Archive for Pictures
Kinabatangan River Pictures
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Pictures of animals in Sabah, Borneo, part of Malaysia
There is a wealth of wildlife along the Kinabatangan River. Large areas of forest have been designated as nature reserves to protect habitats from the encroachment of agriculture and logging. We travelled up the river in a small boat with an outboard motor.
We were lucky to catch a glimpse of this rare Borneo Pygmy Elephant browsing on the banks of the river. Although there are called pygmy elephants they are only slightly smaller than the Asian elephants we met throughout India.
It was wonderful to watch Hornbills flying over the river. These birds mate for life so they are usually seen in pairs near the tops of the trees. Occasionally a flash of bright colour would appear near the banks as kingfishers darted past. The one above is a Heron Billed Kingfisher.
The Orang Utans in Sabah are a different species to the Sumatran Orang Utans we saw in Indonesia.
These fascinating animals are always a delight to watch. This female swung through the trees with her infant whilst clutching a bunch of wild bananas with her feet.
Whilst Orang Utans are shy, elusive and endangered the Macaque Monkeys are bold, successful and ubiquitous. They are frequently seen around human habitation thriving from the food they collect there. Whilst coming close into the bank of the river to see a monitor lizard we looked up and found we had moored under a huge banded mangrove snake coiled in a tree only a couple of metres from our heads.
It’s difficult to watch Proboscis Monkeys without smiling. The stare very rudely when you drift past. Seeing them in a group they look just like people sitting gossiping.
The male Proboscis Monkeys have big bulbous noses.
These charming Silver Leaf Eating Monkeys were inquisitive, yet shy. They would stare from tree tops but move away quickly if approached.
Inquisitive Otter which darted quickly away
On our last day on the Kinabatanga River this Estuarine Crocodile was basking near the jetty.
Lepoard Hunt Pictures
Posted by: | CommentsPictures taken at Pom Pom in the Okavango Delta, Botswana.
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Margaret and Vasco surveying the Bush. Vasco said he would fire a warning shot over any animal that charged us. He would only shoot to kill if the animal continued to approach and came within 6m. Paw print of a leopard on an elephant track through the Bush.
Studying the signs and tracks. Vasco explains Bushcraft and the habits of the Okavango wildlife including the leopard we were stalking.
The leopard is close but moving east, probably stalking antelope.
Margaret in the truck fording a stream on the way to pick up the trail of the leopard
Leopard uses a large termite mound to watch a herd of Red Lechwe grazing nearby. Lechwe are large antelopes adapted to living in swamp areas. Their large powerful haunches allows them to jump long distances and spring between patches of dry pasture in flooded areas.
The leopard notices the truck and we keep quiet and still.
The stalking leopard moves toward the Lechwe. Chattering monkeys and startled birds alert the Lechwe which sense the prowling leopard and move away.
Lucky Zebra with a scar left by an attacking lion. The lion probably dug her claws into the haunches but was kicked off by the powerful back legs of the Zebra. This is the sort of damage the leopard would have inflicted on the Lechwe.
Okavango Delta Pictures
Posted by: | CommentsPictures taken in the Okavango Delta, Southern Botswana
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Margaret supervising the unloading of our rucksacks from a light plane at the Maun Airport in Botswana.
One of the many light aircraft we flew in to reach the different places we went to in Botswana. Allan usually sat with the pilot and sometimes there was another passenger. Our rucksacks were in the bin between the wheels
Hippos are incredibly aggresive. This one was grazing with a small herd on the banks of the Chobe River. When it saw us approaching in a small boat it immediately roared and charged into the river toward us. We beat a hasty retreat.
Pipi took us through narrow reed channels to see nesting birds around a shallow lake. Here are stork chicks.
Large aggresive hippo thrashing it’s head in the water to give an impressive warning display. We didn’t move away because the propellor was clogged with water weeds.
I would have liked clearer pictures of the hippo attack but it was hard to keep my hands steady as he approached at full speed.
Once clear of the hippo we could enjoy the tranquil sunset over the lake and the reeds.
