and spotters and the unique a b i l i t y t o g o o f f - r o a d i n g, yo u t r u l y g e t t o

e x p e r i e n c e S e r e n g e t i t h e b e s t w a y p o s s i b l e. The other amazing and unique experience is the ability to go on night drives and see the wildlife at night, when car nivores are m o s t a c t i v e. I t ’s s i m p l y u n f o r g e t t a b l e ! T h e w a l k i n g t o u r s i n t r o d u c e yo u t o t h e c u l t u r e o f t h e p e o p l e a n d q u i t e o f t e n yo u r meals will be joined with some passing ele p h a n t s a n d o t h e r w i l d l i f e. I t l i t e r a l l y w i l l t a k e yo u r b r e a t h a w a y a s yo u s e e h o w n a t u r e a n d p e o p l e c a n c o - e x i s t i n p e a c e. The next few pages are a glimpse into what w e e x p e r i e n c e a t TA A S A . H o w e v e r, p i c t u r e s r e a l l y d o n o t d o t h i s p l a c e j u s t i c e. Yo u c a n s e e m o r e d e t a i l s a n d b o o k yo u r n e x t s a f a r i a t Ta a s a l o d g e. c o m . I t i s s u r e t o b e a s t a y yo u w i l l a l w a y s r e m e m b e r.

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T h e Fo o d . A g a i n n o w o r d s c a n r e a l l y describe it. It is how food was meant t o t a s t e. U n a l t e r e d , u n m o d i f i e d , g r o w n a n d c u l i v a t e d t h e w a y f o o d s h o u l d b e. Each meal brought us a new experience of taste and enjoyment.

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T h e p e a c e, q u i e t , & p e r s o n a l a t t e n t i o n given throughout the experience at TA A S A w i l l c h a n g e t h e w a y yo u v i e w a s a f a r i e x p e r i e n c e. E a c h a n d e v e r y d e t a i l i s p l a n n e d a h e a d f o r yo u s o t h a t yo u c a n r e s t , r e l a x a n d t h o r o u g h l y enjoy the wonder of the Serengenti i t s s p e c t a c u l a r n a t u r e a n d w i l d l i f e.

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I k n e w w e w o u l d m i s s Ta n z a n i a . I d i d n’ t r e a l i z e h o w m u c h . Fr o m s e r e n e, q u i e t m o r n i n g s , w h e r e t h e r e i s n o o n e b u t yo u a n d n a t u r e, t o c i t i e s t h a t a r e s o d i f ferent from anything wester n world is. To g e n u i n e p e o p l e. To f o o d . To s i m p l i c i t y o f l i f e. To r e a l h a p p i n e s s . A n d t o r e a l f r i e n d s w h o h av e b e c o m e f a m i l y. To TA A S A l o d g e, a p l a c e t h a t w i l l h o l d a s p e c i a l p l a c e i n o u r h e a r t s f o r e v e r. I will always remember the day we met Melau, t h e g e n e r a l m a n a g e r. H i s g e n u i n e s m i l e s o m e h o w m a d e t h e c h i l l y n i g h t w a r m e r. O u r c o n n e c t i o n w a s i n s t a n t . U n e x p l a i n a b l e. A s w e ’v e l e a r n e d h i s l i f e - s t o r y w e u n d e r s t o o d w hy. I m i s s TA A S A e a r l y m o r n i n g g a m e d r i v e s , l o n g b e f o r e t h e s u n r i s e, t h a t b e g a n w i t h t h e k n o c k o n t h e t e n t d o o r a n d t h o u g h t f u l l y p r e p a r e d a n d b r o u g h t to us hot coffee and tea, so we had something to t i e u s ov e r u n t i l b r e a k f a s t . And then the breakfast… Oh, just thinking about it brings back so many memories and emotions! I t ’s i m p o s s i b l e t o d e s c r i b e t h e f e e l i n g t h a t f i l l s yo u r h e a r t w h e n yo u s t o p i n t h e m i d d l e o f S e r e n geti, with miles and miles of nothing but nature s u r r o u n d i n g yo u , w i t h z e b r a s a n d w i l d e b e e s t s j u s t c a s u a l l y g r a z i n g o n t h e g r a s s s o c l o s e t o yo u i t d o e s n’ t s e e m p o s s i b l e, a n d yo u b e i n g a w e l c o m e d a n d a c c e s s o r i e s g u e s t i n t h e i r, b e a u t i f u l a n d m a g nificent, world. I m i s s t h e s m i l e s o f TA A S A s t a f f t h a t g r e e t e d u s at the end of the day with war m, one of a kind delicious dinners under the stars. I m i s s c a m p f i r e s a n d h e a r t - t o - h e a r t c o nv e r s a t i o n s w i t h M e l a u a n d n e w f r i e n d s w e ’v e m a d e a t t h e l o d g e. I m i s s n u t s a n d r a i s i n s l ov i n g l y p r e p a r e d by I r e n e, t o m a k e s u r e t h a t I , m o r e o f a n i b b l e r t h a n a n e a t e r, n e v e r w e n t h u n g r y. I m i s s h o w i t f e l t t o b e i n Ta n z a n i a . I miss the person I was when emerged in that world. T h e r e i s n o p l a c e l i k e TA A S A . T h e r e i s n o p l a c e l i k e Ta n z a n i a . C a n’ t w a i t t o c o m e b a c k .

