African bush elephant

 

Afrikanischer Elefant

 

Kruger National Park is one of the largest game reserves in Africa. It covers an area of 19,485 km2 (7,523 sq mi) in the provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga in northeastern South Africa, and extends 360 km (220 mi) from north to south and 65 km (40 mi) from east to west. The administrative headquarters are in Skukuza. Areas of the park were first protected by the government of the South African Republic in 1898, and it became South Africa's first national park in 1926.

 

To the west and south of the Kruger National Park are the two South African provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga. In the north is Zimbabwe, and to the east is Mozambique. It is now part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, a peace park that links Kruger National Park with the Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe, and with the Limpopo National Park in Mozambique.

 

The park is part of the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere an area designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as an International Man and Biosphere Reserve (the "Biosphere").

 

The park has nine main gates allowing entrance to the different camps.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

Name

 

African Elephant or African Bush Elephant [Loxodonta africana]

 

Introduction

 

The Elephant is the world's largest land mammal, and weighs up to 7 tonnes and reaches heights of 3.3 m at the shoulder. Elephants can live to a potential age of 70 years. The massive tusks of older bulls can weigh up to 50 or 60 kilograms, but tusks weighing up to 90 kilograms have been recorded.

 

Appearance

 

What is the trunk and what is it used for?

The Elephant's trunk is a modified nose which is very sensitive and can even detect water under ground. There are as many as 50 000 muscles in an Elephant trunk. The sensitive finger-like appendages at the tip of the trunk enables them to pick the smallest twig or flower, pull the toughest reed of grass or even pick out a thorn from their feet.

 

Do elephants have knees or elbows?

 

The joints that are perceived as 'knees', are in fact wrists. This is a common misunderstanding due to the belief that a leg joint that bends between the foot and the body must be a knee. The main difference between us and the elephants is that our foot bones and hand bones are separate, whereas those of the elephant are one in the same, and have evolved to suit this four-legged mammal.

 

Why do elephants have tusks?

 

The tusks are used for obtaining food, fighting (amongst males) and for self defence. They are actually their upper incisors, and grow continuously until they die at around 60 years old. Although their skin is up to 3cm (1 inch) thick, it is quite sensitive.

 

Diet

 

Elephants are voracious feeders which in a day consume up to 272 kg (600 pounds) of grass, tender shoots and bark from trees. An adult Elephant can drink up to 200 litres of water in a single session. A single Elephant deposits up to 150kg (330 pounds) of dung every day - about one dollop every 15 minutes!

 

Breeding

 

African Elephant are not seasonal breeders. Generally they produce one calf every 3 to 4 years. The gestation period is about 22 months. At birth calves weigh about 100 kg (220 pounds) and are fully weaned between 18-24 months. An orphaned calf will usually be adopted by one of the family's lactating females or suckled by various females. Elephants are very attentive mothers, and because most Elephant behavior has to be learned, they keep their offspring with them for many years. Tusks erupt at 16 months but do not show externally until 30 months. Once weaned, usually at age 4 or 5, the calf still remains in the maternal group. Females mature at about 11 years and stay in the group, while the males, which mature between 12 and 15, are usually expelled from the maternal herd. Even though these young males are sexually mature, they do not breed until they are in their mid, or late 20s or even older and have moved up in the social hierarchy.

 

Behaviour

 

Mature males form bachelor groups and become solitary bulls. Elephant form strong family units of cows, calves and young offspring. Such herds are always led by an old female. Apart from drinking large quantities of water they also love wading or swimming in it. Elephants clearly relish mud baths.

It was once thought that family groups were led by old bull elephants, but these males are most often solitary. The female family groups are often visited by mature males checking for females in oestrus. Several interrelated family groups may inhabit an area and know each other well.

 

How do you tell an elephant's mock charge from a serious one?

 

It is imperative to keep in mind that Elephant are extremely intelligent, and each individual has a distinct character. Although there will be exceptions to the rules, the common signs of a mock charge are bush-bashing, dust-throwing, trumpeting and other vocalizations, open ears and an intimidating presence, can be considered a mock-display. Aggressive or startled elephants usually make sudden headshakes and flap their large ears against their head. Serious charges usually occur after all attempts to intimidate have failed, and the Elephant feels threatened. The ears are pinned back and head and trunk are lowered. Ultimately, the key lies in the intelligence of the animal and how they will react to the 'target' and unfamiliar actions, and a conscious decision is made.

 

Why do elephants rhythmically flap their ears?

 

Contrary to common belief, it is not an expression of anger. Being an animal of such a large size, with no sweat glands and a dark body colour, elephants flap their ears to cool the body and rid themselves of irritating insects.

 

Where are they found?

 

Once ranging across most of Africa the Elephant population has declined dramatically across the continent. In South Africa the Addo Elephant and Kruger National Park protect large herds. Due to rigorous conservation measures the Elephant population in South Africa has grown from a estimated 120 in 1920 in 4 locations, to 10 000 at 40 locations to date.

 

Notes

 

The African Elephant has recently been classified into two separate species, the more common African Bush Elephant [Loxodonta Africana] and the smaller African Forest Elephant [Loxodonta cyclotis] of the rainforest of Central Africa.

 

(krugerpark.co.za)

 

Der Kruger-Nationalpark (deutsch häufig falsch Krüger-Nationalpark) ist das größte Wildschutzgebiet Südafrikas. Er liegt im Nordosten des Landes in der Landschaft des Lowveld auf dem Gebiet der Provinz Limpopo sowie des östlichen Abschnitts von Mpumalanga. Seine Fläche erstreckt sich vom Crocodile-River im Süden bis zum Limpopo, dem Grenzfluss zu Simbabwe, im Norden. Die Nord-Süd-Ausdehnung beträgt etwa 350 km, in Ost-West-Richtung ist der Park durchschnittlich 54 km breit und umfasst eine Fläche von rund 20.000 Quadratkilometern. Damit gehört er zu den größten Nationalparks in Afrika.

 

Das Schutzgebiet wurde am 26. März 1898 unter dem Präsidenten Paul Kruger als Sabie Game Reserve zum Schutz der Wildnis gegründet. 1926 erhielt das Gebiet den Status Nationalpark und wurde in seinen heutigen Namen umbenannt. Im Park leben 147 Säugetierarten inklusive der „Big Five“, außerdem etwa 507 Vogelarten und 114 Reptilienarten, 49 Fischarten und 34 Amphibienarten.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

Der Afrikanische Elefant (Loxodonta africana), auch Afrikanischer Steppenelefant oder Afrikanischer Buschelefant, ist eine Art aus der Familie der Elefanten. Er ist das größte gegenwärtig lebende Landsäugetier und gleichzeitig das größte rezente landbewohnende Tier der Erde. Herausragende Kennzeichen sind neben den Stoßzähnen und dem markanten Rüssel die großen Ohren und die säulenförmigen Beine. In zahlreichen morphologischen und anatomischen Merkmalen unterscheidet sich der Afrikanische Elefant von seinen etwas kleineren Verwandten, dem Waldelefanten und dem Asiatischen Elefanten. Das Verbreitungsgebiet umfasst heute große Teile von Afrika südlich der Sahara. Die Tiere haben sich dort an zahlreiche unterschiedliche Lebensräume angepasst, die von geschlossenen Wäldern über offene Savannenlandschaften bis hin zu Sumpfgebieten und wüstenartigen Regionen reichen. Insgesamt ist das Vorkommen aber stark fragmentiert.

 

Die Lebensweise des Afrikanischen Elefanten ist durch intensive Studien gut erforscht. Sie wird durch einen stark sozialen Charakter geprägt. Weibliche Tiere und ihr Nachwuchs leben in Familienverbänden (Herden). Diese formieren sich wiederum zu einem enger verwandten Clan. Die einzelnen Herden treffen sich zu bestimmten Gelegenheiten und trennen sich danach wieder. Die männlichen Tiere bilden Junggesellengruppen. Die verschiedenen Verbände nutzen Aktionsräume, in denen sie teils im Jahreszyklus herumwandern. Für die Kommunikation untereinander nutzen die Tiere verschiedene Töne im niedrigen Frequenzbereich. Anhand der Lautgebung, aber auch durch bestimmte chemische Signale können sich die einzelnen Individuen untereinander erkennen. Darüber hinaus besteht ein umfangreiches Repertoire an Gesten. Hervorzuheben sind auch die kognitiven Fähigkeiten des Afrikanischen Elefanten.

 

Die Nahrung besteht sowohl aus weicher wie auch harter Pflanzenkost. Die genaue Zusammensetzung variiert dabei regional und jahreszeitlich. Generell verbringt der Afrikanische Elefant einen großen Teil seiner Tagesaktivitäten mit der Nahrungsaufnahme. Die Fortpflanzung erfolgt ganzjährig, regional gibt es Tendenzen zu einer stärkeren Saisonalisierung. Bullen kommen einmal jährlich in die Musth, während deren sie auf Wanderung zur Suche nach fortpflanzungswilligen Kühen gehen. Während der Musth ist die Aggressivität gesteigert, es finden dann auch Rivalenkämpfe statt. Der Sexualzyklus der Kühe dauert vergleichsweise lange und weist einen für Säugetiere untypischen Verlauf auf. Nach erfolgter Geburt setzt er in der Regel mehrere Jahre aus. Zumeist wird nach fast zweijähriger Tragzeit ein Jungtier geboren, das in der mütterlichen Herde aufwächst. Junge weibliche Tiere verbleiben später in der Herde, die jungen männlichen verlassen diese.

 

Die wissenschaftliche Erstbeschreibung des Afrikanischen Elefanten erfolgte im Jahr 1797 mit einer formalen artlichen Trennung des Afrikanischen vom Asiatischen Elefanten. Der heute gebräuchliche Gattungsname Loxodonta wurde offiziell erst dreißig Jahre später eingeführt. Die Bezeichnung bezieht sich auf markante Zahnunterschiede zwischen den asiatischen und den afrikanischen Elefanten. Im Verlauf des 20. Jahrhunderts wurden mehrere Unterarten unterschieden, darunter auch der Waldelefant des zentralen Afrikas. Letzterer gilt heute genetischen Untersuchungen zufolge als eigenständige Art, die weiteren Unterarten sind nicht anerkannt. Stammesgeschichtlich lässt sich der Afrikanische Elefant erstmals im beginnenden Mittleren Pleistozän belegen. Der Gesamtbestand gilt als gefährdet. Ursachen hierfür sind hauptsächlich die Jagd nach Elfenbein und Lebensraumverlust durch die zunehmend wachsende menschliche Bevölkerung. Der Afrikanische Elefant zählt zu den sogenannten „Big Five“ von Großwildjagd und Safari.

 

(Wikipedia)

Modern-day Canada was created on 1867-07-01. This year (2017), Canada celebrates its 150th anniversary.

 

At the Kingston Yacht Club, the flags of Canada's 10 provinces and three territories are flanked by two Maple Leaf flags on both sides.

 

From left to right, the flags are:

 

Canada's National Flag (the Red Maple Leaf)

Province of British Columbia

Province of Alberta

Province of Saskatchewan

Province of Manitoba

Province of Ontario

Province de Québec/ Province of Quebec

Province of New Brunswick/ Province du Nouveau-Brunswick

Province of Nova Scotia

Province of Prince Edward Island

Province of Newfoundland and Labrador

Yukon Territory

Northwest Territories

Nunavut Territory

Canada's National Flag (the Red Maple Leaf)

 

Also interestingly, Kingston almost became Canada's Capital City, but it was considered too open to a possible naval attack from the United States and the more in-land Ottawa was chosen as the capital instead.

African bush elephant

 

Afrikanischer Elefant

 

Kruger National Park is one of the largest game reserves in Africa. It covers an area of 19,485 km2 (7,523 sq mi) in the provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga in northeastern South Africa, and extends 360 km (220 mi) from north to south and 65 km (40 mi) from east to west. The administrative headquarters are in Skukuza. Areas of the park were first protected by the government of the South African Republic in 1898, and it became South Africa's first national park in 1926.

 

To the west and south of the Kruger National Park are the two South African provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga. In the north is Zimbabwe, and to the east is Mozambique. It is now part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, a peace park that links Kruger National Park with the Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe, and with the Limpopo National Park in Mozambique.

 

The park is part of the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere an area designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as an International Man and Biosphere Reserve (the "Biosphere").

 

The park has nine main gates allowing entrance to the different camps.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

Name

 

African Elephant or African Bush Elephant [Loxodonta africana]

 

Introduction

 

The Elephant is the world's largest land mammal, and weighs up to 7 tonnes and reaches heights of 3.3 m at the shoulder. Elephants can live to a potential age of 70 years. The massive tusks of older bulls can weigh up to 50 or 60 kilograms, but tusks weighing up to 90 kilograms have been recorded.

 

Appearance

 

What is the trunk and what is it used for?

The Elephant's trunk is a modified nose which is very sensitive and can even detect water under ground. There are as many as 50 000 muscles in an Elephant trunk. The sensitive finger-like appendages at the tip of the trunk enables them to pick the smallest twig or flower, pull the toughest reed of grass or even pick out a thorn from their feet.

 

Do elephants have knees or elbows?

 

The joints that are perceived as 'knees', are in fact wrists. This is a common misunderstanding due to the belief that a leg joint that bends between the foot and the body must be a knee. The main difference between us and the elephants is that our foot bones and hand bones are separate, whereas those of the elephant are one in the same, and have evolved to suit this four-legged mammal.

 

Why do elephants have tusks?

 

The tusks are used for obtaining food, fighting (amongst males) and for self defence. They are actually their upper incisors, and grow continuously until they die at around 60 years old. Although their skin is up to 3cm (1 inch) thick, it is quite sensitive.

 

Diet

 

Elephants are voracious feeders which in a day consume up to 272 kg (600 pounds) of grass, tender shoots and bark from trees. An adult Elephant can drink up to 200 litres of water in a single session. A single Elephant deposits up to 150kg (330 pounds) of dung every day - about one dollop every 15 minutes!

 

Breeding

 

African Elephant are not seasonal breeders. Generally they produce one calf every 3 to 4 years. The gestation period is about 22 months. At birth calves weigh about 100 kg (220 pounds) and are fully weaned between 18-24 months. An orphaned calf will usually be adopted by one of the family's lactating females or suckled by various females. Elephants are very attentive mothers, and because most Elephant behavior has to be learned, they keep their offspring with them for many years. Tusks erupt at 16 months but do not show externally until 30 months. Once weaned, usually at age 4 or 5, the calf still remains in the maternal group. Females mature at about 11 years and stay in the group, while the males, which mature between 12 and 15, are usually expelled from the maternal herd. Even though these young males are sexually mature, they do not breed until they are in their mid, or late 20s or even older and have moved up in the social hierarchy.

 

Behaviour

 

Mature males form bachelor groups and become solitary bulls. Elephant form strong family units of cows, calves and young offspring. Such herds are always led by an old female. Apart from drinking large quantities of water they also love wading or swimming in it. Elephants clearly relish mud baths.

It was once thought that family groups were led by old bull elephants, but these males are most often solitary. The female family groups are often visited by mature males checking for females in oestrus. Several interrelated family groups may inhabit an area and know each other well.

 

How do you tell an elephant's mock charge from a serious one?

 

It is imperative to keep in mind that Elephant are extremely intelligent, and each individual has a distinct character. Although there will be exceptions to the rules, the common signs of a mock charge are bush-bashing, dust-throwing, trumpeting and other vocalizations, open ears and an intimidating presence, can be considered a mock-display. Aggressive or startled elephants usually make sudden headshakes and flap their large ears against their head. Serious charges usually occur after all attempts to intimidate have failed, and the Elephant feels threatened. The ears are pinned back and head and trunk are lowered. Ultimately, the key lies in the intelligence of the animal and how they will react to the 'target' and unfamiliar actions, and a conscious decision is made.

 

Why do elephants rhythmically flap their ears?

 

Contrary to common belief, it is not an expression of anger. Being an animal of such a large size, with no sweat glands and a dark body colour, elephants flap their ears to cool the body and rid themselves of irritating insects.

 

Where are they found?

 

Once ranging across most of Africa the Elephant population has declined dramatically across the continent. In South Africa the Addo Elephant and Kruger National Park protect large herds. Due to rigorous conservation measures the Elephant population in South Africa has grown from a estimated 120 in 1920 in 4 locations, to 10 000 at 40 locations to date.

 

Notes

 

The African Elephant has recently been classified into two separate species, the more common African Bush Elephant [Loxodonta Africana] and the smaller African Forest Elephant [Loxodonta cyclotis] of the rainforest of Central Africa.

 

(krugerpark.co.za)

 

Der Kruger-Nationalpark (deutsch häufig falsch Krüger-Nationalpark) ist das größte Wildschutzgebiet Südafrikas. Er liegt im Nordosten des Landes in der Landschaft des Lowveld auf dem Gebiet der Provinz Limpopo sowie des östlichen Abschnitts von Mpumalanga. Seine Fläche erstreckt sich vom Crocodile-River im Süden bis zum Limpopo, dem Grenzfluss zu Simbabwe, im Norden. Die Nord-Süd-Ausdehnung beträgt etwa 350 km, in Ost-West-Richtung ist der Park durchschnittlich 54 km breit und umfasst eine Fläche von rund 20.000 Quadratkilometern. Damit gehört er zu den größten Nationalparks in Afrika.

 

Das Schutzgebiet wurde am 26. März 1898 unter dem Präsidenten Paul Kruger als Sabie Game Reserve zum Schutz der Wildnis gegründet. 1926 erhielt das Gebiet den Status Nationalpark und wurde in seinen heutigen Namen umbenannt. Im Park leben 147 Säugetierarten inklusive der „Big Five“, außerdem etwa 507 Vogelarten und 114 Reptilienarten, 49 Fischarten und 34 Amphibienarten.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

Der Afrikanische Elefant (Loxodonta africana), auch Afrikanischer Steppenelefant oder Afrikanischer Buschelefant, ist eine Art aus der Familie der Elefanten. Er ist das größte gegenwärtig lebende Landsäugetier und gleichzeitig das größte rezente landbewohnende Tier der Erde. Herausragende Kennzeichen sind neben den Stoßzähnen und dem markanten Rüssel die großen Ohren und die säulenförmigen Beine. In zahlreichen morphologischen und anatomischen Merkmalen unterscheidet sich der Afrikanische Elefant von seinen etwas kleineren Verwandten, dem Waldelefanten und dem Asiatischen Elefanten. Das Verbreitungsgebiet umfasst heute große Teile von Afrika südlich der Sahara. Die Tiere haben sich dort an zahlreiche unterschiedliche Lebensräume angepasst, die von geschlossenen Wäldern über offene Savannenlandschaften bis hin zu Sumpfgebieten und wüstenartigen Regionen reichen. Insgesamt ist das Vorkommen aber stark fragmentiert.

 

Die Lebensweise des Afrikanischen Elefanten ist durch intensive Studien gut erforscht. Sie wird durch einen stark sozialen Charakter geprägt. Weibliche Tiere und ihr Nachwuchs leben in Familienverbänden (Herden). Diese formieren sich wiederum zu einem enger verwandten Clan. Die einzelnen Herden treffen sich zu bestimmten Gelegenheiten und trennen sich danach wieder. Die männlichen Tiere bilden Junggesellengruppen. Die verschiedenen Verbände nutzen Aktionsräume, in denen sie teils im Jahreszyklus herumwandern. Für die Kommunikation untereinander nutzen die Tiere verschiedene Töne im niedrigen Frequenzbereich. Anhand der Lautgebung, aber auch durch bestimmte chemische Signale können sich die einzelnen Individuen untereinander erkennen. Darüber hinaus besteht ein umfangreiches Repertoire an Gesten. Hervorzuheben sind auch die kognitiven Fähigkeiten des Afrikanischen Elefanten.

 

Die Nahrung besteht sowohl aus weicher wie auch harter Pflanzenkost. Die genaue Zusammensetzung variiert dabei regional und jahreszeitlich. Generell verbringt der Afrikanische Elefant einen großen Teil seiner Tagesaktivitäten mit der Nahrungsaufnahme. Die Fortpflanzung erfolgt ganzjährig, regional gibt es Tendenzen zu einer stärkeren Saisonalisierung. Bullen kommen einmal jährlich in die Musth, während deren sie auf Wanderung zur Suche nach fortpflanzungswilligen Kühen gehen. Während der Musth ist die Aggressivität gesteigert, es finden dann auch Rivalenkämpfe statt. Der Sexualzyklus der Kühe dauert vergleichsweise lange und weist einen für Säugetiere untypischen Verlauf auf. Nach erfolgter Geburt setzt er in der Regel mehrere Jahre aus. Zumeist wird nach fast zweijähriger Tragzeit ein Jungtier geboren, das in der mütterlichen Herde aufwächst. Junge weibliche Tiere verbleiben später in der Herde, die jungen männlichen verlassen diese.

 

Die wissenschaftliche Erstbeschreibung des Afrikanischen Elefanten erfolgte im Jahr 1797 mit einer formalen artlichen Trennung des Afrikanischen vom Asiatischen Elefanten. Der heute gebräuchliche Gattungsname Loxodonta wurde offiziell erst dreißig Jahre später eingeführt. Die Bezeichnung bezieht sich auf markante Zahnunterschiede zwischen den asiatischen und den afrikanischen Elefanten. Im Verlauf des 20. Jahrhunderts wurden mehrere Unterarten unterschieden, darunter auch der Waldelefant des zentralen Afrikas. Letzterer gilt heute genetischen Untersuchungen zufolge als eigenständige Art, die weiteren Unterarten sind nicht anerkannt. Stammesgeschichtlich lässt sich der Afrikanische Elefant erstmals im beginnenden Mittleren Pleistozän belegen. Der Gesamtbestand gilt als gefährdet. Ursachen hierfür sind hauptsächlich die Jagd nach Elfenbein und Lebensraumverlust durch die zunehmend wachsende menschliche Bevölkerung. Der Afrikanische Elefant zählt zu den sogenannten „Big Five“ von Großwildjagd und Safari.

 

(Wikipedia)

The provinces of Lenfald and Loreos have been working together to eradicate the outlaws. Hundreds of soldiers have been deployed to the south to fight the brigands and beasts that have terrorized the beautiful provinces for years. All seemed to be going well, and the outlaws were being beaten back. Nobody expected much resistance from the disorganized and demoralized outlaws, let alone an organized retaliation! Nevertheless, a large group of brigands is now attacking an undergarrisoned Lenfel castle!

 

By Jo Williams

 

The Parque Nacional de Doñana is one of Europe's most important wetland reserves and a major site for migrating birds. It is an immense area; the parque itself and surrounding parque natural or Entorno de Doñana (a protected buffer zone) amount to over 1,300 sq km in the provinces of Huelva, Sevilla and Cádiz. It is internationally for recognised for its great ecological wealth. Doñana has become a key centre in the world of conservationism.

 

Doñana is well known for its enormous variety of bird species, either permanent residents, winter visitors from north and central Europe or summer visitors from Africa, like its numerous types of geese and colourful colonies of flamingo. It has one of the world's largest colonies of Spanish imperial eagles. The park as a whole comprises three distinct kinds of ecosystem: the marismas, the Mediterranean scrublands and the coastal mobile dunes with their beaches.

l

 

The configuration of the Parque Nacional de Doñana is a result of its past as the delta of the Guadalquivir river, the 'big river', or Wada-I-Kebir, of the Moors. But it is a delta with a difference. Unlike most, the river has only one outlet to the sea, just below Sanlúcar de Barrameda. The rest of what used to be its delta has gradually been blocked off by a huge sandbar that stretches from the mouth of the Río Tinto, near Palos de la Frontera, to the riverbank opposite Sanlúcar, and which the sea winds have gradually formed into high dunes. Behind this natural barrier stretches the marshlands (marismas).

 

The effect of this extraordinary mélange of land and water was to create an environment shunned by people but ideal for wildlife. As early as the thirteenth century, the kings of Castille set aside a portion of the Doñana as a royal hunting estate; later the dukes of Medina Sidonia made it their private coto too. One of the duchesses of Medina Sidonia, Doná Ana de Silva y Mendoza, indulged her antisocial instincts by building a residence there that was more hermitage than palace. As a result, the entire region came to be known as the 'forest of Doná Ana', or Doñana. In the eighteenth century, Goya is known to have visited the Duchess of Alba at the Palacio de Doñana when she was its proprietress. Subsequently, the land passed through many hands before the official creation of the parque nacional in 1969.

 

Meanwhile, adjoining areas of wetland were being dramatically reduced. Across the Guadalquivir vast marshes were drained and converted to farmland, until only the protected lands of the Doñana remained intact. For centuries there had been only a vacant spot on the map between Lebrija in the east and Almonte in the north west, but in recent years whole towns and villages have sprung up west of the Guadalquivir, and the resort town of Matalascañas has brought urban sprawl to the south-western edge of the Doñana, a place once occupied by reed-thatched fishermen's huts. The proximity of these settlements has further complicated the work of the park's wildlife guardians. Two of the Doñana's precious lynxes, for example, have been run over by cars on the highway to Matalascañas; cats and dogs straying out of the nearest towns have killed animals in the park, and birds that have overflown the fences have been gunned down by trigger-happy hunters despite stringent conservation laws.

 

A more permanent threat to the Doñana's ecosystem are the new ricefields and other agricultural projects north of El Rocío, whose run-off waters sluice pesticides into the marismas and the sulphur mines upstream at Aznalcóliar which was effluvium into the river.

  

Access

 

Marismas de Odiel, Huelva

Marismas de Odiel, Huelva

 

Entrance to the park is strictly controlled. You can take half-day trips with official guides or explore the environs of the visitors' centres on foot.

 

To visit the principal visitors' centre at El Acebuche, take the A483 south of Almonte and about 12km from El Rocío is the signposted turn at Km29 for Centro de Recepción El Acebuche (959 44 87 11), 1½km from the main road. Alternatively, you can drive 3km north of Matalascañas to the turn-off at Km29. The centre has an exhibition about the park, a café and a shop selling maps and books. From the centre is a signposted 5km trail through scrubland and pine trees. Next to the centre is the El Acebuche lagoon, with bird hides, where you can see purple gallinules, among other birds.

 

From El Acebuche there are four-hour trips into the park run by the Cooperativa Marsimas del Rocío (959 43 04 32), which must be booked in advance. The four-wheel drive vehicle can seat 21 people and guides speak some English. There are two trips a day (excluding Mondays), at 0830 and 1500 (1700 in summer). Full day trips can also be organised for groups, with lunch in Sanlúcar de Barrameda. A typical trip will take in all three ecosystems in the park - dunes, matorral and marshland - but the amount of exposure to each environment varies with the seasons. One thing is guaranteed - no two visits will be alike.

 

The nearest visitors' centre to El Rocío is La Rocina (959 44 23 40), 500m from the village and just off the Matalascañas road. It has information on the park and a 3km-long nature trail along the freshwater lake and marshland Charco de la Boca, which feeds into the Madres de la Marismas at El Rocío. The trail has five bird hides and it's possible to see purple gallinules, hoopoes, herons and Savi's warblers, among other birds.

 

Seven kilometres on from La Rocina is the Palacio del Acebrón, an old hunting lodge containing exhibitions on the park. In the grounds is a pleasant 1½-km nature trail through woodland and around a small lake, the Charco del Acebrón.

 

The Centro de Visitantes José Antonio Valverde on the northern edge of the park has some excellent birdwatching opportunities. It is 30km south of the town of Villamanrique de la Condesa, from where it is signposted.

 

The Playa de Castilla beach, reached on foot east of Matalascañas, runs alongside the park boundary and although you can't enter Doñana here, it is a beautiful, unspoilt stretch of coastline with good birdwatching possibilities.

 

The park can also be reached (but not entered) by taking the ferry boat across the Guadalquivir river from Sanlúcar de Barrameda where there is a visitors' centre, the Centro de Visitantes Fábrica de Hielo (956 38 16 35), with exhibitions on the Doñana. You can take the Real Fernando boat daily (except in January) from Sanlúcar for 13km up the Guadalquivir river, stopping in a few places for guided walks into the park. It's advisable to book in advance, especially during the summer and holidays.

  

Accommodation

 

The closest accommodation to the entry point of El Acebuche in the park is in Matalascañas, about 3km from El Acebuche. Ten kilometres north of El Acebuche is the village of El Rocío, with various hotels. Alternatively, between Matalascañas and Huelva there is Mazagón or Villamanrique de la Condesa to the north of the park. Accommodation will be very hard to find (or extremely expensive) around the time of the El Rocío pilgrimage at Pentecost. During the summer months Matalascañas and Mazagón are also very busy, so book ahead at this time.

 

• El Cortijo de los Mimbrales (959 44 22 37) Conveniently located for the park on the A483 El Rocío-Matalascañas road, 3km south of El Rocío. A former farm in an orange grove with delightful rooms set in beautiful gardens. Excellent bar and restaurant.

 

• Hotel Toruño (959 44 23 23) This is the best hotel in El Rocío. It is in a great location overlooking the marismas, so you can even birdwatch from your bedroom, if you choose your room carefully (ask for rooms 219, 221, 223 or 223).

  

Camping

 

There are many campsites close to the Playa de Castilla beach along the A494 between Mazagón and Matalascañas, which runs alongside the park boundary. In the summer it's well worth booking in advance when the campsites could be full, particularly in August.

 

• Camping Doñana (959 53 62 81) At the Mazagón end of the A494 at Km34.6, this shady campsite has wooden cabins and tents for rent and a swimming pool.

 

• Camping La Aldea Located inland on the edge of El Rocío village near the marismas, this campsite has bungalows for hire, a bar and a shop.

 

• Camping Rocío Playa (959 43 02 38) On the A494 Mazagón-Matalascañas road at Km 45.2, 1½km west of Matalascañas, is this large campsite. Facilities include a restaurant, tennis court, football pitch and a bar with wonderful views. There are wooden bungalows and tents for hire.

  

Flora

 

The park supports an incredible array of vegetation in a variety of virgin habitats. Inland are large expanses of stone pines, as well as Mediterranean scrublands, with narrow leaved cistus heather, mastic tree, rosemary, cistus scrub, glasswort, red lavender, rosemary and thyme. There are also junipers and forests of cork oaks, known as "las pajareras" for the enormous quantity of birds that nest in them. Among the flowering plants are lavender, tree heaths, gladioli, irises and rock roses. In the spring the marshlands are covered with flowers.

  

Fauna

 

This is a vast wilderness that supports an unrivalled wealth of fauna; 125 species of birds are known to be resident here, as well as 125 migratory bird species, 17 reptiles, nine amphibians and eight species of fish. There is a rich variety of mammals, 28 species in total, with some in danger of extinction, such as the lynx and the Egyptian mongoose. Also here are badgers, rabbits and otters. Game is also plentiful, with red deer, fallow deer and wild boar.

  

Birds

 

Doñana comprises delta waters which flood in winter and then drop in the spring leaving rich deposits of silt and raised sandbanks and islands. These conditions are perfect in winter for geese and ducks but most exciting in spring when they draw hundreds of flocks of breeding birds. If you're lucky you may also catch a glimpse of the rare Spanish Imperial Eagle, now down to 15 breeding pairs. In the marshes and amid the cork oak forests behind you've a good chance of seeing grey herons, lanner falcons, ring and turtle doves, partridges, oxpeckers, cattle egret, storks and vultures.

 

What you see at Doñana depends on the time of year and the luck of the draw - November, December and January constitute the off-season for visitors but is an ideal time for waterfowl, since the autumn rains have brought life back to the marismas and filled the lagunas. Gradually, the water attains a uniform depth of 30-60 centimetres (12-24 inches) over vast areas and the resulting marches attract huge flocks of wildfowl, ducks, geese and other water birds of the most varied kind. These are freshwater marshes, incidentally, although there are traces of sea salt in the underlying silt. Here and there small islands (vetas) rise above the water. These remain dry throughout the year, creating an ideal breeding ground for waders and terns.

 

Towards the end of February the geese that have migrated here from northern Europe commence their return journey, but at the same time the spoonbills arrive from North Africa to nest in the cork oaks. In March the waters begin to recede and spring begins in earnest. This is also the time when the imperial eagle hatches its eggs: 15 breeding pairs of these formidable hunters were counted recently in the park - above a third of all the imperial eagles known to survive in Spain. Each pair requires nearly 2,600 hectares of land to hunt over in summer, and even more in winter. This is a far from perfect environment for these great birds and Doñana pairs seldom raise as many young as those elsewhere in Spain.

 

In spring the marismas are alive with birds - some settling down to breed, others en route for more northern climes. Huge numbers of kites hang in the air, harriers send the duck scurrying skywards in fear of their lives. There are black-tailed godwit and ruff on their way to Holland and beyond, greenhank and wood sandpiper bound for Scandinavia, little stint and curlew sandpiper heading for northern Siberia and usually a marsh sandpiper that should be a thousand kilometres or more further east.

 

Overhead, vast flocks of whiskered terns wheel and circle along with a few gullbilled terns and racy pratincoles. There are swallows galore, some of them red-rumped, and bee-eaters and rollers perch on post and wire. All of these and more can be seen from the bridge at El Rocío - perhaps the best free birdwatching in Europe.

 

From bird hides at the reserve centre, just south of the bridge, you will hear Cetti's and Savi's warblers and watch egrets, herons and little bitterns come and go. Marsh harriers and kites are continually on view and sometimes a majestic imperial eagle will soar from the woods of Doñana over El Rocío to the Coto del Rey.

