tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72301552436556807692024-03-17T08:51:58.814+02:00Epic's Interactive BlogOfficial blog of Epic Enabled and Epic Guesthouse - Accessible Holidays and Adventures in South AfricaEpic Enabled Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13445700311258103489noreply@blogger.comBlogger291125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230155243655680769.post-32830369929377491052019-12-23T09:07:00.000+02:002019-12-23T09:07:17.874+02:00Season's Greetings<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK7iux1yCGswf0Qr-7rCT4Gzah5d4zGkOO0vYcnmdEvK8spxi0sA0_gOFzPAe93OkGT8WG8Uh4KQYpiXpV5RpMyyCr_txOkS1B-sXdwITcjMGKYJTAatsuG7hb9xk4Ot1JhQcVuUpzYes/s1600/xmas+2019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK7iux1yCGswf0Qr-7rCT4Gzah5d4zGkOO0vYcnmdEvK8spxi0sA0_gOFzPAe93OkGT8WG8Uh4KQYpiXpV5RpMyyCr_txOkS1B-sXdwITcjMGKYJTAatsuG7hb9xk4Ot1JhQcVuUpzYes/s640/xmas+2019.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />Epic Enabled Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13445700311258103489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230155243655680769.post-46398007360914597302019-06-20T08:37:00.000+02:002020-04-28T12:38:09.069+02:00What animal am I? -> Vervet Monkey<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-ZA"><b>Week 8 of our “What animal am I?” series </b></span>.…</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAT1OUN4b3xU2C7Zywn5UZesDcwB-eMqWbPR8pRKp7LqXRFRkIO2JPmgmkPA5nNn_k6bjczGmAw_2nTBNsANauc7rb93g86by9KZS3Kb24FEBwgOWasAzm9GFUPIWhlTOmG68_ltX6fuM/s1600/VM13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="543" data-original-width="1600" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAT1OUN4b3xU2C7Zywn5UZesDcwB-eMqWbPR8pRKp7LqXRFRkIO2JPmgmkPA5nNn_k6bjczGmAw_2nTBNsANauc7rb93g86by9KZS3Kb24FEBwgOWasAzm9GFUPIWhlTOmG68_ltX6fuM/s640/VM13.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #660000;">Clue 1: I am </span></b><span style="background: white;"><b><span style="color: #660000;">primarily herbivore, but sometimes turn into an
omnivore</span></b> -> <i>Living mostly on wild fruits, flowers, leaves &
seeds they sometimes also enjoy insects, eggs and small birds!</i></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #660000;">Clue 2: Tyndall
effect</span><span style="color: #783f04;"> -> </span></b><i><span style="background: white;">The vervet monkey has
vivid blue “family jewels” (scrotum) which pales when the animal falls in
social rank. </span>The colour is not caused by hormonal shifts (mating
interests), it has to do with the scattering of light by the skin itself ->
like the Tyndall effect. </i></span><i style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-ZA">It is concluded
that the blue-to-white colour variation is modulated by the degree of dermal
hydration</span></i><i style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-ZA">. <b><span style="color: #660000;">They do
chemistry without knowing it!</span></b></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="color: #660000;"><b>Clue 3: I am a
trichromat</b> </span>-> </span><span class="e24kjd"><i><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; color: #222222;">Old world monkeys and apes mainly see as
humans do – they are trichromats, so they pick up </span></i></span><span class="e24kjd"><i><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; color: red;">red</span></i></span><span class="e24kjd"><i><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; color: #222222;">, </span></i></span><span class="e24kjd"><i><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; color: #009900;">green</span></i></span><span class="e24kjd"><i><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; color: #222222;"> & </span></i></span><span class="e24kjd"><i><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; color: blue;">blue</span></i></span><span class="e24kjd"><i><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; color: #222222;">. </span></i></span><i><span lang="EN-ZA" style="color: #222222;">In some cases
it's not as good as what we humans see - but it's much better than
cats and dogs. Scientists say that good colour vision
helps animals find ripe fruit.<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3lU69kENfIrDWerjsehuGBkCVF3OPGvDjtkMXG3S4c21mDREC4QFqwTplgNgWChjuWTPcX1YKSOm3WKZ3SH9tJn6TkMvfuML4UJQRpc-0jFtT6QOjk6_TdrpfBCRPaZHwmOdIUQls-CQ/s1600/vm.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3lU69kENfIrDWerjsehuGBkCVF3OPGvDjtkMXG3S4c21mDREC4QFqwTplgNgWChjuWTPcX1YKSOm3WKZ3SH9tJn6TkMvfuML4UJQRpc-0jFtT6QOjk6_TdrpfBCRPaZHwmOdIUQls-CQ/s640/vm.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Did
you know…<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-ZA">The vervet
monkey,</span><span style="background: white; color: #222222;"> is an Old World
monkey of the family Cercopithecidae <span class="lrzxr">(</span></span><em><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;">Cercopithecus</span></em><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;"> means
‘long-tailed monkey’)</span><span style="background: white; color: #222222;"> native to Africa</span><span lang="EN-ZA">. </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;">It sports a black face surrounded by
a white fringe with various shades of grey to the reddish-green fur on the
body, with long arms, long legs and a long tail. A<span style="color: #555555;"> </span>vervet
monkey is about the size of a large pet cat. </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;">Monkeys are generally considered
to be intelligent, especially the old world monkeys. </span><span lang="EN-ZA"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;"><span style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">VERVET
MONKEY</span></span></b><b style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">:</span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Lifespan: up
to 12 years (up to 30years in captivity)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Speed: 45 km/h<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Scientific
name: <span style="background: white;">Chlorocebus pygerythrus<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Mass: 3.9 – 8kg
(females are slightly smaller than males)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Body length: 420
– 600mm (females are slightly smaller than males; measured <span style="background: white;">from the top of the head to the base of the tail)</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span lang="EN-ZA">Diet: </span></b><i><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;">The vervet monkey eats a primarily
herbivorous diet, but sometimes turn into an omnivore. Living mostly on
wild fruits, flowers, leaves & seeds they sometimes also enjoy
insects, eggs and small birds!</span></i><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background: white;">Vervets have
pouches in their mouths where they can store </span><span style="background: white; border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;">food</span><span style="background: white;"> to be eaten
later. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">They are arboreal (living in trees) monkeys and use their long arms
& tail to move quickly and safely through the trees in forests and wooded
areas near rivers and streams.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Although
they do venture down to the ground in search of both food and water, Vervet
Monkeys rarely go further than 450 meters from the trees, which helps to protect
them from predators. They are diurnal (day-active) animals spending the
days foraging for food and then rest at night. They need to drink daily.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span class="e24kjd"><b><i><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; color: blue;">Seeing</span></i></b></span><span class="e24kjd"><b><i><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; color: #222222;"> </span></i></b></span><span class="e24kjd"><b><i><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; color: red;">in</span></i></b></span><span class="e24kjd"><b><i><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; color: #222222;"> </span></i></b></span><span class="e24kjd"><b><i><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; color: #009900;">colour</span></i></b></span><span class="e24kjd"><b><i><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; color: #222222;">: </span></i></b></span><span class="e24kjd"><i><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; color: #222222;">Old world monkeys and apes mainly see as
humans do – they are trichromats, so they pick up </span></i></span><span class="e24kjd"><i><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; color: red;">red</span></i></span><span class="e24kjd"><i><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; color: #222222;">, </span></i></span><span class="e24kjd"><i><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; color: #009900;">green</span></i></span><span class="e24kjd"><i><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; color: #222222;"> & </span></i></span><span class="e24kjd"><i><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; color: blue;">blue</span></i></span><span class="e24kjd"><i><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; color: #222222;">. </span></i></span><i><span lang="EN-ZA" style="color: #222222;">In some cases
it's not as good as what we humans see - but it's much better than
cats and dogs. Scientists say that good colour vision
helps animals find ripe fruit.<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFGsRyzLvFU4LnN9MS04dIM2-2ScQRRcfYBGR_ROKX2ZoO2901Ozw0IGwtquU4XmwwlEdHntbNoE5OOxxwVjkY6X1Oiv4XoI6aQ48tECc1AfxmXSMfA5aRxMuTgNqdwoXLbx9T_ckk70g/s1600/Vervet+monkey+%25285%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="765" data-original-width="843" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFGsRyzLvFU4LnN9MS04dIM2-2ScQRRcfYBGR_ROKX2ZoO2901Ozw0IGwtquU4XmwwlEdHntbNoE5OOxxwVjkY6X1Oiv4XoI6aQ48tECc1AfxmXSMfA5aRxMuTgNqdwoXLbx9T_ckk70g/s320/Vervet+monkey+%25285%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;">Blue Family Jewells: </span><i><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;">The vervet monkey has vivid
blue “family jewells” (scrotum) which pales when the animal falls in
social rank. </span></i><i><span lang="EN-ZA">The colour is not
caused by hormonal shifts (unlike the red bottoms of baboons and other primates
in heat), it has to do with the scattering of light by the skin itself ->
like the Tyndall effect. </span></i><i><span lang="EN-ZA">It is concluded
that the blue-to-white colour variation is modulated by the degree of dermal
hydration</span></i><i><span lang="EN-ZA">. <b>They do
chemistry without knowing it! </b><o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;">The <em>Tyndall Effect</em> is the <em>effect</em> of light scattering in colloidal dispersion,
while showing no light in a true solution. ... Because a colloidal
solution or substance (like fog) is made up of scattered particles (like dust
and water in air), light cannot travel straight through.</span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: whitesmoke;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="paragraph" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.8pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.8pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-ZA">A colloidal solution or
substance (like fog) is made up of scattered particles (like dust and water in
air), light cannot travel straight through. Rather, it collides with these
micro-particles and scatters causing the effect of a visible light beam… <span style="color: blue;">or in the Vervet monkey -> Blue Family Jewells </span></span><span lang="EN-ZA">😉</span><span lang="EN-ZA"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="paragraph" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.8pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.8pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-ZA">For a better explanation
please follow this link: </span><a href="https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Physical_and_Theoretical_Chemistry_Textbook_Maps/Supplemental_Modules_(Physical_and_Theoretical_Chemistry)/Physical_Properties_of_Matter/Solutions_and_Mixtures/Colloid/Tyndall_Effect"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="color: #0070c0;">Theoretical
Chemistry</span></a><span lang="EN-ZA" style="color: #0070c0;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBKJTiUf7Kuzsxb1-lQYVLsrdbg-K8NnMssiJUBlhTiURCc-9OnL_OdJMUkc8rJjiM2nenrL6lXiz2oG6-Jbq-7xBrEE6zAXfmQ-2rmUisvwd3Tb3379Wgw-EQfq8GqKAnfcw4LtsOpsA/s1600/group+%25284%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="584" data-original-width="960" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBKJTiUf7Kuzsxb1-lQYVLsrdbg-K8NnMssiJUBlhTiURCc-9OnL_OdJMUkc8rJjiM2nenrL6lXiz2oG6-Jbq-7xBrEE6zAXfmQ-2rmUisvwd3Tb3379Wgw-EQfq8GqKAnfcw4LtsOpsA/s320/group+%25284%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span lang="EN-ZA">Social behaviour:
</span></b><span lang="EN-ZA">They have been noted for having human-like
characteristics, such as </span><span lang="EN-ZA">hypertension &</span><span lang="EN-ZA"> </span><span lang="EN-ZA">anxiety.</span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; color: #222222;"> </span><span lang="EN-ZA">Vervets
live in close-knit social groups ranging from 10 to 70 individuals which are
called </span><span lang="EN-ZA">troops</span><span lang="EN-ZA">, with males moving to neighbouring groups at the time
of </span><span lang="EN-ZA">sexual maturity</span><span lang="EN-ZA">. </span><span lang="EN-ZA">Troop members spend social-bonding time grooming each
other, taking dirt and bugs out of their fur. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;">Hierarchy:</span></b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;">
Within a troop, adult males form a dominance hierarchy that is established and
maintained by threat, aggression, fighting abilities, allies and age. Facial
expressions and body postures are used to communicate threats or aggressive
behaviour. </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; letter-spacing: 0.1pt;">Access to prime food recourses is determined by the
dominance hierarchy.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Female hierarchy is dependent on mothering and
producing offspring. Newborns are highly regarded in the troop, with all
members acknowledging them in a supportive manner. Females that rear a greater
number of infants gain respect and sit at the top of the female hierarchy. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUG1cRJodHloTdeItEHVFcJTPAkPkc709MnPMzDyB42ltkWQjaIWSZWVKfxyaCa_M-pxtHPbmWSuZXr7yzDUzOTeuVAtH88o33coXQJZv8dpVR_56CS6DtjLeUhyxuNuVRVr8SjplLx9c/s1600/baby+%25283%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1527" data-original-width="1600" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUG1cRJodHloTdeItEHVFcJTPAkPkc709MnPMzDyB42ltkWQjaIWSZWVKfxyaCa_M-pxtHPbmWSuZXr7yzDUzOTeuVAtH88o33coXQJZv8dpVR_56CS6DtjLeUhyxuNuVRVr8SjplLx9c/s200/baby+%25283%2529.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span class="mw-headline"><b><span lang="EN-ZA">Babies: </span></b></span><span style="background: white; color: #222222;">Females have
one baby at a time, typically every year. Babies are born
throughout the year but mostly between October and March. </span><span lang="EN-ZA">Allomothering</span><span lang="EN-ZA"> is the process when another individual besides
the mother cares for an infant, generally they are choose siblings or infants
of high-ranking individuals. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Grandmothers and
grandchildren share one-quarter of their genes, infants approach their
grandmothers more often than unrelated members and prefer their grandmothers
compared to other adult female kin, not including their own mothers.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="mw-headline" style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span lang="EN-ZA">Communication: </span></b></span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Vervet monkeys have four confirmed </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">predators</span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">: leopards, eagles, pythons, and baboons and </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">warn each other about
potential threats using loud </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">distinct
alarm </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">screams</span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">. Monkey are very vocal in their hierarchy displays
and mothers can recognize their offspring by a scream alone.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span lang="EN-ZA">Relationship with humans: </span></b><span lang="EN-ZA">In spite of low predator populations in many areas,
human development has encroached on wild territories, and this species is
killed by electricity pylons, vehicles, dogs, pellet guns, poison, bullets and
is trapped for traditional medicine, bush meat and for biomedical research.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The vervet monkey
has a complex and fragile social system, and persecution of the monkeys is
thought to have affected troop structures and diminishing numbers. Many people
living in close proximity to vervet monkey colonies see them as pests as they
steal their food, fortunately however there are heavy fines in some cities to
discourage the killing of vervet monkeys. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
Epic Enabled Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13445700311258103489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230155243655680769.post-65294604097044949382019-06-06T09:22:00.000+02:002019-06-06T09:22:33.821+02:00What animal am I? -> Hippo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4EjlrcII2T3BGFGgJrgyHKM5etKjGE6RCiJGq5jMGOwEcFAeZ3g4aQZhwdlj573igPIZ6dBRGkAqJZM0bz9hbdFuqbPb85EkXydzrmbNgTfo9TT1mCJ2JmAWnDfj_At3RAHyx58qjP6U/s1600/H1b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4EjlrcII2T3BGFGgJrgyHKM5etKjGE6RCiJGq5jMGOwEcFAeZ3g4aQZhwdlj573igPIZ6dBRGkAqJZM0bz9hbdFuqbPb85EkXydzrmbNgTfo9TT1mCJ2JmAWnDfj_At3RAHyx58qjP6U/s1600/H1b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4EjlrcII2T3BGFGgJrgyHKM5etKjGE6RCiJGq5jMGOwEcFAeZ3g4aQZhwdlj573igPIZ6dBRGkAqJZM0bz9hbdFuqbPb85EkXydzrmbNgTfo9TT1mCJ2JmAWnDfj_At3RAHyx58qjP6U/s200/H1b.jpg" width="200" /></a><span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-ZA"><b>Week 7 of our “What animal am I?” series </b></span>.…</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #741b47;">Clue 1: I am <span style="background: white;">adorably pudgy</span> </span></b>-> <i><span style="background: white;">the adoringly pudgy hippos are one of the most aggressive animals on Earth and kill about 500 people in Africa each year.</span></i><span style="background: white;"></span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFQjPmPxLxA0eozxuj5AEp4H3N21ACCJUWcTMiCk3KRJ8xkHvS6OrqU4EYm2uha04ZCYxURm7YPFwjxuG-ozyVkMqcLsZWqmCRqZM_fHXlK7X9FmysH8LxM4iVEiWzVNAw2kF4fqL5Nyk/s1600/H2b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFQjPmPxLxA0eozxuj5AEp4H3N21ACCJUWcTMiCk3KRJ8xkHvS6OrqU4EYm2uha04ZCYxURm7YPFwjxuG-ozyVkMqcLsZWqmCRqZM_fHXlK7X9FmysH8LxM4iVEiWzVNAw2kF4fqL5Nyk/s200/H2b.jpg" width="200" /></span></a><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;"><o:p><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ty2LVi1kyF5aBbZToPpmREe91FMmw4dBI4MpdTY-eXgKNf3D0MUyM60QXZhHn9vN4neGEtVpeFYWmL-eW3PTslHtTfZ3CwBKcbIKHgtuKrZkMYhnJdCg1bp8kYhrGXYnxWHpj5EbIFA/s1600/H3b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ty2LVi1kyF5aBbZToPpmREe91FMmw4dBI4MpdTY-eXgKNf3D0MUyM60QXZhHn9vN4neGEtVpeFYWmL-eW3PTslHtTfZ3CwBKcbIKHgtuKrZkMYhnJdCg1bp8kYhrGXYnxWHpj5EbIFA/s200/H3b.jpg" width="200" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="color: #741b47;"><b>C</b><b>lue 2: I am related to whales & dolphins!</b> </span>-> <i>Until 1909, hippos were grouped with pigs and other hoofed animals, based on molar (tooth) patterns and their physical resemblance. However modern research with blood proteins, DNA and the fossil records show that the closest living relatives of the Hippos are <span style="background: white;">aquatic mammals like whales</span>, dolphins etc.</i></span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #741b47;">Clue 3: </span></b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><b>Usain Bolt might outrun me, how about you?</b> </span></span><i style="background-color: white;">-> A hippo can run 30-40km/h on land & “swim” 8km/h … Usain Bolt’s set the record of 44.72km/h during the 100 meters sprint at the World Championships in Berlin on 16 August 2009. Bolt's average speed over the course of this race was 37.58 km/h… me thinks the hippo might win in a race against me!</i></span></span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;"><o:p><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCWLUV9Xskef6_yB5Et1e_f_Yl0Af9cHZuqRlhvXvlEf42tz7RH_lgx4e5F6LrgXzxiFec8UIVSzHucAEmNZXD456QYf8eg2rQ8I_KruRp3RvNjmImd9CVzFOQ9b06ljNyt0iCkJBVh2s/s1600/Hb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCWLUV9Xskef6_yB5Et1e_f_Yl0Af9cHZuqRlhvXvlEf42tz7RH_lgx4e5F6LrgXzxiFec8UIVSzHucAEmNZXD456QYf8eg2rQ8I_KruRp3RvNjmImd9CVzFOQ9b06ljNyt0iCkJBVh2s/s640/Hb.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-ZA">Evolution:</span></span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-ZA"> Translated from the ancient Greek it means "river horse”. After the elephant the hippo is the 2<sup>nd</sup> largest type of land mammal (only rivaled by some large rhinos). <i><o:p></o:p></i></span></span></span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The hippopotamus is a large, mostly herbivorous, semiaquatic mammal native to sub-Saharan Africa. </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">There are only two species of hippos left: the common hippo and the much smaller pygmy hippo. </span><br />
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Until 1909, hippos were grouped with pigs and other hoofed animals, based on molar (tooth) patterns and their physical resemblance. However modern research with blood proteins, DNA and the fossil records show that the closest living relatives of the Hippos are <span style="background: white;">aquatic mammals like whales</span>, dolphins etc. from which they diverged about 55 million years ago.</span></span></i></div>
</div>
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_p-iLV2_JTI9eychaRFi2bA5IgBFrIbiHiWyiviPzNRFCRukyVwHOgCnPGnr9F-q1nFWfOKnkferyLTOVAxhid4AqCO2-1dPiu8FaYniMl6qehppGmOHfP2FY7ihGaRbu4DYIo9rP-LA/s1600/h+out+of+water.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_p-iLV2_JTI9eychaRFi2bA5IgBFrIbiHiWyiviPzNRFCRukyVwHOgCnPGnr9F-q1nFWfOKnkferyLTOVAxhid4AqCO2-1dPiu8FaYniMl6qehppGmOHfP2FY7ihGaRbu4DYIo9rP-LA/s320/h+out+of+water.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-size: large;">HiPPOPOTAMUS</span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="color: #741b47; font-size: large;">:</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Lifespan: up
to 40 years (up to 50years in captivity)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Speed: 30 km/h
(on land running), “<span style="background: white;">swim” 8 km/h.</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Scientific
name: <span style="background: white;">Hippopotamus amphibius</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Mass: 1300kg –
1500kg (female) to 1500kg to 1800kg (male), exceptional large males have been
reported to weigh up to 3200kg<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Height: 1.5m at
shoulder<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Body length: 3.3m
– 5.2m long<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjpAwa2z6253Yw1noQ36Kw93luiEmi7vgo-AmjrcjC91Sz1m7QAd8xdauSmEoWH_BivVgtq8jsaeERHKZKmO6hk5teX4hGrxWOz77K1SKB_QbwoSXJeZxZ97ondKpJdgqePRHn_EMT6NM/s1600/h+group.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjpAwa2z6253Yw1noQ36Kw93luiEmi7vgo-AmjrcjC91Sz1m7QAd8xdauSmEoWH_BivVgtq8jsaeERHKZKmO6hk5teX4hGrxWOz77K1SKB_QbwoSXJeZxZ97ondKpJdgqePRHn_EMT6NM/s200/h+group.JPG" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="font-weight: bold;">
<b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></b></div>
<b style="font-weight: bold;">-potami or -potamuses ;)</b><b> </b>More than one hippopotamus are called hippopotami, and 'hippopotamuses', or
'hippos' is also used. ... A male hippo is known as a bull.
