Can You Spot the Animal? Part 3
Continuing from last week’s post Can you Spot the Animal? Part 2.
How many elephants do you see in this photo? Even the largest and the tallest animals use camouflage to their advantage. African elephants are hard to miss when they are on the savannah, but they can melt into a forest like water seeping into the ground after a rain. I once missed spotting an entire family of elephants snoozing in a grove of trees until the snap of a branch gave away their secret hiding spot.
Elephants cover themselves with dust and mud to protect their skin from the sun. The dirt has an SPF of 13! They match the colour of the earth in their territory which allows them to blend seamlessly into the landscape.
From a distance you might think this group of red earth-coloured orphans from the Reteti Sanctuary in Northern Kenya were boulders strewn amongst the trees. The youngsters were out for the day learning to how to forage for themselves, a skill that will be essential when they are re-introduced into the wild.
At 18’ tall giraffes can be easy to spot. However, even these giants use camouflage to escape detection. The reticulated giraffes of Northern Kenya below look like a camouflage net has been thrown over them. Thread like lines separate their spots whereas the Maasai giraffes above have spots that resemble paint splats. Both design patterns break up the animal’s overall image and provide protection.
How many giraffes do you see in the pictures below? I’ll give you the answers at the end of this post.
#1
#2
#3
Big and small, many animals use camouflage for protection. Do you see who was spying on me in my cottage in Sarara Camp? This little vervet monkey might have remained hidden if he’d stayed still.
Although he blended in well with the décor, he was as curious as …. well, a monkey! He couldn’t resist snooping, poking his little hands into everything. One important lesson to remember on safari is to keep your tent doors and windows zipped up tight. Monkeys can’t resist something new to explore.
Developing good spotting skills comes with practice. Searching for any anomaly in the landscape helps. Each animal has a typical habitat and behaviour pattern. Once you learn these habits spotting becomes easier. Every game drive is an adventure – you never know who will show up!
Answers to Image #1 – 4, #2 - 7, #3 - 19!
Here’s another one of my new phone cases featuring Africa’s endangered species available in my online store for only $29. A percentage of all online sales goes to support Kenyan wildlife and the people who co-exist with them.