 

In mid-summer the temperature in the parched marismas easily exceeds 40°C. Aquatic birds that remain in the stagnant pools die of botulism, and each year thousands more die during the advancing drought in the Doñana. In August, there is almost nothing left of the marsh's aquatic fauna, but it is a good time for observing dozens of summer residents, which include griffon vulture, booted eagle, red and black kites, short toed eagle, Baillon's crake, purple gallinule, great spotted cuckoo, Scops owl, red necked nightjar, bee eater, hoopoe, calandra, short toed and thekla larks, golden oriole, azure winged magpie. Cetti's and Savi's warblers, tawny pipit, great grey shrike, woodchat shrike and serin.

  

Rivers

 

As part of the Guadalquivir delta, the park is riddled with creeks and streams, the main ones being the Brazo de la Torre, the Caño de Guadiamar and Caño Real. The park is dotted with ponds (lucios) that, like the marshlands themselves, can dry up almost completely in summer.

  

Walks

 

The core of the park is off-limits to independent walkers. There are footpaths, often with bird hides, leading from the following visitors' centres: El Acebuche, La Rocina and El Palacio del Acebrón. You can also walk alonside the park boundary on the Playa de Castilla, near Matalascañas. A signposted walk, the Sendero Laguna del Jaral Medano del Asperillo, is off the A494 at Km 47. Coming from Matalascañas, there is a car park on the left with an information board and map. It is a challenging circular 5.6km trail that crosses sand dunes and pine woods and will take around 3½ hours. It has superb views of the sea. Make sure you take plenty of water and go when it is not too hot.

 

Also signposted is the Sendero Cuesta del Maneli. This is a circular trail through the dunes and pine woodland between the road and the beach. It is 2.3km long and takes around 1½ hours and is easier than the Sendero Laguna del Jaral Medano del Asperillo. To get there, take the off the A494 Matalascañas-Mazagón road and at Km 38 there is a car park and information board.

  

Villages

 

El Rocío

Matalascañas

Mazagón

Sanlúcar de Barrameda

Villamanrique de la Condesa

  

Common warthog

 

Warzenschwein

 

Kruger National Park is one of the largest game reserves in Africa. It covers an area of 19,485 km2 (7,523 sq mi) in the provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga in northeastern South Africa, and extends 360 km (220 mi) from north to south and 65 km (40 mi) from east to west. The administrative headquarters are in Skukuza. Areas of the park were first protected by the government of the South African Republic in 1898, and it became South Africa's first national park in 1926.

 

To the west and south of the Kruger National Park are the two South African provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga. In the north is Zimbabwe, and to the east is Mozambique. It is now part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, a peace park that links Kruger National Park with the Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe, and with the Limpopo National Park in Mozambique.

 

The park is part of the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere an area designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as an International Man and Biosphere Reserve (the "Biosphere").

 

The park has nine main gates allowing entrance to the different camps.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

The common warthog (Phacochoerus africanus) is a wild member of the pig family (Suidae) found in grassland, savanna, and woodland in sub-Saharan Africa. In the past, it was commonly treated as a subspecies of P. aethiopicus, but today that scientific name is restricted to the desert warthog of northern Kenya, Somalia, and eastern Ethiopia.

 

The common warthog is a medium-sized species, with a head-and-body length ranging from 0.9 to 1.5 m (3.0 to 4.9 ft), and shoulder height from 63.5 to 85 cm (25.0 to 33.5 in). Females, at 45 to 75 kg (99 to 165 lb), are typically a bit smaller and lighter in weight than males, at 60 to 150 kg (130 to 330 lb). A warthog is identifiable by the two pairs of tusks protruding from the mouth and curving upwards. The lower pair, which is far shorter than the upper pair, becomes razor-sharp by rubbing against the upper pair every time the mouth is opened and closed. The upper canine teeth can grow to 25.5 cm (10.0 in) long and have a wide elliptical cross section, being about 4.5 cm (1.8 in) deep and 2.5 cm (0.98 in) wide. A tusk will curve 90° or more from the root, and will not lie flat on a table, as it curves somewhat backwards as it grows. The tusks are not used for digging, but are used for combat with other hogs, and in defense against predators – the lower set can inflict severe wounds.

 

Common warthog ivory is taken from the constantly growing canine teeth. The tusks, particularly the upper set, work in much the same way as elephant tusks with all designs scaled down. Tusks are carved predominantly for the tourist trade in east and southern Africa.

 

The head of the common warthog is large, with a mane down the spine to the middle of the back. Sparse hair covers the body. Its color is usually black or brown. Tails are long and end with a tuft of hair. Common warthogs do not have subcutaneous fat and the coat is sparse, making them susceptible to extreme environmental temperatures.

 

The common warthog is the only pig species that has adapted to grazing and savanna habitats. Its diet is omnivorous, composed of grasses, roots, berries and other fruits, bark, fungi, insects, eggs and carrion. The diet is seasonably variable, depending on availability of different food items. During the wet seasons, warthogs graze on short perennial grasses. During the dry seasons, they subsist on bulbs, rhizomes, and nutritious roots. Warthogs are powerful diggers, using both their snouts and feet. Whilst feeding, they often bend their front feet backwards and move around on the wrists. Calloused pads that protect the wrists during such movement form quite early in the development of the fetus. Although they can dig their own burrows, they commonly occupy abandoned burrows of aardvarks and other animals. The common warthog commonly reverses into burrows, with its head facing the opening and ready to burst out if necessary. Common warthogs will wallow in mud to cope with high temperatures and huddle together to cope with low temperatures.

 

Although capable of fighting (males aggressively fight each other during mating season), the common warthog's primary defense is to flee by means of fast sprinting. When threatened, Warthogs can run speeds of up to 48 km/h (30 mph), will run with their tails sticking up and will enter their dens rear first with tusks facing out . The common warthog's main predators are humans, lions, leopards, cheetahs, crocodiles, wild dogs and hyenas. Birds of prey such as Verreaux's eagle owls and martial eagles sometimes prey on piglets. However, if a female common warthog has any piglets, she will defend them very aggressively. On occasion, common warthogs have been observed charging and even wounding large predators. Common warthogs have also been observed allowing banded mongooses and vervet monkeys to groom them to remove ticks.

 

Common warthogs are not territorial, but instead occupy a home range. Common warthogs live in groups called sounders. Females live in sounders with their young and with other females. Females tend to stay in their natal groups, while males leave, but stay within the home range. Subadult males associate in bachelor groups, but live alone when they become adults. Adult males only join sounders with estrous females. Warthogs have two facial glands: the tusk gland and the sebaceous gland. Common warthogs of both sexes begin to mark around six to seven months old. Males tend to mark more than females. They mark sleeping and feeding areas and waterholes. Common warthogs use tusk marking for courtship, for antagonistic behaviors, and to establish status.

 

Common warthogs are seasonal breeders. Rutting begins in the late rainy or early dry season and birthing begins near the start of the following rainy season. The mating system is described as "overlap promiscuity"; the males have ranges overlapping several female ranges, and the daily behavior of the female is unpredictable. Boars employ two mating strategies during the rut. With the "staying tactic", a boar will stay and defend certain females or a resource valuable to them. In the "roaming tactic", boars seek out estrous sows and compete for them. Boars will wait for sows to emerge outside their burrows. A dominant boar will displace any other boar that also tries to court his female. When a sow leaves her den, the boar will try to demonstrate his dominance and then follow her before copulation. For the "staying tactic", monogamy, female-defense polygyny, or resource-defense polygyny is promoted, while the "roaming tactic" promotes scramble-competition polygyny.

 

The typical gestation period is five to six months. When they are about to give birth, sows temporarily leave their families to farrow in a separate hole. The litter is 2–8 piglets, with 2–4 typical. The sow will stay in the hole for several weeks, nursing her piglets. Common warthog sows have been observed to nurse foster piglets if they lose their own litter. This behavior, known as allosucking, makes them cooperative breeders. Allosucking does not seem to be a case of mistaken identity or milk theft, and may be a sign of kin altruism. Piglets begin grazing at about two to three weeks and are weaned by six months. Piglets quickly attain mobility and stay close to their mothers for defense.

 

As of 1999, the common warthog population in southern Africa is estimated to be about 250,000. Typical densities range between one and 10 per km2 in protected areas, but local densities of 77 per km2 were found on short grass in Nakuru National Park. The species is susceptible to drought and hunting (especially with dogs), which may result in localized extinctions. The common warthog is present in numerous protected areas across its extensive range.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

Der Kruger-Nationalpark (deutsch häufig falsch Krüger-Nationalpark) ist das größte Wildschutzgebiet Südafrikas. Er liegt im Nordosten des Landes in der Landschaft des Lowveld auf dem Gebiet der Provinz Limpopo sowie des östlichen Abschnitts von Mpumalanga. Seine Fläche erstreckt sich vom Crocodile-River im Süden bis zum Limpopo, dem Grenzfluss zu Simbabwe, im Norden. Die Nord-Süd-Ausdehnung beträgt etwa 350 km, in Ost-West-Richtung ist der Park durchschnittlich 54 km breit und umfasst eine Fläche von rund 20.000 Quadratkilometern. Damit gehört er zu den größten Nationalparks in Afrika.

 

Das Schutzgebiet wurde am 26. März 1898 unter dem Präsidenten Paul Kruger als Sabie Game Reserve zum Schutz der Wildnis gegründet. 1926 erhielt das Gebiet den Status Nationalpark und wurde in seinen heutigen Namen umbenannt. Im Park leben 147 Säugetierarten inklusive der „Big Five“, außerdem etwa 507 Vogelarten und 114 Reptilienarten, 49 Fischarten und 34 Amphibienarten.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

Das Warzenschwein (Phacochoerus africanus) ist eine in weiten Teilen Afrikas beheimatete Säugetierart aus der Familie der Echten Schweine (Suidae). Zusammen mit dem Wüstenwarzenschwein bildet es die Gattung der Warzenschweine.

 

Warzenschweine ähneln auf den ersten Blick einem etwas flacheren Wildschwein mit einem etwas zu groß geratenen, bizarren Kopf. Vor allem die vier paarig angeordneten Warzen am Kopf und die halbkreisförmigen, bis zu 30 cm langen, gekrümmten Hauer (die Eckzähne des Oberkiefers) tragen zu diesem Eindruck bei. Die unteren Eckzähne sind ebenfalls verlängert; sie sind kürzer, aber schärfer. Die Warzen, die besonders bei alten Männchen sehr groß sein können, sind reine Hautgebilde ohne knöcherne oder Muskelgrundlage, die bereits beim Embryo angelegt sind. Der kurze Hals trägt eine Art Wamme.

 

Das gewöhnlich graue Fell der Warzenschweine ist aufgrund seiner wärmeren Heimat wesentlich weniger dick als das der mitteleuropäischen Wildschweine. Warzenschweine haben eine lange Nacken- und Rückenmähne, die sich bei Gefahr aufrichtet, und einen mit einer Quaste versehenen Schwanz, den sie bei Flucht oder Angriff aufstellen – diesem Verhalten verdanken sie auch den Spitznamen „Radio Afrika“. Diese Tiere erreichen eine Kopfrumpflänge von 90 bis 150 cm, der Schwanz wird 25 bis 50 cm lang und die Schulterhöhe beträgt 64 bis 85 cm. Das Gewicht liegt zwischen 50 und 150 kg, wobei die Männchen schwerer als die Weibchen werden.

 

Warzenschweine sind nahezu in ganz Afrika südlich der Sahara verbreitet. Ihr Verbreitungsgebiet reicht vom Süden Mauretaniens und Senegal bis Äthiopien und südlich bis Namibia und Südafrika. Ihr Lebensraum sind offene Gelände, vorzugsweise in Savannen und lichten Wäldern.

 

Warzenschweine sind im Gegensatz zu den meisten anderen Schweinearten tagaktiv, ruhen aber während der Mittagshitze im Gebüsch oder unter Bäumen. Des Nachts verbergen sie sich in Felslöchern, alten Termitenbauten und mit Vorliebe in den Höhlen der Erdferkel, die nachts auf Nahrungssuche gehen.

 

Diese Schweine leben in Gruppen von vier bis 16 Tieren, die sich meistens aus mehreren Weibchen mit deren Nachwuchs zusammensetzen. Auch junge Männchen bilden Gruppen, während ausgewachsene Eber meist einzelgängerisch leben. Mehrere Gruppen und Einzeltiere bilden eine Großgruppe. Die Reviere mehrerer Gruppen innerhalb einer Großgruppe überlappen, manchmal werden auch Erdlöcher und andere Ressourcen gemeinschaftlich genutzt.

 

Warzenschweine sind Allesfresser, die aber vorwiegend pflanzliche Nahrung zu sich nehmen. Bei der Aufnahme von Gräsern lassen sie sich auf die Handgelenke nieder und schieben sich in dieser Haltung vorwärts. Mit der Schnauze und den Hauern durchwühlen sie das Erdreich auf der Suche nach Wurzeln und Knollen. Beeren, Baumrinde und gelegentlich Aas ergänzen den Speiseplan.

 

Ausgewachsene Warzenschweine werden von Löwe, Tüpfelhyäne, Leopard und Afrikanischem Wildhund gejagt, vom Gepard hingegen eher nicht. Die Schweine können darauf mit früher Feinderkennung dank der hoch am Kopf befindlichen Position der Augen und mit Spitzengeschwindigkeiten um 50 km/h reagieren. Auch in der direkten Auseinandersetzung wissen sie sich mit den Zähnen als Waffen zu verteidigen, was im Erfolgsfall zudem eine abschreckende Wirkung nach sich zieht. In Gewässern kommt als weiterer Fressfeind noch das Nilkrokodil in Betracht.

 

Nach einer rund 150- bis 175-tägigen Tragzeit bringt das Weibchen ein bis acht (üblicherweise zwei oder drei) Jungtiere zur Welt. Die Geburten fallen meist in die Trockenzeit, rund vier bis fünf Monate nach Ende der Regenzeit. Mit 50 Tagen begleiten die Jungtiere ihre Mutter, mit rund fünf Monaten werden sie entwöhnt. Die Männchen verlassen ihre Mutter mit rund 15 Monaten, die Weibchen bleiben länger, oft schließen sie sich auch der Gruppe der Mutter an. Die Geschlechtsreife tritt mit rund 18 bis 21 Monaten ein. In freier Natur beträgt ihre Lebenserwartung sieben bis 11 Jahre, in menschlicher Obhut können diese Tiere an die 20 Jahre alt werden.

 

Einerseits gelten Warzenschweine als Schädlinge, die mancherorts gejagt werden, da sie mit ihrer Grabetätigkeit Felder und Plantagen verwüsten. Andererseits werden sie wegen ihres Fleisches gejagt. Insgesamt ist die Art noch nicht bedroht, wenn sie auch gebietsweise selten geworden ist. Lediglich eine Unterart, das Eritrea-Warzenschwein (Phacochoerus africanus aeliani), das nur in Eritrea und Dschibuti vorkommt, wird von der IUCN als stark gefährdet (endangered) gelistet.

 

(Wikipedia)

Today is the last day of our visit of one of the most iconic monuments of my November photo trip to the southern French provinces of Languedoc and Roussillon, and one of the most famous Benedictine abbeys of all times: Saint Michael of Cuxa. I hope you have enjoyed it!

 

The origins of the abbey go back to 840, when the monastery was created just after the Muslims were defeated and chased away. In its original locale near Eixelada, this first settlement endured a catastrophic flooding in 878. The 35 surviving monks moved to Cuxa, and under the protection of the earls of Cerdagne-Conflent, the abbey began to be built and prospered as early as the 900s. Cuxa fought for and obtained privileges of jurisdiction, thereby escaping religious authority, except that of the Pope, and secular authority, except that of the local King of Cerdagne.

 

Appointed abbot by King Sunifred II around 960, Garin (also referred to as Warinus), already head of five other monasteries, introduced a Cluniac reform and cut the last ties with the secular powers. He built a first church to replace the small initial chapel first mentioned in writing in 938. On his way back from a pilgrimage in Rome and Venice, Warinus convinced Doge Pietro Orseolo to abandon power, wife and children, and the pair fled Venice in the night of September 1, 978 —not leaving behind, however, a substantial part of the Doge’s riches, as well as two hermits, Marinus and Romuald. The presence of such illustrious guests at the abbey attracted large pilgrim crowds until the death of Doge Orseolo, in odor of sainthood, in 987. His companions returned to Italy where Romuald founded the order of the Camaldolese.

 

Warinus died around Year 1000 and was succeeded by the famous Oliba, elected abbot in 1008. He will go down in History as the great builder of Cuxa, as well as the one who considerably expanded the real estate domain owned by the abbey, which was already very substantial.

 

Decline began for Cuxa, like for so many other monasteries, with the end of the Middle Ages and the weakening and corruption of the faith brought about by the Renaissance. The monks stopped living communal life, the buildings fell into disrepair as the proceeds from the abbey’s domains were diverted and appropriated by the monks, and when it was sold to private owners in 1791, in the wake of the French Revolution, the abbey was in a sorry state. In 1907, an American managed to acquire a number of the capitals of the cloister and exported them to the USA where they formed the basis for The Cloisters museum in New York City.

 

Monks (Cistercians, indeed) returned to Cuxa after World War I, to be replaced by Benedictines from Montserrat in 1965. Extensive restoration campaigns began in 1940 and the monastery was finally listed as a Historic Landmark in 1958. It still functions as a working Benedictine abbey today.

 

The apparel, decoration and general appearance of the bell tower is strikingly different from that of the Carolingian church next to it. The bandes lombardes motif betrays the so-called “first Romanesque art” or “age”, propagated by Lombard architects and masons from the Lake Como area in northern Italy.

 

Abbot Oliba is also responsible for the erection of that bell tower —in fact, there were two of them originally, but the northern one, which bore the bells and a clock, was fell by a storm during the winter of 1838–39. The remaining one is 33 meters high and the crenelations that crown it are, as usual, the sign of a later fortification.

Vervet monkey

 

Südliche Grünmeerkatze

 

Kruger National Park is one of the largest game reserves in Africa. It covers an area of 19,485 km2 (7,523 sq mi) in the provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga in northeastern South Africa, and extends 360 km (220 mi) from north to south and 65 km (40 mi) from east to west. The administrative headquarters are in Skukuza. Areas of the park were first protected by the government of the South African Republic in 1898, and it became South Africa's first national park in 1926.

 

To the west and south of the Kruger National Park are the two South African provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga. In the north is Zimbabwe, and to the east is Mozambique. It is now part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, a peace park that links Kruger National Park with the Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe, and with the Limpopo National Park in Mozambique.

 

The park is part of the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere an area designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as an International Man and Biosphere Reserve (the "Biosphere").

 

The park has nine main gates allowing entrance to the different camps.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

The vervet monkey (Chlorocebus pygerythrus), or simply vervet, is an Old World monkey of the family Cercopithecidae native to Africa. The term "vervet" is also used to refer to all the members of the genus Chlorocebus. The five distinct subspecies can be found mostly throughout Southern Africa, as well as some of the eastern countries. Vervets were introduced to Florida, St. Kitts, and Cape Verde. These mostly herbivorous monkeys have black faces and grey body hair color, ranging in body length from about 50 centimetres (20 in) for males to about 40 centimetres (16 in) for females.

 

In addition to behavioral research on natural populations, vervet monkeys serve as a nonhuman primate model for understanding genetic and social behaviors of humans. They have been noted for having human-like characteristics, such as hypertension, anxiety, and social and dependent alcohol use. Vervets live in social groups ranging from 10 to 70 individuals, with males moving to other groups at the time of sexual maturity. The most significant studies done on vervet monkeys involve their communication and alarm calls, specifically in regard to kin and group recognition and particular predator sightings.

 

The vervet monkey very much resembles a gray langur, having a black face with a white fringe of hair, while the overall hair color is mostly grizzled-grey. The species exhibits sexual dimorphism; the males are larger in weight and body length. Adult males weigh between 3.9 and 8.0 kg (8.6 and 17.6 lb), averaging 5.5 kg (12 lb), and have a body length between 420 and 600 mm (17 and 24 in), averaging 490 mm (19 in) from the top of the head to the base of the tail. Adult females weigh between 3.4 and 5.3 kg (7.5 and 11.7 lb) and average 4.1 kg (9.0 lb), and measure between 300 and 495 mm (11.8 and 19.5 in), averaging 426 mm (16.8 in).

 

When males reach sexual maturity, they move to a neighboring group. Often, males will move with a brother or peer, presumably for protection against aggression by males and females of the resident group. Groups that had previously transferred males show significantly less aggression upon the arrival of another male. In almost every case, males migrate to adjacent groups. This obviously increases benefits in regard to distance traveled, but also reduces the amount of genetic variance, increasing the likelihood of inbreeding.

 

Females remain in their groups throughout life. Separate dominance hierarchies are found for each sex. Male hierarchies are determined by age, tenure in the group, fighting abilities, and allies, while female hierarchies are dependent on maternal social status. A large proportion of interactions occur between individuals which are similarly ranked and closely related. Between unrelated individuals, there is female competition for grooming members of high-ranking families, presumably to gain more access to resources. These observations suggest individual recognition is possible and enables discrimination of genetic relatedness and social status. Interactions between different groups are variable, ranging from highly aggressive to friendly. Furthermore, individuals seem to be able to recognize cross-group vocalizations, and identify from and to which monkey each call is intended, even if the call is made by a subadult male which is likely to transfer groups. This suggests the members within a group are actively monitoring the activity of other groups, including the movement of individuals within a group.

 

Vervet monkeys have four confirmed predators: leopards, eagles, pythons, and baboons. The sighting of each predator elicits an acoustically distinct alarm call. As infants vervets learn to make the variety of calls from observation alone, without explicit tutelage. In experimentation with unreliable signalers, individuals became habituated to incorrect calls from a specific individual. Though the response was lessened for a specific predator, if an unreliable individual gives an alarm call for a different predator, group members respond as if the alarm caller is, in fact, reliable. This suggests vervet monkeys are able to recognize and to respond to not only the individual calling, but also to the semantics of what the individual is communicating. It is believed that vervet monkeys have up to 30 different alarm calls. In the wild vervet monkeys have been seen giving a different call when seeing a human being approaching, leading researchers to believe that vervet monkeys may have a way of distinguishing between different land and flight predators.

 

Mothers can recognize their offspring by a scream alone. A juvenile scream will elicit a reaction from all mothers, yet the juvenile's own mother had a shorter latency in looking in the direction of the scream, as well as an increased duration in her look. Further, mothers have been observed to help their offspring in conflict, yet rarely aided other juveniles. Other mothers evidently can determine to which mother the offspring belongs. Individuals have been observed to look towards the mother whose offspring is creating the scream.

 

Siblings likely provide the prevailing social relationships during development. Within social groups, mother-offspring and sibling interactive units are distinct groups. The sibling interaction are heavily supportive and friendly, but do have some competition. Contests primarily involve postweaning resource allocation by the common mother. For example, siblings have conflict over grooming time allocated by their mother. Offspring are usually not born in extremely close proximity due to the interbirth period of the mother. This time can be reduced by use of an allomother. The clarity of the familial and sibships within a group may act as a form of alliance, which would come at relatively low cost in regards to grooming. Other alliances are shown through conflict with aggressive individuals that have acted against a closely related sibling.

 

Allomothering is the process when another individual besides the mother cares for an infant. In groups of vervet monkeys, infants are the source of a tremendous amount of attention. Days after an infant is born, every member of the group will inspect the infant at least once by touching or sniffing. While all group members participate in infant caretaking, juvenile females which cannot yet menstruate are responsible for the majority of allomothering. The benefit is mutual for the mother and allomother. Mothers that use allomothers are able to shorten their interbirth periods, the time between successive births. At the same time, allomothers gain experience in rearing infants, and had more success in raising their own offspring. Juvenile females discriminate in preference for the infant they choose to allomother, and will usually choose siblings or infants of high-ranking individuals. When a mother allows her juvenile daughter to become an allomother for a newborn sibling, the mother decreases her own investment in the infant, while increasing the chances of successful rearing of her immature daughter.

 

Grandmothers and grandchildren share one-quarter of their genes, so they should be more likely to form affiliative relationships than unrelated members in a group. Not only do infants approach their grandmothers more often than unrelated members, but they also prefer their grandmothers compared to other adult female kin, not including their own mothers. Additional research has shown grandmothers show no preference over the sex of their grandchild. Interest in the grandchild spurred from the rank of the grandmother within a group. Higher-ranking grandmothers showed more interest in caring for their grandchildren when compared to low-ranking grandmothers. The presence of grandmothers has been associated with a decrease in mortality of infants.

 

Spiteful actions are extremely rare in the animal kingdom. Often, there is an indirect benefit to the individual acting 'spiteful' or to a close relative of that individual. Vervet monkeys have been observed to destroy a competitor's food source rather than consume or steal it themselves. While energy is being lost on destroying the food, a competitive advantage is given to the individual due to an increase in competitive gain. This would be pertinent for a male which could be displaced within his group to immigrating males.

 

Female vervets do not have external signs indicating a menstruation period, thus there are not elaborate social behaviors involving reproduction. Typically, a female gives birth once a year, between September to February, after a gestation period of about 165 days. Usually only one infant is born at a time, though twins can occur rarely. A normal infant weighs 300–400 g.

 

The vervet monkey eats a primarily herbivorous diet, living mostly on wild fruits, flowers, leaves, seeds, and seed pods. In agricultural areas, vervets become problem animals, as they will raid bean crops, peas, young tobacco plants, vegetables, fruit, and various grain crops. Carnivorous aspects of their diet include grasshoppers and termites. Raids of cattle egrets and weaver bird nests have been observed where the vervets will eat the eggs and chicks.

 

The vervet monkey ranges throughout much of Southern and East Africa, being found from Ethiopia, Somalia and extreme southern South Sudan, to South Africa. It is not found west of the East African Rift or the Luangwa River, where it is replaced by the closely related malbrouck (C. cynosuros). The vervet monkey inhabits savanna, riverine woodland, coastal forest and mountains up to 4000 m (13,100 ft). They are adaptable and able to persist in secondary and/or highly fragmented vegetation, including cultivated areas, and sometimes are found living in both rural and urban environments. Annual home range size has been observed to be as high as 176 ha with an average population density of 54.68 animals/km².

 

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, and bullets, and is trapped for traditional medicine, bush meat, and for biomedical research. 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. There are heavy fines in some cities to discourage the killing of vervet monkeys.

 

Its status according to the IUCN is "least concern".

 

This species was known in ancient Egypt including the Red Sea Mountains and the Nile Valley. From fresco artworks found in Akrotiri on the Mediterranean island of Santorini there is evidence that the vervet monkey was known to the inhabitants of this settlement around 2000 BC; this fact is most noted for evidence of early contact between Egypt and Akrotiri. Excavations dated to the end of the 1st century AD from Berenike, a Roman-Egyptian port-town on the Red Sea coast, demonstrate that vervet monkeys must have been kept as pets at that time.

 

Introduced vervet monkeys are naturalized in Ascension Island and Cape Verde. Dania Beach, Florida, is home to about 20 introduced vervets.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

Der Kruger-Nationalpark (deutsch häufig falsch Krüger-Nationalpark) ist das größte Wildschutzgebiet Südafrikas. Er liegt im Nordosten des Landes in der Landschaft des Lowveld auf dem Gebiet der Provinz Limpopo sowie des östlichen Abschnitts von Mpumalanga. Seine Fläche erstreckt sich vom Crocodile-River im Süden bis zum Limpopo, dem Grenzfluss zu Simbabwe, im Norden. Die Nord-Süd-Ausdehnung beträgt etwa 350 km, in Ost-West-Richtung ist der Park durchschnittlich 54 km breit und umfasst eine Fläche von rund 20.000 Quadratkilometern. Damit gehört er zu den größten Nationalparks in Afrika.

 

Das Schutzgebiet wurde am 26. März 1898 unter dem Präsidenten Paul Kruger als Sabie Game Reserve zum Schutz der Wildnis gegründet. 1926 erhielt das Gebiet den Status Nationalpark und wurde in seinen heutigen Namen umbenannt. Im Park leben 147 Säugetierarten inklusive der „Big Five“, außerdem etwa 507 Vogelarten und 114 Reptilienarten, 49 Fischarten und 34 Amphibienarten.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

Die Südliche Grünmeerkatze (Chlorocebus pygerythrus) ist eine Primatenart aus der Familie der Meerkatzenverwandten (Cercopithecidae). Sie ist eine der sechs Arten, in die die Grünen Meerkatzen in jüngeren Systematiken unterschieden werden.

 

Südliche Grünmeerkatzen erreichen eine Kopfrumpflänge von 40 bis 60 Zentimeter, der Schwanz wird bis zu 70 Zentimeter lang. Ihr Gewicht beträgt 4 bis 6 Kilogramm, wobei die Männchen deutlich größer und schwerer als die Weibchen werden. Das Fell dieser Tiere ist an der Oberseite graugrün gefärbt, die Unterseite ist heller, die Hände und Füße sind schwarz. Auch das Gesicht ist schwarz, es wird von hellen Haaren an den Backen und an der Stirn eingerahmt. Wie bei allen Grünmeerkatzen haben die Männchen leuchtend gefärbte Genitalien: das Skrotum ist blau und der Penis rot.

 

Südliche Grünmeerkatzen sind im östlichen und südlichen Afrika beheimatet. Ihr Verbreitungsgebiet reicht von Äthiopien und Somalia über Kenia und Tansania bis nach Südafrika. Sie kommen in einer Reihe von Habitaten vor, bevorzugen aber offene Wälder und Savannen. Allzu dichte Wälder meiden sie aber ebenso wie völlig baumlose Gebiete. Auch in der Nähe des Menschen können sie sich aufhalten.

 

Diese Primaten sind semiterrestrisch (das heißt, sie halten sich sowohl am Boden wie auch auf den Bäume auf) und wie alle Altweltaffen tagaktiv. Zur Nachtruhe ziehen sie sich auf Bäume zurück. Sie leben in Gruppen von bis zu 50 Tieren, die sich aus mehreren Männchen, vielen Weibchen und den dazugehörigen Jungtieren zusammensetzen. Beide Geschlechter etablieren eine Rangordnung, die beispielsweise beim Zugang zu Nahrungsquellen und bei der Fortpflanzung zum Tragen kommt. Sie kommunizieren miteinander mit einer Reihe von Lauten, Gesten und Körperhaltungen.

 

Südliche Grünmeerkatzen sind Allesfresser, bevorzugen aber Früchte. Daneben verzehren sie auch Blüten, Blätter, junge Triebe, aber auch Insekten, Würmer und andere Kleintiere.

 

Nach einer rund 165-tägigen Tragzeit bringt das Weibchen ein einzelnes Jungtier zur Welt. Dieses wird im zweiten Lebenshalbjahr entwöhnt und mit 2 bis 3 Jahren geschlechtsreif – wenngleich sich Männchen aufgrund des Gruppenverhaltens selten vor dem fünften Lebensjahr fortpflanzen.

 

Südliche Grünmeerkatzen sind weit verbreitet und können sich besser als die meisten Primatenarten auf die Nähe des Menschen einstellen. Sie kommen teilweise auch in Städten vor und dringen in Plantagen ein. Mancherorts werden sie deswegen als Plage betrachtet und verfolgt, hinzu kommt die Bejagung wegen ihres Fleisches. Insgesamt dürfte die Art nicht gefährdet sein, die IUCN listet sie nicht gesondert.

 

(Wikipedia)

In July 2012, we cruised Canada's Maritime Provinces on the Carnival Glory.

 

Here's the Glory docked on the St. John River in downtown Saint John, New Brunswick.

African bush elephant

 

Afrikanischer Elefant

 

Kruger National Park is one of the largest game reserves in Africa. It covers an area of 19,485 km2 (7,523 sq mi) in the provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga in northeastern South Africa, and extends 360 km (220 mi) from north to south and 65 km (40 mi) from east to west. The administrative headquarters are in Skukuza. Areas of the park were first protected by the government of the South African Republic in 1898, and it became South Africa's first national park in 1926.

 

To the west and south of the Kruger National Park are the two South African provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga. In the north is Zimbabwe, and to the east is Mozambique. It is now part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, a peace park that links Kruger National Park with the Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe, and with the Limpopo National Park in Mozambique.

 

The park is part of the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere an area designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as an International Man and Biosphere Reserve (the "Biosphere").

 

The park has nine main gates allowing entrance to the different camps.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

Name

 

African Elephant or African Bush Elephant [Loxodonta africana]

 

Introduction

 

The Elephant is the world's largest land mammal, and weighs up to 7 tonnes and reaches heights of 3.3 m at the shoulder. Elephants can live to a potential age of 70 years. The massive tusks of older bulls can weigh up to 50 or 60 kilograms, but tusks weighing up to 90 kilograms have been recorded.

 

Appearance

 

What is the trunk and what is it used for?

The Elephant's trunk is a modified nose which is very sensitive and can even detect water under ground. There are as many as 50 000 muscles in an Elephant trunk. The sensitive finger-like appendages at the tip of the trunk enables them to pick the smallest twig or flower, pull the toughest reed of grass or even pick out a thorn from their feet.

 

Do elephants have knees or elbows?

 

The joints that are perceived as 'knees', are in fact wrists. This is a common misunderstanding due to the belief that a leg joint that bends between the foot and the body must be a knee. The main difference between us and the elephants is that our foot bones and hand bones are separate, whereas those of the elephant are one in the same, and have evolved to suit this four-legged mammal.