A female hippo is called a cow, and a
baby hippo is called a calf. A group is called a pod,
herd, dale, or bloat.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-ZA"><br /></span></i></b></span>
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-ZA">Appearances:</span></b><span lang="EN-ZA"> Females and young males are almost indistinguishable
and very hard to identify. Common hippos are recognisable by large size
barrel-shaped torsos (body), wide-opening mouths revealing
large canine tusks, nearly hairless bodies and short columnar legs. </span><span lang="EN-ZA">They are
incapable of jumping but do climb up steep banks.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgMvy3BvqPvGcQnpw1JhigvTuVtyKvWrzUjjOrWYwIew2i_c6buGwWuU2kPVbtaVMRhF_5sQreRvipeZCHsjM7MxnQ9I8784rQK5Kko3OvgzVs02E40KH6YbwFuOdK2ZafQVx99TsuitY/s1600/h+face.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="502" data-original-width="800" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgMvy3BvqPvGcQnpw1JhigvTuVtyKvWrzUjjOrWYwIew2i_c6buGwWuU2kPVbtaVMRhF_5sQreRvipeZCHsjM7MxnQ9I8784rQK5Kko3OvgzVs02E40KH6YbwFuOdK2ZafQVx99TsuitY/s320/h+face.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-ZA"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-ZA">The eyes, ears, and nostrils of hippos are placed high
on the roof of their skulls. This allows them to breath and see while the rest
of the body is submerged. They c</span><span lang="EN-ZA">an hold their breath for
up to six minutes underwater. When completely submerged,
their ears and nostrils fold shut to keep water out.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-ZA"><br /></span></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnfY1ODva69E-0uF8EEUmQxzJzhT8y1RDu9THUPfqn9a7qjwTU2IrudRqXe3DTgr9lDQJtPraU0EtmLIy631faXQgPKu2dhwWFFK6ftW47KtnUYCayDuxkPAvOMQJZNOzWobvbXZcZjVY/s1600/h+mouth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnfY1ODva69E-0uF8EEUmQxzJzhT8y1RDu9THUPfqn9a7qjwTU2IrudRqXe3DTgr9lDQJtPraU0EtmLIy631faXQgPKu2dhwWFFK6ftW47KtnUYCayDuxkPAvOMQJZNOzWobvbXZcZjVY/s200/h+mouth.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-ZA">The jaw hinge is located far back enough to allow the
animal to open its mouth at almost 180°. The bite force of an adult
has been measured as 8,100 newtons (similar to bench-press 825kg in weights!)
and can easily </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;">snap
a canoe in half with their powerful jaws,</span><span lang="EN-ZA"> Hippos
teeth sharpen themselves as they grind together. The incisors can reach
40 cm, while the canines reach up to 50 cm and are only used for
combat.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-ZA">Sunscreen:</span></b><span lang="EN-ZA"> The hippo
has very little hair, but a 6cm think layer of skin which provides great
protection. The animals' upper parts are purplish-grey to blue-black, while the
under parts and areas around the eyes and ears can be brownish-pink.</span><span lang="EN-ZA"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Their skin secretes a
natural sunscreen substance which is red-coloured. The secretion is
sometimes referred to as "blood sweat” but is neither blood nor sweat.
This secretion is initially colourless and turns red-orange within minutes,
eventually becoming brown. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Nevertheless, this natural sunscreen cannot prevent
the animal's skin from cracking if it stays out of water too long. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;">Biggest killers in Africa:</span></i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;"> Humans, Mosquitos, Tsetse Fly, Black
mamba, Buffalo, & Hippo </span></i></span><i><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;">— the adoringly pudgy hippos are one of the most
aggressive animals on Earth and kill about 500 people in Africa each year</span></i><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;">.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;">Semiaquatic: </span></b><span lang="EN-ZA">Different
from all other large land mammals, hippos are of semiaquatic habits, spending
the day in lakes and rivers. Proper habitat requires enough water to submerge
in and grass nearby. Despite being semiaquatic and having webbed feet, an adult
hippo is not a particularly good swimmer nor can it float. It is rarely found
in deep water; when it is, they sink to the bottom and move by pushing off the
bottom in leaps.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Hippos leave the water at dusk and travel up to 10km
inland to graze on short grasses, their main source of food. They spend four to
five hours grazing and can consume 36kg of grass each night. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-ZA">The hippo has a complex three-chambered stomach but
does not "chew <u>cud</u>". They </span><span class="lrzxr"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;">can store
two days' worth of grass in their stomachs and can go up to three weeks without
eating. </span></span><span lang="EN-ZA">Hippos are born with sterile intestines, and require
bacteria obtained from their mothers' faeces to digest vegetation.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-ZA">Speed: </span></b><span lang="EN-ZA">Though they
are stocky animals, hippos can gallop at 30-40 km/h on land but normally
trot;</span><span lang="EN-ZA"> and can </span><span lang="EN-ZA">move at speeds up to 8 km/h in
water, typically resurfacing to breathe every three to five minutes. </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;">Usain Bolt’s set the<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>record of
44.72km/h during the 100 meters sprint at the World Championships in Berlin on
16 August 2009. Bolt's average speed over the course of this race was 37.58
km/h</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-ZA"><o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-ZA">Habitat: </span></b><span lang="EN-ZA">Hippos
inhabit rivers, lakes and mangrove swamps, where territorial bulls
preside over a stretch of river and groups of five to thirty females and young.
</span><span lang="EN-ZA">T</span><span lang="EN-ZA">hey emerge at dusk to graze and </span><span lang="EN-ZA">use the same
paths on land which, over prolonged periods, can divert the paths of swamps and
channels. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Grazing
is a solitary activity and <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">hippos</span> are
not territorial on land except if you get between IT and the water. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ppzJsXUJ1ArN_0Cw0y6rHpi7bxSNaQnGsJSfM4BIv0-Ae2oF2WfGWqfOQ0EKOJ2E-hUQkzFiD49ZPx7sYowtgCDEeDfv77OYY-HwVbiCfH-y6s8efJjWiiv3luVhyphenhyphenuvlCReUAY7HyGo/s1600/hippo+%252816%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ppzJsXUJ1ArN_0Cw0y6rHpi7bxSNaQnGsJSfM4BIv0-Ae2oF2WfGWqfOQ0EKOJ2E-hUQkzFiD49ZPx7sYowtgCDEeDfv77OYY-HwVbiCfH-y6s8efJjWiiv3luVhyphenhyphenuvlCReUAY7HyGo/s320/hippo+%252816%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-ZA">Territorial:</span></b><span lang="EN-ZA"> The territories of hippos exist to establish mating
rights and d</span><span lang="EN-ZA">ominant males are very
protective over their group. To warn off rival males, they open their huge
mouths and display their long, curved canines! They also make loud grunts and
aggressive splashes in the water.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">“Yawning"
serves as a threat display. When fighting, male hippos use their incisors to
block each other's attacks and their large canines to inflict injuries. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-ZA">Hippos </span><span lang="EN-ZA">mark their territory</span><span lang="EN-ZA"> by defecation. While depositing the faeces,
hippos spin their tails to distribute their excrement over a greater area. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-ZA">Communication: </span></b><span lang="EN-ZA">Hippos appear to communicate vocally, through grunts
and bellows, and they may practice </span><span lang="EN-ZA">echolocation</span><span lang="EN-ZA">. Hippos have the unique ability to hold their heads
partially above the water and send out a cry that travels through both water
and air; individuals respond above and under water. Hippos will also express
threat and alarm with exhalations.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-ZA">Cleaning
stations:</span></b><span lang="EN-ZA"> As with
fish and turtles on a coral reef, hippos occasionally visit cleaning
stations. By opening their month wide, they signal readiness for being cleaned
of parasites by certain species of fishes.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-ZA"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #741b47;">STORIES: </span></b>Hippopotamuses have been the subjects of various African folktales. According to a San story; <span style="color: #741b47;">when the Creator assigned each animal its place in nature, the hippos wanted to live in the water, but were refused out of fear that they might eat all the fish. After begging and pleading, the hippos were finally allowed to live in the water on the conditions that they would eat grass instead of fish and would fling their dung so that it can be inspected for fish bones.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In a Ndebele tale,</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #741b47; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">the hippo originally had long, beautiful hair, but was set on fire by a jealous hare and had to jump into a nearby pool. The hippo lost most of his hair and was too embarrassed to leave the water.</span></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Epic Enabled Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13445700311258103489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230155243655680769.post-61201989980886025632019-05-30T08:41:00.000+02:002019-06-03T17:55:00.397+02:00What animal am I? -> GIRAFFE<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-ZA"><b>Week 6 of our “What animal am I?” series </b></span>.…Clues during the week -> featured animal revealed on Thursdays.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdzvLjnjHBz5f9Zbd5YO30SfYw8y4C8Bg3Ns_UsGZlIAXOBfa2lS-PPCKSVeBM1wH7czKjbgwDiD3KoeUa6_r7liic2DTtNd4BCf8U9mqgJvyXfmpz930PGNr1uRsObL1xg0A1TR4CE98/s1600/G3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="761" data-original-width="751" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdzvLjnjHBz5f9Zbd5YO30SfYw8y4C8Bg3Ns_UsGZlIAXOBfa2lS-PPCKSVeBM1wH7czKjbgwDiD3KoeUa6_r7liic2DTtNd4BCf8U9mqgJvyXfmpz930PGNr1uRsObL1xg0A1TR4CE98/s320/G3.jpg" width="315" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #b45f06;">Clue 1: Insomnia? </span></b>-> </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222;">They usually sleep
standing, sometimes sitting, curl their necks and sleep for about five minutes at a time,
sleeping no more than 30 minutes a
day.</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #b45f06;">Clue 2: built
like a battering ram</span></b> -> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Male
giraffes <span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">fight for females by “necking”</span>. They stand side by side
and <span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">swing the backs of their heads into each other’s ribs and legs</span>.
