Our fourth and final safari day started with an early breakfast at the lodge, then we were off again on the hunt for the rhino, our final animal we had to see. Ema had warned us that it was a difficult find, and even he looked a little tense that morning as we set out on our search.
The previous afternoon, we had driven for long stretches of time without seeing any unusual wildlife, bringing home to us how unusually fortunate we had been to see all the animals we had. They seem to be out in the early morning hours, then go into hiding for the afternoon, coming out again in the evening for awhile. Thus, we were very motivated to get moving early in the morning, and left the hotel around 6:45 in the morning.
We started the day with some elephants (Erin seems to attract them like flies,) then a herd of ostriches. I would say that seeing ostriches was probably the biggest surprise to me, since I didn't realize that they had ostriches in Africa. (I thought they were only in Australia!) They are the goofiest looking critters, and really BIG. Ema explained why males and females are different colors. It is pretty fascinating how nature has provided for their security, even down to their coloring.
Males are black, because that way they are hidden at night when they are out foraging for food. The females spend the night time hours sitting on the nest, keeping the eggs warm. During the day, the females are out, and the gray keeps them more hidden from predators. Their lighter color also allows them to maintain their body temperature more effectively, as they stay cooler.
Ema headed for a lake where he thought the rhino might be found, and we spent some time driving around the lake. Then he spotted it. he stopped the safari truck and looked through Erin's zoom lens on her camera to verify, and sure enough, we found our final member of the Big Five.
Then we realized it was even better, as there were two of them together. Ema opined that perhaps it was a mother and youth, as they do remain together for several years, and rhinos are otherwise generally solitary animals. We observed them for awhile, and Ema notified all the other guides by radio, so that they could come rushing to the spot.
Within minutes, however, the rhinos were gone, and they were not seen by anyone else for the remainder of that day. We were fortunate, indeed, to have Ema and luck on our side. (We all got Big Five T-shirts to commemorate the occasion! I wanted to get Ema to sign them, but he was already heading out on another safari, and there wasn't time. :( But we have the pictures to prove it!)
Once we had discovered the rhino and completed our list of animals, we relaxed and just had a good time with whatever we saw. There were a couple more highlights for the day, which capped off the experience with a solid bang.
First, we happened across four lionesses who were lying in the road. Literally. They would get up, stagger to another location, and flop down to sleep some more, as if the ten safari vehicles gathered around didn't even exist! It was sort of interesting to realize that we were the ones in the cages, and they were the ones looking at us and observing our behavior! Erin got some wonderful photos, which can be seen on my facebook album.
Then, even more exciting, we happened across a cheetah which was right next to the road. It was fascinating watching it, as it blended in so artfully with the surrounding brush. When it laid down behind a tuft of wildflowers, you could not even find it when you knew where it was. Cheetahs are beautiful animals, and their coloring is so vivid, it is amazing how well they can hide in the open spaces.
I was amazed again and again at how the animals on the Serengeti Plain are camouflaged in their natural habitat. They are uniquely and magnificently suited to their environment. It was a privilege to see them, wild and free, living as they should. I will never forget what I saw on that safari. It was truly the experience of a lifetime, thanks to Ema's skill and guidance.
In mid-afternoon, it was time to return to Arusha and prepare to leave, this time for good. Erin's time was drawing short, and she was eager to return to her adopted home for a few more days. We drove back into town. exhausted but happy to have seen and experienced so much.
The rest of the evening passed too quickly. As we sat together eating our food at the first place Erin at in Tanzania, Masai Cafe, it was hard to realize the African part of the trip was already almost over, and our time all together was about done. It all went so fast, and the experiences we had were such a thrill, I didn't feel ready for it end.
We headed back to Erin's house thanks to her favorite cab driver, Dachi, and prepared for one last full day together in Arusha.
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