 

Why do elephants have tusks?

 

The tusks are used for obtaining food, fighting (amongst males) and for self defence. They are actually their upper incisors, and grow continuously until they die at around 60 years old. Although their skin is up to 3cm (1 inch) thick, it is quite sensitive.

 

Diet

 

Elephants are voracious feeders which in a day consume up to 272 kg (600 pounds) of grass, tender shoots and bark from trees. An adult Elephant can drink up to 200 litres of water in a single session. A single Elephant deposits up to 150kg (330 pounds) of dung every day - about one dollop every 15 minutes!

 

Breeding

 

African Elephant are not seasonal breeders. Generally they produce one calf every 3 to 4 years. The gestation period is about 22 months. At birth calves weigh about 100 kg (220 pounds) and are fully weaned between 18-24 months. An orphaned calf will usually be adopted by one of the family's lactating females or suckled by various females. Elephants are very attentive mothers, and because most Elephant behavior has to be learned, they keep their offspring with them for many years. Tusks erupt at 16 months but do not show externally until 30 months. Once weaned, usually at age 4 or 5, the calf still remains in the maternal group. Females mature at about 11 years and stay in the group, while the males, which mature between 12 and 15, are usually expelled from the maternal herd. Even though these young males are sexually mature, they do not breed until they are in their mid, or late 20s or even older and have moved up in the social hierarchy.

 

Behaviour

 

Mature males form bachelor groups and become solitary bulls. Elephant form strong family units of cows, calves and young offspring. Such herds are always led by an old female. Apart from drinking large quantities of water they also love wading or swimming in it. Elephants clearly relish mud baths.

It was once thought that family groups were led by old bull elephants, but these males are most often solitary. The female family groups are often visited by mature males checking for females in oestrus. Several interrelated family groups may inhabit an area and know each other well.

 

How do you tell an elephant's mock charge from a serious one?

 

It is imperative to keep in mind that Elephant are extremely intelligent, and each individual has a distinct character. Although there will be exceptions to the rules, the common signs of a mock charge are bush-bashing, dust-throwing, trumpeting and other vocalizations, open ears and an intimidating presence, can be considered a mock-display. Aggressive or startled elephants usually make sudden headshakes and flap their large ears against their head. Serious charges usually occur after all attempts to intimidate have failed, and the Elephant feels threatened. The ears are pinned back and head and trunk are lowered. Ultimately, the key lies in the intelligence of the animal and how they will react to the 'target' and unfamiliar actions, and a conscious decision is made.

 

Why do elephants rhythmically flap their ears?

 

Contrary to common belief, it is not an expression of anger. Being an animal of such a large size, with no sweat glands and a dark body colour, elephants flap their ears to cool the body and rid themselves of irritating insects.

 

Where are they found?

 

Once ranging across most of Africa the Elephant population has declined dramatically across the continent. In South Africa the Addo Elephant and Kruger National Park protect large herds. Due to rigorous conservation measures the Elephant population in South Africa has grown from a estimated 120 in 1920 in 4 locations, to 10 000 at 40 locations to date.

 

Notes

 

The African Elephant has recently been classified into two separate species, the more common African Bush Elephant [Loxodonta Africana] and the smaller African Forest Elephant [Loxodonta cyclotis] of the rainforest of Central Africa.

 

(krugerpark.co.za)

 

Der Kruger-Nationalpark (deutsch häufig falsch Krüger-Nationalpark) ist das größte Wildschutzgebiet Südafrikas. Er liegt im Nordosten des Landes in der Landschaft des Lowveld auf dem Gebiet der Provinz Limpopo sowie des östlichen Abschnitts von Mpumalanga. Seine Fläche erstreckt sich vom Crocodile-River im Süden bis zum Limpopo, dem Grenzfluss zu Simbabwe, im Norden. Die Nord-Süd-Ausdehnung beträgt etwa 350 km, in Ost-West-Richtung ist der Park durchschnittlich 54 km breit und umfasst eine Fläche von rund 20.000 Quadratkilometern. Damit gehört er zu den größten Nationalparks in Afrika.

 

Das Schutzgebiet wurde am 26. März 1898 unter dem Präsidenten Paul Kruger als Sabie Game Reserve zum Schutz der Wildnis gegründet. 1926 erhielt das Gebiet den Status Nationalpark und wurde in seinen heutigen Namen umbenannt. Im Park leben 147 Säugetierarten inklusive der „Big Five“, außerdem etwa 507 Vogelarten und 114 Reptilienarten, 49 Fischarten und 34 Amphibienarten.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

Der Afrikanische Elefant (Loxodonta africana), auch Afrikanischer Steppenelefant oder Afrikanischer Buschelefant, ist eine Art aus der Familie der Elefanten. Er ist das größte gegenwärtig lebende Landsäugetier und gleichzeitig das größte rezente landbewohnende Tier der Erde. Herausragende Kennzeichen sind neben den Stoßzähnen und dem markanten Rüssel die großen Ohren und die säulenförmigen Beine. In zahlreichen morphologischen und anatomischen Merkmalen unterscheidet sich der Afrikanische Elefant von seinen etwas kleineren Verwandten, dem Waldelefanten und dem Asiatischen Elefanten. Das Verbreitungsgebiet umfasst heute große Teile von Afrika südlich der Sahara. Die Tiere haben sich dort an zahlreiche unterschiedliche Lebensräume angepasst, die von geschlossenen Wäldern über offene Savannenlandschaften bis hin zu Sumpfgebieten und wüstenartigen Regionen reichen. Insgesamt ist das Vorkommen aber stark fragmentiert.

 

Die Lebensweise des Afrikanischen Elefanten ist durch intensive Studien gut erforscht. Sie wird durch einen stark sozialen Charakter geprägt. Weibliche Tiere und ihr Nachwuchs leben in Familienverbänden (Herden). Diese formieren sich wiederum zu einem enger verwandten Clan. Die einzelnen Herden treffen sich zu bestimmten Gelegenheiten und trennen sich danach wieder. Die männlichen Tiere bilden Junggesellengruppen. Die verschiedenen Verbände nutzen Aktionsräume, in denen sie teils im Jahreszyklus herumwandern. Für die Kommunikation untereinander nutzen die Tiere verschiedene Töne im niedrigen Frequenzbereich. Anhand der Lautgebung, aber auch durch bestimmte chemische Signale können sich die einzelnen Individuen untereinander erkennen. Darüber hinaus besteht ein umfangreiches Repertoire an Gesten. Hervorzuheben sind auch die kognitiven Fähigkeiten des Afrikanischen Elefanten.

 

Die Nahrung besteht sowohl aus weicher wie auch harter Pflanzenkost. Die genaue Zusammensetzung variiert dabei regional und jahreszeitlich. Generell verbringt der Afrikanische Elefant einen großen Teil seiner Tagesaktivitäten mit der Nahrungsaufnahme. Die Fortpflanzung erfolgt ganzjährig, regional gibt es Tendenzen zu einer stärkeren Saisonalisierung. Bullen kommen einmal jährlich in die Musth, während deren sie auf Wanderung zur Suche nach fortpflanzungswilligen Kühen gehen. Während der Musth ist die Aggressivität gesteigert, es finden dann auch Rivalenkämpfe statt. Der Sexualzyklus der Kühe dauert vergleichsweise lange und weist einen für Säugetiere untypischen Verlauf auf. Nach erfolgter Geburt setzt er in der Regel mehrere Jahre aus. Zumeist wird nach fast zweijähriger Tragzeit ein Jungtier geboren, das in der mütterlichen Herde aufwächst. Junge weibliche Tiere verbleiben später in der Herde, die jungen männlichen verlassen diese.

 

Die wissenschaftliche Erstbeschreibung des Afrikanischen Elefanten erfolgte im Jahr 1797 mit einer formalen artlichen Trennung des Afrikanischen vom Asiatischen Elefanten. Der heute gebräuchliche Gattungsname Loxodonta wurde offiziell erst dreißig Jahre später eingeführt. Die Bezeichnung bezieht sich auf markante Zahnunterschiede zwischen den asiatischen und den afrikanischen Elefanten. Im Verlauf des 20. Jahrhunderts wurden mehrere Unterarten unterschieden, darunter auch der Waldelefant des zentralen Afrikas. Letzterer gilt heute genetischen Untersuchungen zufolge als eigenständige Art, die weiteren Unterarten sind nicht anerkannt. Stammesgeschichtlich lässt sich der Afrikanische Elefant erstmals im beginnenden Mittleren Pleistozän belegen. Der Gesamtbestand gilt als gefährdet. Ursachen hierfür sind hauptsächlich die Jagd nach Elfenbein und Lebensraumverlust durch die zunehmend wachsende menschliche Bevölkerung. Der Afrikanische Elefant zählt zu den sogenannten „Big Five“ von Großwildjagd und Safari.

 

(Wikipedia)

Impala

 

Kruger National Park is one of the largest game reserves in Africa. It covers an area of 19,485 km2 (7,523 sq mi) in the provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga in northeastern South Africa, and extends 360 km (220 mi) from north to south and 65 km (40 mi) from east to west. The administrative headquarters are in Skukuza. Areas of the park were first protected by the government of the South African Republic in 1898, and it became South Africa's first national park in 1926.

 

To the west and south of the Kruger National Park are the two South African provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga. In the north is Zimbabwe, and to the east is Mozambique. It is now part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, a peace park that links Kruger National Park with the Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe, and with the Limpopo National Park in Mozambique.

 

The park is part of the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere an area designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as an International Man and Biosphere Reserve (the "Biosphere").

 

The park has nine main gates allowing entrance to the different camps.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

The impala (/ɪmˈpɑːlə, -ˈpælə/, Aepyceros melampus) is a medium-sized antelope found in eastern and southern Africa. The sole member of the genus Aepyceros, it was first described to European audiences by German zoologist Hinrich Lichtenstein in 1812. Two subspecies are recognised—the common impala, and the larger and darker black-faced impala. The impala reaches 70–92 centimetres (28–36 inches) at the shoulder and weighs 40–76 kg (88–168 lb). It features a glossy, reddish brown coat. The male's slender, lyre-shaped horns are 45–92 centimetres (18–36 inches) long.

 

Active mainly during the day, the impala may be gregarious or territorial depending upon the climate and geography. Three distinct social groups can be observed: the territorial males, bachelor herds and female herds. The impala is known for two characteristic leaps that constitute an anti-predator strategy. Browsers as well as grazers, impala feed on monocots, dicots, forbs, fruits and acacia pods (whenever available). An annual, three-week-long rut takes place toward the end of the wet season, typically in May. Rutting males fight over dominance, and the victorious male courts female in oestrus. Gestation lasts six to seven months, following which a single calf is born and immediately concealed in cover. Calves are suckled for four to six months; young males—forced out of the all-female groups—join bachelor herds, while females may stay back.

 

The impala is found in woodlands and sometimes on the interface (ecotone) between woodlands and savannahs; it inhabits places close to water. While the black-faced impala is confined to southwestern Angola and Kaokoland in northwestern Namibia, the common impala is widespread across its range and has been reintroduced in Gabon and southern Africa. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies the impala as a species of least concern; the black-faced subspecies has been classified as a vulnerable species, with less than 1,000 individuals remaining in the wild as of 2008.

 

The first attested English name, in 1802, was palla or pallah, from the Tswana phala 'red antelope'; the name impala, also spelled impalla or mpala, is first attested in 1875. Its Afrikaans name, rooibok 'red buck', is also sometimes used in English.

 

The scientific generic name Aepyceros (lit. ‘high-horned’) comes from Ancient Greek αἰπύς (aipus, 'high, steep') + κέρας (keras, 'horn'); the specific name melampus (lit. ‘black-foot’) from μελάς (melas, 'black') + πούς (pous, 'foot').

 

The impala is a medium-sized, slender antelope similar to the kob or Grant's gazelle in build. The head-and-body length is around 130 centimetres (51 in). Males reach approximately 75–92 centimetres (30–36 in) at the shoulder, while females are 70–85 centimetres (28–33 in) tall. Males typically weigh 53–76 kilograms (117–168 lb) and females 40–53 kilograms (88–117 lb). Sexually dimorphic, females are hornless and smaller than males. Males grow slender, lyre-shaped horns 45–92 centimetres (18–36 in) long. The horns, strongly ridged and divergent, are circular in section and hollow at the base. Their arch-like structure allows interlocking of horns, which helps a male throw off his opponent during fights; horns also protect the skull from damage.

 

The glossy coat of the impala shows two-tone colouration – the reddish brown back and the tan flanks; these are in sharp contrast to the white underbelly. Facial features include white rings around the eyes and a light chin and snout. The ears, 17 centimetres (6.7 in) long, are tipped with black. Black streaks run from the buttocks to the upper hindlegs. The bushy white tail, 30 centimetres (12 in) long, features a solid black stripe along the midline. The impala's colouration bears a strong resemblance to the gerenuk, which has shorter horns and lacks the black thigh stripes of the impala. The impala has scent glands covered by a black tuft of hair on the hindlegs. Sebaceous glands concentrated on the forehead and dispersed on the torso of dominant males are most active during the mating season, while those of females are only partially developed and do not undergo seasonal changes. There are four nipples.

 

Of the subspecies, the black-faced impala is significantly larger and darker than the common impala; melanism is responsible for the black colouration. Distinctive of the black-faced impala is a dark stripe, on either side of the nose, that runs upward to the eyes and thins as it reaches the forehead. Other differences include the larger black tip on the ear, and a bushier and nearly 30% longer tail in the black-faced impala.

 

The impala has a special dental arrangement on the front lower jaw similar to the toothcomb seen in strepsirrhine primates, which is used during allogrooming to comb the fur on the head and the neck and remove ectoparasites.

 

The impala is diurnal (active mainly during the day), though activity tends to cease during the hot midday hours; they feed and rest at night. Three distinct social groups can be observed – the territorial males, bachelor herds and female herds. The territorial males hold territories where they may form harems of females; territories are demarcated with urine and faeces and defended against juvenile or male intruders. Bachelor herds tend to be small, with less than 30 members. Individuals maintain distances of 2.5–3 metres (8.2–9.8 ft) from one another; while young and old males may interact, middle-aged males generally avoid one another except to spar. Female herds vary in size from 6 to 100; herds occupy home ranges of 80–180 hectares (200–440 acres; 0.31–0.69 sq mi). The mother–calf bond is weak, and breaks soon after weaning; juveniles leave the herds of their mothers to join other herds. Female herds tend to be loose and have no obvious leadership. Allogrooming is an important means of social interaction in bachelor and female herds; in fact, the impala appears to be the only ungulate to display self-grooming as well as allogrooming. In allogrooming, females typically groom related impalas, while males associate with unrelated ones. Each partner grooms the other six to twelve times.

 

Social behaviour is influenced by the climate and geography; as such, the impala are territorial at certain times of the year and gregarious at other times, and the length of these periods can vary broadly among populations. For instance, populations in southern Africa display territorial behaviour only during the few months of the rut, whereas in eastern African populations, territoriality is relatively minimal despite a protracted mating season. Moreover, territorial males often tolerate bachelors, and may even alternate between bachelorhood and territoriality at different times of the year. A study of impala in the Serengeti National Park showed that in 94% of the males, territoriality was observed for less than four months.

 

The impala is an important prey species for several carnivores, such as cheetahs, leopards and lions. The antelope displays two characteristic leaps – it can jump up to 3 metres (9.8 ft), over vegetation and even other impala, covering distances of up to 10 metres (33 ft); the other type of leap involves a series of jumps in which the animal lands on its forelegs, moves its hindlegs mid-air in a kicking fashion, lands on all fours (stotting) and then rebounds. It leaps in either manner in different directions, probably to confuse predators. At times, the impala may also conceal itself in vegetation to escape the eye of the predator. The most prominent vocalisation is the loud roar, delivered through one to three loud snorts with the mouth closed, followed by two to ten deep grunts with the mouth open and the chin and tail raised; a typical roar can be heard up to 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) away. Scent gland secretions identify a territorial male. Impalas are sedentary; adult and middle-aged males, in particular, can hold their territories for years.

 

The impala inhabits woodlands due to its preference for shade; it can also occur on the interface (ecotone) between woodlands and savannahs. Places close to water sources are preferred. In southern Africa, populations tend to be associated with Colophospermum mopane and Acacia woodlands. Habitat choices differ seasonally – Acacia senegal woodlands are preferred in the wet season, and A. drepanolobium savannahs in the dry season. Another factor that could influence habitat choice is vulnerability to predators; impala tend to keep away from areas with tall grasses as predators could be concealed there. A study found that the reduction of woodland cover and creation of shrublands by the African bush elephants has favoured impala population by increasing the availability of more dry season browse. Earlier, the Baikiaea woodland, which has now declined due to elephants, provided minimum browsing for impala. The newly formed Capparis shrubland, on the other hand, could be a key browsing habitat. Impala are generally not associated with montane habitats; however, in KwaZulu-Natal, impala have been recorded at altitudes of up to 1,400 metres (4,600 ft) above sea level.

 

The historical range of the impala – spanning across southern and eastern Africa – has remained intact to a great extent, although it has disappeared from a few places, such as Burundi. The range extends from central and southern Kenya and northeastern Uganda in the east to northern KwaZulu-Natal in the south, and westward up to Namibia and southern Angola. The black-faced impala is confined to southwestern Angola and Kaokoland in northwestern Namibia; the status of this subspecies has not been monitored since the 2000s. The common impala has a wider distribution, and has been introduced in protected areas in Gabon and across southern Africa.

 

The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) classifies the impala as a species of least concern overall. The black-faced impala, however, is classified as a vulnerable species; as of 2008, fewer than 1,000 were estimated in the wild. Though there are no major threats to the survival of the common impala, poaching and natural calamities have significantly contributed to the decline of the black-faced impala. As of 2008, the population of the common impala has been estimated at around two million. According to some studies, translocation of the black-faced impala can be highly beneficial in its conservation.

 

Around a quarter of the common impala populations occur in protected areas, such as the Okavango Delta (Botswana); Masai Mara and Kajiado (Kenya); Kruger National Park (South Africa); the Ruaha and Serengeti National Parks and Selous Game Reserve (Tanzania); Luangwa Valley (Zambia); Hwange, Sebungwe and Zambezi Valley (Zimbabwe). The rare black-faced impala has been introduced into private farms in Namibia and the Etosha National Park. Population densities vary largely from place to place; from less than one impala per square kilometre in Mkomazi National Park (Tanzania) to as high as 135 per square kilometre near Lake Kariba (Zimbabwe).

 

(Wikipedia)

 

Der Kruger-Nationalpark (deutsch häufig falsch Krüger-Nationalpark) ist das größte Wildschutzgebiet Südafrikas. Er liegt im Nordosten des Landes in der Landschaft des Lowveld auf dem Gebiet der Provinz Limpopo sowie des östlichen Abschnitts von Mpumalanga. Seine Fläche erstreckt sich vom Crocodile-River im Süden bis zum Limpopo, dem Grenzfluss zu Simbabwe, im Norden. Die Nord-Süd-Ausdehnung beträgt etwa 350 km, in Ost-West-Richtung ist der Park durchschnittlich 54 km breit und umfasst eine Fläche von rund 20.000 Quadratkilometern. Damit gehört er zu den größten Nationalparks in Afrika.

 

Das Schutzgebiet wurde am 26. März 1898 unter dem Präsidenten Paul Kruger als Sabie Game Reserve zum Schutz der Wildnis gegründet. 1926 erhielt das Gebiet den Status Nationalpark und wurde in seinen heutigen Namen umbenannt. Im Park leben 147 Säugetierarten inklusive der „Big Five“, außerdem etwa 507 Vogelarten und 114 Reptilienarten, 49 Fischarten und 34 Amphibienarten.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

Die Impalas (Aepyceros) sind eine Gattung mittelgroßer afrikanischer Antilopen, die gleichzeitig die monotypische Tribus Aepycerotini bilden. Wegen der äußerlichen Ähnlichkeit wurden die Impalas früher oft in die Nähe der Gazellen gestellt, nach neuen Erkenntnissen sind sie aber enger mit den Kuhantilopen verwandt.

 

Impalas erreichen eine Schulterhöhe von 90 cm und ein Gewicht von 40 kg (Weibchen) bis 65 kg (Männchen). Sie sind oben rehbraun gefärbt, die Flanken haben dabei eine etwas hellere Farbe. Der Unterbauch, die Brust, die Kehle und das Kinn sind weißlich. Den Steiß ziert beidseitig ein senkrechter schwarzer Streifen. Tarsalgelenk und Metacarpus sind dagegen schwarzbraun, weshalb diese Art auch Schwarzfersenantilope (A. melampus) genannt wird. Oberhalb des Hufes wächst an jedem Hinterlauf ein schwarzes Haarbüschel. Der Kopf ist zierlich, die Augen groß und die Ohren schmal und spitz. Bei der Schwarznasenimpala (A. petersi) ist ein namensgebender dunkler Streifen auf der Nase ausgebildet, der bei der Schwarzfersenantilope deutlich diffuser erscheint. Die Männchen haben leierartige Hörner, die bis zu 90 cm lang werden können und nach hinten, seitwärts und oben ausschwingen.

 

Das Verbreitungsgebiet der Schwarzfersenantilope reicht von Kenia und Uganda über Tansania, Sambia, Mosambik und Simbabwe bis nach Botswana und ins nordöstliche Südafrika. Isoliert von diesem Gebiet lebt eine weitere Population im Grenzgebiet von Angola und Namibia; diese wird als eigene Art abgetrennt, die Schwarznasenimpala. Diese Art ist besonders häufig im östlichen Teil des Etosha-Nationalparks in Namibia anzutreffen. Sie hat sich von dort im Verlaufe der letzten Jahre zunehmend auch in den westlichen Teilen des Nationalparks verbreitet, so dass sie heute auch an den Wasserlöchern um Okaukuejo vorkommt. Alle anderen Impalas sind näher miteinander verwandt und werden zumeist als eine einzige Art aufgefasst, die Schwarzfersenimpala, was auch durch genetische Analysen gestützt wird.

 

Eine ungewöhnliche Ansiedlung von Impalas fand 1976 im Calauit Game Preserve and Wildlife Sanctuary auf den Philippinen statt. Es ist die einzige frei lebende Population von Impalas außerhalb Afrikas.

 

Bevorzugtes Habitat der Impala ist die offene Savanne. Während der Fortpflanzungszeit bewacht ein Impalamännchen in der Regel eine Gruppe von Weibchen. Dabei geht er wie auf einer Parade hin und her, zeigt seine Hörner, legt die Ohren zurück und hebt seinen Schwanz. Der Kampf der Männchen um einen Harem lässt sich in drei Kampffolgen aufteilen. Im ersten Teil demonstriert der Herausforderer seine helle Bauchseite, gähnt und lässt die Zunge herausschnellen. Dann senkt das Männchen seinen Kopf als Herausforderung zum Kampf. In der zweiten Phase stehen sich die beiden Rivalen einander mit erhobenem Kopf gegenüber, rücken vor und ziehen sich wieder zurück. Gibt nach dieser Demonstrationsphase noch keines der Männchen auf, verkeilen die beiden Tiere die Hörner ineinander und schieben sich vor und zurück, trennen sich wieder und beginnen mit ihrem Schiebekampf wieder von vorne, bis eines der Tiere aufgibt. Blut fließt in der Regel nicht.

 

Weibliche Impalas leben mit ihren Jungen in Herden von zehn bis hundert Tieren. Von diesen getrennte Herden bilden junge und alte Männchen, die zu schwach sind, um ein Revier zu verteidigen. Männchen im mittleren Alter sind territoriale Einzelgänger und beanspruchen jedes Weibchen für sich, das ihr Revier durchwandert.

 

Auf der Flucht können Impalas hohe Geschwindigkeiten erreichen und bis zu 9 Meter weite Sprünge vollführen. Bei der Überquerung von z. B. Farmzäunen können sie außerdem bis zu 3 Meter hoch springen. Sie suchen allerdings meistens eine Deckung auf, anstatt allein auf ihre Geschwindigkeit zu vertrauen. Zu ihrer Verteidigungsstrategie gegenüber Hetzjägern wie dem Afrikanischen Wildhund zählen auch sogenannte Prellsprünge, bei denen die Antilopen steifbeinig in die Luft springen.

 

Die Tribus und die Gattung gliedern sich folgendermaßen:

 

Tribus Aepycerotini Gray, 1872

 

Gattung Aepyceros Sundevall, 1847

 

Schwarzfersenantilope oder Impala (Aepyceros melampus Lichtenstein, 1812)

Schwarznasenimpala (Aepyceros petersi Bocage, 1879)

 

Die IUCN stuft die Schwarzfersenantilope als „nicht gefährdet“ (least concern) ein. Die Schwarznasenimpala gilt als „gefährdet“ (vulnerable).

 

Der Name „Impala“ entstammt der Zulu-Sprache, die Betonung erfolgt auf das a in der Mitte (Impala). Chevrolet nannte sein 1957 erschienenes Full-Size Car Chevrolet Impala nach der Antilope.

 

(Wikpedia)

For the first churchly visit of that November 2023 trip to the southern French provinces of Roussillon and Languedoc, I will treat you to a truly unique place, the so-called “priory” of Serrabone, which features an absolute world-class masterpiece of Romanesque sculpture: its tribune.

 

I said “so-called” above because a priory, in the genuine acception of the word, is a secondary monastery established by an abbey. It is populated by monks sent by that abbey. Those monks are led by a prior, whose superior is the abbot of the founding abbey. In the case of Serrabone, there first was a late Carolingian parochial church established in this mountainous locale and first mentioned in writing in 1069. The walls of the nave are, for some part, still those of that ancient church.

 

It was then, at a time when local lords used to meddle more and more in the affairs of the Church (which was one of the reasons that prompted the coming of the Gregorian reform), that the viscount of Cerdagne and the local lord of Corsavy installed on the Serrabone mountaintop an unusually mixed group of canons and canonesses to live in accordance with the Augustinian Rule.

 

A new college church was built (mostly by enlarging the previous one) and consecrated in 1151. Its architecture is harmonious but very simple, as one would expect: in the Middle Ages, those mountains were populated (hence the creation of the parish) and did feed their inhabitants (serra bona in Catalan means “good mountain”), but there was precious little commerce with the outside world and the locals had nothing of real value to export. Therefore, the local economy was pretty much a closed circuit and money was far from flowing in abundantly. The style of the church, even though there were donations from the aforementioned lords, reflects this paucity of financial resources.

 

It is therefore a total mystery how the magnificent sculpted tribune, which would have cost a veritable fortune, was funded, and by whom. Nothing has ever been demonstrated in that matter, although many have conjectured in various directions. The only certainty we have is that it was built around the time when the church itself was completed, i.e., the mid–1150s.

 

The culmination of the “priory” did not last very long: canons and canonesses are not monks and nuns, their commitment is found throughout history and places to be much less strong, and by the late 1200s they had already broken communal life and begun to live in their own separate homes. Decadence went to such extremes that the “priory” was secularized by the pope in the 16th century and made a dependency of the chapter of the cathedral of Solsona. The last “prior” died in 1612 and the church returned to its simple parochial status.

 

The place was progressively abandoned as people left the mountains to go live easier lives in the valleys. It was almost in ruins when it was listed as a Historic Landmark in 1875 and the restoration began. Fortunately, the tribune had been protected and its capitals and columns hidden by the locals.

 

The western side of the tribune, which faces the congregation.

We are now nearing the end of our voyage through the southern French provinces of Languedoc and Roussillon, and the penultimate monument we will visit is the very small and humble parochial church in the out-of-the-way village of Saint-Martin-des-Puits (i.e., “of the wells”) in the département of Aude. The village numbers less than 30 inhabitants, according to the 2021 census.

 

Small and humble, but how remarkable and outstanding this small church is! Its very old age (it was originally part of a Carolingian monastery), the way it still retains most of its architecture from the 800s, its astounding alfresco paintings, make it definitely worth a visit —and as an added bonus, you will most likely be alone, as the place is totally and blessedly ignored by the tourist trade.

 

For those of you who can read French and are interested in a detailed account if this monument, the study published in 1971 by Marcel Durliat is of primary importance; it can be accessed for free online here: www.persee.fr/doc/crai_0065-0536_1971_num_115_4_12692. For the others, I will try to summarize the history of this little jewel I have discovered.

 

The existence of the Carolingian monastery is first confirmed in writing in 897. At that time, it has possessions even in nearby Spain. Misappropriated by the Durfort family of local lords around 1050, it is returned to the religious world in 1093, but is from then on demoted from independent abbey and attached to the abbey of Lagrasse as a priory. It will remain so until the French Revolution. In the photographs, I will show elements re-used from Merovingian times, which tells us that an even older monument existed on this place, as I doubt there would have been enough financial resources to procure such elements and have then shipped from afar: the apparel itself tells us, as we will also see, how destitute the builders were.

 

Aside from its pre-Romanesque elements (the most significant of which is the splendid horseshoe arch, which Durliat dates from the Carolingian period in the Wisigothic tradition), the church was modified in the 1000s by the addition of a chapel to the South, acting like a sort of false transept arm.

 

As regards the alfresco paintings in the choir and apse, there are no less than four layers of them. The latest is from the 18th century, but the former ones go back to the 12th and 13th centuries. We will also look at them closely.

 

One last closeup view of the wall paintings in the apse: in this lovely scene, we see Mary receiving a blessing from a haloed character which may be an angel, in which case this would be an Annunciation... but I am not quite sure about that. If you have any clue...

Picture: photogenic of Bali (taken using compact camera)

Location: Bali, Indonesia

 

Bali is an Indonesian island located at 8°25′23″S 115°14′55″E

Coordinates: 8°25′23″S 115°14′55″E

, the westernmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands, lying between Java to the west and Lombok to the east. It is one of the country's 33 provinces with the provincial capital at Denpasar towards the south of the island.

With a population recorded as 3,151,000 in 2005, the island is home to the vast majority of Indonesia's small Hindu minority. 93.18% of Bali's population adheres to Balinese Hinduism, while most of the remainder follow Islam. It is also the largest tourist destination in the country and is renowned for its highly developed arts, including dance, sculpture, painting, leather, metalworking and music.

 

Bali was inhabited by Austronesian peoples by about 2000 BCE who migrated originally from Taiwan through Maritime Southeast Asia.[2] Culturally and linguistically, the Balinese are thus closely related to the peoples of the Indonesian archipelago, the Philippines, and Oceania.[3] Stone tools dating from this time have been found near the village of Cekik in the island's west.[4]

Balinese culture was strongly influenced by Indian and Chinese, and particularly Hindu culture, in a process beginning around the 1st century AD. The name Bali dwipa ("Bali island") has been discovered from various inscriptions, including the Blanjong charter issued by Sri Kesari Warmadewa in 913 AD and mentioning Walidwipa. It was during this time that the complex irrigation system subak was developed to grow rice. Some religious and cultural traditions still in existence today can be traced back to this period. The Hindu Majapahit Empire (1293–1520 AD) on eastern Java founded a Balinese colony in 1343. When the empire declined, there was an exodus of intellectuals, artists, priests and musicians from Java to Bali in the 15th century.

The first European contact with Bali is thought to have been made by Dutch explorer Cornelis de Houtman who arrived in 1597, though a Portuguese ship had foundered off the Bukit Peninsula as early as 1585.[citation needed] Dutch colonial control was expanded across the Indonesian archipelago in the nineteenth century (see Dutch East Indies). Their political and economic control over Bali began in the 1840s on the island's north coast by playing various distrustful Balinese realms against each other.[5] In the late 1890s, struggles between Balinese kingdoms in the island's south were exploited by the Dutch to increase their control. The Dutch mounted large naval and ground assaults at the Sanur region in 1906 and were met by the thousands of members of the royal family and their followers who marched to certain death against superior Dutch force in a suicidal puputan defensive assault rather than face the humiliation of surrender.[5] Despite Dutch demands for surrender, an estimated 4,000 Balinese marched to their death against the invaders. In 1908, a similar massacre occurred in the face of a Dutch assault in Klungkung. Afterwards the Dutch governors were able to exercise little influence over the island, and local control over religion and culture generally remained intact.

Dutch rule over Bali had come later and was never as well established as in other parts of Indonesia such as Java and Maluku. Imperial Japan occupied Bali during World War II during which time a Balinese military officer, Gusti Ngurah Rai, formed a Balinese 'freedom army'. In the 1930s, anthropologists Margaret Mead and Gregory Bateson, and artists Miguel Covarrubias and Walter Spies, and musicologist Colin McPhee created a western image of Bali as "an enchanted land of aesthetes at peace with themselves and nature", and western tourism first developed on the island.[6] Following Japan's Pacific surrender in August 1945, the Dutch promptly returned to Indonesia, including Bali, immediately to reinstate their pre-war colonial administration. This was resisted by the Balinese rebels now using Japanese weapons. On 20 November 1946, the Battle of Marga was fought in Tabanan in central Bali. Colonel I Gusti Ngurah Rai, 29 years old, finally rallied his forces in east Bali at Marga Rana, where they made a suicide attack on the heavily armed Dutch. The Balinese battalion was entirely wiped out, breaking the last thread of Balinese military resistance. In 1946 the Dutch constituted Bali as one of the 13 administrative districts of the newly-proclaimed Republic of East Indonesia, a rival state to the Republic of Indonesia which was proclaimed and headed by Sukarno and Hatta. Bali was included in the "Republic of the United States of Indonesia" when the Netherlands recognised Indonesian independence on 29 December 1949.