Their skulls are thick and they have horn-like growths called <span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">ossicones</span> on the tops of their heads. <span style="color: #b45f06;">Their heads are like battering rams and are capable of breaking their opponents’ bones.<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-ZA"><b><span style="color: #b45f06;">Clue 3: </span></b></span><span lang="EN-ZA"><b><span style="color: #b45f06;">Ruminant
</span></b>-> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; color: #222222;">any of various cud-chewing hoofed mammals having a stomach divided into 4 (occasionally 3) compartments. Ruminants are mammals that are able to
acquire nutrients from plant-based food by fermenting it in a specialized
stomach prior to digestion, principally through microbial actions.</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-ZA"><o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOCmdvNjWoJUYQaRHNG2W44uW7l2sY4LZZbgLpWBY6dhjc8Qxb0HcGWM_fgpgeBarWD2sY7Eyh1dopdexL7kBYtm3_LnbyVFialuAMkuceCCye9fl8iO1HXAHIA2cdQS9hEFlTNsJ327s/s1600/G.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="764" data-original-width="755" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOCmdvNjWoJUYQaRHNG2W44uW7l2sY4LZZbgLpWBY6dhjc8Qxb0HcGWM_fgpgeBarWD2sY7Eyh1dopdexL7kBYtm3_LnbyVFialuAMkuceCCye9fl8iO1HXAHIA2cdQS9hEFlTNsJ327s/s640/G.JPG" width="632" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA"><o:p><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>GIRAFFE</b></span></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA"><o:p><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span class="w8qarf"><b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;">Did you know:</span></b></span><span class="lrzxr"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-ZA">Evolution - around 15 million years ago, antelope-like
animals were roaming the dry grasslands of Africa. There was nothing very
special about them, but some of their necks were a bit long.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Within a mere
6 million years, they had evolved into animals that looked like modern
giraffes, though the modern species only turned up around 1 million years
ago. <span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Giraffes</span><span style="background: white;"> are the tallest
mammals on Earth with the okapi being its closest relative.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The Giraffe’s legs alone are taller
than many humans—about 1.8m, but their neck is too short to reach the ground. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiUNW2b6OLIl1PJ9GDcKHEuLTocKPM6XrFtSUafRbetalgbC5GeV8pQwbABzkzSgsoSI20IjYgTLbVPXnHUD41xz8LhpEoB8ptrgfaaO3wT2CDih9mr8YpRNHXQlm1FZ9dO6NmcAGvNNc/s1600/Gdrink.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="638" data-original-width="960" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiUNW2b6OLIl1PJ9GDcKHEuLTocKPM6XrFtSUafRbetalgbC5GeV8pQwbABzkzSgsoSI20IjYgTLbVPXnHUD41xz8LhpEoB8ptrgfaaO3wT2CDih9mr8YpRNHXQlm1FZ9dO6NmcAGvNNc/s320/Gdrink.jpg" width="320" /></a><b><span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Giraffe:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Lifespan: 20
– 25 years (in the wild) <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Speed: 60 km/h
for short sprints & <span style="background: white;">50 km/h for several km</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-ZA">Scientific
name: <span style="background: white;">Giraffa</span></span><span lang="EN-ZA"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Mass: 800kg
– 1200kg (female – male adult) <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Height: 4.3 – 5.7
m (female -male)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;">Name:</span></b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;"> “Camelopard" is an old English
name for the giraffe deriving from the </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; color: windowtext; text-decoration-line: none;">Ancient Greek</span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;"> for camel and leopard,
referring to its </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; color: windowtext; text-decoration-line: none;">camel</span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;">-like shape & movements and
its </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; color: windowtext; text-decoration-line: none;">leopard</span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;">-like colouring.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;">Herd:</span></b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;"> </span><span lang="EN-ZA">Giraffes live in herds of related females and their
offspring, or bachelor herds of unrelated adult males, but are sociable and may
gather in large aggregations. Males establish social hierarchies through
"necking", which are combat bouts where the neck is used as a weapon.</span><span lang="EN-ZA"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLtF8zuQNg4-xrKMvu6SJvIoFmEhPo7YBsc8kxK9EPtpn_wNxwhHJm-PdmDRYjzNrPbwX_8_PZz_vkjxVrCi_b2KbCN5JJeBm54sSkJJnPlB2alO-D37BtqpMQc83ZM1wHzypeYbxdPeY/s1600/Okapi_Giraffe_Neck.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="549" data-original-width="358" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLtF8zuQNg4-xrKMvu6SJvIoFmEhPo7YBsc8kxK9EPtpn_wNxwhHJm-PdmDRYjzNrPbwX_8_PZz_vkjxVrCi_b2KbCN5JJeBm54sSkJJnPlB2alO-D37BtqpMQc83ZM1wHzypeYbxdPeY/s200/Okapi_Giraffe_Neck.png" style="cursor: move;" width="130" /></a><b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Neck & necking<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;">A giraffe's neck alone is 1.8 – 2.4
m long and weighs about 272 kg. The animal's legs are also around the same
length. </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;">Their necks
are however too short to reach the ground. As a result, it has to awkwardly
spread its front legs or kneel to reach the ground for a drink of water.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Until recently it was </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">assumed that giraffes’ long necks evolved to help them
feed, reaching leaves on tall trees that nobody else can reach. </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This advantage is real, as giraffes can and do feed up
to 4.5 m high, while even quite large competitors, such as kudu, can feed
up to only about 2 m high.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-ZA"><i><span lang="EN-ZA"><b>Picture:</b> The giraffe (right) and its close relative the okapi (left) both have 7 cervical vertebrae (like us humans!). H</span><span style="background: white; color: #222222;">owever the giraffe’s vertebrae’s can EACH be over </span><span lang="EN-ZA">28 cm long</span></i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-ZA"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-ZA">New research
however has another theory: </span><span lang="EN-ZA">Male giraffes use their necks as weapons in combat to </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;">fight for females by “necking”</span><span lang="EN-ZA">. </span><span lang="EN-ZA">They stand side by side and <span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">swing the backs of their heads into each other’s ribs and legs</span>.
To help with this, their skulls are unusually thick, and they have horn-like
growths called <span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">ossicones</span> on the tops of their
heads. Their heads are like battering rams and are capable of breaking their opponents’ bones. </span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">What do you
think, plausible?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span lang="EN-ZA">Horns:</span></b><span lang="EN-ZA"> Both male and female giraffes have two distinct, hair-covered horns
called ossicones. </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;">The
ossicones of females and young are thin and display tufts of hair on top,
whereas those of adult male’s end in knobs and tend to be bald on top.</span><span lang="EN-ZA"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaIxp5GUBqBeMjU9N_lB_cXlJk7imMU9bSH8MWT3vUxhWgIjUWEoI22Syf3NPc6lEKMGOqQd7E8ujkSBjfiskH_pBegfRyCiPonhimnMxP__PoJq5d5hTjuK_237Ip5fzrANvrVh_qNtI/s1600/Goxkp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="637" height="105" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaIxp5GUBqBeMjU9N_lB_cXlJk7imMU9bSH8MWT3vUxhWgIjUWEoI22Syf3NPc6lEKMGOqQd7E8ujkSBjfiskH_pBegfRyCiPonhimnMxP__PoJq5d5hTjuK_237Ip5fzrANvrVh_qNtI/s200/Goxkp.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span lang="EN-ZA">Thick-skinned:</span></b><span lang="EN-ZA"> </span><span lang="EN-ZA">The skin of a giraffe is mostly gray.</span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giraffe#cite_note-Skinner1990-51"></a><span lang="EN-ZA"> Its
thickness allows the animal to run through thorn bushes without being
punctured. The fur may serve as a chemical defence, as its parasite repellents
give the animal a characteristic scent. However some parasites feed on giraffes
and they may rely on oxpeckers to clean them of ticks and alert them
to danger.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;">High Blood pressure: </span></b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;">The tallest ever giraffe was 5.8 m tall and to
pump blood all the way up its long neck, the giraffe has several adaptations in its cardiovascular system.
</span><span lang="EN-ZA">Its heart,
which can weigh about 12 kg and measures 60 cm long, must generate
approximately double the blood pressure required for a human to maintain blood
flow to the brain. Giraffes have unusually high heart rates for their size, at
150 beats per minute.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Making
it the biggest heart in
the animal kingdom!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">When
the animal lowers its head the blood rushes down a complex web of arteries and veins lying
very close to each other in the upper neck, prevents excess blood flow to the
brain. When it raises again, the blood vessels constrict and direct blood into
the brain, so the animal does not faint. The jugular veins contain
several (most commonly seven) valves to prevent blood flowing back into the
head while the head is lowered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span class="e24kjd"><b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;">Legs &
movement: </span></b></span><span lang="EN-ZA">The skin of the lower legs is thick and tight preventing
too much blood from pouring into them. Their </span><span class="e24kjd"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;">legs are
incredibly powerful and each of them ends in a hard, sharp, 30-centimetre hoof. A giraffe can kick in any
direction and in a manner of ways and its kick can not only kill a lion.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span class="e24kjd"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;">Unsurprisingly, very few
predators bother an adult giraffe. <i>However,
in</i></span></span><i><span lang="EN-ZA"> the Kruger National Park,
lions have adapted to chase Giraffes across tar roads in the hope they slip so
they can get to the Giraffes necks to kill them without exposing themselves to
the dangerous kicks.<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-ZA">A giraffe walks like a camel, moving the legs on one
side of the body at the same time, then doing the same on the other side. When
galloping, the hind legs move around the front legs before the latter move
forward. The giraffe relies on the forward and backward motions of its
head and neck to maintain balance while galloping. </span><span lang="EN-ZA">If you have ever watched a giraffe gallop, you will
agree – it </span><span lang="EN-ZA">looks like
slow-motion. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span lang="EN-ZA">Calf:</span></b><span lang="EN-ZA"> </span><span lang="EN-ZA">The mother
gives birth standing up. The calf emerges head and front legs first and falls
to the ground, severing the umbilical cord. A new-born giraffe is
1.7–2 m tall. </span><span lang="EN-ZA">After their +/-
2m drop at birth, the giraffe calf can stand up and walk about an hour later
and within a week, it starts to sample vegetation.</span><span lang="EN-ZA"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Mothers with calves will gather in nursery herds,
moving or browsing together. This is known as a "calving pool”.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;">Habitat</span></b><b><span lang="EN-ZA">:</span></b><span lang="EN-ZA"> Grasslands and open woodlands of sub-Saharan Africa.
Its scattered range extends from </span><span lang="EN-ZA">Chad</span><span lang="EN-ZA"> in
the north to </span><span lang="EN-ZA">South Africa</span><span lang="EN-ZA"> in the
south, and from </span><span lang="EN-ZA">Niger</span><span lang="EN-ZA"> in
the west to </span><span lang="EN-ZA">Somalia</span><span lang="EN-ZA"> in the east. Giraffes usually inhabit </span><span lang="EN-ZA">savannahs</span><span lang="EN-ZA"> and </span><span lang="EN-ZA">woodlands.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;">Food: </span></b><span lang="EN-ZA">A giraffe
eats around 34 kg of foliage daily, </span><span lang="EN-ZA">primarily </span><span lang="EN-ZA">acacia</span><span lang="EN-ZA"> species</span><span lang="EN-ZA">. As a *</span><span style="background: white; color: #222222;">Ruminants*</span><span lang="EN-ZA">, the giraffe first chews its food, then swallows it
for processing and then visibly passes the half-digested cud up the neck and
back into the mouth to chew again. </span><span lang="EN-ZA">Giraffes only need to drink once every few days as most
of their water comes from all the plants they eat.</span><span lang="EN-ZA"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-ZA">*Ruminant*: </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; color: #222222;">any of various
cud-chewing hoofed mammals having a stomach divided into four (occasionally
three) compartments. Ruminants are mammals that are able to acquire nutrients
from plant-based food by fermenting it in a specialized stomach prior to
digestion, principally through microbial actions.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span lang="EN-ZA"></span></b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMyDmcJwc18KoJhyTseEoEc0NUPQaDuvey5Ice7sn6zIabEkTNsccUfh0-zUWMtK94q8_7lIOcTIROyv1AAnMNG_YgQmRcT_WXTRMNMagFzKlBDxTL7w4oylXpidyvJofOvsGg8oeu9rA/s1600/Gtongu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="522" data-original-width="610" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMyDmcJwc18KoJhyTseEoEc0NUPQaDuvey5Ice7sn6zIabEkTNsccUfh0-zUWMtK94q8_7lIOcTIROyv1AAnMNG_YgQmRcT_WXTRMNMagFzKlBDxTL7w4oylXpidyvJofOvsGg8oeu9rA/s200/Gtongu.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<b style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-ZA">Tongue:</span></b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> The
giraffe's tongue is about 45 cm long. It is purplish-black in
colour, perhaps to protect against sunburn, and is useful for grasping foliage,
as well as for grooming and cleaning the animal's nose.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span class="e24kjd"><b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;">Insomnia: </span></b></span><span style="background: white; color: #222222;">In the wild,
giraffes almost never lie down because of vulnerability to predators. They
usually sleep standing, sometimes sitting, and they give birth standing up.
When giraffes sleep, they curl their necks and sleep for about five minutes at a time,
sleeping no more than 30 minutes a
day.</span><span class="e24kjd"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA"><o:p><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">
<b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="line-height: 107%;">Sounds:</span></b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="line-height: 107%;"> Whilst
it was thought that giraffes did not make any sounds, this is now known to be
untrue, as giraffes bellow, snort, hiss and make flute-like sounds, as well as
low pitch noises beyond the range of human hearing. </span></span></o:p></span></div>
Epic Enabled Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13445700311258103489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230155243655680769.post-40962260397400055432019-05-23T09:15:00.001+02:002019-05-23T09:15:46.245+02:00What animal am I? -> MEERKAT<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-ZA"><b>Week 4 of our “What animal am I?” series </b></span>.…Clues during the week -> featured animal revealed on Thursdays.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT_0hi4EGOKRPpNf-EscphEBP2gCMmdwFgW6z6F0nidHO5QIJb_IlJ0lH7b5fPtqow6NbhDOIx_cvJOs-Y7o7OQS_TOiuC2Sf5NCQMmjakpFzcR9G-Z_W-Mjw03EcQs1oULVHQzQxZoEs/s1600/MK3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1198" data-original-width="1198" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT_0hi4EGOKRPpNf-EscphEBP2gCMmdwFgW6z6F0nidHO5QIJb_IlJ0lH7b5fPtqow6NbhDOIx_cvJOs-Y7o7OQS_TOiuC2Sf5NCQMmjakpFzcR9G-Z_W-Mjw03EcQs1oULVHQzQxZoEs/s320/MK3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-ZA"><b><span style="color: #38761d;"><br /></span></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-ZA"><b><span style="color: #38761d;">Clue 1: False
identity? </span></b>-> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; color: #222222;">The word Meerkat is Dutch/Afrikaans for “lake cat”,</span></i><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; color: #222222;"> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">although Meerkats don't live near
lakes and they are not cats. They in fact belong to the Mongoose family.<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-ZA"><b><span style="color: #38761d;">Clue 2: Mob &
sentry go hand in hand</span></b> -></span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; color: #222222;"> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A group of meerkats is called a "mob", "gang" or
"clan". </i></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="color: #222222;">Meerkats
forage in a group with 1 -2 sentries watching for predators while the others
search for food. </span></i><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="color: #38761d;"><b>Clue 3: Claim to
fame in 1994 </b></span>-> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="color: #222222;">Timon (Meerkat)<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b>and Pumbaa (Warthog) are the famous duo introduced in Disney's
1994 animated film “The Lion King”. </span></i><b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Hakuna matata</span></span></i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; color: #222222;"> – no worries!</span></i></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="color: #222222; font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn_fWJlHQwYRCEAJ_JowTf1HZ4SmKFR84cryVsJ6cV_gCgXYz_3wA3jHugAxfsYW6J02icWcC1_2YOJtDM4YUDW667AsObmCeRolpGpwwK-NmJNHilSFx720pbi8wgJXjD-Blnr2ELm8Y/s1600/MKpuzzel1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1188" data-original-width="1190" height="636" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn_fWJlHQwYRCEAJ_JowTf1HZ4SmKFR84cryVsJ6cV_gCgXYz_3wA3jHugAxfsYW6J02icWcC1_2YOJtDM4YUDW667AsObmCeRolpGpwwK-NmJNHilSFx720pbi8wgJXjD-Blnr2ELm8Y/s640/MKpuzzel1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span></i></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>MEERKAT - </b></span></span><span style="font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif", sans-serif;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Suricata</span></span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="color: #222222; font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The meerkat
belongs to the mongoose family and are active during the day. It is the only member
of the genus Suricata. Meerkats live in all parts of the Kalahari Desert in
Botswana, in much of the Namib Desert in Namibia, southwestern Angola, and in
South Africa. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Meerkat:</span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA;">Lifespan: 12
– 14 years (in captivity) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA;">Speed: 32 km/h
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA;">Scientific
name: </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="color: #222222; font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Suricata suricatta<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA;">Mass: 0.6 to
0.9 kg (adult) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA;">Body length: 25 –
35cm (adult without tail)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="w8qarf"><b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Did you
know:</span></span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> </span></b></span><span class="lrzxr"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">A mob/clan of meerkats will always have one "sentry" on guard
to watch out for predators while the others forage for food. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><b style="font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">False </b><span style="font-family: MS Reference Sans Serif, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13.3333px;"><b>identity</b></span></span><b style="font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">: </b></span></span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The word Meerkat is Dutch/Afrikaans for “lake cat”, although Meerkats
don't live near lakes and they are not cats. In addition i</span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="color: #222222; font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">n casual
Afrikaans, <i>mier</i> means termite, and <i>kat</i> means
cat. It has been speculated that the name comes from their frequent association
with termite mounds or the termites they eat.<span style="background: white;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Mob:</span></span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> </span></b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">A group of meerkats is called a
"mob", "gang" or "clan". A meerkat clan often
contains about 20 meerkats, but some super-families have 50 or more members of
which usually all are related. They are </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; letter-spacing: .1pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">normally
territorial and </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">live in large underground tunnels.
