East Africa 2000-2001

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01babyelephant * Nairobi, Kenya
Our first stop was the Daphne Sheldrick orphanage for baby elephants. The tarp is to keep junior warm. The elephants wandered through the crowd and where ever they wanted. When they get older, the youngsters are returned to the wild where previous graduates of the orphanage introduce them to the other elephants.
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02feedgiraffe * After lunch at Carnivore (where I tried crocodile, eland, and zebra) we went to the Karen Blixen house (a combination of authentic artifacts and props from the movie Out of Africa) and Giraffe Manor, where we got to feed giraffes from an elevated platform. Boy, they sure have long tongues (around 7 inches) with lots of saliva.
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03elephant * Samburu
The next day we drove north to Samburu and Buffalo Springs National Reserves.
All together we were in six different parks/reserves.
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04oryx * 1600 x 1200 * (450KB)

05buffalo * 1598 x 920 * (218KB)

06mountains * Each area was very beautiful and different from each other. Samburu was wooded and had several pretty rivers running through it, including the one next to our campsite. Of course, there were crocodiles in the rivers so you wouldn't want to go swimming there.
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07baboon * Each reserve had one or more animals that we saw a lot of. In Samburu it was baboons and giraffes. There were also lots of vervet monkeys including a troop near our campsite. * 1600 x 1200 * (455KB)

08babybaboon * 1600 x 1200 * (425KB)

09vervetmonkey * 1600 x 1200 * (478KB)

10giraffe * 1600 x 1200 * (268KB)

11leopard * Our first cat spotting was a leopard in a tree. * 715 x 623 * (118KB)

13giraffezebra * We then went down to a river where there were giraffe and zebra on the other side.
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14giraffesriver * The giraffe then formed a line and crossed the river. Unfortunately for one of them it got stuck half way across. It tried many times to get its hind legs loose while 3 to 5 crocodiles came closer and closer to watch. If finally got free by rolling on its side but in doing so broke its leg. We found later out that it actually had two broken legs. The crocodiles didn't get it but the giraffe died on the shore. The body was dragged away and that night we saw vultures feeding on the carcass.
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15zebra * The Grevy zebra are endangered.
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16gerenuk * 1128 x 920 * (332KB)

14giraffesriver

17leopard * That evening we saw another leopard. After it got down from the tree it walked through a gully and rousted a bird that was hiding in the grass. The leopard made an unsuccessful lunge for the bird but then found its nest. We could see it eating something from the nest (either eggs or chicks) and licking its lips.

That night goat rustlers shot AK47s in the nearby village to scare off the villagers and take their goats. Three girls from the village ran over a mile in the dark and crossed the crocodile-infest river to come to the lights of our cook tent for safety. An old man with a rifle pursued and shot at the rustlers for over an hour but they got away. Our guide drove off to get more ammunition and guards for our campsite. A lot of excitement but I slept through it all. * 1600 x 1200 * (443KB)

18elephant * 1600 x 1200 * (465KB)

19elephants * 1600 x 1200 * (436KB)

20JayMtKenya * 1600 x 1200 * (396KB)

21rhino * Sweetwaters
Sweetwaters is a classy tented camp with its own watering hole (lit at night) where you can see all sorts of animals that come for a drink. On our trip we alternated camping with lodge stays and I think that was a good way to go. At Sweetwaters I got to ride a camel and take a nature walk.

Sweetwaters is also home to Marani, the rhino who is tame because he was raised from a baby. Next to Marani are Corinne and Lenore from my tour group. * 1600 x 1200 * (437KB)

Album last updated on 9/26/05 3:53 PM

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