The 1963 eruption of Mount Agung killed thousands, created economic havoc and forced many displaced Balinese to be transmigrated to other parts of Indonesia. Mirroring the widening of social divisions across Indonesia in the 1950s and early 1960s, Bali saw conflict between supporters of the traditional caste system, and those rejecting these traditional values. Politically, this was represented by opposing supporters of the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) and the Indonesian Nationalist Party (PNI), with tensions and ill-feeling further increased by the PKI's land reform programs.[5] An attempted coup in Jakarta was put down by forces led by General Suharto. The army became the dominant power as it instigated a violent anti-communist purge, in which the army blamed the PKI for the coup. Most estimates suggest that at least 500,000 people were killed across Indonesia, with an estimated 80,000 killed in Bali, equivalent to 5 per cent of the island's population.[7] With no Islamic forces involved as in Java and Sumatra, upper-caste PNI landlords led the extermination of PKI members.[8]

  

Bali blast monument.

As a result of the 1965/66 upheavals, Suharto was able to maneuver Sukarno out of the presidency, and his "New Order" government reestablished relations with western countries. The pre-War Bali as "paradise" was revised in a modern form, and the resulting large growth in tourism has led to a dramatic increase in Balinese standards of living and significant foreign exchange earned for the country.[5] A bombing in 2002 by militant Islamists in the tourist area of Kuta killed 202 people, mostly foreigners. This attack, and another in 2005, severely affected tourism, bringing much economic hardship to the island.

 

Bali is renowned for its diverse and sophisticated art forms, such as painting, sculpture, woodcarving, handcrafts, and performing arts. Balinese percussion orchestra music, known as gamelan, is highly developed and varied. Balinese performing arts often portray stories from Hindu epics such as the Ramayana but with heavy Balinese influence. Famous Balinese dances include pendet, legong, baris, topeng, barong, gong keybar, and kecak (the monkey dance). Bali boasts one of the most diverse and innovative performing arts cultures in the world, with paid performances at thousands of temple festivals, private ceremonies, or public shows.[13]

The Hindu New Year, Nyepi, is celebrated in the spring by a day of silence. On this day everyone stays at home and tourists are encouraged to remain in their hotels. But the day before that large, colourful sculptures of ogoh-ogoh monsters are paraded and finally burned in the evening to drive away evil spirits. Other festivals throughout the year are specified by the Balinese pawukon calendrical system.

Celebrations are held for many occasions such as a tooth-filing (coming-of-age ritual), cremation or odalan (temple festival). One of the most important concepts that Balinese ceremonies have in common is that of désa kala patra, which refers to how ritual performances must be appropriate in both the specific and general social context.[14] Many of the ceremonial art forms such as wayang kulit and topeng are highly improvisatory, providing flexibility for the performer to adapt the performance to the current situation.[15] Many celebrations call for a loud, boisterous atmosphere with lots of activity and the resulting aesthetic, ramé, is distinctively Balinese. Oftentimes two or more gamelan ensembles will be performing well within earshot, and sometimes compete with each other in order to be heard. Likewise, the audience members talk amongst themselves, get up and walk around, or even cheer on the performance, which adds to the many layers of activity and the liveliness typical of ramé.[16]

Kaja and kelod are the Balinese equivalents of North and South, which refer to ones orientation between the island’s largest mountain Gunung Agung (kaja), and the sea (kelod). In addition to spatial orientation, kaja and kelod have the connotation of good and evil; gods and ancestors are believed to live on the mountain whereas demons live in the sea. Buildings such as temples and residential homes are spatially oriented by having the most sacred spaces closest to the mountain and the unclean places nearest to the sea.[17]

Most temples have an inner courtyard and an outer courtyard which are arranged with the inner courtyard furthest kaja. These spaces serve as performance venues since most Balinese rituals are accompanied by any combination of music, dance and drama. The performances that take place in the inner courtyard are classified as wali, the most sacred rituals which are offerings exclusively for the gods, while the outer courtyard is where bebali ceremonies are held, which are intended for gods and people. Lastly, performances meant solely for the entertainment of humans take place outside the walls of the temple and are called bali-balihan. This three-tiered system of classification was standardized in 1971 by a committee of Balinese officials and artists in order to better protect the sanctity of the oldest and most sacred Balinese rituals from being performed for a paying audience.[18]

Tourism, Bali’s chief industry, has provided the island with a foreign audience that is eager to pay for entertainment, thus creating new performance opportunities and more demand for performers. The impact of tourism is controversial since before it became integrated into the economy, the Balinese performing arts did not exist as a capitalist venture, and were not performed for entertainment outside of their respective ritual context. Since the 1930’s sacred rituals such as the barong dance have been performed both in their original contexts, as well as exclusively for paying tourists. This has led to new versions of many of these performances which have developed according to the preferences of foreign audiences; some villages have a barong mask specifically for non-ritual performances as well as an older mask which is only used for sacred performances.[19]

The Balinese eat with their right hand, as the left is impure, a common belief throughout Indonesia. The Balinese do not hand or receive things with their left hand and would not wave at anyone with their left hand.

 

The Creation of Bali Island

Perhaps it is too copious if it is said that Bali is an island that is full of uniqueness which distinguishes it with other islands in Indonesia.

 

As written in the Purana Sada Temple of Kapal Traditional Village, it is said that when the continents and various island had been created on earth, Ida Sang Hyang Widhi/Bathara Pasupati (God), summoned the Gods to gather together on top of Mount Mahameru.

 

Then Sang Hyang Pasupati uttered to the nine Gods occupying the nine direction, to the six Gods (Sad Winayaka), to the group four Gods (Catur Dewa), to God Rsis, to God Dragon, Gods from Trinayaka group and to Gods in the universe, to make a new island known as Bali Island.

 

Bedawang & Naga Basuki

 

Bathara Pasupati explained to all Gods, that island that is going to be created is a special island for the shrine of all Gods with the leader Bhatara Mahadeva/Putranjaya. In this island, all Gods will be worshipped and dipuja (honored) till the end of the period. In this island the Gods will be awarded with big offerings by the dwellers. The Gods, is then, known as the name of Bali.

 

When this island was created, the God Dragon Sang Hyang Ananta Boga entered the bottom layer of the earth, and then this big dragon became the support of Bali Island.

 

After that, Sang Hyang Kurma Gni (turtle) entered the earth and became the foundation of it, and Badawang Nala manifested himself as the bottom layer of the earth of Bali. Sang Hyang Kala, then, created the soil and sky of Bali which is bright with colorful shine.

 

Finally, a beautiful island was created with the shine of extraordinary holiness. The Gods were very delightful with their successful works, and then selected their everlasting shrines at the new earth (banua bahru) named Bali. From here it is disclosed that Bali is the place of Gods (the Island of Gods). When foreigners came to Bali for the first time, they said this island is the last paradise.

 

The Corners of Bali are guarded by Gods

 

The belief of Balinese society on the existence of main temples termed as Kahyangan Jagad of Bali, in Balinese society itself, moreover in spiritual groups, has various and different concept. The difference also happens on the literature of Balinese classic, so there is different perception with different reference.

 

But with the important role of Hindu Religion experts in Bali, these different views and belief is united in a unity of interpretation and then compiled into a book entitled "Compilation of Seminar Decisions on Interpretation of Hindu Religion Aspects I - XV. This book was published by Local Government of Bali in 1999/2000.

 

This book stated that Kahyangan Jagad in Bali is divided into two different conception (Rwabineda), such as, Besakih Temple in Karangasem Regency as Purusa (masculine) and Batur Temple in Bangli Regency as Pradana (Feminine).

 

Sarad (Naga)

 

Based on the conception of Catur Lokapala (four direction), Kahyangan Jagad consists of Lempuyang Luhur Temple in Karangasem Regency, Andakasa Temple is also in Karangasem Regency, Batukaru Temple in Tabanan Regency and Puncak Mangu Temple in Badung Regency.

 

Based on the conception of Sad Winayaka, Kahyangan Jagad consists of Besakih Temple in Karangasem Regency, Lempurang Luhur Temple also in Karangasem Regency, Gua Lawah Temple in Klungkung Regency, Uluwatu Temple in Badung Regency, Batu Karu Temple in Tabanan Regency and Puser Tasik Temple/Pusering Jagad in Gianyar Regency.

 

In classical poetry literature (geguritan) entitled Patijlamit written by Ida Pedanda Ketut Sidemen from Griya Taman Kelodan Intaran Sanur, it is stated the names of Local Gods worshipped in the temples considered as Sad Kahyangan Jagad Bali, such as : Bhatara Sang Hyang Purna Jaya is worshipped in Besakih Temple, with His weapon of Kris (tuwek) located in Karangasem Regency; Bhatara Sang Hyang Ningjaya is worshipped in Lempuyang Temple with the weapon of abet also located in Karangasem Regency; Bhatara Sang Hyang Jayaningrat is worshipped in Batukaru Temple with His weapon of arrow, located in Tabanan Regency; Herjeruk Temple is the shrine of Bhatara Sang Hyang Putra Jaya with sword weapon, located in Gianyar Regency; Luhur Uluwatu is the shrine of Bhatara Sang Hyang Manik Gumawang with spear located in Badung Regency; Puser Tasik/Pusering Jagad Temple is the shrine of Bhatara Sang Hyang Manik Galba with duwung weapon, located in Gianyar Regency

 

Source from: indonesia.sawadee.com/history.htm & en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bali

Relief from the Hadrianeum in Rome, depicting a tropaeum - trophies of war. Depicted is a Dacian draco standard (which the Romans themselves adopted), with a Dacian tunic and cloak on a captured Dacian lance.

 

Reliefs depicting female personifications of Roman provinces alternated with these trophy reliefs, which showed the captured armor and weapons of defeated provinces.

 

The Hadrianeum - the Temple of Deified Hadrian - was erected in the Campus Martius by the emperor Antoninus Pius in 145 CE. The temple still - partially - exists and is incorporated into the Stock Exchange building in Rome (Piazza di Pietra). Eleven massive columns with their capitals, and one wall of the cella can be seen. The province and trophy reliefs alternated on top of the portico that surrounded the temple.

 

An identical tropaeum relief is on display at the Musei Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli (the National Archaeological Museum of Naples).

 

From the Temple of the deified Hadrian (Hadrianeum), Rome

Dedicated in 145 CE by Antoninus Pius, Hadrian’s successor.

 

Cortile del Palazzo dei Conservatori, Musei Capitolini, Rome

Giraffe

 

Kruger National Park is one of the largest game reserves in Africa. It covers an area of 19,485 km2 (7,523 sq mi) in the provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga in northeastern South Africa, and extends 360 km (220 mi) from north to south and 65 km (40 mi) from east to west. The administrative headquarters are in Skukuza. Areas of the park were first protected by the government of the South African Republic in 1898, and it became South Africa's first national park in 1926.

 

To the west and south of the Kruger National Park are the two South African provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga. In the north is Zimbabwe, and to the east is Mozambique. It is now part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, a peace park that links Kruger National Park with the Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe, and with the Limpopo National Park in Mozambique.

 

The park is part of the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere an area designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as an International Man and Biosphere Reserve (the "Biosphere").

 

The park has nine main gates allowing entrance to the different camps.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

The giraffe (Giraffa) is an African artiodactyl mammal, the tallest living terrestrial animal and the largest ruminant. It is traditionally considered to be one species, Giraffa camelopardalis, with nine subspecies. However, the existence of up to eight extant giraffe species has been described, based upon research into the mitochondrial and nuclear DNA, as well as morphological measurements of Giraffa. Seven other species are extinct, prehistoric species known from fossils.

 

The giraffe's chief distinguishing characteristics are its extremely long neck and legs, its horn-like ossicones, and its distinctive coat patterns. It is classified under the family Giraffidae, along with its closest extant relative, the okapi. Its scattered range extends from Chad in the north to South Africa in the south, and from Niger in the west to Somalia in the east. Giraffes usually inhabit savannahs and woodlands. Their food source is leaves, fruits and flowers of woody plants, primarily acacia species, which they browse at heights most other herbivores cannot reach. They may be preyed on by lions, leopards, spotted hyenas and African wild dogs. Giraffes live in herds of related females and their offspring, or bachelor herds of unrelated adult males, but are gregarious and may gather in large aggregations. Males establish social hierarchies through "necking", which are combat bouts where the neck is used as a weapon. Dominant males gain mating access to females, which bear the sole responsibility for raising the young.

 

The giraffe has intrigued various cultures, both ancient and modern, for its peculiar appearance, and has often been featured in paintings, books, and cartoons. It is classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as vulnerable to extinction, and has been extirpated from many parts of its former range. Giraffes are still found in numerous national parks and game reserves but estimates as of 2016 indicate that there are approximately 97,500 members of Giraffa in the wild. More than 1,600 were kept in zoos in 2010.

 

The name "giraffe" has its earliest known origins in the Arabic word zarāfah (زرافة), perhaps borrowed from the animal's Somali name geri. The Arab name is translated as "fast-walker". There were several Middle English spellings, such as jarraf, ziraph, and gerfauntz. The Italian form giraffa arose in the 1590s. The modern English form developed around 1600 from the French girafe. "Camelopard" is an archaic English name for the giraffe deriving from the Ancient Greek for camel and leopard, referring to its camel-like shape and its leopard-like colouring.

 

Fully grown giraffes stand 4.3–5.7 m (14.1–18.7 ft) tall, with males taller than females. The tallest recorded male was 5.88 m (19.3 ft) and the tallest recorded female was 5.17 m (17.0 ft) tall. The average weight is 1,192 kg (2,628 lb) for an adult male and 828 kg (1,825 lb) for an adult female with maximum weights of 1,930 kg (4,250 lb) and 1,180 kg (2,600 lb) having been recorded for males and females, respectively. Despite its long neck and legs, the giraffe's body is relatively short. Located at both sides of the head, the giraffe's large, bulging eyes give it good all-round vision from its great height. Giraffes see in colour and their senses of hearing and smell are also sharp. The animal can close its muscular nostrils to protect against sandstorms and ants.

 

The giraffe's prehensile tongue is about 45 cm (18 in) 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. The upper lip of the giraffe is also prehensile and useful when foraging and is covered in hair to protect against thorns. The tongue, and inside of the mouth are covered in papillae.

 

The coat has dark blotches or patches (which can be orange, chestnut, brown, or nearly black in colour) separated by light hair (usually white or cream in colour). Male giraffes become darker as they age. The coat pattern has been claimed to serve as camouflage in the light and shade patterns of savannah woodlands. Giraffe calves inherit some spot pattern traits from their mothers, and variation in some spot traits are correlated with neonatal survival. The skin underneath the dark areas may serve as windows for thermoregulation, being sites for complex blood vessel systems and large sweat glands. Each individual giraffe has a unique coat pattern.

 

The skin of a giraffe is mostly gray. 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. At least 11 main aromatic chemicals are in the fur, although indole and 3-methylindole are responsible for most of the smell. Because the males have a stronger odour than the females, the odour may also have sexual function. Along the animal's neck is a mane made of short, erect hairs. The one-metre (3.3-ft) tail ends in a long, dark tuft of hair and is used as a defense against insects.

 

Giraffes usually inhabit savannahs and open woodlands. They prefer Acacieae, Commiphora, Combretum and open Terminalia woodlands over denser environments like Brachystegia woodlands.The Angolan giraffe can be found in desert environments. Giraffes browse on the twigs of trees, preferring trees of the subfamily Acacieae and the genera Commiphora and Terminalia, which are important sources of calcium and protein to sustain the giraffe's growth rate. They also feed on shrubs, grass and fruit. A giraffe eats around 34 kg (75 lb) of foliage daily. When stressed, giraffes may chew the bark off branches. Although herbivorous, the giraffe has been known to visit carcasses and lick dried meat off bones.

 

During the wet season, food is abundant and giraffes are more spread out, while during the dry season, they gather around the remaining evergreen trees and bushes. Mothers tend to feed in open areas, presumably to make it easier to detect predators, although this may reduce their feeding efficiency. As a ruminant, 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. It is common for a giraffe to salivate while feeding. The giraffe requires less food than many other herbivores because the foliage it eats has more concentrated nutrients and it has a more efficient digestive system. The animal's faeces come in the form of small pellets. When it has access to water, a giraffe drinks at intervals no longer than three days.

 

Giraffes have a great effect on the trees that they feed on, delaying the growth of young trees for some years and giving "waistlines" to trees that are too tall. Feeding is at its highest during the first and last hours of daytime. Between these hours, giraffes mostly stand and ruminate. Rumination is the dominant activity during the night, when it is mostly done lying down.

 

Giraffes are usually found in groups that vary in size and composition according to ecological, anthropogenic, temporal, and social factors. Traditionally, the composition of these groups had been described as open and ever-changing. For research purposes, a "group" has been defined as "a collection of individuals that are less than a kilometre apart and moving in the same general direction." More recent studies have found that giraffes have long-term social associations and may form groups or pairs based on kinship, sex or other factors. These groups may regularly associate with one another in larger communities or sub-communities within a fission–fusion society. The number of giraffes in a group can range up to 66 individuals.

 

Giraffe groups tend to be sex-segregated although mixed-sex groups made of adult females and young males are known to occur. Particularly stable giraffe groups are those made of mothers and their young, which can last weeks or months. Social cohesion in these groups is maintained by the bonds formed between calves. Female association appears to be based on space-use and individuals may be matrilineally related. In general, females are more selective than males in who they associate with in regards to individuals of the same sex. Young males also form groups and will engage in playfights. However, as they get older males become more solitary but may also associate in pairs or with female groups. Giraffes are not territorial, but they have home ranges that vary according to rainfall and proximity to human settlements. Male giraffes occasionally wander far from areas that they normally frequent.

 

Although generally quiet and non-vocal, giraffes have been heard to communicate using various sounds. During courtship, males emit loud coughs. Females call their young by bellowing. Calves will emit snorts, bleats, mooing and mewing sounds. Giraffes also snore, hiss, moan, grunt and make flute-like sounds. During nighttime, giraffes appear to hum to each other above the infrasound range for purposes which are unclear.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

Der Kruger-Nationalpark (deutsch häufig falsch Krüger-Nationalpark) ist das größte Wildschutzgebiet Südafrikas. Er liegt im Nordosten des Landes in der Landschaft des Lowveld auf dem Gebiet der Provinz Limpopo sowie des östlichen Abschnitts von Mpumalanga. Seine Fläche erstreckt sich vom Crocodile-River im Süden bis zum Limpopo, dem Grenzfluss zu Simbabwe, im Norden. Die Nord-Süd-Ausdehnung beträgt etwa 350 km, in Ost-West-Richtung ist der Park durchschnittlich 54 km breit und umfasst eine Fläche von rund 20.000 Quadratkilometern. Damit gehört er zu den größten Nationalparks in Afrika.

 

Das Schutzgebiet wurde am 26. März 1898 unter dem Präsidenten Paul Kruger als Sabie Game Reserve zum Schutz der Wildnis gegründet. 1926 erhielt das Gebiet den Status Nationalpark und wurde in seinen heutigen Namen umbenannt. Im Park leben 147 Säugetierarten inklusive der „Big Five“, außerdem etwa 507 Vogelarten und 114 Reptilienarten, 49 Fischarten und 34 Amphibienarten.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

Die Giraffen (Giraffa) sind eine Gattung der Säugetiere aus der Ordnung der Paarhufer. Ursprünglich wurde ihr mit Giraffa camelopardalis und der Trivialbezeichnung „Giraffe“ nur eine einzige Art zugewiesen. Molekulargenetische Untersuchungen aus dem Jahr 2016 zeigen jedoch, dass die Gattung wenigstens vier Arten mit sieben eigenständigen Populationen umfasst. Die Giraffen stellen die höchsten landlebenden Tiere der Welt. Zur Unterscheidung vom verwandten Okapi (sogenannte „Waldgiraffe“) werden sie auch als Steppengiraffen bezeichnet.

 

Männchen (Bullen) werden bis zu 6 Meter hoch und wiegen durchschnittlich rund 1600 Kilogramm. Weibchen (Kühe) werden bis zu 4,5 Meter hoch und wiegen etwa 830 Kilogramm bei einer Schulterhöhe zwischen 2 und 3,5 Metern.

 

Der Hals der Giraffen ist außergewöhnlich lang. Wie bei fast allen Säugetieren besteht die Halswirbelsäule gleichwohl aus nur sieben Halswirbeln, die aber stark verlängert sind. Der Hals wird von einer einzigen, sehr starken Sehne in einem Winkel von etwa 55° gehalten. Die Sehne verläuft vom Hinterkopf der Giraffe bis zum Steiß und ist für den „Höcker“ zwischen Hals und Körper verantwortlich. Der Ruhezustand hält Hals und Kopf in der aufrechten Position; um den Kopf nach unten zu bewegen, z. B. zum Trinken, muss die Giraffe Muskelarbeit aufbringen. Die Zunge kann 50 Zentimeter lang werden. Sie ist zum Greifen befähigt und im vorderen Bereich zum Schutz vor Sonnenbrand stark pigmentiert.

 

Das Muster des Haarkleids besteht aus dunklen Flecken, die sich von der helleren Grundfarbe abheben. Je nach Art variieren Form und Farbe der Flecken. Die Unterseite ist hell und ungefleckt. Die Flecken dienen der Tarnung und der Regulierung der Körpertemperatur. Im Unterhautgewebe verläuft um jeden Flecken eine ringförmige Arterie, die Äste in den Flecken hinein aussendet. Über eine stärkere Durchblutung kann die Giraffe so mehr Körperwärme abgeben und ist nicht auf Schatten angewiesen. Vor allem bei männlichen Giraffen werden die Flecken mit zunehmenden Alter dunkler. Dies geschieht jedoch nicht bei allen Individuen im gleichen Maß oder in der gleichen Intensität, so dass hellere und dunklere Tiere in derselben Altersklasse auftreten. Nach Untersuchungen an Tieren aus dem Etosha-Nationalpark sind dunklere Altbullen häufig einzelgängerisch und zeichnen sich durch ein dominantes Auftreten gegenüber Geschlechtsgenossen bei der Fortpflanzung aus. Gleichalte hellere Individuen führen dagegen häufig ein Leben im Verband und sind weniger dominant, was zu geringeren Erfolgen in der Verpaarung mit Kühen führt. Demnach gibt die Fellfarbe den sozialen Status eines Individuums wieder.

 

Der Geruch des Haarkleids ist für den Menschen unangenehm. Giraffenbullen riechen stärker als -kühe. An Fäkalien erinnern speziell die Stoffe Indol und Skatol, darüber hinaus finden sich Octan, Benzaldehyd, Heptanal, Octanal, Nonanal, p-Kresol, Tetradecan- und Hexadecansäure im Fell. Die meisten dieser Verbindungen hemmen das Wachstum von Bakterien oder Pilzen, wie sie auf der Haut von Säugetieren vorkommen. Der Gehalt von p-Kresol im Giraffenhaar ist ausreichend, um Zecken abzuschrecken.

 

Zwei zapfenartige Hörner sitzen bei beiden Geschlechtern dem Kopf auf. In seltenen Fällen wächst dahinter ein weiteres Hornpaar. Manche Giraffen haben zudem einen knochigen Höcker zwischen den Augen, der ähnlich wie die Hörner strukturiert ist.

 

Giraffen erreichen eine Spitzengeschwindigkeit von 55 km/h. Die langen Beine können die Giraffe aber nur auf festem Untergrund tragen. Sumpfige Gegenden werden von den Tieren daher gemieden.

 

Giraffen verständigen sich im für Menschen nicht hörbaren Infraschallbereich mit Frequenzen unter 20 Hertz.

 

Giraffen sind in afrikanischen Savannen verbreitet. Heute leben sie nur noch südlich der Sahara, vor allem in den Grassteppen Ost- und Südafrikas. Die Bestände nördlich der Sahara wurden frühzeitig durch den Menschen ausgerottet: während des frühen Altertums im Niltal und etwa im 7. Jahrhundert in den Küstenebenen Marokkos und Algeriens. Im 20. Jahrhundert verschwanden Giraffen aus vielen weiteren Bereichen ihres Verbreitungsgebiets.

 

Giraffen beweiden bevorzugt Akazien. Dabei greifen die Tiere einen Zweig mit ihrer bis zu 50 cm langen Zunge, ziehen ihn ins Maul und streifen durch Zurückziehen des Kopfes die Blätter ab. Zunge und Lippen sind so beschaffen, dass sie trotz der dornigen Äste keinen Schaden nehmen. Durch die hohe Bisskraft und die massiven Mahlzähne können die Äste, Blätter und Zweige zügig kleingemahlen werden und rutschen innerhalb kürzester Zeit den bis zu 2,5 Meter langen Hals herab. Jeden Tag nimmt eine Giraffe etwa 30 kg Nahrung auf; hierfür benötigt sie sechzehn bis zwanzig Stunden. Der Flüssigkeitsbedarf wird größtenteils aus der Nahrung gedeckt, so dass Giraffen wochenlang ohne zu trinken auskommen können. Wenn sie doch trinken, müssen sie die Vorderbeine weit spreizen, um den Kopf weit genug zur Wasserquelle herabsenken zu können; ebenso verfahren sie, wenn sie Nahrung vom Boden aufnehmen, was sie allerdings nur unter sehr ungünstigen Umständen tun.

 

Giraffen leben einzelgängerisch oder in losen Verbänden. Dabei hängt das Sozialverhalten vom Geschlecht ab: Weibchen tun sich stets zu Herden von 4 bis 32 Tieren zusammen, die jedoch immer wieder in der Zusammensetzung wechseln. Junge oder weniger dominante Männchen formen eigene Verbände, sogenannte Junggesellengruppen, dominante Altbullen sind meist Einzelgänger. Die Gruppengröße ist abhängig vom Lebensraum und wird nicht durch die Anwesenheit größerer Beutegreifer beeinflusst. Auffälligerweise finden sich Kühe mit Nachwuchs häufiger in kleineren Gruppen zusammen. In der Namib im südwestlichen Afrika bilden gemischte Gruppen zumeist größere Verbände als eingeschlechtige Gruppen, wodurch die Geschlechterzusammensetzung einen wichtigen Einfluss darstellt. Demgegenüber nehmen Herden mit Jungtieren nicht an Größe zu, was den Schluss zulässt, dass bei den Giraffen der Schutz des Nachwuchses vor Bejagung nicht über die Gruppengröße gesteuert wird. Einen weiteren wichtigen Faktor bei der Herdenbildung stellt die räumliche Verfügbarkeit von Nahrung dar. Dieser greift aber nicht über die Jahreszeiten hinweg, wodurch Herden als relativ stabil angesehen werden können. Fluktuationen in der Herdengröße sind demnach vom Nahrungsangebot abhängig und können über Tage deutlich schwanken. So kommt es häufig in den Morgen- und Abendstunden zu größeren Zusammenschlüssen, die der gemeinsamen Nahrungsaufnahme dienen.

 

Treffen zwei Bullen aufeinander, kommt es meistens zu einem ritualisierten Kampf, bei dem die Tiere nebeneinander stehen und ihren Kopf gegen den Hals des Konkurrenten schlagen. Zur Paarungszeit können solche Kämpfe aggressiver ausfallen und eine Heftigkeit annehmen, bei der einer der Konkurrenten bewusstlos geschlagen wird.

 

Entgegen weit verbreiteter Meinung fressen Giraffen, vor allem in der Trockenzeit, von niedrigen Büschen bzw. auf halber Körperhöhe. Aus diesem Grund wird mittlerweile angezweifelt, dass die Giraffen ihren langen Hals nur aufgrund von Nahrungsauswahl haben. Ein Argument, das gegen die Nahrungsaufnahme-Theorie spricht, ist, dass Giraffen im Laufe der Evolution stärker ihren Hals verlängert haben als ihre Beine. Längere Beine wären jedoch energetisch günstiger, wenn es nur um Höhengewinn gehen würde. Eine aktuelle Theorie für den langen Hals sieht daher den Kampf der Giraffen-Männchen um Dominanz und Weibchen als einen Hauptgrund. Ein langer Hals ist dabei im Kampf vorteilhaft.

 

Giraffen schlafen mehrmals innerhalb eines 24-Stunden-Tages, dabei liegen sie mit angezogenen Beinen auf dem Bauch, mit dem Kopf nach hinten auf dem Körper. Der Schlaf dauert in der Regel nur kurze Zeit, in mehr als der Hälfte aller Beobachtungen weniger als 11 Minuten, im Maximum bis zu 100 Minuten. Die REM-Phase währt im Mittel 3 Minuten. Es wird angenommen, dass die Tiere in der liegenden Stellung Raubtieren schutzlos ausgeliefert sind, da sie nur langsam aufstehen können und sich durch Treten mit den Beinen verteidigen. Den größten Teil der Nacht verbringen sie mit Wiederkäuen. Tagsüber dösen Giraffen hin und wieder kurz im Stehen, was insgesamt weniger als 50 Minuten eines 24-Stunden-Tages ausmacht. Dadurch kommt ein Individuum auf etwa 4,6 Stunden Schlaf je Tageszyklus. Jungtiere schlafen durchschnittlich länger.

 

(Wikipedia)

++++ from WIKIPEDIA ++++++

  

Abruzzo (UK: /æˈbrʊtsoʊ/,[5] US: /ɑːˈbruːtsoʊ, əˈ-/; Italian: [aˈbruttso]; Abbrùzze [abˈbruttsə], Abbrìzze [abˈbrittsə] or Abbrèzze [abˈbrɛttsə] in Neapolitan Abruzzese; Aquilano: Abbrùzzu) or Abruzzi is a region of Southern Italy with an area of 10,763 square km (4,156 sq mi) and a population of 1.3 million. It is divided into four provinces: L'Aquila, Teramo, Pescara, and Chieti. Its western border lies 80 km (50 mi) east of Rome. Abruzzo borders the region of Marche to the north, Lazio to the west and south-west, Molise to the south-east, and the Adriatic Sea to the east. Geographically, Abruzzo is divided into a mountainous area in the west, which includes the Gran Sasso d'Italia, and a coastal area in the east with beaches on the Adriatic Sea.

  

Abruzzo is considered a region of Southern Italy in terms of its culture, language, history and economy, although geographically it may also be considered central.[8] The Italian Statistical Authority (ISTAT) also deems it to be part of Southern Italy, partly because of Abruzzo's historic association with the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.

  

Abruzzo is known as "the greenest region in Europe" as almost half of its territory, the largest in Europe,[9] is set aside as national parks and protected nature reserves. There are three national parks, one regional park, and 38 protected nature reserves. These ensure the survival of 75% of Europe's living species, including rare species such as the golden eagle, the Abruzzo (or Abruzzese) chamois, the Apennine wolf and the Marsican brown bear.[10] Abruzzo is also home to Calderone, Europe's southernmost glacier.

  

The visiting nineteenth-century Italian diplomat and journalist Primo Levi (1853–1917) said that the adjectives "forte e gentile" (strong and kind) best describe the beauty of the region and the character of its people. "Forte e gentile" has since become the motto of the region and its inhabitants.

  

Provinces and politics

Abruzzo provinces

Provinces

  

Abruzzo is divided into four administrative provinces:

Province Area (km2) Population Density (inh./km2)

Chieti 2,588 396,190 153.1

L'Aquila 5,034 308,876 61.3

Pescara 1,225 318,701 260.1

Teramo 1,948 308,769 158.5

Politics

  

History

Human settlements in Abruzzo have existed since at least the Neolithic times. A skeleton from Lama dei Peligni in the province of Chieti dates back to 6,540 BC under radiometric dating.[13] The name Abruzzo appears to be derivative of the Latin word "Aprutium". In Roman times, the region was known as Picenum, Sabina et Samnium, Flaminia et Picenum, and Campania et Samnium.[14] The region was known as Aprutium in the Middle Ages, arising from four possible sources: it is a combination of Praetutium, or rather of the name of the people Praetutii, applied to their chief city, Interamnia, the old Teramo.

  

Many cities in Abruzzo date back to ancient times. Corfinio was known as Corfinium when it was the chief city of the Paeligni, and later was renamed Pentima by the Romans. Chieti is built on the site of the ancient city of Teate, Atri was known as Adria. Teramo, known variously in ancient times as Interamnia and Teramne, has Roman ruins which attract tourists.

  

After the fall of the Roman Empire, a string of invasions and rulers dominated the region, including the Lombards, Byzantines, and Hungarians. Between the 9th and 12th centuries, the region was dominated by the popes. Subsequently, the Normans took over, and Abruzzo became part of the Kingdom of Sicily, later the Kingdom of Naples. Spain ruled the kingdom from the sixteenth to the eighteenth centuries. The French Bourbon dynasty took over in 1815, establishing the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, and ruled until Italian unification (also known as the Risorgimento) in 1860.

  

Until 1963, Abruzzo was part of the combined Abruzzi e Molise region. The term Abruzzi (plural of Abruzzo) derives from the time when the region was part of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. The territory was administered as Abruzzo Citeriore (nearer Abruzzo) and Abruzzo Ulteriore I and II (farther Abruzzo I and II) from Naples, the capital of the kingdom.[14] Abruzzo Citeriore is now Chieti province. Teramo and Pescara provinces now comprise what was Abruzzo Ulteriore I. Abruzzo Ulteriore II is now the province of L'Aquila.