The mob </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; letter-spacing: .1pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">comprised of
equal numbers of males and females and t</span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">hese family groups, are led by an alpha pair, with the female being the
most dominant.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Each
meerkat mob will have a territory which they mark off with their scent. It is
usually around 10km². They won't allow another group or mob of meerkats into
their territory and will fight them, if needed. They move around within the
territory each day in order to forage for food in different spots. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">If the group
feels threatened by a predator, they will sometimes try mobbing or attacking it
in a group. Although they usually run, they can be fierce fighters when needed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="color: #38761d;"><b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Sentry:</span></b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="color: #222222; font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Meerkats
forage in a group with 1 - 2 sentries watching for predators while the others
search for food. Sentry duty is usually approximately an hour long. The meerkat
standing guard makes peeping sounds when all is well. <span class="lrzxr"><span style="background: white;">M</span></span></span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="color: #222222; font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">eerkats </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">have binocular vision, <span style="color: #222222;">with
two eyes on the front of the face as well as </span></span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">sense of smell and hearing. </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Generally, the sentry or lookout, will stand up
straight on its hind legs using its </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">tail as a tripod
to balance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">This
is so that it can get as high as possible to look for predators in the air and
on the ground.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="color: #222222; font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">When a predator is spotted, the lookout meerkats will
give a warning bark or whistle and </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">rest of the family will quickly escape into one of the many entrances of
their underground burrow. They take night shelter in their vast network of
underground tunnels which also doubles to keep them cool from the hot desert
sun.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Claim to fame:</span></span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="color: #222222; font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="color: #222222; font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Timon (Meerkat)<b> </b>and Pumbaa (Warthog) are the famous duo introduced in Disney's
1994 animated film “The Lion King”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="color: #222222; font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Famous quote:</span> </span><b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Hakuna matata</span></span></b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> roughly
translates to "there are no troubles" in Swahili, was translated to
the now popular phrase "no worries." Which is the opposite of the meerkat’s
behaviour!</span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="color: #222222; font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Meerkats popularity
grew further with the TV show Meerkat Manor from Animal Planet that followed
several Meerkat families in the </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Kalahari Desert.</span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="color: #222222; font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">When colonies are exposed to human presence for a long
time, they will become habituated, which allows for documentation of their
natural behaviour. It is not unusual for camera crews, who must largely stay
still for long periods while filming, to be utilized as convenient sentry
posts. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Features: </span></span></b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Meerk<span style="color: #222222;">ats have four toes on each foot and at the end of each of
them </span>is a claw used for digging burrows and digging
for prey. Claws are also used with muscular hindlegs to help climb trees. </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; letter-spacing: 0.1pt;">The eyes are
distinctively dark-ringed, with their </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="color: #222222; font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">coat being usually peppered grey, tan, or brown with silver. They
have short parallel stripes across their backs with </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; letter-spacing: 0.1pt;">dark-tipped,
short-haired, tapered tails.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="color: #222222; font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The underside
of the meerkat has no markings, but the belly has a patch which is only
sparsely covered with hair and shows the black skin underneath.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="color: #38761d;"><b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; letter-spacing: .1pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Diet:</span></b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; letter-spacing: .1pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Meerkats are omnivores,
meaning they eat both plants and animals. </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; letter-spacing: .1pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">They catch their
preferred insects, small rodents, geckos, snakes, </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">scorpions<span style="color: #222222;">, </span>spiders<span style="color: #222222;">, </span>eggs<span style="color: #222222;">, small </span>mammals<span style="color: #222222;">, </span>millipedes<span style="color: #222222;">, </span>centipedes <span style="color: #222222;">and sometimes
small birds </span></span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; letter-spacing: .1pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">with lightning swiftness, but also feed on </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">plants <span style="color: #222222;">and fungi (the desert truffle). <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Since
they don't have a lot of body fat, meerkats need to eat every day to keep their
energy up. </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="color: #222222; font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">For example, meerkat adults teach their pups how to eat
a venomous scorpion: they will remove the stinger and help the pup learn how to
handle the creature. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Predators:</span></span></b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA;"> </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Martial eagles<span style="color: #222222;">, </span>tawny eagles<span style="color: #222222;"> and </span>jackals<span style="color: #222222;"> are the main predators of meerkats. </span></span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="color: #222222; font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Meerkats are
immune to certain types of </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">venom<span style="color: #222222;">, including the very
strong venom of the scorpions of the </span>Kalahari Desert. However some
snakebites from the Puff Adder & Cape Cobras can lead to death<span style="color: #222222;">.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; letter-spacing: .1pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: #38761d;">Breeding:</span></span></b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; letter-spacing: .1pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif", sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">In each clan there is an
alpha pair of meerkats that lead the group. The alpha pair typically reserves
the right to mate and produce offspring. If others in the clan reproduce, then
the alpha pair will usually kill the young and may kick the mother out of the
clan. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; letter-spacing: .1pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The entire group participates in the care and
maintenance of young. While the pack is out foraging for food, one helper
remains at the den to tend to the young. They </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="color: #222222; font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">babysit the
young in the group and will protect them threats, often endangering their own
lives. On warning of danger, the babysitter takes the young underground to safety
and is prepared to defend them if the danger follows. Animals in the same group
groom each other regularly. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Meerkats, being wild animals, make
poor pets. They can be aggressive, especially toward guests and they may also
bite. They will scent-mark their owner and the house (their
"territory")<sup><o:p></o:p></sup></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
Epic Enabled Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13445700311258103489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230155243655680769.post-36253367753921544882019-05-16T09:28:00.000+02:002019-05-16T09:28:02.016+02:00What animal am I? -> AFRICAN FISH EAGLE<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-ZA"><b>Week 4 of our “What animal am I?” series </b></span>.…Clues during the week -> featured animal revealed on Thursdays.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq6KE9SSIo2x89q2t57PtQX06dvqn-a8ap6v6mKH0rvEB1eEQdMOYN4Wzkca3kJnoczcya_vLQJlGXfGbJ2rEv_p402a7vCL1dG8PZcdE5uvCF3Q_1yzjCEfQtjC5k03xCioYDp_Xvx-A/s1600/FE3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="885" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq6KE9SSIo2x89q2t57PtQX06dvqn-a8ap6v6mKH0rvEB1eEQdMOYN4Wzkca3kJnoczcya_vLQJlGXfGbJ2rEv_p402a7vCL1dG8PZcdE5uvCF3Q_1yzjCEfQtjC5k03xCioYDp_Xvx-A/s320/FE3.jpg" width="283" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="color: #660000;"><b>Clue
1: I am not lazy, just very efficient! -></b></span> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white;">They spend most of the time perched in a tree beside
the water watching for prey and territorial intruders, it only forages for 5 to
10% of the day. </span></i></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;">African<b> </b>fish</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;"> eagles
are very efficient hunters and only hunt for about 10 minutes each day.</span></i><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk7080552;"><span lang="EN-ZA">Clue 2: </span></span><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk7080552;"><span lang="EN-ZA">Thief & </span></span></span></b><span lang="EN-ZA"><b><span style="color: #660000;">kleptoparasite -></span></b> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">They h</i></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-ZA">abitually steal prey from
other species.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk7080552;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-ZA">Humans - You think we're
above it? The truth is, we're master kleptoparasites! There are many instances
in history of people stealing food from other people and we also “steal”
edibles from other species. You might very likely be a kleptoparasite as well
... have you eaten any honey lately? <o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA"><b><span style="color: #660000;">Clue
3: I am often </span></b></span><strong><span lang="EN-ZA" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;"><span style="color: #660000;">described as the sound of Africa </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #660000;">-></span> </i></span></strong><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;">Its </span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;">“characteristic call of Africa” </span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;">is, for many, evocative of the
spirit or essence of Africa and often described as the “Sound of Africa”. </span></i><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;"></span></i><br />
<div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Which clue gave it away?</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdNwZDtfF6WWagZrH7-1z7mlthK3cUp9ecOsRvUR0dIFIUos1Q6O_-aJKVbsoZ5vjb2CTFxGcDXhNWfRzum8LTw0RvykIO6FHOlOFUJ15WhVefk69w8eQidHI_6B0tgDjc0tMr1LvrfE4/s1600/FE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1064" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdNwZDtfF6WWagZrH7-1z7mlthK3cUp9ecOsRvUR0dIFIUos1Q6O_-aJKVbsoZ5vjb2CTFxGcDXhNWfRzum8LTw0RvykIO6FHOlOFUJ15WhVefk69w8eQidHI_6B0tgDjc0tMr1LvrfE4/s640/FE.jpg" width="564" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b><span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #660000;">AFRICAN FISH EAGLE</span></span></span></b></div>
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="border: 1pt none; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; padding: 0in;">This striking raptor is one </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">of
the most iconic birds of Africa, o</span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="border: 1pt none; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; padding: 0in;">ften also described as the sound of
Africa</span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The adult
is very distinctive in appearance with a mostly brown body; large, powerful,
black wings & the head, breast and tail are snow white. The exception is
the featherless face, which is yellow. The eyes are dark brown in colour. The
hook-shaped beak, ideal for a carnivorous lifestyle, is yellow with a black
tip. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;">This
species may resemble the bald eagle in appearance; though related,
each species occurs on different continents, with the bald eagle being resident
in North America.</span><span lang="EN-ZA"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b><span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #660000;">African
Fish Eagle:</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Lifespan: 12 – 24 years <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Speed: 80 km/h<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-ZA">Scientific name: </span><span lang="EN-ZA">Haliaeetus
vocifer</span><span lang="EN-ZA"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Mass: 2kg – 205kg (male; 3.2kg – 3.6kg (female)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-ZA">Wingspan: 2m (males); 2.4m (females)</span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Length: 63 – 77cm<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="color: #660000;">Did you know</span><span class="w8qarf"><span style="color: #660000;">:</span> </span></span></b><span class="w8qarf" style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-ZA">African Fish Eagle in
isiZulu is<b> </b></span></span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;">inkwazi</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;"><span style="color: #660000;">Kleptoparasite:</span> </span></b><span lang="EN-ZA">African fish eagles are kleptoparasites, which
is to say they habitually steal prey from other species. Common victims of
their piratical behaviour include </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;">goliath herons</span><span lang="EN-ZA"> and </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;">saddle-billed stork</span><span lang="EN-ZA">.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-ZA">Besides fish, they also eat young birds (especially
water-birds such as ducks & flamingos), </span><span lang="EN-ZA">turtles and terrapins,
baby crocodiles, lizards, frogs</span><span lang="EN-ZA"> as
well as </span><span lang="EN-ZA">carrion </span><span lang="EN-ZA">(</span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;">decaying flesh of dead
animals). </span><span lang="EN-ZA">Occasionally, it may even
carry off mammalian prey, such as hyraxes, monkeys and </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_fish_eagle#cite_note-encounter1-15"></a><span lang="EN-ZA">even </span><span lang="EN-ZA">domestic chickens. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Should they catch very
large prey and it is too heavy to allow the eagle to get lift, they will drag
it across the surface of the water until it reaches the shore and will eat it o<span style="background: white;">n the ground next to the water.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i><span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Humans - You think we're above it? The truth is,
we're master kleptoparasites! There are many instances in history of people
stealing food from other people and we also “steal” edibles from other species.
You might very likely be a kleptoparasite as well ... have you eaten
any honey lately? <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; color: #660000;">African Sound:</span></b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> The African<b> </b>Fish<b> </b>Eagle has
two distinct calls which have become known as the 'sound of Africa'.
The first of the calls are used in flights or when perched and </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">is produces by flinging its head back as it
vocalises, </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">to make it louder.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;">When near
the nest it has more of a 'quock' sound
- the female is a little shriller and less mellow than the male.</span><span lang="EN-ZA"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;">Its </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;">“characteristic call of Africa” </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;">is, for many, evocative of the
spirit or essence of Africa.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-ZA">Fish eagle sound clip: <a href="https://youtu.be/LdCazQJFbPw" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a> <span style="font-size: x-small;">(source:</span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXAPaZAy07vS8o23CeACftw" target="_blank">klipvid1</a>)</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #660000;"><b><span lang="EN-ZA">Habitat:</span></b><span lang="EN-ZA"> </span></span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;">This is a generalist species,
requiring only large open bodies of water with sufficient prey and a good
perch, as evident by the number of habitat types in which this species may be
found, including grassland, swamps, marshes, tropical rain-forest, fynbos, and even desert-bordering coastlines. The African fish
eagle is absent from arid areas with little surface water.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;"><span style="color: #660000;">Acrobatic aerial skills:</span></span></b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;"><span style="color: #660000;"> </span>Courtship includes the birds calling in duet as they
fly over their territory. The actual courtship display involves the male diving
down at the female who roles over in flight to present her talons.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The female is usually the most
aggressive of the pair in defense of the territory. If another female violates
her airspace, she will either call to see it off or more likely attack it from
below. They interlock talons and actually tumble sometimes 100m to the ground.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">African Fish<b> </b>Eagles are believed
to be monogamous and mate<b> </b>for<b>
</b>life. Even so, the male must win the heart of the female each year. The
pair meets in mid-air, locks talons and free-falls until they separate just
above the ground.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;"><span style="color: #660000;">For life:</span> </span></b><span lang="EN-ZA">African
fish eagles breed during the dry season, when water levels are low. They
are believed to mate for life. Pairs often maintain two or more nests,
which they frequently reuse. Because nests are reused and built upon over the
years, they can grow very large, some reaching 2 m across and 1.2 m
deep. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-ZA">The females lay 1-3 eggs </span><span lang="EN-ZA">which are
primarily white with a few reddish speckles. The </span><span lang="EN-ZA">chicks
leave the nest at the age of about 3 months. </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;">The plumage of the
juvenile is brown in colour, and the eyes are paler compared to the adult. They
will take 4 – 5 years to develop their magnificent adult plumage.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-ZA">Siblicide (the </span><span style="background: white;">killing of an infant siblings, could also be
mediated by the parents</span><span lang="EN-ZA">) does not normally occur with African Fish Eagle and
the parents often successfully rear two or three chicks.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;"><span style="color: #660000;">Talons:</span></span></b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;">
To help grip fish and other slippery prey, the African Fish Eagle has long
sharp talons which are coated in barbs called spiricules.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;"><span style="color: #660000;">Lazy or efficient?</span></span></b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;"><span style="color: #660000;"> </span>The African fish eagle spends most of the time
perched in a tree beside the water watching for prey and territorial intruders,
it only forages for 5 to 10% of the day. </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;">African<b>
</b>fish</span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;"> eagles
are very efficient hunters and only hunt for about 10 minutes each day. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;"><span style="color: #660000;">Sight & flight:</span></span></b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;"><span style="color: #660000;"> </span>An eagle in flight can
reputedly sight a rabbit 3.2km away. Talon–eye coordination is a hunting
imperative. From its perch at the top of trees, the eagle can dive at speeds of
200 – 322<b> </b>km/h to catch
its prey by its talons.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span class="ilfuvd"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;">Eagles</span></span><span class="ilfuvd"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white;"> (and
most large birds) fly by soaring; it's much more
energy efficient than flapping their wings. We do use the technique for our own flights. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span class="kx21rb"><b><span style="color: #660000;">Claim to Fame:</span></b></span><span class="kx21rb"> </span>This bird’s
conspicuous nature and charismatic presence ensure it figures prominently in
the folklore and heraldry of several nations. You will find it on the Zimbabwean
& Zambian Flags as well as on the coat of arms of Namibia, Zambia &
South Sudan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">
<span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk7080552;"></span>
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
Epic Enabled Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13445700311258103489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230155243655680769.post-53681499113022432332019-05-12T09:55:00.000+02:002019-05-13T16:33:15.780+02:00Happy Mother's Day!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcHQVRwpp6aR4aGl7JLR8PCiaK0V2LAMw4WMqwWsejIjMHYrlJ2UVlg5rAlkfBBjXawJXD5EIMbZh9k9CqB0mKoZj3wpamD8gT3ZdDYjcA23WaudV8R6EwsJFCun9clm5sDUh2lvDfyjA/s1600/2019+Md+s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1203" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcHQVRwpp6aR4aGl7JLR8PCiaK0V2LAMw4WMqwWsejIjMHYrlJ2UVlg5rAlkfBBjXawJXD5EIMbZh9k9CqB0mKoZj3wpamD8gT3ZdDYjcA23WaudV8R6EwsJFCun9clm5sDUh2lvDfyjA/s640/2019+Md+s.jpg" width="638" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: start;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: start;">NOTHING IS REALLY LOST UNTIL MOM CAN’T FIND IT.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: start;" /><span class="_5mfr" style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 1px; text-align: start;"><span class="_6qdm" style="background-image: url("https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/t57/1/16/1f609.png?_nc_eui2=AeGF47zDRuLpChD_bb5XSNusorn6U-5srYFLKTFm-vysNRCDHRf4H6j2X-RQEOE7E6gVD3w723BJzXm17CD9uQ7Et6HCAEJ_C3tTk2Tw3-KmBA"); background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: contain; color: transparent; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; height: 16px; text-shadow: none; vertical-align: text-bottom; width: 16px;">😉</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: start;"> – this one really made me laugh as it certainly applies in our household!</span></div>
Epic Enabled Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13445700311258103489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230155243655680769.post-91826924798472972432019-05-09T08:21:00.000+02:002019-05-09T09:49:44.777+02:00What animal am I? -> BUFFALO<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-ZA"><b>Week 3 of our “What animal am I?” series </b></span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">.…Clues during
the week -> featured animal revealed on Thursdays.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTKrWaXxPiAk0x2bm3qt9oaBu7XDzixQCuip6PX0__FLbl-ObXXnF1zLj-lxQ7bLKiIA1sXLXBsjtFCh3v_MmMHh5_0H20F9RRFxTJ3-20JSDSocbWLjXRFhwr-BZyQlpayp1m5TuoP9E/s1600/buffalo3ct.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1458" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTKrWaXxPiAk0x2bm3qt9oaBu7XDzixQCuip6PX0__FLbl-ObXXnF1zLj-lxQ7bLKiIA1sXLXBsjtFCh3v_MmMHh5_0H20F9RRFxTJ3-20JSDSocbWLjXRFhwr-BZyQlpayp1m5TuoP9E/s320/buffalo3ct.jpg" width="291" /></span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><span lang="EN-ZA">Clue 1: Bosses
all around</span><span lang="EN-ZA">
</span></span><span style="color: blue;">-> </span><i>The adult male buffalo's horns have a
fused bases, forming a continuous bone shield across the top of the head
referred to as a "boss".</i><i><span lang="EN-ZA"><o:p></o:p></span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Clue 2: I am <span style="background: white;">Herbivore but will hu</span><span style="background: white;">nter when I feel like it -> </span></span><i style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">They
have a great dislike for predators and given the chance, they will attack and
trample young/vulnerable lion/hyena/cheetah without being attacked first. Their
best defense is to attack and that is what makes them so dangerous.</i><br />
<i style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></i></div>
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">Clue 3: Mafia of
the animal kingdom -></span> </span><i style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background: white;">They are referred to as the
“mafia” of the animal kingdom because of its steely gaze, never flinching and
unnerving demeanor that demands respect. The strong silent types who aren’t
fond of those interrupting them. These </span></i><i style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">strong
characters never forgive and simply ambush their “prey” without giving any type
of warning signal.</i><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiJs2IQuEmmnsmf3GZX0xIOI67yR9VZZdZG9osz_yf_WdxTROMDP4V78smwSuUnqqt2OSQypQd_0Cq9rBJsogJRKpcuMcxdbbI8jXVIiskPes8tfwFUSjkelsi9N0U5PBhdJq0zUbxF-U/s1600/buffaloct.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1458" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiJs2IQuEmmnsmf3GZX0xIOI67yR9VZZdZG9osz_yf_WdxTROMDP4V78smwSuUnqqt2OSQypQd_0Cq9rBJsogJRKpcuMcxdbbI8jXVIiskPes8tfwFUSjkelsi9N0U5PBhdJq0zUbxF-U/s640/buffaloct.jpg" width="582" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>CAPE BUFFALO </b></span><b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="color: blue;">(African Buffalo)</span></span></b><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The collective noun for buffalo is “herd”, but other terms include “gang” and “obstinacy”.<span lang="EN-ZA"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The Cape buffalo is the silent strong type you don’t want to upset! Their unflinching steel gaze will make you squirm out of their way. They go about their daily routine and don’t like interruption. They carry on their path, no matter what or who is in their way. The Cape buffalo are 4x</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> stronger than an ox.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Lifespan: 20
years <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Speed: 56 km/h<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-ZA">Scientific
name: </span><span class="lrzxr"><span lang="EN-ZA">Syncerus caffer</span></span><span lang="EN-ZA"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Mass: 350 kg
– 870 km (adult)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Height: 100
cm – 170cm (adult, at shoulder)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Length: 200cm –
335cm<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="background: white;">Boss:</span></b><span style="background: white;"> </span>The Cape
buffalo is a very robust species; it has a long but stocky body and short but
thickset legs. The adult male buffalo's horns have a fused bases, forming a
continuous bone shield across the top of the head referred to as a "boss". The horns form fully when
the animal reaches the age of five or six years, but the bosses do not become
"hard" till 8 to 9 years old. In cows, the horns are, on average,
10–20% smaller, and they do not have a boss.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background: white;">The body of Cape <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">buffalo</span> is
covered with hair that <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">can</span> be
brownish <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">to</span> black in
color. </span>Calves
of have reddish coats.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white;">Friends with benefits:</span></b><span style="background: white;"> </span>The
Oxpecker is just that, they have a symbiotic relationship! They sit on the Cape
Buffalo’s hide and remove the ticks/insects embedded in their skins.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Food:</b>
While not particularly demanding to their habitat, they require water daily,
and therefore depend on constant sources of water. The
Cape buffalo is a grazer and prefers tall grasses to short shrubs. Herds
of buffalo mow down grasses and make way for more selective grazers. <span style="background: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Dominance:</b>
Adult bulls spar in play, dominance interactions, or actual fights. A bull approaches
another, lowing, with his horns down, and waits for the other bull to do the
same thing. When sparring, the bulls twist their horns from side to side.