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“Bless t h e rains down inAfrica” The climate of the Serengeti National Park is ver y subtropical, with a dr y and relatively cool season from May to August, a warmer and still quite dr y season in September and October, and a rainy and quite hot season from November to April. There are two wet seasons. The ‘short rains’ are from November to December, and the ‘long rains’ are from March to May. During the wet season, it rarely rains all day, but afternoon thundershowers can be expected.

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Serengeti

“t h e e n d l e s s p l a i n s”

expanding over 12,000 sq mi (30,000 sq km), hosts the

second largest terrestrial mammal migration

in the world, which helps secure it as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa, and as one of the ten natural travel wonders of the world.

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The “Protective” African Acacia

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provides food & shelter to many animals & insects, but also has long, sharp thorns, which prevent (most) animals from eating their leaves. Also, sometimes stinging ants live inside hollowed-out thorns, providing another disincentive for predators. And furthermore, the trees create poisonous chemicals when they detect an “assault.” Not only can these chemicals can be fatal, but the trees “warn” nearby acacias to start making their own poison by releasing ethylene gas .

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The

Baobab an african icon predating both mankind & the splitting of the continents over 200 million years ago. It is a succulent , which means that during the rainy season it absorbs & stores water in its vast trunk, enabling it to produce a nutrient-dense fruit in the dry season when all around is dry & arid. This is how it became known as “ The Tree of Life ”.

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THE

S TO RY B E H I N D t h e p h o t o g r a p h e rs O LYA H I L L

brings her passion & professional backg round in production into all she does, both c r e a t i v e l y a n d p r o f e s s i o n a l l y. S h e b r i n g s ye a r s o f r e s e a r c h i n t o t h e p s yc h o l o g y o f c u s t o m e r b e h av i o r a n d is widely known for her work as the Creative Director for L i v i n g N o t e s ® . H e r w o r k i n p h o t o g r a p hy h a s b e e n s o u g h t a f t e r by m a n y g l o b a l b r a n d s . S h e m a i n t a i n s a l e a d i n g e d g e o n c r e a t i n g v i s u a l p r e s e n t a t i o n s t h a t h av e w o w e d r e a d e r s a n d c l i e n t s a l i k e. Olya is a well-respected & sought-after thought leader a n d i n n ov a t o r i n t h e f i e l d s o f a d v e r t i s i n g a n d h u m a n p s yc h o l o g y. S h e h a s d e v e l o p e d u n i q u e m e t h o d s o f u s i n g color undertones & hues to shape viewers emotional r e s p o n s e s . W h i l e u n d e t e c t a b l e, t h e s e m e t h o d s h av e b e e n p r ov e n e f f e c t i v e t o p r o m o t e s p e c i f i c r e a c t i o n s from readers when viewing images and videos. Her work has been featured in various digital and print p u b l i c a t i o n s s u c h a s G o o p, Pa r e n t s , P r e g n a n c y a n d N e w b o r n , Re a l S i m p l e, a n d T h r i v e G l o b a l t o n a m e a f e w. H e r u n i q u e c r e a t i v e a d v e r t i s i n g i d e a s h av e b e e n placed on the Times Square Billboards.

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a L o s A n g e l e s b a s e d p h o t o g r a p h e r, g r e w u p among his d a d ’s rolls of film and camera lenses with many hours spent at shoots and in the d a r k r o o m h av i n g e n d l e s s c o nv e r s a t i o n s o n t e c h n i q u e s , composition, & what it takes to create compelling images. B o b by ’s s i n g u l a r p e r s p e c t i v e, c r e a t i v i t y, & s t o r y t e l l i n g abilities combined with his technical perfection are apparent in every single one of his shots. He mainly draws inspiration from nature and people as he g r av i t a t e s t o c r e a t e r e a l , m e a n i n g f u l m e m o r i e s o f moments when light, shadows, emotions, & imagination c o m e t o g e t h e r i n p e r f e c t h a r m o n y. H i s e x p e r i e n c e, e x p e r t i s e, a n d a b i l i t y t o c r e a t e a r e e x t r e m e l y d i v e r s e. B o b by i s a b l e t o c r e a t e i m a g e r y t h a t one would expect to be found in National Geographic just as easily as capturing street style in a film-like m a t t e r. H e i s a l s o f u l l y a c c o m p l i s h e d i n p r o d u c i n g commercial imagery for clients. His unique take on seemingly ordinary objects and the ability to combine that w i t h c l i e n t s ’ v i s i o n i s o n e o f B o b by ’s b i g g e s t s t r e n g t h s .

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