  

In the twentieth century, war had a great impact on the region. During the Second World War, Abruzzo was on the Gustav Line, part of the German's Winter Line. One of the most brutal battles was the Battle of Ortona. Abruzzo was the location of two prisoner of war camps, Campo 21 in Chieti,[18] and Campo 78 in Sulmona. The Sulmona camp also served as a POW camp in World War 1; much of the facility is still intact and attracts tourists interested in military history.

  

Geography

Geographically, Abruzzo is located in central Italy and southern Italy, stretching from the heart of the Apennines to the Adriatic Sea, and includes mainly mountainous and wild land. The mountainous land is occupied by a vast plateau, including Gran Sasso, at 2,912 metres (9,554 ft) the highest peak of the Apennines, and Mount Majella at 2,793 metres (9,163 ft). The Adriatic coastline is characterized by long sandy beaches to the North and pebbly beaches to the South. Abruzzo is well known for its landscapes and natural environment, parks and nature reserves, characteristic hillside areas rich in vineyards and olive groves, and one of the highest densities of Blue Flag beaches.

  

Climate

The Abruzzo region has two types of climate that are strongly influenced by the Apennine Mountains, dividing the climate of the coastal and sub-Apennine hills from the interior's high mountain ranges. Coastal areas have a Mediterranean climate with hot dry summers and mild winters and rainy hills with a sublittoral climate where temperatures decrease progressively with increasing altitude and precipitation with altitude. Precipitation is also strongly affected by the presence of the Apennines mountain ridges of the region; it increases with the proportion being more abundant in the field and on the slopes exposed to the west, instead of decreasing towards the east and east-facing slopes. Often the Adriatic coast are sidelined rainfall from the west to the barrier effect of the Apennines undergoing the action of gentle winds descending from it (or Libeccio).[21] The minimum annual rainfall, however, is found in some inland valleys, sheltered from much disturbance to the blocking action of mountain ridges, such as the Peligna Valley, or the valley of the river Tirino, which in some places (Ofena, Capestrano) showed barely 500 millimetres (19.7 inches), and not along the coast where it never falls below 600 millimetres (23.6 inches); for if Teramo is relatively little watered by rain (Teramo less than 800 millimetres (31.5 inches)), the metre is exceeded in Chieti, reaching maximum levels in the Adriatic, while between Ortona and Vasto in Costa dei Trabocchi decrease again.[21] The highest rainfall occurs in upland areas on the border with Lazio; they are especially vulnerable to Atlantic disturbances. Around 1,500 to 2,000 millimetres (59 to 79 inches) of precipitation is typical (Pescara in 2010 showed a value close to 2,800 millimetres (110.2 inches)).

  

Flora and fauna

As with many Mediterranean regions, Abruzzo's vegetation is characterized by different Mediterranean ecosystems. The coast and the surrounding areas are characterized by the presence of typical plants of Mediterranean shrubland, such as myrtle, heather and mastic, while in the hilly areas other species grow, including olive, pine, willow, oak, poplar, alder, arbutus, broom, acacia, capers, rosemary, hawthorn, licorice and almond trees, interspersed with oak trees. At elevations between 600 and 1,000 metres (2,000 and 3,300 ft) there is sub-montane vegetation, mainly characterized by mixed forests of oak and turkey oak, maple and hornbeam; shrubs include dog rose and red juniper. Elevations between 1,000 and 1,900 metres (3,300 and 6,200 ft) are dominated by beech trees. In the Apennine Mountains at elevations above 2,000 metres (6,600 ft) species include alpine orchid, mountain juniper, silver fir, black cranberry and the Abruzzo edelweiss.

  

The fauna of Abruzzo is highly varied, including the region's symbol, the Abruzzo chamois (Rupicapra pyrenaica ornata), which has recovered from near-extinction. Animals typical of this region include: marsican brown bear, along with Italian wolf, deer, lynx, roe deer, snow vole, fox, porcupine, wild cat, wild boar, badger, otter, and viper.

  

The natural parks of the region include the Abruzzo National Park, the Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park,[24] the Maiella National Park and the Sirente-Velino Regional Park, as well as many other natural reserves and protected areas.

  

Economy

Until a few decades ago, Abruzzo was a region of poverty in Southern Italy; over the past decades, however, it has developed to such an extent that it has escaped from the spiral of underdevelopment to become the 'first' region of the 'Italian Mezzogiorno'. This confirms its pivotal role in the national economic system. Since the 1950s, Abruzzo has had steady economic growth. In 1951, Abruzzo per capita income or GDP was 53% of that of Northern Italy, the nation's richest region. By 1971, Abruzzo was at 65% and, by 1994, per capita income was at 76% of Northern Italy's per capita income, giving Abruzzo the highest per capita GDP of Southern Italy and surpassing the growth of every other region of Italy. The construction of autostrade (motorways) from Rome to Teramo (A24) and Rome to Pescara (A25) opened Abruzzo to easy access. State and private investment in the region increased, and Abruzzo attained higher per capita education levels and greater productivity growth than the rest of the South. As of 2003, Abruzzo's per capita GDP was €19,506 or 84% of the national average of €23,181 and well outpacing that of the South (€15,808). The region's average GDP per capita was approximately 20,100 EUR.

  

The 2009 L'Aquila earthquake led to a sharp economic slowdown. However, according to statistics at the end of 2010, it seems that the economy of Abruzzo is recovering, despite the negative on regarding employment.[28] In fact, at the end of 2010, Abruzzo's growth was 1.47%, which placed it fourth among the Italian regions with the highest annual growth rates after Lazio, Lombardy and Calabria.[30] In 2011 Abruzzo's economic growth was +2.3%, the highest percentage among the regions of Southern Italy.[31] The region is also the richest region of Southern Italy, with a GDP per capita of €25,700.[21]

Travel poster from the 1920s.

  

Abruzzo's industrial sector expanded rapidly, especially in mechanical engineering, transportation equipment and telecommunications. The structure of production in the region reflects the transformation of the economy from agriculture to industry and services. Although industry has developed strongly, it retains weak points due to the existence of only a few large businesses alongside a huge fabric of small and medium-sized businesses. Both pure and applied research are carried out in the region, where there are major institutes and factories involved in research in the fields of pharmaceutics, biomedicine, electronics, aerospace and nuclear physics. The industrial infrastructure is spread throughout the region in industrial zones. The most important of these are: Val Pescara, Val Sangro, Val Trigno, Val Vibrata and Conca del Fucino. A further activity worthy of note is seaside and mountain tourism, which is of considerable importance to the economy of the region.[33] Agriculture, involving small holdings, has succeeded in modernising and offering high-quality products. The mostly small, agricultural holdings produce: wine, cereals, sugar beet, potatoes, olives, vegetables, fruit and dairy products. Traditional products are saffron and liquorice. Most famous in the world is Abruzzo's wine Montepulciano d'Abruzzo; in the late 20th and early 21st century, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo earned a reputation as being one of the most widely exported DOC classed wine in Italy.[34]

  

In the past decade, tourism has increased, in particular by internal and European arrivals. Abruzzo is world-famous for its wildlife parks (Abruzzo National Park, Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park, Maiella National Park) and regional park (Sirente Velino), and 38 protected areas between oasis, regional reserves, and state reserves. The inland mountainous region contains several ski resorts, and coastal tourism is also well-developed, in particular, the Trabocchi Coast. Abruzzo's castles and medieval towns, especially around the town of L'Aquila, have earned it in some quarters the nickname of "Abruzzoshire", by analogy with the "Chiantishire", nickname sometimes used to refer to the Chianti area of Tuscany, but Abruzzo is still off the beaten path for most visitors to Italy.[35]

  

Chieti

Although the population density of Abruzzo has increased over recent decades, it is still well below the Italian national average: in 2008, 123.4 inhabitants per km2, compared to 198.8. In the provinces, the density varies: as of 2008 Pescara is the most densely populated with 260.1 inhabitants per km2, whereas L'Aquila is the least densely populated with 61.3 inhabitants per km2, although it has the largest area. After decades of emigration from the region, the main feature of the 1980s is immigration from third world countries. The population increase is due to the positive net migration. Since 1991 more deaths than births were registered in Abruzzo (except for 1999, when their numbers were equal).[36] In 2008, the Italian national institute of statistics ISTAT estimated that 59,749 foreign-born immigrants live in Abruzzo, equal to 4.5% of the total regional population.

  

The most serious demographic imbalance is between the mountainous areas of the interior and the coastal strip. The largest province, L'Aquila, is situated entirely in the interior and has the lowest population density. The movement of the population of Abruzzo from the mountains to the sea has led to the almost complete urbanization of the entire coastal strip especially in the province of Teramo and Chieti. The effects on the interior have been impoverishment and demographic aging, reflected by an activity rate in the province of L'Aquila which is the lowest among the provinces in Abruzzo – accompanied by geological degradation as a result of the absence of conservation measures. In the coastal strip, however, there is such a jumble of accommodations and activities that the environment has been negatively affected. The policy of providing incentives for development has resulted in the setting-up of industrial zones, some of which (Vasto, Avezzano, Carsoli, Gissi, Val Vibrata, Val di Sangro) have made genuine progress, while others (Val Pescara, L'Aquila) have run into trouble after their initial success. The zones of Sulmona and Guardiagrele have turned out to be more or less failures. Outside these zones, the main activities are agriculture and tourism.

  

Main settlements

L'Aquila is both the capital city of the Abruzzo region and of the Province of L'Aquila and second largest city (pop. 73,000). L'Aquila was hit by an earthquake on 6 April 2009, which destroyed much of the city centre. The other provincial capitals are Pescara, which is Abruzzo's largest city and major port (pop. 123,000); Teramo (pop. 55,000) and Chieti (pop. 55,000). Other large municipalities in Abruzzo include the industrial and high tech center Avezzano (pop. 41,000), as well as three important industrial and touristic centers such as Vasto (pop. 40,636), Lanciano (pop. 36,000), and Sulmona (pop. 25,000).

  

Transport

Airports

  

Abruzzo International Airport is the only international airport in the region. Open to civilian traffic since 1996, the number of passengers has increased over the years because of low-cost air carriers' use of the facility. Today, the airport has a catchment area of over 500,000 passengers annually and connects the city of Pescara and the entire region with many Italian and Europe destinations.

L'Aquila-Preturo Airport is located in the nearby village of Courts and was recently renovated and modernized to accommodate presidential flights for G8 activities.

  

Ports

There are four main ports in Abruzzo: Pescara, Ortona, Vasto and Giulianova.

  

Over the years the Port of Pescara became one of the most important tourist ports of Italy and the Adriatic Sea. Heavily damaged in World War II, it underwent some sixty years of major restoration and was reborn as a modern marina with advanced moorings and shipbuilding facilities. It has been honored with the European Union's blue flag for the quality of services offered. The port of Pescara has lost passenger traffic because of its shallowness and silting, but its fishery and aquaculture activities are thriving.[38]

Railways

  

There is a significant disparity between the railways of the Abruzzo coast and the inland areas, which badly need modernization to improve the service, in particular, the Rome-Pescara line.

  

Existing railway lines:

Adriatic railway runs through the whole of Italy from north to south, along the Adriatic Sea.

Train Rome – Sulmona – Pescara

Sulmona – Carpinone

Sulmona–Terni railway

Avezzano railroad – Roccasecca

Giulianova – Teramo

Sangritana (Lanciano – Castel di Sangro)

  

Highways

There are three highways that serve the region:

  

Highway A24 Rome – L'Aquila – Teramo, was built in the 1970s and connects Rome with Lazio and more specifically to the Abruzzo Teramo via L'Aquila. It performs an important liaison function of the region, both Tyrrhenian to the Adriatic, due to the presence of several interchanges of connecting roads and highways. The Gran Sasso tunnel, the longest road tunnel entirely on Italian territory, was opened in 1984. It connects L'Aquila and Teramo on the A24 making the northern Abruzzo coast reachable within two hours from Rome.

  

Highway A25 Turin – Avezzano – Pescara makes the connection between Rome and Pescara. The road running out of Turin begins its journey where it branches off the A24, runs into the Conca del Fucino, crosses the Abruzzo Apennines, comes to the valley of Peligna, and ends at the exit for Pescara-Villanova to join the A14.

Motorway A14 Bologna – Taranto known as the A14 "Adriatica", includes 743 km (461.68 mi) of road, including lengths in the cities of Bologna and Taranto. Opened to traffic in 1965, it is now a major tourist road, running through the coastal towns of Emilia Romagna, Marche, Abruzzo, Molise, and Apulia.

  

Culture

Castel del Monte, one of Abruzzo's little-known hill towns

Gabriele d'Annunzio from Pescara

Abbazia di San Liberatore a Majella (Serramonacesca)

Ovid from Sulmona

Cathedral of San Giustino (Chieti)

Fishing trabucco of San Vito Chietino

  

The museum Museo Archeologico Nazionale d'Abruzzo in Chieti houses the famed warrior statue Warrior of Capestrano which was found in a necropolis from 6th century B.C. Of cultural importance are: Teramo Cathedral, its archeological museum and Roman theater, the Castello della Monica, the Collurania-Teramo Observatory, the famous L'Aquila Basilica of Santa Maria di Collemaggio (which holds the remains of Pope Celestine V), the Museo Nazionale d'Abruzzo, Santa Maria del Suffragio, the Forte Spagnolo, the Fountain of 99 Spouts, Gabriele D'Annunzio's house in Pescara, Campli's Scala Sancta and its church, the church of Santissima Annunziata in Sulmona, the cathedrals of Chieti, Lanciano, Guardiagrele, Atri and Pescara along with the castles of Ortona, Celano and Ortucchio.

  

Every 28–29 August, L'Aquila's Santa Maria di Collemaggio commemorates the Perdonanza Celestiniana, the indulgence issued by Pope Celestine V to any who, "truly repentant and confessed" would visit that Church from the Vespers of the vigil to the vespers of 29 August.[39] Sulmona's Holy Week is commemorated with traditional celebrations and rituals, such as 'La Madonna che Scappa in Piazza', where a large statue of the Madonna, carried by a group of Sulmonesi part of Confraternities, is taken through the square towards her resurrected Son.[40] Cocullo, in the province of L'Aquila, holds the annual 'Festa dei serpari' (festival of snake handlers) in which a statue of St. Dominic, covered with live snakes, is carried in a procession through the town; it attracts thousands of Italian and foreign visitors. In many Abruzzo villages, Anthony the Great's feast is celebrated in January with massive and scenic bonfires.[41] In the past, the region of Abruzzo was well known for the transumanza, the migratory movement of sheep principally south to the region of Puglia during the cold winter months.[42] The Feast of St. Biagio, protector of wool dealers, is the most widespread in Abruzzo. On the third of February in Taranta Peligna every year since the sixteenth century an evocative ritual is carried out, entailing the distribution of panicelle, which are small loaves made of flour and water, in the shape of a blessing hand, which are distributed to the faithful.

  

Historical figures include: the Roman orator Asinius Pollio; Latin poets Sallust and Ovid, who were born in L'Aquila and Sulmona respectively, Gaius Cassius Longinus, Roman senator and leading instigator of the plot to kill Julius Caesar; and Pontius Pilate, who was born in the province of Teramo and is best known for authorizing the crucifixion of Jesus. Abruzzo's religious personalities include Saint Berardo; John of Capistrano, who led a crusade against the Ottoman Empire; Thomas of Celano, author of three hagiographies about Saint Francis of Assisi; and Alessandro Valignano, who introduced Catholicism to the Far East and Japan. The Polish Pope John Paul II loved the mountains of Abruzzo, where he would retire often and pray in the church of San Pietro della Ienca. When he died, Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, gave the local Abruzzo community some of the late pontiff's blood as a token of the love he had felt for the mountainous area.[43] The greatest Italian poet of the 20th century Gabriele D'Annunzio was from Pescara; other notable Abruzzo personalities in the field of humanities include: poet Ignazio Silone, director Ennio Flaiano who co-wrote La dolce vita, philosopher Benedetto Croce, composer Sir Paolo Tosti and the sculptor Venanzo Crocetti.

  

American artists and celebrities such as: Madonna, Dean Martin, Bradley Cooper, Perry Como, Henry Mancini, Nancy Pelosi, Rocky Marciano, Rocky Mattioli, Bruno Sammartino, Mario Batali, John and Dan Fante, Tommy Lasorda, Dan Marino, Mario Lanza, Garry Marshall, Penny Marshall, Al Martino, Ariana Grande and Canadian Michael Bublé have Abruzzo origins.

  

Some international movies shot in Abruzzo include The American, Jean-Jacques Annaud's The Name of the Rose, Fellini's La Strada and I Vitelloni, Schwarzenegger's Red Sonja, Ladyhawke, King David, Francesco, Keoma, The Barbarians, The Fox and the Child and Krull.

Medieval and Renaissance hill towns

The fortress of Civitella is the most visited monument in Abruzzo

  

For most of its history, a large number of the Abruzzese people have been hill people, often working as shepherds in mountainous areas, or establishing hill towns, especially in the parts of Abruzzo further from the Adriatic coast.[citation needed] Before the 2009 earthquake, Abruzzo was the region with the highest number of castles and hill towns in Italy, but it still holds many of Italy's best-preserved medieval and Renaissance hill towns, twenty-three of which are among The Most Beautiful Villages in Italy.[44] These awards are not only for aesthetic beauty but also for art and culture, historical importance and livability.

  

The abrupt decline of Abruzzo's agricultural economy in the early to mid-20th-century saved some of the region's historic hill towns from modern development. Many lie entirely within regional and national parks. Among the most well preserved are Castel del Monte and Santo Stefano di Sessanio, which lie in the Gran Sasso National Park on the edge of the high plain of Campo Imperatore and nestled beneath the Apennines' highest peaks. Both hill towns, which were ruled by the Medicis for over a century-and-a-half, have relatively little tourism. Between the two towns sits Rocca Calascio, the ruin of an ancient fortress popular with filmmakers. Both Monteferrante and Roccascalegna are two of the most representative Abruzzo villages in the province of Chieti. Within the Gran Sasso National Park is also found Castelli, an ancient pottery center whose artisans produced ceramics for most of the royal houses of Europe.

  

Civitella del Tronto played a crucial role in the history of the unification of Italy. The fortress of Civitella is the most visited monument in the Abruzzo region today.[45] Other medieval hill towns located fully within Abruzzo's park system are Pacentro in the Maiella National Park and Pescasseroli in the Abruzzo National Park. Pacentro, which features a 14th-century castle with two intact towers, has been little touched by modernisation. The Shrine of Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows, in the province of Teramo, which attracts some two million visitors per year, is one of the 15 most-visited sanctuaries in the world.[46] Capestrano, a small town in the province of L'Aquila, is the hometown of Saint John of Capistrano, Franciscan friar and Catholic priest, as well as the namesake of the Franciscan missions San Juan Capistrano in Southern California, the mission Mission San Juan Capistrano (Texas) and the city of San Juan Capistrano in Orange County. Giulianova is a notable example of a Renaissance "ideal city."

  

The proximity to Rome, the protected natural reserves and landscapes which make the region one of the greenest in Europe, the presence of some of the most beautiful Italian villages, its rich and heterogeneous gastronomy, along with a long history of deep-rooted local tradition and authentic Italian culture, make Abruzzo fifth among Italian regions for tourist visits after Calabria, Marche, Sardinia and Trentino. In 2010, visitors included 6,381,067 Italians and 925,884 foreign tourists.

  

In 2015, the American organization Live and Invest Overseas included Abruzzo on its list of World's Top 21 Overseas Retirement Havens. The study was based on such factors as climate, infrastructure, health care, safety, taxes, cost of living and more. In 2017 the Chamber of Commerce of Pescara presented Abruzzo region to the Annual conference of Live and Invest Overseas in Orlando (USA). One year later, in October 2018, Live and Invest Overseas held its first conference in Abruzzo.

  

Universities

There are three universities in the Abruzzo region:

University of L'Aquila

D'Annunzio University of Chieti–Pescara

University of Teramo

  

Harvard University bases an intensive summer Italian language and culture program in Vasto, a resort town on Abruzzo's southern coast.

  

Science

Between the province of Teramo and L'Aquila, under the Gran Sasso Tunnel, is the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (LNGS) of the INFN, one of the three underground astroparticle laboratories in Europe.

  

The Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise "Giuseppe Caporale", which conducts research in veterinary and environmental public health, is located in Teramo.

  

The Gran Sasso Science Institute, located in L'Aquila, is an advanced research institute which offers doctorates in astroparticle physics, computer science, and mathematics as well as urban studies and regional science, and which also conducts scientific research.

Sports

  

Interamnia World Cup, the largest international youth handball competition worldwide, takes place yearly in Teramo.[51]

  

There are several football clubs in Abruzzo. Delfino Pescara 1936 is a Serie B club; based in Pescara, its home stadium is Stadio Adriatico – Giovanni Cornacchia.

Dialects

  

The regional dialects of Abruzzo include Teramano, Abruzzese Orientale Adriatico and Abruzzese Occidentale. The first two form part of the dialect of southern Italy also known simply as "Neapolitan" since the region has been part of the Kingdom of Naples and the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, while Aquilano is related to the Central Italian dialects including Romanesco. The dialects spoken in the Abruzzo region can be divided into three main groups:

Sabine dialect, in the province of L'Aquila (central Italian dialects)

Abruzzo Adriatic dialect, in the province of Teramo, Pescara and Chieti, that is virtually abandoned in the province of Ascoli Piceno (southern Italian dialects)

Abruzzo western dialect, in the province of L'Aquila (southern Italian dialects)

  

Cuisine

Renowned for its variety and richness due to the heterogeneity of its territory, Abruzzo's cuisine is among the best in Italy. In 2013 an Italian organization Confesercenti survey of foreign tourists showed that Abruzzo is the best Italian region to eat in. Both the agricultural and coastal aspects of Abruzzo have contributed to its cuisine. Due to the mountains, much of Abruzzo was isolated from international influence until the 20th century. As a result, the region's cuisine remained unique.

  

Popular dishes

One of the most popular regional dishes is spaghetti alla chitarra which is made by pressing or cutting pasta through a chitarra, an implement to form long thin noodles similar to spaghetti. The pasta is served with a tomato-based sauce, often flavored with peppers, pork, goose, or lamb. This dish is complemented by regional side dishes, such as the bean and noodle soup, sagne e fagioli. This soup is traditionally flavored with tomatoes, garlic, oil, and peperoncini. In terms of common ingredients, cuisine in Abruzzo often includes:

  

Lamb and mutton, primarily in the mountains.[54] Sheep's milk (or ricotta) is an important source of Abruzzese cheese, and lamb intestines are used as sausage casing or for stuffed meat rolls.[54][55] Mountain goat meat is also common in Abruzzo.

Truffles and mushrooms, particularly wild mushrooms from the forests and hills

Garlic, especially red garlic

Rosemary

Hot chili pepper or peperoncini, regionally known as diavolilli or diavoletti, is common in Abruzzese cuisine and often used to add spice to dishes. Abruzzo residents are well known for frequently adding peperoncini, or hot peppers, to their meals.

Vegetables such as lentils, grasspeas and other legumes, artichoke, eggplant, and cauliflower[54][55][56][57]

  

Other popular dishes include:

Gnocchi carrati, flavored with bacon, eggs and pecorino cheese

Scrippelle, a rustic French-style crêpe served either mbusse (a type of soup) or used to form a sort of soufflé with some ragù and stuffed with chicken liver, meatballs, hard-boiled eggs, and cheese

Pastuccia, a polenta stew with sausage, eggs, and cheese

  

Across the region, roast lamb is enjoyed in several variations. Some of these variations include:

  

Arrosticini, a skewered lamb dish

Pecora al cotturo, lamb stuffed with a variety of mountain herbs and cooked in a copper pot

Lamb cooked whole in a bread oven

Agnello cacio e ovo, a lamb-based fricassee

Mazzerella: lamb intestines stuffed with lamb, garlic, marjoram, lettuce, and spices

Le virtù: a soup from Teramo filled with legumes, vegetables and pork, usually eaten in the spring at celebrations

Timballo abruzzese: lasagna-like dish with pasta sheets (scrippelle) layered with meat, vegetables and rice; often served for Christmas and Easter[58]

Porchetta abruzzese: moist boneless-pork roast, slow-roasted with rosemary, garlic, and pepper[58]

  

Seafood is also popular, especially in coastal areas. The variety of fish available to the area has resulted in several fish-based Brodetti (broths), coming from such places as Vasto, Giulianova, and Pescara. These broths are often made by cooking fish, flavored with tomatoes, herbs, and peperoncino, in an earthenware pot. Rustic pizzas are also very common. Some of these are:

  

Easter Pizza, a rustic cake with cheese and pepper from the Teramo area

Fiadoni from Chieti, a dough of eggs and cheese well risen, cooked in the oven in a thin casing of pastry

A rustic tart pastry filled with everything imaginable: eggs, fresh cheeses, ricotta, vegetables, and all sorts of flavorings and spices.

  

Also from Teramo are the spreadable sausages flavored with nutmeg, and liver sausages tasting of garlic and spices. The ventricina from the Vasto area is made with large pieces of fat and lean pork, pressed and seasoned with powdered sweet peppers and fennel all encased in the dehydrated stomach of the pig itself. Atri and Rivisondoli are famous for cheeses. Mozzarella, either fresh or seasoned, is made from ewe's milk, although a great number of lesser known varieties of these cheeses can be found all over Abruzzo and Molise.

Sweets

  

The Abruzzo's sweets are world-famous and include:

  

Confetti, sugar-coated almonds, from Sulmona

Torrone Nurzia, a chocolate nougat from L'Aquila

Parrozzo , a cake-like treat made from a mixture of crushed almonds, and coated in chocolate.

Ferratelle (also known as Pizzelle). A wafer cookie, often flavored with anise

Croccante, a type of nougat made from almonds and caramelized suger, often flavored with lemon[59]

  

A Montepulciano d'Abruzzo wine labelled as being made from old vines.

Olive oil

  

The extra-virgin olive oil produced in Colline Teramane (Teramo hills) is marked by the DOP.[60]

  

The region has several cultivars that includes Carboncella, Dritta (Dritta Francavillese and Dritta di Moscufo), Gentile del Chieti, Nostrana (Nostrana di Brisighella), and Sargano olive cultivars.[61]

Wines and liquors

  

Renowned wines like Montepulciano DOCG and Trebbiano d'Abruzzo DOC are judged to be amongst the world's finest.[62] In 2012, a bottle of Trebbiano d'Abruzzo ranked No. 1 in the top 50 Italian wine awards.[63] In recent decades these wines have been joined, particularly, by wines from lesser known (heritage) white grapes, such as, Pecorino, Cococciola, Passerina, Montonico Bianco and Fiano.[64]

  

The region is also well known for the production of liquors such as Centerbe, Limoncello, Ratafia and Genziana.

Bush elephant

 

Afrikanischer Elefant

 

Kruger National Park is one of the largest game reserves in Africa. It covers an area of 19,485 km2 (7,523 sq mi) in the provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga in northeastern South Africa, and extends 360 km (220 mi) from north to south and 65 km (40 mi) from east to west. The administrative headquarters are in Skukuza. Areas of the park were first protected by the government of the South African Republic in 1898, and it became South Africa's first national park in 1926.

 

To the west and south of the Kruger National Park are the two South African provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga. In the north is Zimbabwe, and to the east is Mozambique. It is now part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, a peace park that links Kruger National Park with the Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe, and with the Limpopo National Park in Mozambique.

 

The park is part of the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere an area designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as an International Man and Biosphere Reserve (the "Biosphere").

 

The park has nine main gates allowing entrance to the different camps.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

Name

 

African Elephant or African Bush Elephant [Loxodonta africana]

 

Introduction

 

The Elephant is the world's largest land mammal, and weighs up to 7 tonnes and reaches heights of 3.3 m at the shoulder. Elephants can live to a potential age of 70 years. The massive tusks of older bulls can weigh up to 50 or 60 kilograms, but tusks weighing up to 90 kilograms have been recorded.

 

Appearance

 

What is the trunk and what is it used for?

The Elephant's trunk is a modified nose which is very sensitive and can even detect water under ground. There are as many as 50 000 muscles in an Elephant trunk. The sensitive finger-like appendages at the tip of the trunk enables them to pick the smallest twig or flower, pull the toughest reed of grass or even pick out a thorn from their feet.

 

Do elephants have knees or elbows?

 

The joints that are perceived as 'knees', are in fact wrists. This is a common misunderstanding due to the belief that a leg joint that bends between the foot and the body must be a knee. The main difference between us and the elephants is that our foot bones and hand bones are separate, whereas those of the elephant are one in the same, and have evolved to suit this four-legged mammal.

 

Why do elephants have tusks?

 

The tusks are used for obtaining food, fighting (amongst males) and for self defence. They are actually their upper incisors, and grow continuously until they die at around 60 years old. Although their skin is up to 3cm (1 inch) thick, it is quite sensitive.

 

Diet

 

Elephants are voracious feeders which in a day consume up to 272 kg (600 pounds) of grass, tender shoots and bark from trees. An adult Elephant can drink up to 200 litres of water in a single session. A single Elephant deposits up to 150kg (330 pounds) of dung every day - about one dollop every 15 minutes!

 

Breeding

 

African Elephant are not seasonal breeders. Generally they produce one calf every 3 to 4 years. The gestation period is about 22 months. At birth calves weigh about 100 kg (220 pounds) and are fully weaned between 18-24 months. An orphaned calf will usually be adopted by one of the family's lactating females or suckled by various females. Elephants are very attentive mothers, and because most Elephant behavior has to be learned, they keep their offspring with them for many years. Tusks erupt at 16 months but do not show externally until 30 months. Once weaned, usually at age 4 or 5, the calf still remains in the maternal group. Females mature at about 11 years and stay in the group, while the males, which mature between 12 and 15, are usually expelled from the maternal herd. Even though these young males are sexually mature, they do not breed until they are in their mid, or late 20s or even older and have moved up in the social hierarchy.

 

Behaviour

 

Mature males form bachelor groups and become solitary bulls. Elephant form strong family units of cows, calves and young offspring. Such herds are always led by an old female. Apart from drinking large quantities of water they also love wading or swimming in it. Elephants clearly relish mud baths.

It was once thought that family groups were led by old bull elephants, but these males are most often solitary. The female family groups are often visited by mature males checking for females in oestrus. Several interrelated family groups may inhabit an area and know each other well.

 

How do you tell an elephant's mock charge from a serious one?

 

It is imperative to keep in mind that Elephant are extremely intelligent, and each individual has a distinct character. Although there will be exceptions to the rules, the common signs of a mock charge are bush-bashing, dust-throwing, trumpeting and other vocalizations, open ears and an intimidating presence, can be considered a mock-display. Aggressive or startled elephants usually make sudden headshakes and flap their large ears against their head. Serious charges usually occur after all attempts to intimidate have failed, and the Elephant feels threatened. The ears are pinned back and head and trunk are lowered. Ultimately, the key lies in the intelligence of the animal and how they will react to the 'target' and unfamiliar actions, and a conscious decision is made.

 

Why do elephants rhythmically flap their ears?

 

Contrary to common belief, it is not an expression of anger. Being an animal of such a large size, with no sweat glands and a dark body colour, elephants flap their ears to cool the body and rid themselves of irritating insects.

 

Where are they found?

 

Once ranging across most of Africa the Elephant population has declined dramatically across the continent. In South Africa the Addo Elephant and Kruger National Park protect large herds. Due to rigorous conservation measures the Elephant population in South Africa has grown from a estimated 120 in 1920 in 4 locations, to 10 000 at 40 locations to date.

 

Notes

 

The African Elephant has recently been classified into two separate species, the more common African Bush Elephant [Loxodonta Africana] and the smaller African Forest Elephant [Loxodonta cyclotis] of the rainforest of Central Africa.

 

(krugerpark.co.za)

 

Der Kruger-Nationalpark (deutsch häufig falsch Krüger-Nationalpark) ist das größte Wildschutzgebiet Südafrikas. Er liegt im Nordosten des Landes in der Landschaft des Lowveld auf dem Gebiet der Provinz Limpopo sowie des östlichen Abschnitts von Mpumalanga. Seine Fläche erstreckt sich vom Crocodile-River im Süden bis zum Limpopo, dem Grenzfluss zu Simbabwe, im Norden. Die Nord-Süd-Ausdehnung beträgt etwa 350 km, in Ost-West-Richtung ist der Park durchschnittlich 54 km breit und umfasst eine Fläche von rund 20.000 Quadratkilometern. Damit gehört er zu den größten Nationalparks in Afrika.

 

Das Schutzgebiet wurde am 26. März 1898 unter dem Präsidenten Paul Kruger als Sabie Game Reserve zum Schutz der Wildnis gegründet. 1926 erhielt das Gebiet den Status Nationalpark und wurde in seinen heutigen Namen umbenannt. Im Park leben 147 Säugetierarten inklusive der „Big Five“, außerdem etwa 507 Vogelarten und 114 Reptilienarten, 49 Fischarten und 34 Amphibienarten.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

Der Afrikanische Elefant (Loxodonta africana), auch Afrikanischer Steppenelefant oder Afrikanischer Buschelefant, ist eine Art aus der Familie der Elefanten. Er ist das größte gegenwärtig lebende Landsäugetier und gleichzeitig das größte rezente landbewohnende Tier der Erde. Herausragende Kennzeichen sind neben den Stoßzähnen und dem markanten Rüssel die großen Ohren und die säulenförmigen Beine. In zahlreichen morphologischen und anatomischen Merkmalen unterscheidet sich der Afrikanische Elefant von seinen etwas kleineren Verwandten, dem Waldelefanten und dem Asiatischen Elefanten. Das Verbreitungsgebiet umfasst heute große Teile von Afrika südlich der Sahara. Die Tiere haben sich dort an zahlreiche unterschiedliche Lebensräume angepasst, die von geschlossenen Wäldern über offene Savannenlandschaften bis hin zu Sumpfgebieten und wüstenartigen Regionen reichen. Insgesamt ist das Vorkommen aber stark fragmentiert.