Actual fights are violent but rare and brief. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Dagga
boy:</b>
A lone buffalo is most likely an old male buffalo also called “dagga boy” <span style="background: white;">(“Dagga” referring </span><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;">to the thick black clay that coats their skin;
‘dagga’ being another word for mud</span><span style="background: white;">)</span>.
Dagga boys are older bulls past their prime which have separated from their
heard as they no longer can compete with the younger dominant males. They are
solitary or form small group of other dagga boys.<strong><span style="border: 1pt none; color: #555555; padding: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></span></strong></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pathfinder:</b>
The most experienced cows are known as pathfinders. They are responsible for
taking the herd to the most beneficial area for grazing and water.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">Calves: </span><span class="lrzxr"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="line-height: 107%;">Buffaloes mate and give birth only during the rainy
seasons.</span></span><span style="line-height: 107%;"> Buffalo cows have their first calves
at age 4 or 5 and they become completely reliant on their mothers, right up
until a year old.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Voting?
</b>Females
appear to exhibit some sort of "voting behavior". During resting
time, the females stand up, shuffle around, and sit back down again. They sit
in the direction they think they should move. After an hour of more shuffling,
the females travel in the direction they decide. This decision is communal and
not based on hierarchy or dominance however the pathfinders will lead them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Strong
bond:</b>
When chased by predators, a herd sticks close
together and makes it hard for the predators to pick off one member. Calves are
gathered in the middle. A buffalo herd responds to the distress call of a
captured member and tries to rescue it. A calf's distress call gets the
attention of not only the mother, but also the herd. Buffaloes engage in mobbing behavior when fighting off
predators. They have been recorded killing a lion and chasing lions up
trees and keeping them there for two hours, after the lions have killed a
member of their group. Lion cubs can get trampled and killed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white;">Diseases:</span></b><span style="background: white;"> The Cape buffalo is
susceptible to many diseases, including </span><span style="background: white;">bovine tuberculosis</span><span style="background: white;">, </span><span style="background: white;">corridor disease</span><span style="background: white;"> and </span><span style="background: white;">foot and mouth disease</span><span style="background: white;">. This can be
devastating if they encounter infected domestic cattle. As with many diseases,
these problems remain dormant within a population as long as the health of the
animals is good. These diseases do, however, restrict the legal movements of
the animals and fencing infected areas from unaffected areas is enforced. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="background: white; color: #222222;">Herbivore - </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white;">Hunter: </span></b>Other
than humans, Cape Buffaloes have few predators and
are capable of defending themselves against (and killing) lions.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_buffalo#cite_note-17"></a> Lions
do kill and eat buffalo regularly, but it typically takes quite a few lions to
bring down a single adult buffalo. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">An
average-sized crocodile will attack only old solitary
animals and young calves, though they can kill healthy adults too. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If
a buffalo herd comes under attack, they form a circle around their young. All
the adults’ face outwards in an effort to hide the vulnerable. The adults lower
their heads and form a protective barrier with their horns. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">They
have a great dislike for predators and given the chance, they will attack and
trample young/vulnerable lion/hyena/cheetah without being attached first.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Their
best defense is to attack and that is what makes them so dangerous.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white;">Big 5: </span></b><span style="background: white; color: #222222;">In Africa, the Big Five game animals are the Lion, Leopard, Rhino,
Elephant & Cape Buffalo. The term stems from the five most difficult &
dangerous animals in Africa to hunt on foot. The Cape Buffalow</span><span style="background: white;"> is known as "the Black Death" or "widowmaker"
and is widely regarded as a very dangerous animal.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background: white;">According to some estimates, it gores and kills over 200
people every year. Buffaloes are sometimes reported to kill more people in
Africa than any other animal, although the same claim is also made of </span><span style="background: white;">hippos</span><span style="background: white;"> and </span><span style="background: white;">crocodiles.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white;">Mafia:</span></b><span style="background: white;"> They are referred to as the
“mafia” of the animal kingdom because of its steely gaze, never flinching and
unnerving demeanor that demands respect. The strong silent types who aren’t
fond of those interrupting them. These </span>strong characters never forgive and simply
ambush their “prey” without giving any type of warning signal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Domestic:</b> Its
unpredictable temperament means that the Cape Buffalo has never been domesticated.</span><span style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b></b></span>Epic Enabled Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13445700311258103489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230155243655680769.post-85638872902585968522019-05-02T09:05:00.000+02:002019-05-02T09:39:21.301+02:00What animal am I? -> HYENA<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="color: #b45f06;">Week 2 of our “What animal am I?” series </span><o:p></o:p></span></b>…Clues during the week -> featured animal revealed on Thursdays.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7_kP3kCc1YZCCVxUoOmlBbkw_znZZ50kKVVdEkoRC9FRNiR5Fbppi7Aa56NZ0twztfbf2hX-MlaSUwiARAPRYgCQDybYtFdIF56BtOelE1JHeAnyCj-iFvDlKFHZq5tCOr24YOZK8FTk/s1600/Hyena3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="642" data-original-width="960" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7_kP3kCc1YZCCVxUoOmlBbkw_znZZ50kKVVdEkoRC9FRNiR5Fbppi7Aa56NZ0twztfbf2hX-MlaSUwiARAPRYgCQDybYtFdIF56BtOelE1JHeAnyCj-iFvDlKFHZq5tCOr24YOZK8FTk/s320/Hyena3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Clue 1: Girl Power 👧</span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> -> <i><span style="color: #b45f06;">females rank higher than males, are
larger in size and the group is led by one powerful alpha female.</span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;">Clue 2: I have a big heart 💗 </span><i><span style="color: #222222;">-> </span><span style="color: #b45f06;">spotted hyena has a proportionately
large heart, constituting close to 1% of its body weight, thus giving it
great endurance in long chases. In contrast, a lion's heart makes up only
0.45–0.57 percent of its body weight.</span><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Clue 3: I can be plain, striped or spotted -> <i><span style="color: #b45f06;">The brown hyena is plain, the striped hyena
& Aardwolf are striped, and the spotted hyena has spots.</span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLz3lrnmouKK3ExPz_-nT3VzMBit6fTH8poVlCgxE6Y1KcZ5YrmKVrFRqJp9iVvs61wFuvSM8LQU2a7BODFQWkzuLnB2VO_3Q5GvIiWVEyVmz5-k276cuqfXP8XHQgcq03BSV7CVSku8k/s1600/Hyena.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="642" data-original-width="960" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLz3lrnmouKK3ExPz_-nT3VzMBit6fTH8poVlCgxE6Y1KcZ5YrmKVrFRqJp9iVvs61wFuvSM8LQU2a7BODFQWkzuLnB2VO_3Q5GvIiWVEyVmz5-k276cuqfXP8XHQgcq03BSV7CVSku8k/s640/Hyena.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<b><span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></b>
<b><span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">HYENA</span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-ZA">Hyenas are
not members of the dog or cat families, instead they have their
own unique </span><span style="background: white; color: #222222;">feliform
(“cat-like”) </span><span lang="EN-ZA">carnivoran mammals family -> Hyaenidae.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">With only four
extant species, it is the fifth-smallest biological family in the Carnivora,
and one of the smallest in the class Mammalia. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
</div>
<ol>
<li><span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">SPOTTED HYENA,
largest and also known as the LAUGHING HYENA</span></span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">BROWN HYENA
(rarest of hyenas at present)</span></span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">SPRIPED HYENA</span></span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">AARDWOLF (it's
a hyena, not a wolf)</span></span></li>
</ol>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Despite their low
diversity, hyenas are unique and VITAL components of most African
ecosystems. </span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">They're more
closely related to cats than dogs, but their closest relatives are
the Herpestidae -> mongooses, meerkats etc</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Hyenas live in
groups called clans or packs and are creatures of the night.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b><span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;">SPOTTED HYENA:</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Lifespan: 12
– 25 years <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Speed: 60 km/h<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Scientific
name: Crocuta Crocuta<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Mass: Female:
44 – 64 kg (up to 82kg!), Male: 40 – 55 kg<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">(Striped hyena:
22 – 55 kg, Brown hyena: 40 – 44 kg)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Height: 70
– 92 cm (adult, at shoulder)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">(Striped hyena:
60 – 80 cm, Brown hyena: 70cm)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span lang="EN-ZA">Girl Power:</span></b><span lang="EN-ZA"> Spotted hyenas are social mammals and live
in structured groups, called clans. There is a strict hierarchy, where
females rank higher than males, and the group is led by one powerful alpha
female. Males have the lowest status in the pack and are forced to leave their
family when they reach sexual maturity. Their fight to enter a new pack is
often deadly and the dominant female will determine their fate.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span lang="EN-ZA">Cubs:</span></b><span lang="EN-ZA">
A Female hyena gives birth to 2 – 4 cubs a year, which she nurses in
a den. </span><span style="background: white; color: #222222;">Cubs are born with
soft, brownish black hair, and weigh 1.5 kg on average.</span> Unique among carnivorous mammals, spotted hyenas are
also born with their eyes open and with 6–7 mm long canine teeth and
4 mm long incisors. <span lang="EN-ZA">Female
hyenas only have two nipples, therefore cubs often fight for food from the
mother which is highly nutritious, sometimes to the death.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As the youngsters
grow up, males will often leave to join a different clan, whereas females will
remain in the same clan for life.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span lang="EN-ZA">Looks:</span></b><span lang="EN-ZA">
The spotted hyena is the largest of them </span><span style="color: #222222;">has a strong and well-developed neck and forequarters, but
relatively underdeveloped hindquarters. The rump is rounded rather
than angular, which prevents attackers coming from behind.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">For its size, the spotted hyena has
one of the most powerfully built skulls among the Carnivora. The dentition
is more dual purposed (hunter & scavenger) than that of other modern hyena
species. Combined with large jaw muscles and a special vaulting to protect the
skull against large forces, these characteristics give the spotted hyena a
powerful bite which can exert a pressure of 40% more force than a leopard can
generate. The jaws of the spotted hyena outmatch those of the brown
bear in bone-crushing ability!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The female hyena
is dominant, larger in size and more aggressive than the male. Females
have a ‘pseudo-penis’, which is an elongated clitoris (only mammalian species
to lack an external vaginal opening), though they are not hermaphrodite. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #222222;">Big heart:</span></b><span style="color: #222222;"> The spotted hyena has a
proportionately large heart, constituting close to 1% of its body weight,
thus giving it great endurance in long chases. In contrast, a lion's heart
makes up only 0.45–0.57 percent of its body weight.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span lang="EN-ZA">Predator:</span></b><span lang="EN-ZA">
The reputation of the hyena as a coward is unfounded and hyena are aggressive
competitors in the bush with great endurance and persistence. Unlike
its BROWN & STRIPED cousins, the SPOTTED HYENA is a predator, not a
scavenger. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">They
kill and eat baby lion, leopard and other predators. Spotted hyenas
often hunt in groups and can take down big animals such as
wildebeest, antelope, zebras and young hippos. Smaller snacks on their menu
include birds, fish, snakes, lizards and insects. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Hyena are
cannibals and will attack and eat other hyenas, including their young.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span lang="EN-ZA">Adaptability:</span></b><span lang="EN-ZA"> Its success is due in part to its adaptability
and opportunism; it is primarily a hunter but may
also scavenge, with the capacity to eat and digest skin, bone and other
animal waste. Equipped with a super-strong jaw and teeth, the spotted
hyena makes the most efficient use of animal matter of all African carnivores
and nothing goes to waste.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The spotted hyena
displays greater flexibility in its hunting and foraging behaviour than other
African carnivores; it hunts alone, in small parties of 2–5 individuals or
in large groups. During a hunt, spotted hyenas often run through ungulate herds
in order to select an individual to attack. Once selected, their prey is chased
over a long distance, often several kilometres, at speeds of up to
60 km/h. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span lang="EN-ZA">Reputation:</span></b><span lang="EN-ZA"> Hyenas feature prominently in the folklore and
mythology of human cultures that live alongside them. Hyenas are commonly
viewed as frightening and worthy of contempt. In some cultures, hyenas are
thought to influence people’s spirits, rob graves, and steal livestock and
children. Other cultures associate them with witchcraft, using their body
parts in traditional African medicine.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="line-height: 107%;">Cackle:</span></b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="line-height: 107%;"> Spotted hyenas make a
sound resembling laughter when they are excited which gives them their nickname
‘laughing hyena’. Their cackling sounds
can be heard from a distance of 4,8km…. so listen out for me 😄 </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="line-height: 107%;"><br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />Epic Enabled Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13445700311258103489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230155243655680769.post-40254539567976147232019-04-25T10:25:00.000+02:002019-05-01T11:59:11.912+02:00What animal am I? -> ZEBRA<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; margin-bottom: 6px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We are starting a new weekly animal in depth series...clues during the week -> featured animal revealed on Thursdays.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 6px;">
<div style="color: #1d2129;">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Yes, you got it right, this weeks featured animal is the ZEBRA.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif", sans-serif;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Clue 1: let me be-DAZZLE you -></span> <i style="color: #1d2129;">A group of zebras are referred to as a herd,
DAZZLE, or zeal.<o:p></o:p></i></span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif", sans-serif;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Clue 2: I am not fat… I might just look like it! -></span>
<i style="color: #1d2129;">This is due to their bloated stomachs
filled with bacteria helping to digest all the grass they eat. This
fermentation produces a lot of gas and will bloat their stomach, giving them a
well-nourished appearance.</i></span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div style="color: #1d2129;">
</div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhixwx7ae0t4z9207W8B83F5xTmfUQIX7ZTjbch38obwxvKczbRoX_tI5vqLi-ecDVnQZDuMOBhuFRsSvixnYyUqh5N2BEc99Py2VTh5eGJGhJAGG-7_IzANL2W3CvfDorZj-bIPLRKBrQ/s1600/Zebra.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: transparent; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="833" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhixwx7ae0t4z9207W8B83F5xTmfUQIX7ZTjbch38obwxvKczbRoX_tI5vqLi-ecDVnQZDuMOBhuFRsSvixnYyUqh5N2BEc99Py2VTh5eGJGhJAGG-7_IzANL2W3CvfDorZj-bIPLRKBrQ/s640/Zebra.jpg" width="554" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">There are three different species of zebra in Africa,
the Plains Zebra, Grevy’s Zebra and Mountain Zebra united
by their distinctive black-and-white striped coats. Their stripes come in
different patterns, unique to each individual (like our fingerprints). They are
generally social animals that live in small harems to large herds. Unlike
their closest relatives, horses and donkeys, zebras have never
been truly domesticated due to their stubborn nature.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA;">The most common zebras we see on our Epic Enabled
safaris are the Burchell’s Zebra which is a southern subspecies of
the Plains Zebra. It is named after the British explorer and
naturalist William John Burchell. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA;">Burchell’s
Zebra:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA;">Lifespan: 20 – 30 years (in the wild), up to 40
years in captivity (Zoos)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA;">Speed: 65 km/h <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA;">Scientific name: Equus quagga burchellii <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA;">Mass: 200 - 280kg (adult) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA;">Height: 110cm to 140cm at shoulder<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA;">Body length: 2.2-2.5m<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA;">Did you know:<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA;">Habitat:</span></b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA;"> They occur in a variety of habitats, such
as grasslands, savannas, woodlands,
thorny scrublands, mountains, and coastal hills. Various
anthropogenic factors have had a severe impact on zebra populations, in
particular hunting for skins and habitat destruction. Grévy's zebra and
the mountain zebra are endangered. While plains zebras are much more plentiful,
one subspecies, the quagga, became extinct in the late 19th century.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA;">Quagga:</span></b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA;"> A South African zebra, extinct since 1883, that had a yellowish-brown
coat with only the front half of their bodies covered with darker stripes. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA;">Dazzle:</span></b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA;"> A group of zebras are referred to as a herd, dazzle, or zeal. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA;">Meaning of Dazzle: brightness that blinds someone
temporarily...(synonyms: brightness, brilliance, glow, flash, shimmer,
radiance, shine, flare, glare, blaze)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA;">Stripes:</span></b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA;"> Why do zebras have stripes? Scientists are not entirely sure and there
are multiple theories. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1)<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA;">Their stripes serve to dazzle and confuse predators making it difficult
to distinguish one individual in the blur.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2)<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA;">Control the animal’s body heat because </span><span style="background: white;">air moves at different
speeds over light-absorbing black stripes and light-reflecting white stripes,
so the zebra creates its own cooling air currents.</span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3)<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA;">Each individual’s stripes are unique, their stripes may also have a
social purpose, helping zebras to recognize individual<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4)<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA;">New studies also show that it reduced biting insects landing on their
confusing/bury patterns. Thus, avoiding fly & insect related illnesses
common to horses.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA;">Food:</span></b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA;"> Zebras are herbivores and spend most of their day eating grass, leaves,
shrubs twigs and bark. Their teeth are well adapted for grazing, with sharp
incisors at the front of their mouth to bite the grass, and large molars at the
back for crushing and grinding.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA;">They are constantly on the move for fresh grasslands
& water. They travel thousands of kilometres in search of green pastures.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA;">Well-nourished
appearance:</span></b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif;"> You will never see a slim Zebra, they always appear “fat”.
