Lake St. Lucia & Hluhluwe-Mfolosi Reserve, South Africa
Charismatic megafauna is what many of us equate with the reserves of Africa, and today we returned to the two very different ecosystems that we visited yesterday for an encore performance of wildlife. Many of these species rely on large tracts of protected land, and the two reserves we visited are large in size and filled with wonderful wildlife.
Lake St. Lucia is a massive estuary that some of us visited in small boats. Large numbers of hippos and Nile crocs were observed. To be able to drift by within a few feet of these monstrous creatures was certainly rewarding. Bird life was also prominent, from the weaver’s nests lining the shoreline up to the majestic African Fish Eagle, a wide gamut of species was observed. Ducks and egrets lined the shore, and a few storks and kingfishers added to the diversity.
Game drives are the classic way to explore the megafauna of Africa and many of us returned to the reserve of Hluhluwe-Mfolosi for another round. Every vehicle had a different experience, but it was hard not to be overwhelmed by the diversity and abundance of mammals, birds, and vegetation. Many species will only survive with appropriate habitat, and only with certain amounts of it. Many of the species we were “wowed” by, elephants, giraffes, and zebras, rely on large tracts of good habitat for their survival. Another example of this is with predators, and a few vehicles were lucky enough to witness a pack of wild dogs. These top predators were observed killing a nyala, and some people had the experience of a lifetime.
No matter which way one explored the large reserves today, it was hard not to come away in awe of the wildlife they hold.
Charismatic megafauna is what many of us equate with the reserves of Africa, and today we returned to the two very different ecosystems that we visited yesterday for an encore performance of wildlife. Many of these species rely on large tracts of protected land, and the two reserves we visited are large in size and filled with wonderful wildlife.
Lake St. Lucia is a massive estuary that some of us visited in small boats. Large numbers of hippos and Nile crocs were observed. To be able to drift by within a few feet of these monstrous creatures was certainly rewarding. Bird life was also prominent, from the weaver’s nests lining the shoreline up to the majestic African Fish Eagle, a wide gamut of species was observed. Ducks and egrets lined the shore, and a few storks and kingfishers added to the diversity.
Game drives are the classic way to explore the megafauna of Africa and many of us returned to the reserve of Hluhluwe-Mfolosi for another round. Every vehicle had a different experience, but it was hard not to be overwhelmed by the diversity and abundance of mammals, birds, and vegetation. Many species will only survive with appropriate habitat, and only with certain amounts of it. Many of the species we were “wowed” by, elephants, giraffes, and zebras, rely on large tracts of good habitat for their survival. Another example of this is with predators, and a few vehicles were lucky enough to witness a pack of wild dogs. These top predators were observed killing a nyala, and some people had the experience of a lifetime.
No matter which way one explored the large reserves today, it was hard not to come away in awe of the wildlife they hold.