 

Die Lebensweise des Afrikanischen Elefanten ist durch intensive Studien gut erforscht. Sie wird durch einen stark sozialen Charakter geprägt. Weibliche Tiere und ihr Nachwuchs leben in Familienverbänden (Herden). Diese formieren sich wiederum zu einem enger verwandten Clan. Die einzelnen Herden treffen sich zu bestimmten Gelegenheiten und trennen sich danach wieder. Die männlichen Tiere bilden Junggesellengruppen. Die verschiedenen Verbände nutzen Aktionsräume, in denen sie teils im Jahreszyklus herumwandern. Für die Kommunikation untereinander nutzen die Tiere verschiedene Töne im niedrigen Frequenzbereich. Anhand der Lautgebung, aber auch durch bestimmte chemische Signale können sich die einzelnen Individuen untereinander erkennen. Darüber hinaus besteht ein umfangreiches Repertoire an Gesten. Hervorzuheben sind auch die kognitiven Fähigkeiten des Afrikanischen Elefanten.

 

Die Nahrung besteht sowohl aus weicher wie auch harter Pflanzenkost. Die genaue Zusammensetzung variiert dabei regional und jahreszeitlich. Generell verbringt der Afrikanische Elefant einen großen Teil seiner Tagesaktivitäten mit der Nahrungsaufnahme. Die Fortpflanzung erfolgt ganzjährig, regional gibt es Tendenzen zu einer stärkeren Saisonalisierung. Bullen kommen einmal jährlich in die Musth, während deren sie auf Wanderung zur Suche nach fortpflanzungswilligen Kühen gehen. Während der Musth ist die Aggressivität gesteigert, es finden dann auch Rivalenkämpfe statt. Der Sexualzyklus der Kühe dauert vergleichsweise lange und weist einen für Säugetiere untypischen Verlauf auf. Nach erfolgter Geburt setzt er in der Regel mehrere Jahre aus. Zumeist wird nach fast zweijähriger Tragzeit ein Jungtier geboren, das in der mütterlichen Herde aufwächst. Junge weibliche Tiere verbleiben später in der Herde, die jungen männlichen verlassen diese.

 

Die wissenschaftliche Erstbeschreibung des Afrikanischen Elefanten erfolgte im Jahr 1797 mit einer formalen artlichen Trennung des Afrikanischen vom Asiatischen Elefanten. Der heute gebräuchliche Gattungsname Loxodonta wurde offiziell erst dreißig Jahre später eingeführt. Die Bezeichnung bezieht sich auf markante Zahnunterschiede zwischen den asiatischen und den afrikanischen Elefanten. Im Verlauf des 20. Jahrhunderts wurden mehrere Unterarten unterschieden, darunter auch der Waldelefant des zentralen Afrikas. Letzterer gilt heute genetischen Untersuchungen zufolge als eigenständige Art, die weiteren Unterarten sind nicht anerkannt. Stammesgeschichtlich lässt sich der Afrikanische Elefant erstmals im beginnenden Mittleren Pleistozän belegen. Der Gesamtbestand gilt als gefährdet. Ursachen hierfür sind hauptsächlich die Jagd nach Elfenbein und Lebensraumverlust durch die zunehmend wachsende menschliche Bevölkerung. Der Afrikanische Elefant zählt zu den sogenannten „Big Five“ von Großwildjagd und Safari.

 

(Wikipedia)

For the first churchly visit of that November 2023 trip to the southern French provinces of Roussillon and Languedoc, I will treat you to a truly unique place, the so-called “priory” of Serrabone, which features an absolute world-class masterpiece of Romanesque sculpture: its tribune.

 

I said “so-called” above because a priory, in the genuine acception of the word, is a secondary monastery established by an abbey. It is populated by monks sent by that abbey. Those monks are led by a prior, whose superior is the abbot of the founding abbey. In the case of Serrabone, there first was a late Carolingian parochial church established in this mountainous locale and first mentioned in writing in 1069. The walls of the nave are, for some part, still those of that ancient church.

 

It was then, at a time when local lords used to meddle more and more in the affairs of the Church (which was one of the reasons that prompted the coming of the Gregorian reform), that the viscount of Cerdagne and the local lord of Corsavy installed on the Serrabone mountaintop an unusually mixed group of canons and canonesses to live in accordance with the Augustinian Rule.

 

A new college church was built (mostly by enlarging the previous one) and consecrated in 1151. Its architecture is harmonious but very simple, as one would expect: in the Middle Ages, those mountains were populated (hence the creation of the parish) and did feed their inhabitants (serra bona in Catalan means “good mountain”), but there was precious little commerce with the outside world and the locals had nothing of real value to export. Therefore, the local economy was pretty much a closed circuit and money was far from flowing in abundantly. The style of the church, even though there were donations from the aforementioned lords, reflects this paucity of financial resources.

 

It is therefore a total mystery how the magnificent sculpted tribune, which would have cost a veritable fortune, was funded, and by whom. Nothing has ever been demonstrated in that matter, although many have conjectured in various directions. The only certainty we have is that it was built around the time when the church itself was completed, i.e., the mid–1150s.

 

The culmination of the “priory” did not last very long: canons and canonesses are not monks and nuns, their commitment is found throughout history and places to be much less strong, and by the late 1200s they had already broken communal life and begun to live in their own separate homes. Decadence went to such extremes that the “priory” was secularized by the pope in the 16th century and made a dependency of the chapter of the cathedral of Solsona. The last “prior” died in 1612 and the church returned to its simple parochial status.

 

The place was progressively abandoned as people left the mountains to go live easier lives in the valleys. It was almost in ruins when it was listed as a Historic Landmark in 1875 and the restoration began. Fortunately, the tribune had been protected and its capitals and columns hidden by the locals.

 

This is all that remains of the probable chapter room. The workmanship is much cruder here.

Yellow-billed Storks

 

Nimmersatte

 

Kruger National Park is one of the largest game reserves in Africa. It covers an area of 19,485 km2 (7,523 sq mi) in the provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga in northeastern South Africa, and extends 360 km (220 mi) from north to south and 65 km (40 mi) from east to west. The administrative headquarters are in Skukuza. Areas of the park were first protected by the government of the South African Republic in 1898, and it became South Africa's first national park in 1926.

 

To the west and south of the Kruger National Park are the two South African provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga. In the north is Zimbabwe, and to the east is Mozambique. It is now part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, a peace park that links Kruger National Park with the Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe, and with the Limpopo National Park in Mozambique.

 

The park is part of the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere an area designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as an International Man and Biosphere Reserve (the "Biosphere").

 

The park has nine main gates allowing entrance to the different camps.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

The yellow-billed stork (Mycteria ibis), sometimes also called the wood stork or wood ibis, is a large African wading stork species in the family Ciconiidae. It is widespread in regions south of the Sahara and also occurs in Madagascar.

 

The yellow-billed stork is closely related to 3 other species in the genus Mycteria: the American woodstork (Mycteria americana), the milky stork (Mycteria cinerea) and the painted stork (Mycteria leucocephala). It is classified as belonging to one clade with these 3 other species because they all display remarkable homologies in behavior and morphology. In one analytical study of feeding and courtship behaviours of the wood-stork family, M.P. Kahl attributed the same general ethology to all members of the genus Mycteria, with few species-specific variations. These four species are collectively referred to as the wood-storks, which should not be confused with one alternative common name (wood-stork) for the yellow-billed stork.

 

Before it was established that the yellow-billed stork was closely related to the American woodstork, the former was classified as belonging to the genus Ibis, together with the milky stork and painted stork. However, the yellow-billed stork has actually long been recognised as a true stork and along with the other 3 related stork species, it should not strictly be called an ibis.

 

It is a medium-sized stork standing 90–105 cm (35–41 in) tall. The body is white with a short black tail that is glossed green and purple when freshly moulted. The bill is deep yellow, slightly decurved at the end and has a rounder cross-section than in other stork species outside the Mycteria. Feathers extend onto the head and neck just behind the eyes, with the face and forehead being covered by deep red skin. Both sexes are similar in appearance, but the male is larger and has a slightly longer heavier bill. Males and females weigh approximately 2.3 kg (5.1 lb) and 1.9 kg (4.2 lb) respectively.

 

Colouration becomes more vivid during the breeding season. In the breeding season, the plumage is coloured pink on the upperwings and back; the ordinarily brown legs also turn bright pink; the bill becomes a deeper yellow and the face becomes a deeper red.[4]

 

Juveniles are greyish-brown with a dull, partially bare, orange face and a dull yellowish bill. The legs and feet are brown and feathers all over the body are blackish-brown. At fledging, salmon-pink colouration in the underwings begins to develop and after about one year, the plumage is greyish-white. Flight feathers on the tail and wing also become black. Later, the pink colouration typical of adult plumage begins to appear.

 

These storks walk with a high-stepped stalking gait on the ground of shallow water and their approximate walking rate has been recorded as 70 steps per minute. They fly with alternating flaps and glides, with the speed of their flaps averaging 177–205 beats per minute. They usually flap only for short journeys and often fly in a soaring and gliding motion over several kilometres for locomotion between breeding colonies or roosts and feeding sites. By soaring on thermals and gliding by turns, they can cover large distances without wasting much energy. On descending from high altitudes, this stork has been observed to dive deeply at high speeds and flip over and over from side to side, hence showing impressive aerobatics. It even appears to enjoy these aerial stunts.

 

This species is generally non-vocal, but utters hissing falsetto screams during social displays in the breeding season. These storks also engage in bill clattering and an audible “woofing” wing beat at breeding colonies Nestlings make a loud continual monotonous braying call to beg parental adults for food.

 

The yellow-billed stork occurs primarily in Eastern Africa, but is widely distributed in areas extending from Senegal and Somalia down to South Africa and in some regions of western Madagascar. During one observation of a mixed species bird colony on the Tana River in Kenya, it was found to be the commonest species there, with 2000 individuals being counted at once.

 

It does not generally migrate far, at least not out of its breeding range; but usually makes short migratory movements which are influenced by rainfall. It makes local movements in Kenya and has also been found to migrate from North to South Sudan with the rainy season. It may also migrate regularly to and from South Africa. However, little is actually known about this bird's general migratory movements. Due to apparent observed variation in migratory patterns throughout Africa, the yellow-billed stork has been termed a facultative nomad. It may migrate simply to avoid areas where water or rainfall conditions are too high or too low for feeding on prey. Some populations migrate considerable distances between feeding or breeding sites; usually by using thermals to soar and glide. Other local populations have been found to be sedentary and remain in their respective habitats all year round.

 

Its preferred habitats include wetlands, shallow lakes and mudflats, usually 10–40 cm deep but it usually avoids heavily forested regions in central Africa. It also avoids flooded regions and deep expansive bodies of water because feeding conditions there are unsuitable for their typical grope and stir feeding techniques.

 

This species breeds especially in Kenya and Tanzania. Although it is known to breed in Uganda, breeding sites have not been recorded there. It has been found to breed also in Malakol in Sudan and often inside walled cities in West Africa from Gambia down to northern Nigeria. Still other breeding sites include Zululand in South Africa and northern Botswana, but are rarer below northern Botswana and Zimbabwe where sites are well-watered. Although there is no direct evidence of current breeding in Madagascar, young birds unable to fly have been observed near Lake Kinkony during October.

 

Their diet comprises mainly small, freshwater fish of about 60-100mm length and maximally 150g, which they swallow whole. They also feed on crustaceans, worms, aquatic insects, frogs and occasionally small mammals and birds.

 

This species appears to rely mainly on sense of touch to detect and capture prey, rather than by vision. They feed patiently by walking through the water with partially open bills and probe the water for prey. Contact of the bill with a prey item is followed by a rapid snap-bill reflex, whereby the bird snaps shut its mandibles, raises its head and swallows the prey whole. The speed of this reflex in the closely related American woodstork (Mycteria americana) has been recorded as 25 milliseconds and although the corresponding reflex in the yellow-billed stork has not been quantitatively measured, the yellow-billed stork's feeding mechanism appears to be at least qualitatively identical to that of the American woodstork.

 

In addition to the snap-bill reflex, the yellow-billed stork also uses a systematic foot stirring technique to sound out evasive prey. It prods and churns up the bottom of the water as part of a “herding mechanism” to force prey out of the bottom vegetation and into the bird's bill. The bird does this several times with one foot before bringing it forwards and repeating with the other foot. Although they are normally active predators, they have also been observed to scavenge fish regurgitated by cormorants.

 

The yellow-billed stork has been observed to follow moving crocodiles or hippopotami through the water and feed behind them, appearing to take advantage of organisms churned up by their quarry.[16] Feeding lasts for only a short time before the bird obtains its requirements and proceeds to rest again.

 

Parents feed their young by regurgitating fish onto the nest floor, whereupon it is picked up and consumed by the nestlings. The young eat voraciously and an individual nestling increases its body weight from 50 grams to 600 grams during the first ten days of its life. Hence, this species has earned the German colloquial common name “Nimmersatt”; meaning “never full”.

 

As well as being abundant and widespread, the yellow-billed stork also appears tolerant of short-term natural habitat changes. However, in East Africa, it is known to be at risk from poaching and habitat reduction despite abundance and population stability and is listed under the African-Eurasian Waterbird Agreement (AEWA).[ Nevertheless, the overall population is not currently considered to be threatened with serious decline, especially since breeding success is relatively high. In East Africa where it is most abundant, broods of 1-3 per nest have been recorded.

 

Alongside human activities, natural enemies include cheetahs, leopards and lions, which all sometimes prey on this species. Eggs may be also at risk of predation by African fish eagles. At one colony in Kisumu, Kenya, approximately 61% of eggs counted between all nests hatched and 38% were predated by fish eagles. The success rate of fledglings was only 0.33 young per nest. However, increased egg predation by fish eagles has been reported to be linked to decline in fish stocks in the Winam Gulf.

 

The yellow-billed stork has appeared on postage stamps in several African countries.

 

This species is evaluated as Least Concern for several reasons. First, population trend appears to be decreasing but this decrease is not believed to rapidly approach thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion. Its range is also very large and does not approach threshold for Vulnerable under range size criterion. Finally, although there have been no official population size estimates the population is known to be very large and so does not approach thresholds for Vulnerable under population size criterion.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

Der Kruger-Nationalpark (deutsch häufig falsch Krüger-Nationalpark) ist das größte Wildschutzgebiet Südafrikas. Er liegt im Nordosten des Landes in der Landschaft des Lowveld auf dem Gebiet der Provinz Limpopo sowie des östlichen Abschnitts von Mpumalanga. Seine Fläche erstreckt sich vom Crocodile-River im Süden bis zum Limpopo, dem Grenzfluss zu Simbabwe, im Norden. Die Nord-Süd-Ausdehnung beträgt etwa 350 km, in Ost-West-Richtung ist der Park durchschnittlich 54 km breit und umfasst eine Fläche von rund 20.000 Quadratkilometern. Damit gehört er zu den größten Nationalparks in Afrika.

 

Das Schutzgebiet wurde am 26. März 1898 unter dem Präsidenten Paul Kruger als Sabie Game Reserve zum Schutz der Wildnis gegründet. 1926 erhielt das Gebiet den Status Nationalpark und wurde in seinen heutigen Namen umbenannt. Im Park leben 147 Säugetierarten inklusive der „Big Five“, außerdem etwa 507 Vogelarten und 114 Reptilienarten, 49 Fischarten und 34 Amphibienarten.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

Der Nimmersatt (Mycteria ibis) ist ein Vogel aus der Familie der Störche (Ciconiidae). Die den Ibissen ähnlich sehenden Nimmersattstörche sind in Afrika südlich der Sahara und auf Madagaskar verbreitet.

 

Der gelbe Schnabel ist etwas nach unten gekrümmt und sticht aus dem nackten, roten Gesicht hervor. Das Gefieder ist weiß, bis auf die schwarzen Ränder der Flügel. Die für Störche typischen langen Beine sind rotorange. Die bis zu einem Meter groß werdenden Tiere suchen in flachen und sumpfigen Gewässern nach Fischen, denen sie mit bewegungslos ins Wasser gesenktem Schnabel auflauern. Um zu ruhen, begeben sich Nimmersatte – wie Marabus – in eine Haltung, die auf den Menschen wirkt, als würden sie mit nach vorn zeigenden Unterschenkeln knien. Tatsächlich stehen sie dabei gemäß Vogelskelett auf den Fersen, abgestützt durch die umgeklappten Läufe. Nimmersatte nisten in Kolonien auf Bäumen, die sich oft in Dörfern oder Städten befinden.

 

In ein Nest werden 2–4 Eier gelegt. Beide Eltern kümmern sich um die Brutpflege. Nach etwa 30 Tagen Brutzeit schlüpfen die Jungen im Abstand von 1–2 Tagen. Die Eltern füttern ihre Jungen, indem sie Fische hochwürgen und auf den Nestboden werfen, die vom Nachwuchs verschlungen werden. Die Jungen nehmen in der ersten Zeit schnell an Gewicht zu, wegen ihrer Unersättlichkeit haben sie ihren deutschen Namen bekommen.

 

(Wikipedia)

For the first churchly visit of that November 2023 trip to the southern French provinces of Roussillon and Languedoc, I will treat you to a truly unique place, the so-called “priory” of Serrabone, which features an absolute world-class masterpiece of Romanesque sculpture: its tribune.

 

I said “so-called” above because a priory, in the genuine acception of the word, is a secondary monastery established by an abbey. It is populated by monks sent by that abbey. Those monks are led by a prior, whose superior is the abbot of the founding abbey. In the case of Serrabone, there first was a late Carolingian parochial church established in this mountainous locale and first mentioned in writing in 1069. The walls of the nave are, for some part, still those of that ancient church.

 

It was then, at a time when local lords used to meddle more and more in the affairs of the Church (which was one of the reasons that prompted the coming of the Gregorian reform), that the viscount of Cerdagne and the local lord of Corsavy installed on the Serrabone mountaintop an unusually mixed group of canons and canonesses to live in accordance with the Augustinian Rule.

 

A new college church was built (mostly by enlarging the previous one) and consecrated in 1151. Its architecture is harmonious but very simple, as one would expect: in the Middle Ages, those mountains were populated (hence the creation of the parish) and did feed their inhabitants (serra bona in Catalan means “good mountain”), but there was precious little commerce with the outside world and the locals had nothing of real value to export. Therefore, the local economy was pretty much a closed circuit and money was far from flowing in abundantly. The style of the church, even though there were donations from the aforementioned lords, reflects this paucity of financial resources.

 

It is therefore a total mystery how the magnificent sculpted tribune, which would have cost a veritable fortune, was funded, and by whom. Nothing has ever been demonstrated in that matter, although many have conjectured in various directions. The only certainty we have is that it was built around the time when the church itself was completed, i.e., the mid–1150s.

 

The culmination of the “priory” did not last very long: canons and canonesses are not monks and nuns, their commitment is found throughout history and places to be much less strong, and by the late 1200s they had already broken communal life and begun to live in their own separate homes. Decadence went to such extremes that the “priory” was secularized by the pope in the 16th century and made a dependency of the chapter of the cathedral of Solsona. The last “prior” died in 1612 and the church returned to its simple parochial status.

 

The place was progressively abandoned as people left the mountains to go live easier lives in the valleys. It was almost in ruins when it was listed as a Historic Landmark in 1875 and the restoration began. Fortunately, the tribune had been protected and its capitals and columns hidden by the locals.

 

Abundance, profusion, intertwining of humans, angels and animals... are some of the words that come to mind when looking at the Serrabone tribune’s capitals.

iss073e0420604 (Aug. 3, 2025) --- Wildfires burn throughout Canada's central provinces sending smoke drifting into the United States' Great Lakes and Northeast regions impacting air quality. The International Space Station was orbiting 262 miles above Canada at the time of this photograph.

SONY α7R (ILCE-7R)

Carl Zeiss S-Planar T＊100mm F4 Bellows Makro Lens

S-Planar is Sonder-Planar. in English is Special-Planar

(Bellows Macro Lens)

Tilt-Shift Photography

CONTAX Delux Tilt-Shift Photography Bellows used.

  

セロペギア・スタペリーフォルミス

園藝名: セロペギア　“薄雲”

Ceropegia stapeliiformis Haw., 1827

First published in Philos. Mag. Ann. Chem. 1827: 121 (1827)

This species is accepted.

Confirmation Date: 09/17, 2023.

--------------------------------------------

Family: Apocynaceae (APG IV)

--------------------------------------------

Author:

Adrian Hardy Haworth (1768-1833)

--------------------------------------------

Publication:

Philosophical Magazine, or Annals of Chemistry, Mathematics, Astronomy, Natural History and General Science. London

-----------------------

Collation:

(1827) 121.

--------------------------------------------

The native range of this species is Mozambique to S. Africa. It is a climbing succulent and grows primarily in the subtropical biome.

--------------------------------------------

Distribution Native to:

Cape Provinces, KwaZulu-Natal, Mozambique, Northern Provinces, Swaziland

--------------------------------------------

Publications:

POWO follows these authorities in accepting this name:

Germishuizen, G. & Meyer, N.L. (eds.) (2003). Plants of Southern Africa an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14: 1-1231. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.

Govaerts, R. (1999). World Checklist of Seed Plants 3(1, 2a & 2b): 1-1532. MIM, Deurne.

Goyder, D.J., Gilbert, M.G. & Venter, H.J.T. (2020). Flora Zambesiaca 7(3): 1-375. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

-----------------------

Flora Zambesiaca:

Dyer in Codd et al., Fl. S. Africa 27(4): 50–51, fig.10 (1980).

Haw. in Philos. Mag. Ann. Chem. 1: 121 (1827), as “stapeliaeformis”.

Huber in Mem. Soc. Brot. 12: 107–108 (1958).

Meve, Ill. Handb. Succ. Pl. Asclepiadaceae: 72 (2002).

-----------------------

Kew Backbone Distributions:

Germishuizen, G. & Meyer, N.L. (eds.) (2003). Plants of Southern Africa an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14: 1-1231. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.

--------------------------------------------

  

Nkumbe - Sentinels

 

Nkumbe - Wächter

 

Klipspringer

 

Klippspringer

 

Kruger National Park is one of the largest game reserves in Africa. It covers an area of 19,485 km2 (7,523 sq mi) in the provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga in northeastern South Africa, and extends 360 km (220 mi) from north to south and 65 km (40 mi) from east to west. The administrative headquarters are in Skukuza. Areas of the park were first protected by the government of the South African Republic in 1898, and it became South Africa's first national park in 1926.

 

To the west and south of the Kruger National Park are the two South African provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga. In the north is Zimbabwe, and to the east is Mozambique. It is now part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, a peace park that links Kruger National Park with the Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe, and with the Limpopo National Park in Mozambique.

 

The park is part of the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere an area designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as an International Man and Biosphere Reserve (the "Biosphere").

 

The park has nine main gates allowing entrance to the different camps.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

The klipspringer (/ˈklɪpˌsprɪŋər/; Oreotragus oreotragus) is a small antelope found in eastern and southern Africa. The sole member of its genus, the klipspringer was first described by German zoologist Eberhard August Wilhelm von Zimmermann in 1783. The klipspringer is a small, sturdy antelope; it reaches 43–60 centimetres (17–24 in) at the shoulder and weighs from 8 to 18 kilograms (18 to 40 lb). The coat of the klipspringer, yellowish gray to reddish brown, acts as an efficient camouflage in its rocky habitat. Unlike most other antelopes, the klipspringer has a thick and coarse coat with hollow, brittle hairs. The horns, short and spiky, typically measure 7.5–9 centimetres (3.0–3.5 in).

 

Typically nocturnal, the klipspringer rests during the middle of the day and late at night. A gregarious animal, the klipspringer is monogamous to a much greater extent than other antelopes; individuals of opposite sexes exhibit long-term to lifelong pair bonding. The mates tend to stay as close as within 5 metres (16 ft) of each other at most times. Males form territories, 7.5–49 hectares (19–121 acres), in which they stay with their partners and offspring. Primarily a browser, the klipspringer prefers young plants, fruits and flowers. Gestation lasts around six months, following which a single calf is born; births peak from spring to early summer. The calf leaves its mother when it turns a year old.

 

The klipspringer inhabits places characterised by rocky terrain and sparse vegetation. Its range extends from northeastern Sudan, Eritrea, northern Somalia and Ethiopia in the east to South Africa in the south, and along coastal Angola and Namibia. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) classifies the klipspringer as Least Concern. There are no major threats to the survival of the klipspringer, as its habitat is inaccessible and unfavourable for hunting. Significant numbers occur on private farmlands. As of 2008, nearly 25% of the populations occur in protected areas throughout its range.

 

The klipspringer is a small, sturdy antelope reaching 43–60 centimetres (17–24 in) at the shoulder. The head-and-body length is typically between 75 and 115 centimetres (30 and 45 in). It weighs from 8 to 18 kilograms (18 to 40 lb). The klipspringer is sexually dimorphic; females are slightly larger and heavier than the males. The tail measures 6.5–10.5 centimetres (2.6–4.1 in). Prominent facial features include the brown forehead, short ears marked with black, prominent preorbital glands near the eyes, and white lips and chin. The horns, short and spiky, present only on males, typically measure 7.5–9 centimetres (3.0–3.5 in); the maximum recorded horn length is 15.9 centimetres (6.3 in).

 

The coat of the klipspringer, yellowish gray to reddish brown, acts as an efficient camouflage in its rocky habitat; the underbelly is white. Unlike most other antelopes, the klipspringer has a thick and coarse coat with hollow, brittle hairs. The incisors might even get damaged by the hairs while grooming. However, the coat is a significant adaptation that saves the animal during steep falls and provides effective insulation in the extreme climates characteristic of its mountain habitat. A study showed that ticks occur in larger numbers on the underbelly, where the hair is less coarse. The hair often turns erect, especially if the animal is ill or if its temperature increases. Another feature unique to the klipspringer is its gait; it walks on the tips of its cylindrical, blunt hooves. This enhances the grip on the ground, enabling the animal to deftly climb and jump over rocky surfaces.

 

The subspecies vary in coat colour – from golden yellow in the Cape klipspringer, Ethiopian klipspringer, golden klipspringer and Transvaal klipspringer to ochre or rufous in the Maasai klipspringer, Stevenson's klipspringer and Zambian klipspringer. Cape klipspringer populations tend to have the largest males, while Maasai klipspringer exhibit the largest females.

 

Typically nocturnal (active mainly at night), the klipspringer rests during the midday and at late night; the animal tends to be more active on moonlit nights. It basks in the morning sunlight to warm itself. A gregarious animal, the klipspringer, like the dik-diks and the oribi, exhibits monogamy to a much greater extent than other antelopes; individuals of opposite sexes form pairs that might last until one dies.[ The mates tend to stay as close as within 5 metres (16 ft) of each other at most times; for instance, they take turns at keeping a lookout for predators while the other feeds, and face any danger together. The klipspringer will hop a few metres away from the danger. Other social groups include small family herds of 8 or more members or solitary individuals. Klipspringer greet one another by rubbing cheeks at social meetings.

 

Males form territories, 7.5–49 hectares (19–121 acres) large (the size depends on rainfall patterns), in which they stay with their partners and offspring. Males are generally more vigilant than females. Klipspringer form large dung heaps, nearly 1 metre (3.3 ft) across and 10 centimetres (3.9 in) deep, at the borders of territories; another form of marking is the secretion of a thick, black substance, measuring 5 millimetres (0.20 in) across, from the preorbital glands onto vegetation and rocks in the territories. A study revealed that the tick Ixodes neitzi detects and aggregates on twigs marked by the klipspringer. Another study showed that plants near the borders with neighbouring territories are particularly preferred for marking. The main vocalisation is a shrill whistle, given out by the klipspringer pair in a duet, as a means of communication or anti-predator response. Predators include the baboon, black-backed jackal, caracal, eagle, leopard, martial eagle, serval, spotted hyaena and Verreaux's eagle. Birds such as familiar chats, pale-winged starlings, red-winged starlings and yellow-bellied bulbuls have been observed feeding on ectoparasites of klipspringer.

 

Primarily a browser, the klipspringer prefers young plants, fruits and flowers. Grasses, eaten mainly in the wet season, form a minor portion of the diet. Some plants, such as Vellozia, may be preferred seasonally. Klipspringer depend mainly on succulent plants, and not on water bodies, to meet their water requirement. They can stand on their hindlegs to reach tall branches up to 1.2 metres (3.9 ft) above the ground; some individuals in Namibia were observed climbing Faidherbia albida trees up to a height of 5.4 metres (18 ft).

 

The klipspringer is a seasonal breeder; the time when mating occurs varies geographically. Females become sexually mature by the time they are a year old; males take slightly longer to mature. Mating behaviour has not been extensively observed. Gestation lasts around six months, following which a single calf, weighing slightly more than 1 kilogram (2.2 lb), is born; births peak from spring to early summer. Births take place in dense vegetation. The newborn is carefully hidden for up to three months to protect it from the view of predators; the mother suckles it three to four times a day, the visits gradually lengthen as the offspring grows. Males are protective of their offspring, keeping a watch for other males and predators. The calf is weaned at four to five months, and leaves its mother when it turns a year old. The klipspringer lives for around 15 years.

 

The klipspringer inhabits places characterised by rocky terrain and sparse vegetation. It migrates to lowlands at times of food scarcity. The klipspringer occurs at altitudes as high as 4,500 metres (14,800 ft) on Mount Kilimanjaro. The klipspringer can occur at high population densities in favourable habitats extending over a large area; 10 to 14 individuals occur per square kilometre in the Simien Mountains National Park, Ethiopia. However, the habitat is typically rocky over long stretches and grassy terrain is discontinuous; consequently the population density is typically between 0.01 and 0.1 individual per square kilometre.

 

The antelope occurs in significant numbers across eastern and southern Africa; its range extends from northeastern Sudan, Eritrea, northern Somalia and Ethiopia in the east to South Africa in the south, and along coastal Angola and Namibia. Smaller populations occur in the northern and western highlands of Central African Republic, southeastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Jos Plateau and east of Gashaka Gumti National Park in Nigeria. It is feared to be extinct in Burundi.

 

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) classifies the klipspringer as Least Concern. The klipspringer is hunted for its meat, leather and hair. However, there are no major threats to the survival of the klipspringer, as its habitat is inaccessible and unfavourable for hunting. Moreover, the antelope does not have to compete with livestock, that do not frequent montane areas. However, populations at lower altitudes are more vulnerable to elimination.

 

In 1999, Rod East of the IUCN SSC Antelope Specialist Group estimated the total population of klipspringer at 42,000. Significant numbers occur on private farmlands. As of 2008, nearly 25% of the populations occur in protected areas such as the Simien and Bale Mountains National Parks (Ethiopia); Tsavo East and West National Parks (Kenya); North and South Luangwa National Parks (Zambia); Nyika National Park (Malawi); Namib-Naukluft National Park (Namibia); and Matobo National Park (Zimbabwe).

 

(Wikipedia)

 

Der Kruger-Nationalpark (deutsch häufig falsch Krüger-Nationalpark) ist das größte Wildschutzgebiet Südafrikas. Er liegt im Nordosten des Landes in der Landschaft des Lowveld auf dem Gebiet der Provinz Limpopo sowie des östlichen Abschnitts von Mpumalanga. Seine Fläche erstreckt sich vom Crocodile-River im Süden bis zum Limpopo, dem Grenzfluss zu Simbabwe, im Norden. Die Nord-Süd-Ausdehnung beträgt etwa 350 km, in Ost-West-Richtung ist der Park durchschnittlich 54 km breit und umfasst eine Fläche von rund 20.000 Quadratkilometern. Damit gehört er zu den größten Nationalparks in Afrika.

 

Das Schutzgebiet wurde am 26. März 1898 unter dem Präsidenten Paul Kruger als Sabie Game Reserve zum Schutz der Wildnis gegründet. 1926 erhielt das Gebiet den Status Nationalpark und wurde in seinen heutigen Namen umbenannt. Im Park leben 147 Säugetierarten inklusive der „Big Five“, außerdem etwa 507 Vogelarten und 114 Reptilienarten, 49 Fischarten und 34 Amphibienarten.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

Die Klippspringer (Oreotragus) sind eine kleine afrikanische Antilopengattung und gleichzeitig eine monotypische Tribus. Der Name stammt aus dem Afrikaans – niederländisch klipspringer bedeutet „Felsenspringer“.

 

Die Klippspringer gehören zu den zierlichsten Vertretern der Antilopen und erreichen eine Schulterhöhe von knapp 60 cm und ein Körpergewicht von 10–13 kg. Die Weibchen sind dabei etwas größer und schwerer als die Männchen. Die Männchen tragen darüber hinaus kurze, gerade, weit auseinanderstehende Spieße, von einer Länge von ungefähr 20–25 cm. Bei den nördlichen Beständen tragen auch die Weibchen Hörner.