This is due to their bloated stomachs filled with bacteria helping to digest
all the grass they eat. This fermentation produces a lot of gas and will bloat
their stomach, giving them a well-nourished appearance.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA;">Even when a zebra is sick it will still appear fat.
You can differentiate a healthy to sick zebra by their manes. They have a strip
of fat below their manes and if they are in good condition their mane will stand
up straight, but as they become sick they will use this fat reserve and the
mane will start to flop over.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA;">Posing
for the Camera:</span></b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some of the most
popular Zebra photos are when they stand next to each other, but facing away
from one another and resting their head on each others back. They are not only
watching each others backs but also using each others tails as a fly swatter
for their faces.<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA;">Alfie’s
trick-question:</span></b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA;"> Are male zebras black with white stripes and females
are white with black stripes or other way around? … When you first hear this
statement on tour, you will take a minute to think about it </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "segoe ui emoji" , sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-ascii-font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif"; mso-char-type: symbol-ext; mso-hansi-font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif"; mso-symbol-font-family: "Segoe UI Emoji";">😉</span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA;">Zebras are mostly covered in white fur and striped
with black, but underneath their coat the skin is black.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA;">Fierce:</span></b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA;"> As elegant and peaceful as they are, zebras can be aggressive
animals and are very protective of their family! Stallions fight for females
with piercing bites and powerful kicks that are strong enough to cause serious
damage – and sometimes even kill! Their fierce fighting skills, powerful
kicks and strong social bonds help to protect zebras from predators, which
include lions, leopards, hyenas and cheetahs. And if one of
the group is wounded or injured, other zebras will circle around and attempt to
drive off the hungry attacker. All for one and one for all!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />Epic Enabled Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13445700311258103489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230155243655680769.post-50704865270125938142019-04-19T09:05:00.000+02:002019-04-19T09:05:00.728+02:00Happy Easter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghZPsj3RaovcuTPXlu70u79B3HgCmTNq4Sziqkk8VURI6chrqsSPkxIxkqHhnObvapttWrhhHeZTbCOdOgU7mWOX5bJg8_2gjT2g-VjBZKwJzETDnTsgtMFP8_cFqSJYnic_-7P6SSEw0/s1600/easter+2019+EE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="810" height="568" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghZPsj3RaovcuTPXlu70u79B3HgCmTNq4Sziqkk8VURI6chrqsSPkxIxkqHhnObvapttWrhhHeZTbCOdOgU7mWOX5bJg8_2gjT2g-VjBZKwJzETDnTsgtMFP8_cFqSJYnic_-7P6SSEw0/s640/easter+2019+EE.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The most important things in life aren’t
things...</span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6GVu4Vj65fJn0HgfAHLymsZuacsNGQ6ENz-b6UYZsLka5NNufzYx0fLkVeLezy_tml3IRq5kFNJE16zuUC_zvbeabmkCG6hAojensX9qelZ_dbfE3R3brP887j68hDe3LsttfTDGVpbU/s1600/EGH+Easter+2019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1359" data-original-width="1600" height="542" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6GVu4Vj65fJn0HgfAHLymsZuacsNGQ6ENz-b6UYZsLka5NNufzYx0fLkVeLezy_tml3IRq5kFNJE16zuUC_zvbeabmkCG6hAojensX9qelZ_dbfE3R3brP887j68hDe3LsttfTDGVpbU/s640/EGH+Easter+2019.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Happy Easter </b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> from all of us @ Epic Enabled & Epic Guest House</span></div>
<br />Epic Enabled Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13445700311258103489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230155243655680769.post-9171623077122583902019-04-15T09:40:00.000+02:002019-04-15T09:42:54.537+02:00Lion<div style="text-align: center;">
King of the .... Bush (LIONS don't actually live in the Jungle 😉)<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF8BPQGBs9OPw345nBRtvYp4N3btJRa1n1KmDl65hTWJFHhgtlyS1vzAqo71RqD9hwcKRKKEtSB5SX32ezIUfyonO9axjswhtOaeJhwRX9Kd7c-Cnk2JvmPBJbuJTbsSdZOU-9WjP5gsI/s1600/Cats-lion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1388" height="552" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF8BPQGBs9OPw345nBRtvYp4N3btJRa1n1KmDl65hTWJFHhgtlyS1vzAqo71RqD9hwcKRKKEtSB5SX32ezIUfyonO9axjswhtOaeJhwRX9Kd7c-Cnk2JvmPBJbuJTbsSdZOU-9WjP5gsI/s640/Cats-lion.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">The <b>LION</b> is
probably the most recognizable and best known species in the family Felidae; it
is a muscular, deep-chested cat with a short, rounded head, a reduced neck and
round ears, and a hairy tuft at the end of its tail. Largest Cat in Africa.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Lifespan: 10 – 14 years (adult, in the wild)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Speed: 80 km/h (max, in short bursts)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Scientific name: <b>Panthera leo<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Mass: Male adult; 150kg – 250kg, Female adult; 120kg
– 185kg <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Height: Male: 121cm at shoulder, Female at shoulder:
110cm at shoulder<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><u><b>Did you
know:</b></u> </span><u><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></u><u><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">A Complex Social Structure</span></b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">: </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Unlike other cats, lions are very
social animals. They live in groups, called prides</span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">. A pride consists of
multiple related females and their dependent offspring along with 1 - 3
unrelated males. A typical pride has about 15 members, although some prides as
large as 40 members have been observed. </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">The size
of the pride is determined by the availability of food and water.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Male lions are the only big cat species with manes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Biggest Cat in Africa, but
only second largest cat in the world</span></b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">: A male lion weighs about 225kg and grows to 244cm in
length. It sounds impressive, but tigers are actually larger, reaching 385kg
and 335cm long<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Territory:</span></b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"> They inhabit grasslands and plains where </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">female
lions typically hunt together in groups, preying mostly on large mammals
although they scavenge when opportunities occur.</span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Contrary to popular believes, male lions also can and
will hunt very successfully when necessary, however if the males are part of a
pride (not solitude nomads) they normally stay home and watch over the pride,
defending their territory from other rival prides or predators. The males,
however, are first to eat when the female lions come back with their kill. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Female bond</span></b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">: Female lions, sisters, live together for life. Their
female cubs also stay with the pride, even after they’re grown, but male cubs
must venture out on their own once they reach maturity<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Majestic Manes:</span></b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"> Male lions have majestic manes that make them appear
larger and more intimidating. This is primarily a great layer of protection
around their necks in fierce territorial fights. Female lions are also
attracted to fuller, thicker manes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Lion Roar</span></b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">: A male lion’s roar can be heard from up to 8km) away
– the loudest roar of any big cat species. Their roar helps them find other
lions as well as to proclaim their territory. A pride’s territory may include
up to 260km².<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Lions are more active during day time compared to other big cats, but
when persecuted it adapts to being active at night & twilight</span></div>
<br />Epic Enabled Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13445700311258103489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230155243655680769.post-1799967046936268002019-04-12T08:09:00.000+02:002019-04-12T08:09:01.431+02:00Leopard<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">#5 out of our 6 featured CATS: powerful LEOPARD</span><span style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">:</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPEMxWAlLppofLHqu3izFTpNWJBY3PdwY63E-e7X_Fs5YzEwUV7-qGFTAc0_8ksUnvEPDRawoJb3Ed3b6hvmr-fy_F7owilPLiEo1hdkuwM2OPFFsJDHAN2NCVasxFpWKzwPwutLjo8TQ/s1600/Cats-leopard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1398" height="548" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPEMxWAlLppofLHqu3izFTpNWJBY3PdwY63E-e7X_Fs5YzEwUV7-qGFTAc0_8ksUnvEPDRawoJb3Ed3b6hvmr-fy_F7owilPLiEo1hdkuwM2OPFFsJDHAN2NCVasxFpWKzwPwutLjo8TQ/s640/Cats-leopard.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">The <b>LEOPARD</b>
is one of the five extant species in the genus Panthera. The leopard occurs in
a wide range in sub-Saharan Africa and parts of Asia. </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Compared
to other wild cats, the leopard has relatively short legs, a long body with a
large skull </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">and </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">is similar in appearance to the <span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">jaguar</span></span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">. </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Its
fur is marked with small densely packed <b><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">rosettes</span></b>. Both leopards and jaguars that are <span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">melanistic</span> are known as <span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">black panthers</span>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Lifespan: 12 – 17 years<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Speed: 58 km/h (Running)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Scientific name: <b>Panthera pardus</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Mass: Male adult; 37 - 90kg (average ~60kg), Female
adult; 28 – 60kg (average ~38kg)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Height: Male adult at shoulder: 60 – 70 cm,
Female adult at shoulder: 57 – 64 cm <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 6.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Usually, leopards are larger in areas where they are at the top of the
food chain, without competitive restriction from larger predators such as the
lion and tiger. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<u><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"><b>Did you know:</b></span></u><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"><b> </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Adaptivity:</span></b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"> The
leopard is distinguished by its well-camouflaged fur, <span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">opportunistic</span> hunting behaviour, broad diet, and
incredible strength (which it uses to move heavy carcasses into trees), as well
as its ability to adapt to various habitats ranging from rainforest to steppe,
including arid and montane areas.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Diet:</span></b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"> Leopards
eat small hoof-stock such as gazelle, impala, deer and wildebeast. On occasion,
they may also hunt monkeys, rodents and birds. They often bring their prey up
into the branches of a tree to eat it and protect it from other predators and
scavengers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Black
Panther: </span></b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">A melanistic
leopard is the scientific name for a "black panther". While these
black cats may look spotless, if you look closely in good daylight, the leopard
rosettes can be seen. It is a genetic mutation that causes the dark colouring which
may be a beneficial evolutionary trait that improves a leopard’s ability to
stay concealed during nocturnal hunts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Climbing
trees: </span></b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Leopards are solitary
(no match against a pride of lions or clan of hyenas) and rarely the largest
predator in their area, therefore it is crucial for their young to learn
climbing at a young age. This will keep them save and benefit them later to
drag their kills into high trees to be stored and keep safe from predators like
lions & hyenas.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Leopards have very strong and gripping claws so that
they can climb almost a straight cliff, but even more impressive, they </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">can</span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"> jump
up to 3m vertically!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Strong swimmers: </span></b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Leopards are unlike most
other big cats, surprisingly strong swimmers and don’t mind the water. This
might be cause of their adaptivity to flourish and survive in different types
of habitats<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Vulnerability:
</span></b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">The
leopard is listed as <span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Vulnerable</span> due to <span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">habitat loss</span> and fragmentation and are declining in
large parts of the global range. Leopards are hunted illegally, and their
body parts are smuggled in the <span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">wildlife trade</span> for
medicinal practices and decoration. Their population numbers are secret to keep
them safe.</span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><br /></span></div>
Epic Enabled Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13445700311258103489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230155243655680769.post-76915490525820832182019-04-11T08:05:00.000+02:002019-04-11T08:05:03.059+02:00Cheetah<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">#4 out of our 6 featured CATS: the speed </span><span style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">machine</span><span style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"> - CHEETAH:</span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-gNkQANw968C6xIBshc3u9RaQ-i5sceoYz3HnwrXnPTjK8PN-bfEuhZsC2slStbMOjRHkMymBIBzkvHqy9aov7pOVJod7UQ2wBrySHSr1M-dbxKVe5kwkYYlp2AlISOcrzqvDwQ4VnEA/s1600/Cats-cheetah.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1386" height="554" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-gNkQANw968C6xIBshc3u9RaQ-i5sceoYz3HnwrXnPTjK8PN-bfEuhZsC2slStbMOjRHkMymBIBzkvHqy9aov7pOVJod7UQ2wBrySHSr1M-dbxKVe5kwkYYlp2AlISOcrzqvDwQ4VnEA/s640/Cats-cheetah.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "ms reference sans" serif , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13.3333px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">The <b>CHEETAH </b>is
a large cat of the subfamily Felinae that occurs in a variety of mostly arid
habitats like dry forests, scrub forests, and savannahs. </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Its yellowish tan coat
is uniformly covered with nearly 2,000 solid black spots. Its body is slender
with a small rounded head, black tear-like streaks on the face, deep chest,
long thin legs and long spotted tail.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Fastest animal on land!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Lifespan:
10 – 12 years (in the wild) and up to 20 years or longer in
captivity </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Speed: 100 – 120 km/h (in short bursts, running)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Scientific name: <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Acinonyx jubatus</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Mass: 21 – 72 kg (Adult)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Height: 70–90 cm
at the shoulder<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><b><u>Did you
know:</u></b><u><o:p></o:p></u></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Vulnerability:</span></b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"> All populations of cheetah are on the decline, with
the total population estimated at less than 7,000 individuals.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Roar:</span></b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"> Unlike
other big cats, <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">cheetahs</span> cannot
roar because it does not have a floating Hyoid bone in its neck. However, they
can purr on both inhale and exhale, like domestic cats. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Built for
speed: </span></b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">The
fastest <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">land</span> animal in
the world, a cheetah can reach 112km/h in just three seconds – that's faster than
most sports cars accelerate!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">They stalk
its prey to within 100-300m and charge, however they can only keep this high-speed-chase
up for shorts distances of ~ 100m.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Its body
has evolved for <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">speed</span>, with long
legs, an elongated spine, adapted claws (blunt claws, more like studs on sports
shoes!) to grip the ground and a long tail for balance. When running, <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">cheetahs</span> use their tail <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">to</span> steer, like a rudder for a
boat. </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Cheetahs are the only big cat that can turn in mid-air
while sprinting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Male bond:
</span></b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Male <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">cheetahs<b> </b></span>are the more social
despite their territoriality, spending most of their lives in small
groups <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">called</span> "coalitions",
while <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">females</span> live
with their youngsters until they are independent and rarely associate with
adult <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">cheetahs</span> other
than for brief breeding encounters.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Diurnal: </span></b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">The cheetah is active
mainly during the day, with hunting its major activity. </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">A cheetah has amazing eyesight during the day and can
spot prey from 5 km away. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Surrender:</span></b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"> Due to their light body weight, slender build and
blunt claws, the cheetah is not well designed to protect themselves or their
prey against a larger or more aggressive animals and will often give up its
catch to avoid a fight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Cubs:</span></b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"> Cheetahs breed
throughout the year and gestation lasts nearly three months, resulting in a
litter of typically three to five, in rare cases up to eight cubs. </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Until about 3 month of age, cheetah cubs have thick
silver-grey mantle down their back. The mantle helps camouflage the cubs by
imitating the look of an aggressive animal called the honey badger. Honey badgers
are known for their “bad-temper” and not being afraid of anything, even predators
