AN EXCURSION TO TANZANIA

It is to experience an encounter with these amazing animals that we began our safari early morning in an open top Gypsy at Ruaha National Park which is a reputed bird sanctuary; home not only to native but also migratory birds. Ruaha greatest charm is probably the fact that it is an unspoiled African wilderness, an unexplored game and bird sanctuary covering 12,950 sq km. The park lies between two large rivers, the Njombe and Ruaha, with the latter flowing 16 km through rugged gorges and rocky broken country, then through lush plains where it is flanked by palm thickets and tall acacia woodland. During the dry season, there is concentration of game along the river including herds of Elephants, Giraffe, Buffalo and Impala and numerous Greater Kudu. Crocodiles can be seen basking on the many sandbanks. Stretches of woodland house Roan and Sable Antelope and Liechenstein’s Hartebeest, with the Lesser Kudu found in the open bush country. Elephants can be encountered at the Mbage-Mwagusi track. No sooner did we enter the park than we were informed that a pride of lions was just a few meters away. What a way to start a day!

Along with our vehicle there were about four to five others, all earnestly searching the bush for the pride. Then we had the glimpse of a lioness in Tanzania Tours that was resting amidst the trees. Close by was a young male lion which was feeding on a lamb.

We learnt that the sheep was truly bedeviled for panthers with a specific end goal to put on a radio-neckline to one of them. As we sat respecting the lion we heard that two lionesses with four fledglings would presumably cross our way provided that we went somewhat further. Of course enough the most youthful parts of the pride in addition to two lionesses were spotted on one side of the street prepared to cross to the next side. One by one the vehicles exchanged off the ignition.

First, one lioness crossed the road with the four cubs following her. The other lioness stayed back until all the cubs had crossed and only then did she cross the road herself. What a sight it was to watch!

 

When they finally disappeared into the bush we moved ahead and we could see quite a few birds including the pied kingfishers, shikras, flycatchers and the eurasian thick-knees. We were also able to spot a yellow-watt led lapwing which we were longing to see for quite some time. But we knew that the best time to watch birds was in winter when a lot of migratory birds come down. We spotted a couple of mongooses and a giant monitor lizard before the safari came to an end. We were amazed to see the Maldharis the nomadic herdsmen living among the lions. ‘Maldhari means ‘owner of animal stock' and their villages are known as ‘ness'. We could see even kids tend cattle here. After that great morning safari we were longing for more.

The evening Tanzania Safari Tours started at about 3:00 p.m. and we got close up shots of many birds. As we went a little further we caught sight of an Indian Pitta, holding on to a dry leaf, which obviously wanted to get to its nest at the other side of the road. We waited quietly until it was sure that we were no trouble and then it flew into its nest to place that leaf in. We were informed that four lions were at a water hole just ahead. On reaching that water hole we saw two adult lionesses resting with two cubs.

We could see how skillfully a lion hunts when the young female who had spotted a zebra close by stalking its prey carefully. However the mongoose was too quick for this amateur hunter and swiftly climbed up a tree. The lioness attempted to follow the mongoose up the tree but could not climb as high as the mongoose could. When she wanted to jump down, her brother playfully prevented her from doing that. We had to leave these lions behind and were informed that we were pretty lucky to see those four cubs with two lionesses in the morning as their pride had made a kill deep in the jungle, so it was unlikely that they would be seen for a few days. It was a great day for all of us and these memories will live on forever and surely will compel to come once again to this paradise of lions.