 

Mit ihrem groben, borstigen, dichten gelb bis braungrauen Fell, das eine schwarze Melierung aufweist und auf der Unterseite weiß ist, sind sie vor den „Kopjes“ (Felsblöcken) kaum zu entdecken. Der Bauch, das Kinn und die Lippen werden von weißen oder cremefarbenen Haar bedeckt.

 

Die Klippspringer weisen zwei Charakteristika auf, die eine Anpassung an das Leben in einem felsigen Habitat sind. Sie sind die einzigen Antilopen, die auf den Hufspitzen laufen. Diese werden so abgelaufen, dass zylindrische Hufe entstehen, die eine unverwechselbare, zweikreisige Spur hinterlassen. Durch diese spezifische Form ihrer Hufe haben Klippspringer einen besseren Halt auf glatten Felsoberflächen. Als zweite Anpassung ist ihr Fell fest und dick. Jedes einzelne Haar ist hohl und borstenähnlich. Das Fell bietet eine gute Isolation gegen die Temperaturextreme ihrer hochgelegenen Lebensräume. Es isoliert sowohl gegenüber extremer Hitze als auch gegen große Kälte.

 

Diese Antilopengattung ist vom südafrikanischen Kap der Guten Hoffnung über Ostafrika bis nach Äthiopien zu finden. Sie kommt unter anderem in folgenden Naturschutzgebieten vor: Bale-Mountains-Nationalpark, Karoo, Mountain Zebra, Giant’s Castle, Krügerpark, Namib-Naukluft, Hwange, Upemba, Tsavo, Manyarasee, Ngorongoro, Serengeti, Kilimandscharo und Samburu.

 

Klippspringer halten sich generell auf oder in der Nähe von felsigen Hügeln oder Felsformationen auf. Häufig kann man sie bewegungslos auf der Spitze hoher Felsen entdecken. Oft kann man den lauten, nasalen Warnpfiff der Tiere hören. Auch im unwegsamen Gelände sind sie sehr flink. Bei Gefahr flüchten sie in der Regel nicht weit, sondern bleiben nach kurzer Flucht stehen und beobachten den Prädator. Dabei ist häufig der Warnpfiff zu hören. Dieses Verhalten trägt allerdings auch dazu bei, dass sich Klippspringer durch den Menschen leicht erjagen lassen.

 

Man findet sowohl Pärchen als auch Familiengruppen; die Männchen verteidigen ihr Revier. Die Paarbeziehungen enden in der Regel erst mit dem Tod eines der beiden Partner. Zu den typischen Verhaltensmerkmalen der Klippspringer gehören die großen Kothaufen, die sich meist am Rand des Revieres festlegen. Weibchen reiben nach dem Koten an nahen Zweigen ihre Voraugendrüsen ab, wodurch eine dicke, schwarze Substanz auf die Zweige übertragen wird. Diese strömen einen starken süßen Duft aus, wenn sie feucht sind. Gewöhnlich setzt das Männchen seine Duftmarke auf die des Weibchens. Die Klippspringer ernähren sich vorwiegend von Laub.

 

Die Brunstzeit der Klippspringer dauert von September bis Januar. Die Tragzeit beträgt 214 Tage. Das einzelne Junge wiegt bei der Geburt etwa 1 kg. Ihre Lebenserwartung beträgt 10 bis 12 Jahre.

 

In verschiedenen Gegenden Afrikas wurden Klippspringer von jeher gejagt. Aus ihrer Haut lässt sich ein Leder gewinnen, das zur Herstellung von Taschen verwendet wird. Das Fleisch soll sehr wohlschmeckend sein. Durch die Bejagung ist der Klippspringer im westafrikanischen Teil seines Verbreitungsgebiets nahezu ausgestorben (Unterart O. o. porteousi). Im übrigen Verbreitungsgebiet gilt er nicht als bedroht.

 

Da in den letzten Jahren einige Zoos die Haltung der Klippspringer beendeten, gibt es keine europäische Zoopopulationen mit Zukunftschancen. Im Moment werden drei Tiere in den zoologischen Gärten in Frankfurt am Main und Valencia gepflegt. Importbemühungen seitens Frankfurt scheiterten vor einigen Jahren. Da es keine Nachzuchten gibt, ist damit zu rechnen, dass Klippspringer in den nächsten Jahren aus der europäischen Zoolandschaft verschwinden werden. Seit 1994 werden in Europa nur noch Äthiopien-Klippspringer gepflegt.

 

(Wikipedia)

Captain Cookie's Delight

 

[The Secret of the 8 Provinces - Prelude]

 

"Well, thanks for bringing me that exquisite Norwegian Blue.

 

I cannot say how happy I am to be in the possession of such a fine parrot. My previous one has gone to meet its maker.

 

How can I return your favour, Lady De Summer?"

 

"My dear Captain, a good story would do. How, for instance, did you acquire your new ship?"

 

"The Delight?"

 

"Yes, Captain."

 

"Well, Mylady, you might remember that infamous poker night in the Red Herring."

 

"You mean the night, when that strange Marquis from Olean won such a lot of gold? I have heard rumours about that.

Some people said something about the true identity of the Marquis. Like that he was actually from Mardier."

 

"Well, it was a fantastic night because after he had won so much I challenged the Marquis for a final round...

... it was tough. The Marquis had three of a kind - but I beat him with a full house.

And as I had already won all of his gold, he offered me his ship.

He said, she would be a fine, seaworthy lady, she would just need some minor repairs of the sails.

And I thought 'never look a gift horse in the mouth'."

  

"This ship is making me immensly proud. Every detail is golden."

 

"And the cabin is impressive too", Lady De Summer replied.

 

"And so I named her 'Cookie's Delight'"

 

"Fabulous, fabulous. I have another question, my dear Captain."

 

"Out with it!"

 

"This model of a reddish ship..."

 

"The 8 Provinces?"

 

"Yes, Captain, where and how did you get it?"

 

"Oh, Mylady, that is a longer story. And more exciting."

 

"I am all ears."

 

[End of prelude]

  

I am starting a new storyline here. And I managed to turn the "Silent Mary" into something more operable...

 

[Story including MOC pictures to be found on Eurobricks]

 

The Photograph

 

A 5" x 10" high-definition glossy photograph published by Rotary Photographic of London EC.

 

George Robey

 

Sir George Edward Wade, CBE, known professionally as George Robey, was an English comedian, singer and actor in musical theatre, who became known as one of the greatest music hall performers of the late 19th. and early 20th. centuries.

 

As a comedian, he mixed everyday situations and observations with comic absurdity. Apart from his music hall acts, he was a popular Christmas pantomime performer in the English provinces, where he excelled in the dame roles.

 

He scored notable successes in musical revues during and after the Great War, particularly with the song "If You Were the Only Girl in the World", which he performed with Violet Loraine in the revue The Bing Boys Are Here (1916).

 

One of George's best-known original characters in his six-decade long career was the Prime Minister of Mirth.

 

Born in London, Robey came from a middle-class family. After schooling in England and Germany, and a series of office jobs, he made his debut on the London stage at the age of 21, as the straight man to a comic hypnotist.

 

Robey soon developed his own act, and appeared at the Oxford Music Hall in 1890, where he earned favourable notices singing "The Simple Pimple," and "He'll Get It Where He's Gone to Now".

 

In 1892, he appeared in his first pantomime, Whittington Up-to-Date in Brighton, which brought him to a wider audience. More provincial engagements followed in Manchester, Birmingham and Liverpool, and he became a mainstay of the popular Christmas pantomime scene.

 

Robey's music hall act matured in the first decade of the 1900's, and he undertook several foreign tours. He starred in the Royal Command Performance in 1912, and regularly entertained before aristocracy.

 

George was an avid sportsman, playing cricket and football at a semi-professional level. During the Great War, in addition to his performances in revues, he raised money for many war charities, and was appointed a CBE in 1919.

 

From 1918, he created sketches based on his Prime Minister of Mirth character, and used a costume he had designed in the 1890's as a basis for the character's attire.

 

George made a successful transition from music hall to variety shows, and starred in the revue Round in Fifty in 1922, which earned him still wider notice. With the exception of his performances in revue and pantomime, he appeared as his Prime Minister of Mirth character in all the other entertainment media including variety, music hall and radio.

 

In 1913 Robey made his film debut, but he had only modest success in the medium. He continued to perform in variety theatre in the inter-war years and, in 1932, starred in Helen!, his first straight theatre role. His appearance brought him to the attention of many influential directors, including Sydney Carroll, who signed him to appear on stage as Falstaff in Henry IV, Part 1 in 1935, a role that he later repeated in Laurence Olivier's 1944 film, Henry V.

 

During the Second World War, Robey raised money for charities and promoted recruitment into the forces. By the 1950's, his health had deteriorated, and he entered into semi-retirement. George was knighted a few months before his death in 1954.

 

-- George Robey - The Early Years

 

Robey was born on the 20th. September 1869 at 334 Kennington Road, Kennington, London. He would later claim that he was born in the more affluent area of Herne Hill, although this was incorrect. His birthplace in Kennington is a three-storey house above a shop, which was then a hardware outlet. The shop is now home to a sushi restaurant called Sushi Essence.

 

In the 1860's, Kennington Road was a wealthy area mainly inhabited by successful tradesmen and businessmen. By the 1880's however, the area had fallen into a decline, and was considered by locals to be one of the most impoverished areas in London. The comedian Charlie Chaplin, who had a poor and deprived upbringing, was born in the same road 18 years after Robey.

 

George's father, Charles Wade, was a civil engineer who spent much of his career on tramline design and construction. Robey's mother, Elizabeth Mary Wade, née Keene, was a housewife; he also had two sisters.

 

George's paternal ancestors originated from Hampshire; his uncle, George Wade, married into the aristocracy in 1848, a link which provided a proud topic of conversation for future generations of the Wade family.

 

When Robey was five, his father moved the family to Birkenhead, where he helped in the construction of the Mersey Railway. Robey began his schooling in nearby Hoylake at a dame school. Three years later the family moved back to London, near the border between Camberwell and Peckham.

 

At around this time, trams were being introduced to the area, providing Charles Wade with a regular, well-paid job.

 

To fulfil an offer of work, Charles moved the family to Germany in 1880, and Robey attended a school in Dresden. He devoted his leisure hours to visiting the city's museums, art galleries and opera houses, and gained a reasonable fluency in German by the time he was 12.

 

He enjoyed life in Germany, and was impressed by the many operatic productions held in the city, and by the Germans' high regard for the arts.

 

When he was 14, his father allowed George to move in with a clergyman's family in the German countryside, which he used as a base while studying science at Leipzig University. In order to earn money, he taught English to his landlord's children, and minded them while their parents were at work.

 

Having successfully enrolled at the university, George studied art and music, and stayed with the family for a further 18 months so he could complete his studies before returning to England in 1885. He later claimed, apparently untruthfully, to have studied at the University of Cambridge.

 

There is no evidence that Robey enrolled at Cambridge or indeed any other English university, as fees in Victorian England were beyond the reach of someone like Charles Wade. Members of the theatrical community were nevertheless convinced of his attendance at Cambridge.

 

The theatre critic Max Beerbohm wrote that Robey was one of the few distinguished men to emerge from the campus, but the English writer Neville Cardus was more sceptical, wondering how someone from the University of Cambridge could end up in the music hall.

 

Robey's biographer, Peter Cotes, concludes that he likely played along with the assumptions that he was a Cambridge graduate in order to fit in with the higher circles of society.

 

At the age of 18, Robey travelled to Birmingham, where he worked in a civil engineer's office. It was here that he became interested in a career on the stage, and often dreamed of starring in his own circus.

 

He learned to play the mandolin, and became a skilled performer on the instrument. This drew interest from a group of local musicians and, together with a friend from the group who played the guitar, Robey travelled the local area in search of engagements.

 

Soon afterwards, they were hired to play at a charity concert at the local church in Edgbaston, a performance that led to more local bookings. For his next appearance, Robey performed an impromptu version of "Killaloo", a comic ditty taken from the burlesque Miss Esmeralda.

 

The positive response from the audience encouraged him to give up playing the mandolin to concentrate instead on singing comic songs.

 

-- George Robey's London Debut

 

By 1890 Robey had become homesick, and so he returned to South London, where he worked for a civil engineering company. He also joined a local branch of the Thirteen Club, which charged members a fee of half a crown a year. The club members, including both amateur and professional performers, were devoted to the idea of flouting superstition while staging concerts in public houses and small venues across London.

 

Hearing of George's talent, the founder of the club, W. H. Branch, invited Robey to appear at Anderton's Hotel in Fleet Street, where he performed the popular new comic song "Where Did You Get That Hat?".

 

Robey's performance secured him private engagements for which he was paid a guinea a night. By the early months of 1891, Robey was much in demand, and he decided to change his stage name. He swapped "Wade" for "Robey" after working for a company in Birmingham that bore the latter name.

 

It was at around this time that he met E. W. Rogers, an established music hall composer who wrote songs for Marie Lloyd and Jenny Hill. For Robey, Rogers wrote three songs: "My Hat's a Brown 'Un", "The Simple Pimple," and "It Suddenly Dawned Upon Me".

 

In 1891 Robey visited the Royal Aquarium in Westminster where he watched "Professor Kennedy", a burlesque mesmerist from America. After the performance, Robey visited Kennedy in his dressing room, and offered himself as the stooge for his next appearance.

 

They agreed that Robey, as his young apprentice, would be "mesmerised" into singing a comic song. At a later rehearsal, Robey negotiated a deal to sing one of the comic songs that had been written for him by Rogers.

 

Robey's turn was a great success, and as a result he secured a permanent theatrical residency at the venue. Later that year, he appeared as a solo act at the Oxford Music Hall, where he performed "The Simple Pimple" and "He'll Get It Where He's Gone to Now".

 

The theatrical press soon became aware of his act, and The Stage called him:

 

"A comedian with a pretty sense of

humour who delivers his songs with

considerable point and meets with

all success".

 

In early 1892 Robey starred alongside Jenny Hill, Bessie Bonehill and Harriet Vernon at the Paragon Theatre of Varieties in Mile End, where, according to his biographer Peter Cotes:

 

"He stole the notices from

experienced troupers".

 

That summer, Robey conducted a music hall tour of the English provinces which began in Chatham and took him to Liverpool, at a venue owned by the mother of the influential London impresario Oswald Stoll. Through this engagement Robey met Stoll, and the two became lifelong friends.

 

In early December, Robey appeared in five music halls a night, including Gatti's Under the Arches, the Tivoli Music Hall and the London Pavilion.

 

In mid-December, George travelled to Brighton, where he appeared in his first Christmas pantomime, Whittington Up-to-Date. Pantomime became a lucrative and regular source of employment for the comedian. Cotes calls Robey's festive performances:

 

"The cornerstone of his comic

art, and the source of some of

his greatest successes".

 

-- Music Hall Characterisations

 

During the 1890's Robey created music hall characters centred on everyday life. Among them were "The Chinese Laundryman" and "Clarence, the Last of the Dandies". As Clarence, Robey dressed in a top hat and frock coat, and carried a Malacca cane, the garb of a stereotypical Victorian gentleman.

 

For his drag pieces, the comedian established "The Lady Dresser", a female tailor who was desperate to out-dress her high class customers, and "Daisy Dillwater, the District Nurse" who arrived on stage with a bicycle to share light-hearted scandal and gossip with the audience before hurriedly cycling off.

 

With Robey's popularity came an eagerness to differentiate himself from his music hall rivals, and so he devised a signature costume when appearing as himself: an oversized black coat fastened from the neck down with large, wooden buttons.

 

George also wore black, unkempt, baggy trousers and a partially bald wig with black, whispery strands of dishevelled, dirty-looking hair that poked below a large, battered top-hat.

 

He applied thick white face paint, and exaggerated the redness on his cheeks and nose with bright red make-up; his eye line and eyebrows were also enhanced with thick, black greasepaint. He held a short, misshaped, wooden walking stick, which was curved at the top.

 

Robey later used the costume for his character, The Prime Minister of Mirth. The outfit helped Robey become instantly recognisable on the London music hall circuit. He next made a start at building his repertoire, and bought the rights to comic songs and monologues by several well-established music hall writers, including Sax Rohmer and Bennett Scott.

 

For his routines, Robey developed a characteristic delivery described by Cotes as:

 

"A kind of machine-gun staccato

rattle through each polysyllabic line,

ending abruptly, and holding the

pause while he fixed his audience

with his basilisk stare."

 

-- Success in Pantomime and the Provinces

 

At the start of 1894, Robey travelled to Manchester to participate in the pantomime Jack and Jill, where he was paid £25 a week for a three-month contract. He did not appear in Jack and Jill until the third act, but pleased the holiday crowds nonetheless.

 

During one performance the scenery mechanism failed, which forced him to improvise for the first time. Robey fabricated a story that he had just dined with the Lord Mayor before detailing exactly what he had eaten. The routine was such a hit that it was incorporated into the show as part of the script.

 

In the final months of 1894, Robey returned to London to honour a contract for Augustus Harris at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, the details of which are unknown.

 

In September he starred in a series of stand-up comedy shows that he performed every September from 1894 until 1899. These short performances, in English seaside resorts including Scarborough and Bournemouth, were designed chiefly to enhance his name among provincial audiences.

 

For the 1895 and 1896 Christmas pantomimes, he appeared in Manchester and Birmingham respectively, in the title role of Dick Whittington, for which he received favourable reviews and praise from audiences.

 

However despite the pantomime's success, Robey and his co-stars disliked the experience. The actress Ada Reeve felt that the production had a bad back-stage atmosphere, and was thankful when the season ended, while the comedian Barry Lupino was dismayed at having his role, Muffins, considerably reduced.

 

On the 29th. April 1898, Robey married his first wife, the Australian-born musical theatre actress Ethel Hayden (shown in the photograph), at St. Clement Danes church in the Strand, London. Robey and Ethel resided briefly in Circus Road, St John's Wood, until the birth of their first child Edward in 1900.

 

They then moved to 83 Finchley Road in Swiss Cottage, Hampstead. Family life suited Robey; his son Edward recalled many happy experiences with his father, including the evenings when he would accompany him to the half-dozen music halls at which he would be appearing each night.

 

By the start of the new century, Robey was a big name in pantomime, and he was able to choose his roles. Pantomime had enjoyed wide popularity until the 1890's, but by the time Robey had reached his peak, interest in it was on the wane.

 

A type of character he particularly enjoyed taking on was the pantomime dame, which historically was played by comedians from the music hall. Robey was inspired by the older comedians Herbert Campbell and Dan Leno, and, although post-dating them, he rivalled their eccentricity and popularity, earning the festive entertainment a new audience.

 

In his 1972 biography of Robey, Neville Cardus thought that:

 

"George Robey was at his

fullest as a pantomime Dame".

 

In 1902 Robey created the character "The Prehistoric Man". He dressed as a caveman, and spoke of modern political issues, often complaining about the government "slapping another pound of rock on his taxes".

 

The character was received favourably by audiences, who found it easy to relate to his topical observations. That year he released "The Prehistoric Man" and "Not That I Wish to Say Anything" on shellac discs using the early acoustic recording process.

 

Robey signed a six-year contract in June 1904 to appear annually at, among other venues, the Oxford Music Hall in London, for a fee of £120 a week. The contract also required him to perform during the spring and autumn seasons between 1910 and 1912.

 

Robey disputed this part of the contract, and stated that he agreed to this only as a personal favour to the music hall manager George Adney Payne, and that it should have become void on Payne's death in 1907.

 

The management of the Oxford however counter-claimed, and forbade Robey from appearing in any other music hall during this period. The matter went to court, where the judge found in Robey's favour.

 

Robey was engaged to play the title role in the 1905 pantomime Queen of Hearts. The show was considered risqué by the theatrical press. In one scene Robey accidentally sat on his crown before bellowing:

 

"Assistance! Methinks I have

sat upon a hedgehog."

 

'Hedgehog' is a British slang term for an unattractive woman. It is also used to describe a seductively elusive and promiscuous male.

 

In another sketch, the comedian mused:

 

"Then there's Mrs Simkins, the swank!

Many's the squeeze she's had of my

blue bag on washing day."

 

Robey scored a further hit with the show the following year, in Birmingham, which Cotes describes as:

 

"The most famous of all famous

Birmingham Theatre Royal

pantomimes".

 

Robey incorporated "The Dresser", a music hall sketch taken from his own repertoire, into the show.

 

Over the next few years George continued to tour the music hall circuit both in London and the English provinces, and recorded two songs, "What Are You Looking at Me For?" and "The Mayor of Mudcumdyke", which were later released by the Gramophone and Typewriter Company.

 

-- George Robey's Involvement in Sport

 

Off-stage, Robey led an active lifestyle, and was a keen amateur sportsman. He was proud of his healthy physique, and maintained it by performing frequent exercise and following a careful diet.

 

By the time he was in his mid-thirties, George had played as an amateur against Millwall, Chelsea and Fulham football clubs. He organised and played in many charity football matches throughout England, which were described by the sporting press as being of a very high standard, and he remained an active football player well into his fifties.

 

Robey became associated with cricket by 1895 when he led a team of amateur players for a match at Turney Road in Dulwich. In September 1904, while appearing in Hull, he was asked by the cricketer Harry Wrathall to take part in a charity cricket match at the Yorkshire County Cricket Club.

 

Robey played so well that Wrathall asked him to return the following Saturday to take part in a professional game. That weekend, while waiting in the pavilion before the game, Robey was approached by an agent for Hull City A.F.C., who asked the comedian to play in a match that same afternoon. Robey agreed, swapped his cricket flannels for a football kit and played with the team against Nottingham Forest as an inside right.

 

By 1903 Robey was playing at a semi-professional level. He was signed as an inside forward by Millwall Football Club, and scored many goals for them. He also displayed a good level of ability in vigoro, an Australian sport derived from both cricket and baseball which was short-lived in England.

 

Two years later George became a member of the Marylebone Cricket Club, and played in minor games for them for many years. He gained a reputation at the club for his comic antics on the field, such as raising his eyebrows at the approaching bowler in an attempt to distract him.

 

The writer Neville Cardus was complimentary about Robey's cricket prowess, and called him "an elegant player" whose performances on the cricket field were as entertaining as they were on the stage. Although a versatile player, Robey thought of himself as a "medium-paced, right-handed bowler".

 

Robey was asked to help organise a charity football match in 1907 by friends of the Scottish football trainer James Miller, who had died the previous year. Robey compiled a team of amateur footballers from the theatrical profession, and met Miller's former team Chelsea Football Club at their home ground. The match raised considerable proceeds for Miller's widow. Robey was proud of the match and joked:

 

"I just wanted to make sure that

Chelsea stay in the first division."

 

-- George Robey the Violin Maker

 

In his spare time, Robey made violins, a hobby that he first took up during his years in Dresden. He became a skilled craftsman of the instrument, although he never intended for them to be played in public.

 

Speaking in the 1960's, the violinist and composer Yehudi Menuhin, who played one of Robey's violins for a public performance during that decade, called the comedian's finished instrument "very professional".

 

Yehudi was intrigued by the idea that a man as famous as Robey could produce such a "beautifully finished" instrument, unbeknown to the public.

 

Robey was also an artist, and some of his pen and ink self-caricatures are kept at the National Portrait Gallery, London.

 

-- High-Profile Audiences

 

Robey's first high-profile invitation came in the first decade of the 1900's from Hugh Lowther, 5th. Earl of Lonsdale, who hired him as entertainment for a party he was hosting at Carlton House Terrace in Westminster.

 

Soon afterwards, the comedian appeared for the first time before royalty when King Edward VII had Robey hired for several private functions. Robey performed a series of songs and monologues and introduced the "Mayor of Mudcumdyke", all of which was met with much praise and admiration from the royal watchers.

 

He was later hired by Edward's son, the Prince of Wales (the future King George V), who arranged a performance at Carlton House Terrace for his friend Lord Curzon.

 

In July 1912, at the invitation of the impresario Oswald Stoll, Robey took part for the first time in a Royal Command Performance, to which Cotes attributes:

 

"One of the prime factors in

his continuing popularity".

 

King George V and Queen Mary were "delighted" with Robey's comic sketch, in which he performed the "Mayor of Mudcumdyke" in public for the first time. Robey found the royal show to be a less daunting experience than the numerous private command performances that he gave during his career.

 

-- George Robey's Film Debut

 

Robey's first experience in cinema was in 1913, with two early sound film shorts: "And Very Nice Too," and "Good Queen Bess", made using the Kinoplasticon process, where the film was synchronised with phonograph records.

 

The following year, George tried to emulate his music hall colleagues Billy Merson and Charlie Austin, who had set up Homeland Films and found success with the Squibs series of films starring Betty Balfour.

 

Robey met filmmakers from the Burns Film Company, who engaged him in a silent short entitled "George Robey Turns Anarchist", in which he played a character who fails to blow up the Houses of Parliament.

 

George continued to appear sporadically in film throughout the rest of his career, although never achieving more than a modest amount of success.

 

-- George Robey in the Great War

 

At the outbreak of the Great War, Robey wanted to enlist in the army but, now in his 40's, he was too old for active service. Instead, he volunteered for the Special Constabulary, and raised money for charity through his performances as a comedian.

 

It was not uncommon for him to finish at the theatre at 1:00 am and then to patrol as a special constable until 6:00 am, where he would frequently help out during zeppelin raids.

 

George combined his civilian duties with work for a volunteer motor transport unit towards the end of the war, in which he served as a lieutenant. He committed three nights a week to the corps while organising performances during the day to benefit war charities.

 

Robey was a strong supporter of the Merchant Navy, and thought that they were often overlooked when it came to charitable donations. He raised £22,000 at a benefit held at the London Coliseum, which he donated in the navy's favour.

 

In 1914, for the first time in many years, Robey appeared in a Christmas pantomime as a male when he was engaged to play the title role in Sinbad the Sailor; Fred Emney Senior played the dame role.

 

Although the critics were surprised by the casting, it appealed to audiences, and the scenes featuring Robey and Emney together proved the most memorable.

 

During the war the demand for light entertainment in the English provinces guaranteed Robey frequent bookings and a regular income. His appearances in Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle and Glasgow were as popular as his annual performances in Birmingham. His wife Ethel accompanied him on these tours, and frequently starred alongside him.

 

By the Great War, music hall entertainment had fallen out of favour with audiences. Theatrical historians blame the music hall's decline on the increasing salaries of performers and the halls' inability to present profitably the twenty or thirty acts that the audiences expected to see.

 

Revue appealed to wartime audiences, and Robey decided to capitalise on the medium's popularity. Stoll offered Robey a lucrative contract in 1916 to appear in the new revue 'The Bing Boys Are Here' at the Alhambra Theatre, London.

 

Dividing his time between three or four music halls a night had become unappealing to the comedian, and he relished the opportunity to appear in a single theatre. He was cast as Lucius Bing opposite Violet Loraine, who played his love interest Emma, and the couple duetted in the show's signature song "If You Were the Only Girl in the World", which became an international success.

 

This London engagement was a new experience for Robey, who had only been familiar with provincial pantomimes and week-long, one-man comedy shows. Aside from pantomime, he had never taken part in a long-running production, and he had never had to memorise lines precisely or keep to schedules enforced by strict directors and theatre managers.

 

The Bing Boys Are Here ran for 378 performances, and occupied the Alhambra for more than a year. The theatrical press praised Robey as:

 

"The first actor of the halls".

 

George made two films towards the end of the war: The Anti-frivolity League in 1916, and Doing His Bit the following year.

 

-- Zig-Zag to Joy Bells

 

Robey left the cast of The Bing Boys during its run, in January 1917, in order to star at the London Hippodrome in the lavishly staged revue Zig-Zag!.

 

Robey included a sketch based on his music hall character "The Prehistoric Man", with Daphne Pollard playing the role of "She of the Tireless Tongue". In another scene, he played a drunken gentleman who accidentally secures a box at the Savoy Theatre instead of an intended hotel room.

 

The audience appeared unresponsive to the character, so he changed it mid-performance to that of a naive Yorkshire man. The change provoked much amusement, and it became one of the most popular scenes of the show. Zig-Zag ran for 648 performances.

 

Stoll again secured Robey for the Alhambra in 1918 for a sequel, The Bing Boys on Broadway. The show, again co-starring Violet Loraine, matched the popularity of its predecessor, and beat the original show's run with a total of 562 performances.

 

Robey returned to the London Hippodrome in 1919 where he took a leading role in another hit revue, Joy Bells. Robey played the role of an old-fashioned father who is mystified over the changing traditions after the First World War.

 

He interpolated two music hall sketches: "No, No, No," which centred on turning innocent, everyday sayings into suggestive and provocative maxims, and "The Rest Cure," which told the story of a pre-op hospital patient who hears worrying stories of malpractice from his well-meaning friends who visit him.

 

Joy Bells ran for 723 performances.

 

In the Italian newspaper La Tribuna, the writer Emilio Cecchi commented:

 

"Robey, just by being Robey, makes us

laugh until we weep. We do not want to

see either Figaro or Othello; it is quite

enough for Robey to appear in travelling

costume and to turn his eyes in crab-like

fashion from one side of the auditorium

to another.

Robey's aspect in dealing with his audience

is paternal and, one might say, apostolic."

 

In the early months of 1919, Robey completed a book of memoirs, 'My Rest Cure', which was published later that year. During the run of Joy Bells he was awarded the Legion of Honour for raising £14,000 for the French Red Cross.

 

George declined a knighthood that same year because, according to Cotes, he was worried that the title would distance him from his working-class audiences; he was appointed a CBE by George V at Buckingham Palace instead.

 

On the morning of the penultimate Joy Bells performance, Robey was invited to Stoll's London office, where he was offered a role in a new revue at the Alhambra Theatre. On the journey, he met the theatre impresario Sir Alfred Butt, who agreed to pay him £100 more, but out of loyalty to Stoll, he declined the offer and resumed his £600 a week contract at the Alhambra.

 

-- George Robey in the Inter-War Years

 

On the 28th. July 1919, Robey took part in his second Royal Command Performance, at the London Coliseum. He and Violet Loraine sang "If You Were the Only Girl in the World".

 

A gap in the Alhambra's schedule allowed Stoll to showcase Robey in a new short film. "George Robey's Day Off" (1919) showed the comedian acting out his daily domestic routines to comic effect, but the picture failed at the box office. The British director John Baxter concluded that producers did not know how best to apply Robey's stage talents to film.

 

By 1920 variety theatre had become popular in Britain, and Robey had completed the successful transition from music hall to variety star. Pantomime, which relied on its stars to make up much of the script through ad lib, was also beginning to fall out of favour, and his contemporaries were finding it too difficult to create fresh material for every performance; for Robey, however, the festive entertainment continued to be a lucrative source of employment.

 

Robey's first revue of the 1920's was Johnny Jones, which opened on the 1st. June 1920 at the Alhambra Theatre. The show also featured Ivy St. Helier, Lupino Lane and Eric Blore, and carried the advertisement "A Robey salad with musical dressing".

 

One of the show's more popular gags was a scene in which Robey picked and ate cherries off St. Helier's hat, before tossing the stones into the orchestra pit which were then met by loud bangs from the bass drum.

 

A sign of George's popularity came in August 1920 when he was depicted in scouting costume for a series of 12 Royal Mail stamps in aid of the Printers Pension Corporation War Orphans and the Prince of Wales Boy Scout Funds.

 

Neville Cardus, in The Darling of the Halls (1972), writes:

 

"I think Robey's Mother Goose was, as far

as I know, the greatest piece of acting of

what is called the 'Dame' that I have ever

seen.

But then again his Dame Trot in Jack and

the Beanstalk was great comic acting.

It was incredible. Really a piece of wonderful

acting in a few minutes – acting you would

put on the same plane as you would any

great actor of the time."

 

The revue Robey en Casserole (1921) was next for Robey, during which he led a troupe of dancers in a musical piece called the "Policemen Ballet". Each dancer was dressed in a mock police uniform on top and a tutu below.

 

However the show was the first failure for George under Stoll's management. That December Robey appeared in his only London pantomime, Jack and the Beanstalk, at the Hippodrome. His biographer, Peter Cotes, remembered the comedian's interpretation of Dame Trot as:

 

"Enormously funny: a bucolic caricature

of a woman, sturdy and fruity, leathery

and forbidding.

Robey's comic timing was in a class of

its own."

 

In March 1922 Robey remained at the Hippodrome in the revue Round in Fifty, a modernised version of Round the World in Eighty Days, which proved to be another hit for the London theatre, and a personal favourite of the comedian.

 

Stoll brought Robey to cinema audiences a further four times during 1923. The first two films were written with the intention of showcasing the comedian's pantomime talents: 'One Arabian Night' was a reworking of Aladdin, while 'Harlequinade' visited the roots of pantomime.

 

-- Marriage Breakdown and Foreign Tours

 

One of Robey's more notable roles under Stoll was Sancho Panza in the 1923 film Don Quixote, for which he received a fee of £700 a week. However the amount of time he spent working away from home led to the breakdown of his marriage, and he separated from Ethel in 1923. He had a brief affair with one of his leading ladies, and walked out of the family home.

 

Robey made a return to the London Hippodrome in 1924 in the revue Leap Year. Leap Year was set in South Africa, Australia and Canada, and was written to appeal to the tourists who were visiting London from the Commonwealth countries.

 

Robey was much to their tastes, and his rendition of "My Old Dutch" helped the show achieve another long run of 421 performances.

 

Sky High was next, and opened at the London Palladium in March 1925. The chorus dancer Marie Blanche was his co-star, a partnership that caused the gossip columnists to comment on the performers' alleged romance two years previously. Despite the rumours, Blanche continued as his leading lady for the next four years, and Sky High lasted for 309 performances on the West End stage.