such as lions & hyaenas give it a wide berth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">The cubs are weaned at
the age of about six months. After siblings become independent from their
mother, they usually stay together for some time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Tear-drop:</span></b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"> Distinctive back tear stripes run from the eyes to
the mouth. The stripes are thought to protect the eyes from the sun’s glare. It
is believed that they have the same function as the rifle scope, helping
cheetahs focus on their prey.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Epic Enabled Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13445700311258103489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230155243655680769.post-91840880181409371292019-04-10T08:30:00.000+02:002019-04-10T08:30:02.887+02:00Caracal<span style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; text-align: center;">Next one up (3rd) </span><span style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; text-align: center;">out of our 6 featured “Cats” … The high-jumper Caracal:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; text-align: center;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9w_Nj-uCnlBnVsqzfBP_2T4AGbweZnzgKpjNkp4zzRT-auxFhT75QFNhWzcWzmWFbmNGdQXruViDRrJwajFUhvXUDfD74guW4qe9C-kq6S9OOvqCReLBDXJJdIWtpaCJp_gHzDkEHRg0/s1600/Cats-caracal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1172" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9w_Nj-uCnlBnVsqzfBP_2T4AGbweZnzgKpjNkp4zzRT-auxFhT75QFNhWzcWzmWFbmNGdQXruViDRrJwajFUhvXUDfD74guW4qe9C-kq6S9OOvqCReLBDXJJdIWtpaCJp_gHzDkEHRg0/s640/Cats-caracal.jpg" width="624" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">The <b>CARACAL</b>
is a </span><span style="background: white; font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">slender, moderately sized wild cat
characterized by a robust build, a short face, long canine teeth, distinctive tufted
ears, </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">sharply tapered tail</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"> and long legs.</span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"> Its coat is uniformly reddish tan or sandy with white
</span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">markings around its eyes
and on its throat, chin, and belly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Lifespan: 12 – 15 years (in the wild) and up to 19
years or longer in captivity<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Speed: up to 80km/h<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Scientific name: <b>Caracal caracal<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Mass: 12 kg – 20kg (Adult) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Height: 40 – 50cm (adult at shoulder)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"><b><u>Did you know</u></b></span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"><b><u>:</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Back Ear:</span></b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"> The name Caracal is
derived from the Turkish word "karakulak" which means "black
ear".<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">High-jumper:</span></b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"> The Caracal is very
agile and can leap higher than 3.7m to catch birds like guinea-fowl &
pigeons in mid-air. Alternatively, it stalks its prey until it is within 5m of
it and then gives chase. </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">The Caracal resembles a cross between
a leopard and a lynx, it has a powerful build and leopard-like bark.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Excellent tree climbers,
caracal will drag their prey into a tree to be eaten away from other predators.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<strong><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Habitat:</span></strong><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"> Caracals
live in the open, drier savannah and woodland regions of sub-Saharan Africa and
prefer the more scrubby, arid habitats. They will also inhabit evergreen and
montane forests but are not found in tropical rain forests. </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">They hide and sleep in
crevices among rocks and fallen trees.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Nocturnal: </span></b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">The caracal is highly
secretive and difficult to observe. It is <span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">territorial</span> and lives
mainly alone or in pairs. The caracal is a <span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">carnivore</span> that
typically preys upon small mammals, birds and <span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">rodents</span>.</span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"> It is generally active at
sunrise & sunset, although during the hottest months it hunts at night. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Unfortunately they also
prey on livestock like goats and sheep, therefore are they are sometimes killed
for suspected predation and as a result are very weary of humans.</span></div>
Epic Enabled Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13445700311258103489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230155243655680769.post-86973385001567890272019-04-09T10:52:00.000+02:002019-04-10T12:52:30.435+02:00Serval<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">2nd </span><span style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">out of our 6 featured “Cats” … The elusive Serval:</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "ms reference sans" serif , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13.3333px;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDsLJjm3dBRo6OhYLb-fRlGi5h0kwp9scl_tuD0GPyXw2DGjILSyPKfsHjhmK5FhW5bmVYrje26fT67PUcXZOgINXIsecS7gawWOFbS6M2w5DFAr8-wwkjBqP40LN2bBjqV_pf91j57u4/s1600/Cats-serval.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1259" height="610" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDsLJjm3dBRo6OhYLb-fRlGi5h0kwp9scl_tuD0GPyXw2DGjILSyPKfsHjhmK5FhW5bmVYrje26fT67PUcXZOgINXIsecS7gawWOFbS6M2w5DFAr8-wwkjBqP40LN2bBjqV_pf91j57u4/s640/Cats-serval.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">The <b>SERVAL</b>
is a slender, medium sized cat which prefer areas of bush, tall grass, and dry
reed beds near streams, but they are also found in high-altitude moorlands and
bamboo thickets. </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"> The serval's coat is yellowish-tan, with black spots, bands and
stripes. </span><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">The closely set ears
are black on the back with a horizontal white band</span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">. The short
tail is ringed with black, and the underparts of the body are white or light
tan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Lifespan: 10 - 12 years in the wild and up to 22 years
in captivity<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Speed: 80km/h<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Scientific name: </span><b><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Leptailurus serval</span></b><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Mass: 8 – 18kg (females tend to be lighter) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Height: 54 – 62 cm (adult at shoulder)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"><u><b>Did you know</b></u></span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"><u><b>:</b></u><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Long legs:</span></b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"> The serval has the longest legs of
all the cats, relative to its
size.</span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Elusive:</span></b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"> Active in the day as
well as at night, servals tend to be solitary with minimal social interaction.
Both sexes establish highly overlapping <span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">home ranges</span> of
10 to 32 km</span><sup><span lang="EN-ZA" style="border: none 1.0pt; font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; padding: 0in;">2</span></sup><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Servals are <span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">carnivores</span> – they prey on rodents (particularly field<span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;"> rats</span>), small birds, frogs, insects and <span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">reptiles</span>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Hunting: </span></b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">The serval uses its
sense of hearing to locate the prey; to kill small prey, it leaps over 2m above
the ground to land on the prey on its forefeet, and finally kills it with a
bite on the neck or the head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Fast maturing:</span></b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"> Mating takes place at
different times of the year in different parts of their range, but typically
once or twice a year. After a gestational period of two to three months, a litter
of one to four is born. Weaning occurs at one month, and kittens begin hunting
on their own at six months. The juveniles leave their mother at 12 months.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Habitat:</span></b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"> The serval prefers
areas with cover such as reeds and tall grasses and proximity to water bodies,
such as <span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">wetlands</span> and <span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">savannahs</span>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><br /></span></div>
Epic Enabled Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13445700311258103489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230155243655680769.post-76955567704205692352019-04-08T09:10:00.000+02:002019-04-10T12:53:20.803+02:00African Wild Cat<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">1</span><sup style="font-family: "MS Reference Sans Serif", sans-serif; text-align: start;">st</sup><span style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"> out of our 6 featured “Cats” …lets start with the smallest one first:</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDtNj4lTY23r2WuQ9x6SolIIjuE9b_0wKuii6aykTpSxuI0-1QJ3HIY0tG5r8WO4PfaRDT8Jjitr5px8cRdSd1AhqJ2trssolgVhoCJg2daQi3W3zRKhUJIqwGpbHynU_TdKRyXkknFJw/s1600/Cats-AWC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1126" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDtNj4lTY23r2WuQ9x6SolIIjuE9b_0wKuii6aykTpSxuI0-1QJ3HIY0tG5r8WO4PfaRDT8Jjitr5px8cRdSd1AhqJ2trssolgVhoCJg2daQi3W3zRKhUJIqwGpbHynU_TdKRyXkknFJw/s640/Cats-AWC.jpg" width="600" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">The <b>AFRICAN
WILD CAT</b> </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">is sandy
brown to yellow grey
in colour, with black stripes on the tail. ... Today's domestic cats are generally believed to be descendants of the African Wild Cat, which were tamed by the Egyptians over
4000 years ago to<b> </b>control
rats and mice raiding their granaries. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Lifespan: 5 – 12 years in the wild and up to 20 years
in captivity<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Speed: same as a cat ;)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Scientific name: <b>Felis silvestris lybica</b></span><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Mass: 3 - 8kg (very similar to domestic cats)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Height: 35 – 40cm (adult at shoulder – very similar to
domestic cats)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"><u><b>Did you know</b></u></span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"><u><b>:</b></u><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Ancient relatives:</span></b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"> Results of genetic
research indicate that the African wildcat <span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">diverged</span> into
three <span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">clades</span> about 173,000 years ago, namely the Near
Eastern wildcat, <span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Southern African wildcat</span> and <span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Asiatic wildcat</span>. African wildcats were first domesticated
about 10,000 years ago in the <span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Near East</span> and are the
ancestors of the <span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">domestic cat.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="border: none 1.0pt; font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; padding: 0in;">Crossings</span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"> between domestic
cats and African wildcats are still common today. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="background: white; font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">It occurs across a wide distribution and has a wide
variety of coat colours to help it blend into its environment. Colours range
from sandy to greyish-brown and dark grey, best to be distinguish between a
domestic cat by the orange/reddish/tan colour on the back of their ears</span>Epic Enabled Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13445700311258103489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230155243655680769.post-3092327365170983932019-04-05T12:31:00.004+02:002019-04-08T09:06:44.883+02:00Which statement belongs to which cat?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqN9DlSkg6drycD_yOvv9S0whAollPSmY-7-Cwf5BmExNiZWAPOeYJHzl6y4i1MrsBHcklGdTzB3zPsywa-fqmBo5vPcpjLDXu4FrYEr4272HJPSRD6u6maZLMgI-_1qefthc5CVlYs_E/s1600/Cats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqN9DlSkg6drycD_yOvv9S0whAollPSmY-7-Cwf5BmExNiZWAPOeYJHzl6y4i1MrsBHcklGdTzB3zPsywa-fqmBo5vPcpjLDXu4FrYEr4272HJPSRD6u6maZLMgI-_1qefthc5CVlYs_E/s640/Cats.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px;">
<br />
<ol>
<li>Today's domestic cats are descendants of ……….</li>
<li>Rosette markings, very powerful & excellent climber!</li>
<li>Distinctive tufted ears, sharply tapered tail with long legs.</li>
<li>Male …….. are the only big cat species with manes.</li>
<li><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline; font-family: inherit;">Fastest animal on land ; 0 - 112km/h in 3 seconds!</span></li>
<li><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline; font-family: inherit;">Longest legs of all the cats in relation to its size.</span></li>
</ol>
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px;">
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline; font-family: inherit;">Answers: </span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline; font-family: inherit;">1: African Wild Cat</span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline; font-family: inherit;">2: Leopard</span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline; font-family: inherit;">3: Caracal</span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline; font-family: inherit;">4: Lion</span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline; font-family: inherit;">5: Cheetah</span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline; font-family: inherit;">6: Serval </span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span class="_5mfr" style="margin: 0px 1px;"><span class="_6qdm" style="background-image: url("https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/tde/1/16/1f43e.png"); background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: contain; color: transparent; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; height: 16px; text-shadow: none; vertical-align: text-bottom; width: 16px;">🐾</span></span><span class="_5mfr" style="margin: 0px 1px;"><span class="_6qdm" style="background-image: url("https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/ta/1/16/1f981.png"); background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: contain; color: transparent; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; height: 16px; text-shadow: none; vertical-align: text-bottom; width: 16px;">🦁</span></span><span class="_5mfr" style="margin: 0px 1px;"><span class="_6qdm" style="background-image: url("https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/t52/1/16/1f406.png"); background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: contain; color: transparent; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; height: 16px; text-shadow: none; vertical-align: text-bottom; width: 16px;">🐆</span></span><span class="_5mfr" style="margin: 0px 1px;"><span class="_6qdm" style="background-image: url("https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/t54/1/16/1f408.png"); background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: contain; color: transparent; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; height: 16px; text-shadow: none; vertical-align: text-bottom; width: 16px;">🐈</span></span><span class="_5mfr" style="margin: 0px 1px;"><span class="_6qdm" style="background-image: url("https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/tde/1/16/1f43e.png"); background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: contain; color: transparent; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; height: 16px; text-shadow: none; vertical-align: text-bottom; width: 16px;">🐾</span></span><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; display: inline;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px;">
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
That was too easy<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Emoji",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI Emoji";">🙀</span>…. A little more
difficult questions:<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Emoji",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI Emoji";">😼</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
1. Unlike most cats …. are very social animals.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
2. Can Leap up to 3.7 m into the air!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
3. Has black spots, bands and stripes.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
4. Young cubs have silver-grey mantle down their backs,
imitating the look of a Honey-Badger.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
5. Loves water and swimming.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
6. Colour range from sandy to greyish-brown to dark
grey. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
Answers will be revealed later this week!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px;">
</div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px;">#AfricanCats #animals #wildlife #cats #SouthAfrica #Kruger</span></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 6px;">
#accessible #travel #disabled #holidays #wheelchair #unlimited</div>
</div>
Epic Enabled Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13445700311258103489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230155243655680769.post-40813104643429923352019-03-20T09:04:00.000+02:002019-03-20T10:31:51.351+02:005 Day Garden Route Tour: 23 - 27 Oct 2019<div class="WordSection1">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic4KTvNVy-aW5BEU3hf8f19VLSkbt4n9VsWPOrk_lgad196TOjQmt5_aEXNZ-jC73c0vqR1CZbitF7JkkMcM5nAIu_POUwVUJImOAVfT6qVGMoKh0tfCNoCZBqYlFJTam7U-U_CYCQHbM/s1600/5+day+GR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic4KTvNVy-aW5BEU3hf8f19VLSkbt4n9VsWPOrk_lgad196TOjQmt5_aEXNZ-jC73c0vqR1CZbitF7JkkMcM5nAIu_POUwVUJImOAVfT6qVGMoKh0tfCNoCZBqYlFJTam7U-U_CYCQHbM/s640/5+day+GR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Day 1</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">We depart from Cape Town at 7h30am (please refer to
Pre-Departure Information) and travel via pretty Hermanus (only in season)
which is famous for its miracle of nature as the Antarctic whales come into
Walkers Bay to calve (seasonal). Our route to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Mossel</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Bay</st1:placetype></st1:place>
is via farmlands of apple/pear orchards and rolling hills with lunch on route.
From here we drive along the scenic route to Knysna/George, our overnight stop
for 2 nights. </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; font-variant: small-caps;">Day 2<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">After a good breakfast we drive via George and the
picturesque Outeniqua Pass to the Mecca of South African ostrich farming –
Oudtshoorn. Here we visit one of the many Ostrich Show Ranches, the Cango
Wildlife Farm and an optional visit to the dripstone cave – Cango Caves* is
possible on request (optional cost as it is not wheelchair accessible at all).
