Magick Lantern: Etosha National Park

Monday, October 08, 2007

Etosha National Park Wednesday, December 13, 2006

(Giraffes -- east of Halali Rest Camp, Etosha National Park, Namibia)

Am slow moving the next day after the long drive -- so it is decided to send Will and Carole out on a morning game drive to avoid having to wait for me. I need a little break and enjoy poking around the rest camp in a leisurely way. They arrive back after 90 minutes quite excited after a close encounter with 13 or 14 pachyderms at a mud hole.

(Original group at mudhole -- Etosha National Park)

(Jumbotron: That large and that close -- Etosha National Park)

(Getting some sun screen on the baby's bottom -- the presence of very young individuals complicates the situation for Will)

Observing a group (from the relative safety of the truck) using the mud hole; Carole and Will are suddenly cut off by another group joining them. They cannot move the truck on the road forward or backward because the picture has been complicated by the close presence of very young elephant and its wary adult guard females plus many other members of this extended family group milling around.

(Cut-off: the rear guard of many more individuals arrives -- Etosha National Park)

(Just sit very still and watch: a youngster arrives with the rear guard -- Etosha National Park)

Will did the correct things: put the camera down (he was originally shooting video and this is what caused him to not notice the approach of the second group); keep the engine idling but don’t move the truck; wait for an opportunity to move away slowly. The surprising thing about elephants is that – despite their size – they move noiselessly.

(Splash! Etosha National Park)

(Adding more mud where it will do the most good -- Etosha National Park)

(Watchful, intelligent eye -- a guardian of the young in the group -- Etosha National Park)

(Well-applied mud: Etosha National Park)

(Profile: Etosha National Park)

(Another profile: Etosha National Park)

This came up time and time again – particularly in Botswana where they are very numerous and the camp sites are unfenced. Apparently if you are caught on foot you must run away in a zig-zag pattern as elephants are said not to turn quickly. Climbing a tree however is a no-no as this will not protect you. Being caught on foot in Etosha is very unlikely as you are not allowed out of your vehicles. Seeing how fast elephants can run however makes me think that it might be impossible to escape one on foot if the elephant persisted in chasing you and it was anything more than a very short charge. Much depends on the individual personality of the animal and its mood when you encounter it.

Game animals in Etosha are very used to seeing vehicles and allow Park visitors in vehicles to approach very closely although caution is advisable – especially with elephants (and springbok in my case).

(A male kudu next to the road -- east of Halali, Etosha National Park)

(Similar in size to a moose but not the largest African antelope -- male kudu, Etosha National Park)

(In Namibia if you see this through your windshield you want to be able to stop: skittish, "crazy" kudu frequently dash across roadways -- Etosha National Park)

There are some sobering “elephant attack on vehicles” videos (in other game parks) on You Tube. The ability to see game at close range in safety and its variety and numbers means that Etosha is not to be missed.

(Impala -- Etosha National Park)

(Tawny eagle -- Etosha National Park)

The three of us set out again after lunch and encounter the same group of elephants near the mud hole. Then we see a leopard drinking from a puddle in the middle of the road.

(Leopard drinking on road east of Halali, Etosha National Park)

(...and making a slow, dignified exit -- Etosha National Park)

(Carole Stern at the edge of the salt pan -- camera facing north, Etosha Lookout, Etosha National Park)

We return to Halali planning to go on a night game drive – the one at Kalahari Trails was so successful. Although “the [telephone] line is down” we are told to go to Namutoni where they are offered because to get accommodations there and to join a night drive will be “no problem”. This will also put us in closer proximity to Tsumeb where we will seek needed service for the truck.