Zambia - Part 2

After the above mentioned PEF duties in Lusaka, we took the opportunity while in this part of Africa, to see the Victoria Falls and some of the other wildlife here in Zambia. Without a lot of commentary, below you will see some of what we saw while driving, boating, walking and flying through the Livingstone area. If you really enjoy seeing nature up close, take the time to double click each photo and they will enlarge for your viewing pleasure.

Here is the plane we flew in from Lusaka to Livingstone. It took about 90 minutes while flying @ only about 5,000 feet above the ground. Great views!

Here is a view of the falls from the air. We were there at the end of the six months of dry season, so the falls were way low. In the wet season the entire rim (about a mile wide) is waterfall, but the mist is so heavy that it is hard to see the falls. There must be a time in between where they take those great photos!

A wandering baboon on the path to the falls.

Here is a portrait of a contented primate, but wouldn't we love to know what he is thinking.

Closeup of the detail on the mountain zebra. Amazing symmetry, but no two are alike.

The water level of the Zambezi River fluctuates as much as 10 feet from the wet season to the dry season. That difference is apparent in the root systems of the vegetation along the banks.

Here are two elephants that had just crossed the river. Cooled and cleaned...

...but not for long. They immediately started throwing dirt all over themselves to protect their skin from the parasites and biting insects.

Here are some Impala at the river's edge. They drink one at a time so the others can guard from predators. What kind of predators would be lurking along the banks of the lazy Zambezi River you ask?

How about a 15 foot long crocodile waiting in the weeds?

They do blend in with the rocks, and will sit and wait for hours and hours, since they only need to eat about every five days.

Here is a large female beginning her crossing.

She was going to the otherside...Zimbabwe...to join the rest of her herd.

This area, where the Chobe River and the Zambezi River join, is just loaded with Hippos. They are not fat and lazy and slow, but are fat and aggressive and fast!

We saw proof positive of that as this one kind of 'made his case' that he did not want us near his turf. Hippos kill more people in Africa each year than any other animal.

Here is a 'pod' where the males and females are about to get together and you can easily see that from this one's mouth- the teeth are major weapons.

Here is a safari boat that got between a male and a female hippo that morning, and the female turned on the boat...bit a large hole in the side/bottom and the driver had to beach the boat before it sank in these uninviting waters.

Beautiful and playful elephants cooling off at the water's edge

Another elephant, who, judging from the tusks size, is probably 30-50 years old.

A Cape Buffalo who was trying his best to smile for the camera.

This little bird, known as a Jesus bird for its ability to almost walk on the water, is foraging among the Lilly pads for bugs.

Papa...Mama...and Baby. A happy pachyderm family

Here is a young Baboon perched upon a dead tree just inspecting the passers by.

This Livingstone Monkey had just raced out of the trees...jumped up on a breakfast table on the hotel veranda...where he grabbed several packets of brown sugar and headed off for his daily sugar high. He had a look on his face as if to say "Sugar? What sugar?...You talkin' to me?"

Here is a closeup of one of his less aggressive relatives. These monkeys are really fun to watch, but I'm sure they can be a real pain if you are the one trying to run the hotel. They get into everything!

Here is a photo of Reenie with the Zulu entertainers just as we were leaving Zambia. It was good to take a day and a half off of the main PEF highway and see a few things while in this part of the world. Africa is a most unique place.

Sunset on the Zambezi

"Go out, go out I beg of you

And taste the beauty of the wild.

Behold the miracle of the earth

With all the wonder of a child.

Edna Jaques

Stay well...