After a leisurely drive back with breath-taking views we relax for the 2nd
night at Knysna/George.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">(B)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; font-variant: small-caps;">Day 3<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Today we drive via Knysna, trough Wilderness and the
Lake District, one of the world’s most picturesque drives. After a fascinating
stop at Knysna Head and a boat cruise* (weather dependant & optional extra
cost) on Knysna Lagoon we travel to the heart of the Garden Route – the
Tsitsikamma National Park - which embraces an 80km strip of superb coastline together with a marine reserve that stretches 5 km
offshore. Here you can relax or take walks in the forest which is richly
endowed with plant life and birds, the rock pools teem with colourful marine
life; and whales, dolphins & sea otters can often be seen sporting close to
the shoreline. (B)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; font-variant: small-caps;">Day 4<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">In the morning you have the chance to visit the
Monkeyland*, Birds of Eden* and the Elephant Sanctuary* (*optional extra cost) where
you can do a “Trunk in hand tour” (Elephant-back Ride* also available on
request at optional cost) or you can take some time out and just relax. After
an exciting or peaceful morning, our journey takes us to Stormsriver, the
Adventure centre of the Garden Route with the Bloukrans Bungi-jump* (216M!!),
one of the highest in the world. We take a leisurely drive along more fantastic
coastline before returning to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Tsitsikamma</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Forest</st1:placetype></st1:place> for the second
night. (B)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; font-variant: small-caps;">Day 5<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">On
our last day we take a leisurely drive along the breathtaking coastline to the
5th largest city in </span><st1:country-region w:st="on"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk497823686;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">South
Africa</span></span></st1:country-region><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk497823686;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"> - <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Port
Elizabeth</st1:city></st1:place>, also known as “friendly city” or “windy
city”. On arrival in PE the tour ends </span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">(B)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Please note that the above itinerary can
also run in reverse and other changes may occur due to accommodation
availability or other unforeseen circumstances</span></i><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-family: "ms reference sans serif" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></i>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: ms reference sans serif, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13.3333px;"><span style="color: #4d4d4d;">For more information please visit: </span><a href="http://epic-enabled.com/tours-safaris/5-day-garden-route/" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #38761d;">Garden Route</span></b></a></span></span></div>
</div>
Epic Enabled Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13445700311258103489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230155243655680769.post-72067592712931105252019-03-14T08:48:00.003+02:002019-03-14T08:59:44.910+02:00Genius Albert Einstein<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9nk3dFZo8pa-2s_oiADpxhn8z6H2o3dxxpN9vaI8yGp1vmu7oOfSalShKPfXyfRAvgxJdCGOwKQiTxNKO6YkM3PUG66HboxLnY6sHrJVs9FoKYZznEYPBaNR21GdRtr6i4RCLWh1L1sQ/s1600/Albert+Einstein.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9nk3dFZo8pa-2s_oiADpxhn8z6H2o3dxxpN9vaI8yGp1vmu7oOfSalShKPfXyfRAvgxJdCGOwKQiTxNKO6YkM3PUG66HboxLnY6sHrJVs9FoKYZznEYPBaNR21GdRtr6i4RCLWh1L1sQ/s640/Albert+Einstein.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: , "blinkmacsystemfont" , "segoe ui" , "roboto" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="background-color: white;">Celebrating the GENIUS ALBERT EINSTEIN - born </span>14 March 1879</span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span>
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>E<span style="background-color: white;">=mc² </span></b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So many brilliant & inspiring quotes: </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">• </span><span style="color: blue; font-size: xx-small;">Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.</span></span></b><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /><b><span style="background-color: white;">•<span style="color: red;"> Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.</span></span></b></span><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="background-color: white;">• <span style="color: #ffd966;">Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new</span></span></b></span><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="background-color: white;">•<span style="color: #d5a6bd;"> Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving.</span></span></b></span><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="background-color: white;">• <span style="color: #38761d;">Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.</span></span></b></span><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="background-color: white;">• <span style="color: #6fa8dc;">Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value.</span></span></b></span><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="background-color: white;">• <span style="color: orange;">Imagination is more important than knowledge.</span></span></b></span><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="background-color: white;">•<span style="color: #6aa84f;"> </span><span style="color: #93c47d;">If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough.</span></span></b></span><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="background-color: white;">•<span style="color: #c27ba0;"> </span><span style="color: purple;">You never fail until you stop trying</span></span></b></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br style="background-color: white;" /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Albert Einstein was a German-born theoretical physicist who developed the theory of relativity, one of the two pillars of modern physics. His work is also known for its influence on the philosophy of science. - Wikipedia</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;" /></b></span>Epic Enabled Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13445700311258103489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230155243655680769.post-3487703847572410792019-03-09T09:57:00.000+02:002019-03-13T14:55:39.433+02:00Epic Guest House breakfast<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjISv3GmVFwrOO_en5odbvQOnT6mvEaeRFz5-MAhj-vGUwW3PJRT83BwzZ5M0mAaX8vdWmVyoMA12MCTnq1fRjUOJ1kYbz539faDSJCCmLEwT8veH5J4u4P8szs3tPaCwID8RUz3pxL7Ig/s1600/EGH+breakfast.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1402" data-original-width="1600" height="560" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjISv3GmVFwrOO_en5odbvQOnT6mvEaeRFz5-MAhj-vGUwW3PJRT83BwzZ5M0mAaX8vdWmVyoMA12MCTnq1fRjUOJ1kYbz539faDSJCCmLEwT8veH5J4u4P8szs3tPaCwID8RUz3pxL7Ig/s640/EGH+breakfast.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #f5f8fa; color: #14171a; font-family: "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;">Start the day with an EPIC breakfast!
Fresh & full of goodness, perfect way to start the day! @EpicGuestHouse
</span><a class="twitter-hashtag pretty-link js-nav" data-query-source="hashtag_click" dir="ltr" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/breakfast?src=hash" style="background: rgb(245, 248, 250); color: #4a913c; font-family: "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">#breakfast</a><span style="background-color: #f5f8fa; color: #14171a; font-family: "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a class="twitter-hashtag pretty-link js-nav" data-query-source="hashtag_click" dir="ltr" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/healthy?src=hash" style="background: rgb(245, 248, 250); color: #4a913c; font-family: "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">#healthy</a><span style="background-color: #f5f8fa; color: #14171a; font-family: "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a class="twitter-hashtag pretty-link js-nav" data-query-source="hashtag_click" dir="ltr" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/healthylifestyle?src=hash" style="background: rgb(245, 248, 250); color: #4a913c; font-family: "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">#healthylifestyle</a><span style="background-color: #f5f8fa; color: #14171a; font-family: "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a class="twitter-hashtag pretty-link js-nav" data-query-source="hashtag_click" dir="ltr" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HealthyLiving?src=hash" style="background: rgb(245, 248, 250); color: #4a913c; font-family: "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">#HealthyLiving</a> <a class="twitter-hashtag pretty-link js-nav" data-query-source="hashtag_click" dir="ltr" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/fruits?src=hash" style="background: rgb(245, 248, 250); color: #4a913c; font-family: "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">#fruits</a><span style="background-color: #f5f8fa; color: #14171a; font-family: "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a class="twitter-hashtag pretty-link js-nav" data-query-source="hashtag_click" dir="ltr" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/fresh?src=hash" style="background: rgb(245, 248, 250); color: #4a913c; font-family: "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">#fresh</a><span style="background-color: #f5f8fa; color: #14171a; font-family: "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;">
</span><a class="twitter-hashtag pretty-link js-nav" data-query-source="hashtag_click" dir="ltr" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TGIF?src=hash" style="background: rgb(245, 248, 250); color: #4a913c; font-family: "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">#TGIF</a><span style="background-color: #f5f8fa; color: #14171a; font-family: "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a class="twitter-hashtag pretty-link js-nav" data-query-source="hashtag_click" dir="ltr" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/weekend?src=hash" style="background: rgb(245, 248, 250); color: #4a913c; font-family: "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">#weekend</a><span style="background-color: #f5f8fa; color: #14171a; font-family: "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;">
</span><a class="twitter-hashtag pretty-link js-nav" data-query-source="hashtag_click" dir="ltr" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EpicGuesthouse?src=hash" style="background: rgb(245, 248, 250); color: #4a913c; font-family: "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">#EpicGuesthouse</a></div>
<br />Epic Enabled Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13445700311258103489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230155243655680769.post-61895509036239790512019-03-04T14:48:00.000+02:002019-03-13T14:50:29.846+02:00Mid-Week special @ Epic Guest House<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpXzCGQuWas4UTtQ3DdZ4Yks5v4EX9eAJmBxHf-Cf4Fa8qoW98vXZ31keUB7pvwVGh9MjizvoZ-WY8oYnKh4Tjb-qKFJe05wqS6J-EGa6Q0s8laLByub6s04njWGeoV0EEE9HOL1-pWDo/s1600/EGH+special.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1571" data-original-width="1600" height="628" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpXzCGQuWas4UTtQ3DdZ4Yks5v4EX9eAJmBxHf-Cf4Fa8qoW98vXZ31keUB7pvwVGh9MjizvoZ-WY8oYnKh4Tjb-qKFJe05wqS6J-EGa6Q0s8laLByub6s04njWGeoV0EEE9HOL1-pWDo/s640/EGH+special.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #f5f8fa; color: #14171a; font-family: "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #f5f8fa; color: #14171a; font-family: "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mid-week Special @EpicGuesthouse
Book for 2 nights or longer between Mon – Thur</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #f5f8fa; color: #14171a; font-family: "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;">& receive 20% discount on the sharing rates OR 10% discount the single rates!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #f5f8fa; color: #14171a; font-family: "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;">- ENDS 18 APRIL 2019
</span><a class="twitter-hashtag pretty-link js-nav" data-query-source="hashtag_click" dir="ltr" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/midweekvibes?src=hash" style="background: rgb(245, 248, 250); color: #4a913c; font-family: "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">#midweekvibes</a><span style="background-color: #f5f8fa; color: #14171a; font-family: "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a class="twitter-hashtag pretty-link js-nav" data-query-source="hashtag_click" dir="ltr" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EpicEnabled?src=hash" style="background: rgb(245, 248, 250); color: #4a913c; font-family: "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">#EpicEnabled</a><span style="background-color: #f5f8fa; color: #14171a; font-family: "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a class="twitter-hashtag pretty-link js-nav" data-query-source="hashtag_click" dir="ltr" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MarchMadness?src=hash" style="background: rgb(245, 248, 250); color: #4a913c; font-family: "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">#MarchMadness</a><span style="background-color: #f5f8fa; color: #14171a; font-family: "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a class="twitter-hashtag pretty-link js-nav" data-query-source="hashtag_click" dir="ltr" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CapeTown?src=hash" style="background: rgb(245, 248, 250); color: #4a913c; font-family: "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">#CapeTown</a><span style="background-color: #f5f8fa; color: #14171a; font-family: "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a class="twitter-hashtag pretty-link js-nav" data-query-source="hashtag_click" dir="ltr" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Noordhoek?src=hash" style="background: rgb(245, 248, 250); color: #4a913c; font-family: "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">#Noordhoek</a></div>
<br />Epic Enabled Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13445700311258103489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230155243655680769.post-43441921824895134032019-02-26T11:13:00.000+02:002019-03-13T14:51:05.504+02:00Catch a Ride... join one of our safaris!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0YymwuZOZfnzq6lYl11Y_Th94DbDv5VM8F_vcpRVc4DFvTEU5cMAEsqQ5unkxLpnkGhuNljeAuJkETl5arRAzv0fWKl1XrmXB6b6nIQQqIEwuC74WVjiT1C4ZXi7OCMN6QlVCGjJE55c/s1600/Catch+a+ride.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0YymwuZOZfnzq6lYl11Y_Th94DbDv5VM8F_vcpRVc4DFvTEU5cMAEsqQ5unkxLpnkGhuNljeAuJkETl5arRAzv0fWKl1XrmXB6b6nIQQqIEwuC74WVjiT1C4ZXi7OCMN6QlVCGjJE55c/s1600/Catch+a+ride.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #f5f8fa; color: #14171a; font-family: "segoe ui" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;">Catch a ride.. </span><a class="twitter-hashtag pretty-link js-nav" data-query-source="hashtag_click" dir="ltr" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/explore?src=hash" style="background: rgb(245, 248, 250); color: #4a913c; font-family: "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">#explore</a><span style="background-color: #f5f8fa; color: #14171a; font-family: "segoe ui" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a class="twitter-hashtag pretty-link js-nav" data-query-source="hashtag_click" dir="ltr" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SouthAfrica?src=hash" style="background: rgb(245, 248, 250); color: #4a913c; font-family: "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">#SouthAfrica</a><span style="background-color: #f5f8fa; color: #14171a; font-family: "segoe ui" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"> with </span><a class="twitter-hashtag pretty-link js-nav" data-query-source="hashtag_click" dir="ltr" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EpicEnabled?src=hash" style="background: rgb(245, 248, 250); color: #4a913c; font-family: "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">#EpicEnabled</a><span style="background-color: #f5f8fa; color: #14171a; font-family: "segoe ui" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;">
</span><a class="twitter-hashtag pretty-link js-nav" data-query-source="hashtag_click" dir="ltr" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/wildlife?src=hash" style="background: rgb(245, 248, 250); color: #4a913c; font-family: "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; outline: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">#<span style="text-decoration-line: underline;">wildlife</span></a><span style="background-color: #f5f8fa; color: #14171a; font-family: "segoe ui" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a class="twitter-hashtag pretty-link js-nav" data-query-source="hashtag_click" dir="ltr" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/rhinos?src=hash" style="background: rgb(245, 248, 250); color: #4a913c; font-family: "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">#rhinos</a></div>
<br />Epic Enabled Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13445700311258103489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230155243655680769.post-50370216213417660072019-02-22T13:22:00.000+02:002019-03-13T14:42:45.361+02:00TGIF<br />
<div class="separator" style="background: rgb(245, 248, 250); clear: both; color: #4a913c; font-family: "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<span style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a class="twitter-hashtag pretty-link js-nav" data-query-source="hashtag_click" dir="ltr" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EpicEnabled?src=hash" style="background: rgb(245, 248, 250); color: #4a913c; font-family: "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img border="0" data-original-height="549" data-original-width="508" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTcekVkaUgBL5NxVjDpCtXJ9pVG0ykMl6e2Mu_40svz1P350W0ItRKk4Vtwbz6imavGxQoU6JQXLt0yq8mvAnQ7yuYcvMTSTW9VH6ikG9CidXD0wF8VChp3dK9tTs1rzdod-t9qnqs_YE/s1600/smile.jpg" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="background: rgb(245, 248, 250); clear: both; color: #4a913c; font-family: "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<a class="twitter-hashtag pretty-link js-nav" data-query-source="hashtag_click" dir="ltr" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Smile?src=hash" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #4a913c; text-align: start; text-decoration-line: none;">#Smile</a><span style="color: #14171a; text-align: start;">, it's </span><a class="twitter-hashtag pretty-link js-nav" data-query-source="hashtag_click" dir="ltr" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Friday?src=hash" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #4a913c; text-align: start; text-decoration-line: none;">#Friday</a><span style="color: #14171a; text-align: start;">! </span><a class="twitter-hashtag pretty-link js-nav" data-query-source="hashtag_click" dir="ltr" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TGIF?src=hash" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #4a913c; outline: 0px; text-align: start; text-decoration-line: none;">#<span style="text-decoration-line: underline;">TGIF</span></a><span style="color: #14171a; text-align: start;"> </span><a class="twitter-hashtag pretty-link js-nav" data-query-source="hashtag_click" dir="ltr" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FridayMotivation?src=hash" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #4a913c; text-align: start; text-decoration-line: none;">#FridayMotivation</a><span style="color: #14171a; text-align: start;"> </span><a class="twitter-hashtag pretty-link js-nav" data-query-source="hashtag_click" dir="ltr" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FridayThoughts?src=hash" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #4a913c; text-align: start; text-decoration-line: none;">#FridayThoughts</a><span style="color: #14171a; text-align: start;"> </span><a class="twitter-hashtag pretty-link js-nav" data-query-source="hashtag_click" dir="ltr" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FridayFeeling?src=hash" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #4a913c; text-align: start; text-decoration-line: none;">#FridayFeeling</a><span style="color: #14171a; text-align: start;"> </span><a class="twitter-hashtag pretty-link js-nav" data-query-source="hashtag_click" dir="ltr" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Friyay?src=hash" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #4a913c; text-align: start; text-decoration-line: none;">#Friyay</a><span style="color: #14171a; text-align: start;"> </span><a class="twitter-hashtag pretty-link js-nav" data-query-source="hashtag_click" dir="ltr" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TGIFriday?src=hash" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #4a913c; text-align: start; text-decoration-line: none;">#TGIFriday</a><span style="color: #14171a; text-align: start;"> </span><a class="twitter-hashtag pretty-link js-nav" data-query-source="hashtag_click" dir="ltr" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EpicEnabled?src=hash" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #4a913c; text-align: start; text-decoration-line: none;">#EpicEnabled</a></div>
Epic Enabled Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13445700311258103489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7230155243655680769.post-92195409956652212132019-02-14T14:38:00.000+02:002019-03-13T14:39:34.170+02:00You are loved!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Zih-IjBB4NUQ8PWfJhVMcipR9HNU0szIxKtWeIGLiqlHVT5dALl5X2Cn7QJmmu3JXwCIFa-GFUu7__O7_LxV8up6k7eAAEHRpzhwJSm0hbyIzv4YXuit5684Jd8XW7fiGhoc7-0QdGY/s1600/Valentines+2019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="474" data-original-width="543" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Zih-IjBB4NUQ8PWfJhVMcipR9HNU0szIxKtWeIGLiqlHVT5dALl5X2Cn7QJmmu3JXwCIFa-GFUu7__O7_LxV8up6k7eAAEHRpzhwJSm0hbyIzv4YXuit5684Jd8XW7fiGhoc7-0QdGY/s1600/Valentines+2019.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #f5f8fa; color: #14171a; font-family: "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;">You are loved! </span><a class="twitter-hashtag pretty-link js-nav" data-query-source="hashtag_click" dir="ltr" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Valentines?src=hash" style="background: rgb(245, 248, 250); color: #4a913c; font-family: "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; outline: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">#<span style="text-decoration-line: underline;">Valentines</span></a><span style="background-color: #f5f8fa; color: #14171a; font-family: "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a class="twitter-hashtag pretty-link js-nav" data-query-source="hashtag_click" dir="ltr" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HappyValentinesDay?src=hash" style="background: rgb(245, 248, 250); color: #4a913c; font-family: "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">#HappyValentinesDay</a><span style="background-color: #f5f8fa; color: #14171a; font-family: "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a class="twitter-hashtag pretty-link js-nav" data-query-source="hashtag_click" dir="ltr" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/happy?src=hash" style="background: rgb(245, 248, 250); color: #4a913c; font-family: "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">#happy</a><span style="background-color: #f5f8fa; color: #14171a; font-family: "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a class="twitter-hashtag pretty-link js-nav" data-query-source="hashtag_click" dir="ltr" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/friends?src=hash" style="background: rgb(245, 248, 250); color: #4a913c; font-family: "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">#friends</a><span style="background-color: #f5f8fa; color: #14171a; font-family: "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a class="twitter-hashtag pretty-link js-nav" data-query-source="hashtag_click" dir="ltr" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EpicEnabled?src=hash" style="background: rgb(245, 248, 250); color: #4a913c; font-family: "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">#EpicEnabled</a><span style="background-color: #f5f8fa; color: #14171a; font-family: "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<br />Epic Enabled Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13445700311258103489noreply@blogger.com0