 

The year 1926 was lacking in variety entertainment, a fact largely attributed to the UK general strike that had occurred in May of that year. The strike was unexpected by Robey, who had signed the previous year to star in a series of variety dates for Moss Empires.

 

The contract was lucrative, made more so by the comedian's willingness to manage his own bookings. He took the show to the provinces under the title of Bits and Pieces, and employed a company of 25 artists as well as engineers and support staff.

 

Despite the economic hardships of Great Britain in 1926, large numbers of people turned out to see the show. George returned to Birmingham, a city where he was held in great affection, and where he was sure the audiences would embrace his new show.

 

However, censors demanded that he omit the provocative song "I Stopped, I Looked, I Listened" and that he heavily edit the sketch "The Cheat". The restrictions failed to dampen the audiences' enthusiasm, and Bits and Pieces enjoyed rave reviews. It ran until Christmas and earned a six-month extension.

 

In the spring of 1927 Robey took the opportunity to tour abroad, when he and his company took Bits and Pieces to South Africa, where it was received favourably. By the time he had left Cape Town, he had played to over 60,000 people, and had travelled in excess of 15,000 miles.

 

Upon his return to England in October, George took Bits and Pieces to Bradford. In August 1928, Robey and his company travelled to Canada, where they played to packed audiences for three months.

 

It was there that he produced a new revue, Between Ourselves, in Vancouver, which was staged especially for the country's armed forces. The Canadians were enthusiastic about Robey; he was awarded the freedom of the city in London, Ontario, made a chieftain of the Sarcee tribe, and was an honorary guest at a cricket match in Edmonton, Alberta. George described the tour as "one of unbroken happiness."

 

In the late 1920's Robey also wrote and starred in two Phonofilm sound-on-film productions, Safety First (1928), and Mrs. Mephistopheles (1929).

 

In early 1929 Robey returned to South Africa and then Canada for another tour with Bits and Pieces, after which he started another series of variety dates back in England. Among the towns he visited was Woolwich, where he performed to packed audiences over the course of a week.

 

In 1932 Robey appeared in his first sound film, The Temperance Fête, and followed this with Marry Me, which was, according to his biographer A. E. Wilson, one of the most successful musical films of the comedian's career. The film tells the story of a sound recordist in a gramophone company who romances a colleague when she becomes the family housekeeper.

 

By the later months of 1932, Robey had formed a romantic relationship with Blanche Littler (1897–1981), who then took over as his manager. The couple grew close during the filming of Don Quixote, a remake of the comedian's 1923 success as Sancho Panza.

 

Unlike its predecessor, Don Quixote had an ambitious script, big budget and an authentic foreign setting. Robey resented having to grow a beard for the role, and disliked the French climate and gruelling 12-week filming schedule. He refused to act out his character's death scene in a farcical way, and also objected to the lateness of the "dreadfully banal" scripts, which were often written the night before filming.

 

-- Venture Into Legitimate Theatre

 

Until 1932 Robey had never played in legitimate theatre, although he had read Shakespeare from an early age. That year he took the part of King Menelaus in Helen!, which was an English-language adaptation by A. P. Herbert of Offenbach's operetta La belle Hélène.

 

The show's producer C. B. Cochran, a longstanding admirer of Robey, engaged a prestigious cast for the production, including Evelyn Laye and W. H. Berry, with choreography by Léonide Massine and sets by Oliver Messel.

 

The operetta opened on the 30th. January 1932, becoming the Adelphi Theatre's most successful show of the year. The critic Harold Conway wrote that, while Robey had reached the pinnacle of his career as a variety star, which only required him to rely on his "breezy, cheeky personality", he had reservations about the comedian's ability to "integrate himself with the other stars ... to learn many pages of dialogue, and to remember countless cues."

 

After the run of Helen!, Robey briefly resumed his commitments to the variety stage before signing a contract to appear at the Savoy Theatre as Bold Ben Blister in the operetta Jolly Roger, which premiered in March 1933.

 

The production had a run of bad luck, including an actors' strike which was caused by Robey's refusal to join the actors' union Equity. The dispute was settled when he was included as a co-producer of the show, thus excluding him as a full-time actor. Robey made a substantial donation to the union, and the production went ahead.

 

Despite its troubles, the show was a success, and received much praise from the press. Harold Conway of the Daily Mail called the piece:

 

"One of the outstanding triumphs

of personality witnessed in a

London theatre".

 

Later that year, Robey completed his final autobiography, 'Looking Back on Life'. The literary critic Graham Sutton admired Robey for his honest and frank account, and thought that he was "at his best when most personal".

 

-- George Robey's Shakespearean Roles

 

According to Wilson, Robey revered Shakespeare and had an "excellent reading knowledge of the Bard" even though the comedian had never seen a Shakespeare play. As a child, he had committed to memory the "ghost" scene in Hamlet.

 

Writing in 1933, Cochran expressed the opinion that Robey had been a victim of a largely conservative and "snobbish" attitude from theatre managers, that the comedian was "cut out for Shakespeare", and that if he had been frequently engaged in playing the Bard's works, then "Shakespeare would probably have been popular."

 

In 1934, the theatre director Sydney Carroll offered Robey the chance to appear as Nick Bottom in A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park, but he initially declined the offer, citing a hectic schedule, including a conflict with his appearance in that year's Royal Variety Performance on the 8th. May.

 

George was also concerned that he would not be taken seriously by legitimate theatre critics, and knew that he would not be able to include a comic sketch or to engage in his customary resourceful gagging.

 

In the same year, Robey starred in a film version of the hit musical Chu Chin Chow. The New York Times called him "a lovable and laughable Ali Baba".

 

At the start of 1935 Robey accepted his first Shakespearean role, as Falstaff in Henry IV, Part 1, which surprised the press and worried fans who thought that he might retire the Prime Minister of Mirth.

 

The theatrical press were sceptical of a music hall performer taking on such a distinguished role; Carroll, the play's producer, vehemently defended his casting choice. Carroll later admitted taking a gamble on employing Robey, but wrote that:

 

"George Robey has unlimited courage

in challenging criticism and risking his

reputation on a venture of this kind; he

takes both his past and his future in both

hands, and is faced with the alternative

of dashing them into the depths or lifting

them to a height hitherto undreamt of."

 

Carroll further opined that:

 

"Robey has never failed in anything he

has undertaken. He is one of the most

intelligent and capable of actors."

 

Henry IV, Part I opened on the 28th. February at Her Majesty's Theatre, and Robey proved himself to be a capable Shakespearean actor, though his Shakespearean debut was marred initially by an inability to remember his lines.

 

A journalist from The Daily Express thought that Robey seemed uncomfortable, displayed a halting delivery and was "far from word perfect".

 

Writing in The Observer, the critic Ivor Brown said of Robey's portrayal:

 

"In no performance within my memory

has the actor been more obviously the

afflicted servant of his lines and more

obviously the omnipotent master of the

situation".

 

Another journalist, writing in the Daily Mirror, thought that:

 

"Robey gave 25 percent of

Shakespeare and 75 percent

of himself".

 

In any event, such was Robey's popularity in the role that the German theatre and film producer Max Reinhardt declared that, should the opportunity arise for a film version, the comedian would be his perfect choice as Falstaff.

 

Cotes described Robey as having:

 

"A great vitality and immense command

of the role. He never faltered, he had to

take his audience by the throat and make

them attentive at once because he couldn't

play himself in."

 

Although George was eager to be taken seriously as a legitimate actor, Robey provided a subtle nod in the direction of his comic career by using the wooden cane intended for the Prime Minister of Mirth for the majority of his scenes as Falstaff.

 

The poet John Betjeman responded to the critics' early scepticism:

 

"Variety artistes are a separate world

from the legitimate stage. They are

separate too, from ballet, opera, and

musical comedy.

It is possible for variety artists to

appear in all of these. Indeed, no one

who saw will ever forget the superb

pathos and humour of George Robey's

Falstaff".

 

Later, in 1935, Blanche Littler persuaded Robey to accept Carroll's earlier offer to play Bottom, and the comedian cancelled three weeks' worth of dates. The press were complimentary of his performance, and he later attributed his success to Littler and her encouragement.

 

-- George Robey's Later Career: 1936–1950

 

Robey was interviewed for The Spice of Life programme for the BBC in 1936. He spoke about his time spent on the music hall circuit, which he described as the "most enjoyable experience" of his life.

 

The usually reserved Robey admitted that privately he was not a sociable person, and that he often grew tired of his audiences while performing on stage, but that he got his biggest thrill from making others laugh.

 

He also declared a love for the outdoors, and mentioned that, to relax, he would draw "comic scribbles" of himself as the Prime Minister of Mirth, which he would occasionally give to fans. As a result of the interview he received more than a thousand fan letters from listeners.

 

Wilson thought that Robey's "perfect diction and intimate manner made him an ideal broadcast speaker". The press commented favourably on his performance, with one reporter from Variety Life writing:

 

"I doubt whether any speaker other than

a stage idol could have used, as Robey

did, the first person singular almost

incessantly for half an hour without

causing something akin to resentment. ...

The comedian's talk was brilliantly

conceived and written."

 

In the later months of 1936, Robey repeated his radio success with a thirty-minute programme entitled "Music-Hall", recorded for American audiences, to honour the tenth birthday of the National Broadcasting Corporation. In it, he presented a montage of his characterisations, as well as impressions of other famous acts of the day.

 

A second programme, which he recorded the following year, featured George speaking fondly of cricket and of the many well-known players whom he had met on his frequent visits to the Oval and Lord's cricket grounds over his fifty-year association.

 

In the summer of 1938 Robey appeared in the film A Girl Must Live, directed by Carol Reed, in which he played the role of Horace Blount. A report in the Kinematograph Weekly commented that:

 

"The 69-year-old comedian

is still able to stand up to the

screen by day, and variety

by night."

 

A journalist for The Times opined that Robey's performance as an elderly furrier, the love interest of both Margaret Lockwood and Lilli Palmer, was "a perfect study in bewildered embarrassment".

 

Robey made his television debut in August 1938, but was unenthused with the medium, and only made rare appearances. The BBC producer Grace Wyndham Goldie was dismayed at how little of his "comic quality" was conveyed on the small screen.

 

Goldie thought that Robey's comic abilities were not limited to his voice, and depended largely on the relation between his facial expressions and his witty words. She felt that:

 

"He should be forbidden, by his own

angel, if nobody else, to approach

the ordinary microphone".

 

Nonetheless, Goldie remained optimistic about Robey's future television career. The journalist L. Marsland Gander disagreed, and thought that Robey's methods were "really too slow for television".

 

That November, and with his divorce from Ethel finalised, Robey married Blanche Littler, who was more than two decades his junior, at Marylebone Town Hall.

 

At Christmas, he fractured three ribs and bruised his spine when he accidentally fell into the orchestra pit while appearing in the 1938–39 pantomime Robinson Crusoe in Birmingham. George attributed the fall to his face mask, which gave him a limited view of the stage.

 

The critic Harold Conway was less forgiving, blaming the accident on the comedian's "lost self-confidence" and opining that the accident was the start of Robey's professional decline.

 

-- George Robey in the Second World War

 

Aware of demand for his act in Australia, Robey conducted a second tour of the country at the start of 1939. While he was appearing at the Tivoli Theatre in Sydney, war broke out with Germany.

 

Robey returned to England and concentrated his efforts on entertaining in order to raise money for the war effort. He signed up with the Entertainments National Service Association (ENSA) for whom he appeared in a wide range of shows, and also in his own one-man engagements.

 

He would sometimes turn up unannounced to perform at hospitals, munition factories, airfields, anti-aircraft posts and other venues where there was an audience of just a few people.

 

During the 1940's, Robey appeared predominantly in troop concerts as himself, but caused controversy by jokingly supporting the Nazis and belittling black people during his act. His intentions were to gently poke fun at the "Little Englanders", but audiences thought that he was sympathising with Nazism.

 

George's jocular view that a defeat for Hitler would mean a victory for bolshevism was highlighted in a series of controversial interviews, which caused him much embarrassment when challenged and which he regretted afterwards. His views became known in the press as "Robeyisms", and they drew increasing criticism, but his Prime Minister of Mirth remained popular, and he used the character to divert the negative publicity.

 

Cotes wrote that:

 

"Robey was not a politician, merely a

jingoist, who lived long enough to feel

that his little-Englander outlook was

causing him acute embarrassment, and

his army of admirers deep dismay."

 

Robey starred in the film Salute John Citizen in 1942, about the effects that the war had on a normal British family. In a 1944 review of the film, Robey was described as being "convincing in an important role" but the film itself had "dull moments in the simple tale".

 

That Christmas, Robey travelled to Bristol, where he starred in the pantomime Robinson Crusoe. A further four films followed in 1943, one of which promoted war propaganda while the other two displayed the popular medium of cine-variety. Cine-variety introduced Robey to the Astoria in Finsbury Park, London, a venue which was used to huge audiences and big-name acts and was described as "a super-cinema".

 

During the early months of 1944, Robey returned to the role of Falstaff when he appeared in the film version of Henry V, produced by Eagle-Lion Films. The American film critic Bosley Crowther had mixed opinions of the film. Writing in The New York Times in 1946, he thought that:

 

"It showcased a fine group of British film

craftsmen and actors who contributed to

a stunningly brilliant and intriguing screen

spectacle. Despite this, the film's additional

screenplay was poor, and Falstaff's deathbed

scene was non-essential and just a bit

grotesque."

 

Late in 1944, George appeared in Burnley in a show entitled Vive Paree alongside Janice Hart and Frank O'Brian. In 1945, Robey starred in two minor film roles, as "Old Sam" in The Trojan Brothers, a short comedy film in which two actors experience various problems as a pantomime horse, and as "Vogel" in the musical romance Waltz Time.

 

-- George Robey's Final Years

 

George spent 1947 touring England, while the following spring he undertook a provincial tour of Frederick Bowyer's fairy play The Windmill Man, which he also co-produced with his wife.

 

In June 1951, now aged 81, Robey starred in a midnight gala performance at the London Palladium in aid of the family of Sid Field who had died that year. For the finale, Robey performed "I Stopped, I Looked, I Listened" and "If You Were the Only Girl in the World". The rest of the three-hour performance featured celebrities from radio, television and film.

 

The American comedian Danny Kaye, who was also engaged for the performance, called Robey:

 

"A great, great artist".

 

The same month, Robey returned to Birmingham, where he opened a garden party at St. Mary and St. Ambrose Church, a venue in which he had appeared at the beginning of his career. On the 25th. September George appeared for the BBC in an edition of the radio series Desert Island Discs for which he chose among others "Mondo ladro", Falstaff's rueful complaint about the wicked world in Verdi's opera Falstaff.

 

For the rest of the year Robey made personal appearances opening fêtes and attending charity events.

 

Robey took part in the Festival of Variety for the BBC in 1951, which paid tribute to the British music hall. For his performance, he adopted an ad-lib style rather than use a script. His wife sat at the side of the stage, ready to provide support should he need it. Robey's turn earned the loudest applause of the evening.

 

The following month Robey undertook a long provincial tour in the variety show Do You Remember? under the management of Bernard Delfont. After an evening's performance in Sheffield, he was asked by a local newspaper reporter if he considered retiring. The comedian quipped:

 

"Me retire? Good gracious, I'm too

old for that. I could not think of

starting a new career at my age!"

 

In December 1951, he opened the Lansbury Lodge home for retired cricketers in Poplar, East London; he considered the ceremony to be one of the "happiest memories of his life."

 

By early 1952, Robey was becoming noticeably frail, and he lost interest in many of his sporting pastimes. Instead, he stayed at home and drew comic sketches featuring the Prime Minister of Mirth.

 

In May he filmed The Pickwick Papers, in which he played the role of old Tony Weller, a part which he had initially turned down on health grounds. The following year, and in aid of the games fund, he starred as Clown in a short pantomime at the Olympic Variety Show at the Victoria Palace Theatre.

 

Organisers asked for him to appear in the Prime Minister of Mirth costume instead of the usual clown garb, a request the comedian was happy to fulfil.

 

-- Sir George Robey's Knighthood and Death

 

In the early months of 1954, a knighthood was conferred on Robey by Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother at Buckingham Palace. However during the following weeks, George's health declined; he became confined to a wheelchair, and spent the majority of his time at home under the care of his wife.

 

In May he opened a British Red Cross fête in Seaford, East Sussex, and, a month later, made his last public appearance, on television as a panellist in the English version of The Name's the Same.

 

Wilson called Robey's performance "pathetic" and thought that:

 

"He appeared with only

a hint of his old self".

 

By June George had become housebound, and quietly celebrated his 85th. birthday surrounded by family; visiting friends were organised into appointments by his wife Blanche, but theatrical colleagues were barred in case they caused the comedian too much excitement.

 

Robey suffered a stroke on the 20th. November 1954, and remained in a semi-coma for just over a week. He died at the age of 85 on the 29th. November 1954 at his home in Saltdean, East Sussex, and was cremated at the Downs Crematorium in Brighton.

 

Blanche continued to live on the Sussex coast until her death at the age of 83 in 1981.

 

-- Sir George Robey's Legacy

 

Following his death, Robey's costume for the Prime Minister of Mirth was donated to the London Museum.

 

In his lifetime, Robey helped to earn more than £2,000,000 for charitable causes, with £500,000 of that figure being raised during the Great War.

 

In recognition of his efforts, the Merchant Seaman's Convalescent Home in Limpsfield, Surrey, named a ward after him, and the Royal Sussex Hospital later bought a new dialysis machine in his memory.

 

-- Tributes to George Robey

 

News of Robey's death prompted tributes from the press, who printed illustrations, anecdotes and reminders of his stage performances and charitable activities. A reporter from the Daily Worked wrote:

 

"Knighthood notwithstanding, George

Robey long ago made himself a place

as an entertainer and artist of the people."

 

A critic for the Daily Mail wrote:

 

"Personality has become a wildly

misused word since his heyday, but

George Robey breathed it in every

pore."

 

In Robey's obituary in The Spectator, Compton Mackenzie called the comedian:

 

"One of the last great figures of

the late Victorian and Edwardian

music-hall."

 

In December 1954, a memorial service for Robey was held at St. Paul's Cathedral. The diverse congregation consisted of royalty, actors, hospital workers, stage personnel, students and taxi drivers, among others.

 

The Bishop of Stepney, Joost de Blank, said:

 

"We have lost a great English music

hall artist, one of the greatest this

country has known in the late

nineteenth and twentieth centuries."

 

Performers gave readings at the service, including the comedian Leslie Henson, who called Robey:

 

"That great obstinate

bullock of variety".

 

Robey's comic delivery influenced other comedians, but opinions of his effectiveness as a comic vary. The radio personality Robb Wilton acknowledged learning a lot from him, and although he felt that:

 

"Robey was not very funny, but

he could time a comic situation

perfectly."

 

Similarly, the comedian Charlie Chester admitted that:

 

"As a comedian, Robey still didn't

make me laugh, although he was

a legend whose Prime Minister of

Mirth character used a beautiful

make-up design."

 

Robey's biographer Peter Cotes disagreed with these assessments, praising the comedian's "droll-like humour," and comparing it in greatness to Chaplin's miming and Grock's clowning. Cotes wrote:

 

"His Mayor, Professor of Music, Saracen,

Dame Trot, Queen of Hearts, District Nurse,

Pro's Landlady, and of course his immortal

Prime Minister, were all absurdities: rich,

outsize in prim and pride, gloriously

disapproving bureaucratic petty officialdom

at its worst, best and funniest."

 

Violet Loraine called her former co-star:

 

"One of the greatest comedians

the world has ever known".

 

The theatrical producer Basil Dean opined that:

 

"George was a great artist, one of

the last and really big figures of

his era. They don't breed them like

that now."

 

The actor John Gielgud, who remembered meeting Robey at the Alhambra Theatre in 1953, called the comedian:

 

"Charming, gracious, and one of the

few really great ones of the music

hall era."

sur la ligne 1 à destination de Schuman – Delaville (Cherbourg-en-Cotentin), arrêt Provinces, avenue de Normandie, Cherbourg-en-Cotentin (Manche (50), Normandie, France, FR)

African bush elephant

 

Afrikanischer Elefant

 

Kruger National Park is one of the largest game reserves in Africa. It covers an area of 19,485 km2 (7,523 sq mi) in the provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga in northeastern South Africa, and extends 360 km (220 mi) from north to south and 65 km (40 mi) from east to west. The administrative headquarters are in Skukuza. Areas of the park were first protected by the government of the South African Republic in 1898, and it became South Africa's first national park in 1926.

 

To the west and south of the Kruger National Park are the two South African provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga. In the north is Zimbabwe, and to the east is Mozambique. It is now part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, a peace park that links Kruger National Park with the Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe, and with the Limpopo National Park in Mozambique.

 

The park is part of the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere an area designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as an International Man and Biosphere Reserve (the "Biosphere").

 

The park has nine main gates allowing entrance to the different camps.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

Name

 

African Elephant or African Bush Elephant [Loxodonta africana]

 

Introduction

 

The Elephant is the world's largest land mammal, and weighs up to 7 tonnes and reaches heights of 3.3 m at the shoulder. Elephants can live to a potential age of 70 years. The massive tusks of older bulls can weigh up to 50 or 60 kilograms, but tusks weighing up to 90 kilograms have been recorded.

 

Appearance

 

What is the trunk and what is it used for?

The Elephant's trunk is a modified nose which is very sensitive and can even detect water under ground. There are as many as 50 000 muscles in an Elephant trunk. The sensitive finger-like appendages at the tip of the trunk enables them to pick the smallest twig or flower, pull the toughest reed of grass or even pick out a thorn from their feet.

 

Do elephants have knees or elbows?

 

The joints that are perceived as 'knees', are in fact wrists. This is a common misunderstanding due to the belief that a leg joint that bends between the foot and the body must be a knee. The main difference between us and the elephants is that our foot bones and hand bones are separate, whereas those of the elephant are one in the same, and have evolved to suit this four-legged mammal.

 

Why do elephants have tusks?

 

The tusks are used for obtaining food, fighting (amongst males) and for self defence. They are actually their upper incisors, and grow continuously until they die at around 60 years old. Although their skin is up to 3cm (1 inch) thick, it is quite sensitive.

 

Diet

 

Elephants are voracious feeders which in a day consume up to 272 kg (600 pounds) of grass, tender shoots and bark from trees. An adult Elephant can drink up to 200 litres of water in a single session. A single Elephant deposits up to 150kg (330 pounds) of dung every day - about one dollop every 15 minutes!

 

Breeding

 

African Elephant are not seasonal breeders. Generally they produce one calf every 3 to 4 years. The gestation period is about 22 months. At birth calves weigh about 100 kg (220 pounds) and are fully weaned between 18-24 months. An orphaned calf will usually be adopted by one of the family's lactating females or suckled by various females. Elephants are very attentive mothers, and because most Elephant behavior has to be learned, they keep their offspring with them for many years. Tusks erupt at 16 months but do not show externally until 30 months. Once weaned, usually at age 4 or 5, the calf still remains in the maternal group. Females mature at about 11 years and stay in the group, while the males, which mature between 12 and 15, are usually expelled from the maternal herd. Even though these young males are sexually mature, they do not breed until they are in their mid, or late 20s or even older and have moved up in the social hierarchy.

 

Behaviour

 

Mature males form bachelor groups and become solitary bulls. Elephant form strong family units of cows, calves and young offspring. Such herds are always led by an old female. Apart from drinking large quantities of water they also love wading or swimming in it. Elephants clearly relish mud baths.

It was once thought that family groups were led by old bull elephants, but these males are most often solitary. The female family groups are often visited by mature males checking for females in oestrus. Several interrelated family groups may inhabit an area and know each other well.

 

How do you tell an elephant's mock charge from a serious one?

 

It is imperative to keep in mind that Elephant are extremely intelligent, and each individual has a distinct character. Although there will be exceptions to the rules, the common signs of a mock charge are bush-bashing, dust-throwing, trumpeting and other vocalizations, open ears and an intimidating presence, can be considered a mock-display. Aggressive or startled elephants usually make sudden headshakes and flap their large ears against their head. Serious charges usually occur after all attempts to intimidate have failed, and the Elephant feels threatened. The ears are pinned back and head and trunk are lowered. Ultimately, the key lies in the intelligence of the animal and how they will react to the 'target' and unfamiliar actions, and a conscious decision is made.

 

Why do elephants rhythmically flap their ears?

 

Contrary to common belief, it is not an expression of anger. Being an animal of such a large size, with no sweat glands and a dark body colour, elephants flap their ears to cool the body and rid themselves of irritating insects.

 

Where are they found?

 

Once ranging across most of Africa the Elephant population has declined dramatically across the continent. In South Africa the Addo Elephant and Kruger National Park protect large herds. Due to rigorous conservation measures the Elephant population in South Africa has grown from a estimated 120 in 1920 in 4 locations, to 10 000 at 40 locations to date.

 

Notes

 

The African Elephant has recently been classified into two separate species, the more common African Bush Elephant [Loxodonta Africana] and the smaller African Forest Elephant [Loxodonta cyclotis] of the rainforest of Central Africa.

 

(krugerpark.co.za)

 

Der Kruger-Nationalpark (deutsch häufig falsch Krüger-Nationalpark) ist das größte Wildschutzgebiet Südafrikas. Er liegt im Nordosten des Landes in der Landschaft des Lowveld auf dem Gebiet der Provinz Limpopo sowie des östlichen Abschnitts von Mpumalanga. Seine Fläche erstreckt sich vom Crocodile-River im Süden bis zum Limpopo, dem Grenzfluss zu Simbabwe, im Norden. Die Nord-Süd-Ausdehnung beträgt etwa 350 km, in Ost-West-Richtung ist der Park durchschnittlich 54 km breit und umfasst eine Fläche von rund 20.000 Quadratkilometern. Damit gehört er zu den größten Nationalparks in Afrika.

 

Das Schutzgebiet wurde am 26. März 1898 unter dem Präsidenten Paul Kruger als Sabie Game Reserve zum Schutz der Wildnis gegründet. 1926 erhielt das Gebiet den Status Nationalpark und wurde in seinen heutigen Namen umbenannt. Im Park leben 147 Säugetierarten inklusive der „Big Five“, außerdem etwa 507 Vogelarten und 114 Reptilienarten, 49 Fischarten und 34 Amphibienarten.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

Der Afrikanische Elefant (Loxodonta africana), auch Afrikanischer Steppenelefant oder Afrikanischer Buschelefant, ist eine Art aus der Familie der Elefanten. Er ist das größte gegenwärtig lebende Landsäugetier und gleichzeitig das größte rezente landbewohnende Tier der Erde. Herausragende Kennzeichen sind neben den Stoßzähnen und dem markanten Rüssel die großen Ohren und die säulenförmigen Beine. In zahlreichen morphologischen und anatomischen Merkmalen unterscheidet sich der Afrikanische Elefant von seinen etwas kleineren Verwandten, dem Waldelefanten und dem Asiatischen Elefanten. Das Verbreitungsgebiet umfasst heute große Teile von Afrika südlich der Sahara. Die Tiere haben sich dort an zahlreiche unterschiedliche Lebensräume angepasst, die von geschlossenen Wäldern über offene Savannenlandschaften bis hin zu Sumpfgebieten und wüstenartigen Regionen reichen. Insgesamt ist das Vorkommen aber stark fragmentiert.

 

Die Lebensweise des Afrikanischen Elefanten ist durch intensive Studien gut erforscht. Sie wird durch einen stark sozialen Charakter geprägt. Weibliche Tiere und ihr Nachwuchs leben in Familienverbänden (Herden). Diese formieren sich wiederum zu einem enger verwandten Clan. Die einzelnen Herden treffen sich zu bestimmten Gelegenheiten und trennen sich danach wieder. Die männlichen Tiere bilden Junggesellengruppen. Die verschiedenen Verbände nutzen Aktionsräume, in denen sie teils im Jahreszyklus herumwandern. Für die Kommunikation untereinander nutzen die Tiere verschiedene Töne im niedrigen Frequenzbereich. Anhand der Lautgebung, aber auch durch bestimmte chemische Signale können sich die einzelnen Individuen untereinander erkennen. Darüber hinaus besteht ein umfangreiches Repertoire an Gesten. Hervorzuheben sind auch die kognitiven Fähigkeiten des Afrikanischen Elefanten.

 

Die Nahrung besteht sowohl aus weicher wie auch harter Pflanzenkost. Die genaue Zusammensetzung variiert dabei regional und jahreszeitlich. Generell verbringt der Afrikanische Elefant einen großen Teil seiner Tagesaktivitäten mit der Nahrungsaufnahme. Die Fortpflanzung erfolgt ganzjährig, regional gibt es Tendenzen zu einer stärkeren Saisonalisierung. Bullen kommen einmal jährlich in die Musth, während deren sie auf Wanderung zur Suche nach fortpflanzungswilligen Kühen gehen. Während der Musth ist die Aggressivität gesteigert, es finden dann auch Rivalenkämpfe statt. Der Sexualzyklus der Kühe dauert vergleichsweise lange und weist einen für Säugetiere untypischen Verlauf auf. Nach erfolgter Geburt setzt er in der Regel mehrere Jahre aus. Zumeist wird nach fast zweijähriger Tragzeit ein Jungtier geboren, das in der mütterlichen Herde aufwächst. Junge weibliche Tiere verbleiben später in der Herde, die jungen männlichen verlassen diese.

 

Die wissenschaftliche Erstbeschreibung des Afrikanischen Elefanten erfolgte im Jahr 1797 mit einer formalen artlichen Trennung des Afrikanischen vom Asiatischen Elefanten. Der heute gebräuchliche Gattungsname Loxodonta wurde offiziell erst dreißig Jahre später eingeführt. Die Bezeichnung bezieht sich auf markante Zahnunterschiede zwischen den asiatischen und den afrikanischen Elefanten. Im Verlauf des 20. Jahrhunderts wurden mehrere Unterarten unterschieden, darunter auch der Waldelefant des zentralen Afrikas. Letzterer gilt heute genetischen Untersuchungen zufolge als eigenständige Art, die weiteren Unterarten sind nicht anerkannt. Stammesgeschichtlich lässt sich der Afrikanische Elefant erstmals im beginnenden Mittleren Pleistozän belegen. Der Gesamtbestand gilt als gefährdet. Ursachen hierfür sind hauptsächlich die Jagd nach Elfenbein und Lebensraumverlust durch die zunehmend wachsende menschliche Bevölkerung. Der Afrikanische Elefant zählt zu den sogenannten „Big Five“ von Großwildjagd und Safari.

 

(Wikipedia)

Five provinces circled the area of Tonle Sap Lake, more than three million of population inhabited around the bank of the Lake and 90% of them earn a living by catching fish and making agricultures.

 

Photo taken during recent trip to Cambodia. Photo edited in Lightroom.

[ENG] ______________________________________________

The Monegros it is an Aragonese region (Spain) placed in the Depression of the Ebro river, in the provinces of Saragossa and Huesca, whose surface is of 2.764,4 km2, and it is lived by 21.238 inhabitants (INE 2008) distributed in 31 municipalities, being the most important Sariñena. It is an area with a semi-desert climate that suffers chronic droughts and high temperatures in summer. Alcubierre's saw crosses the region of northwest to south-east, reaching his major height in the monte Oscuro (Dark mount), with 822 m.

 

Jubierre is an uninhabited place placed in Castejón de Monegros's municipal area (Huesca, Spain), and is one of the most impressive zones of The Monegros. It is a wide space in decline that connects Sariñena's depression, where it circulates the river Alcanadre, and the top platform. The nature of his geological structure, sensitively horizontal, in that there are alternated strata of hard and soft rocks, It has favored the formation of an important network of ravines. The intensity of the erosion has given place to all kinds of reliefs and very singular forms.

 

Tozal is a word that is in use in Aragon and that the dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy defines as "teso", and one of his meanings is "low Hill that has some flat extension in the top".

 

The Tozales de Jubierre is a few singular formations that can be admired crossing several routes afoot (approximation in car), in bicycle and astride, and that do not make anybody indifferent.

 

[ESP] ______________________________________________

Los Monegros es una comarca aragonesa (España) situada en la Depresión del Ebro, en las provincias de Zaragoza y Huesca, cuya superficie es de 2.764,4 km2, y está habitada por 21.238 habitantes (INE 2008) distribuidos en 31 municipios, siendo Sariñena el más importante. Es una área con un clima semi-desértico que sufre sequías crónicas y altas temperaturas en verano. La sierra de Alcubierre cruza la comarca de noroeste a sureste, alcanzando su mayor altura en el monte Oscuro, con 822 m.

 

Jubierre es un paraje despoblado situado en el término municipal de Castejón de Monegros (Huesca, España), y es una de las zonas más impresionantes de Los Monegros. Es un amplio espacio en declive que conecta la depresión de Sariñena, por donde circula el río Alcanadre, y la plataforma superior. La naturaleza de su estructura geológica, sensiblemente horizontal, en la que se alternan estratos de rocas duras y blandas, ha favorecido la formación de una importante red de barrancos. La intensidad de la erosión ha dado lugar a todo tipo de relieves y formas muy singulares.

 

Tozal es una palabra que se utiliza en Aragón y que el diccionario de la Real Academia Española define como “teso”, y una de sus acepciones es “Colina baja que tiene alguna extensión llana en la cima”.

 

Los Tozales de Jubierre son unas singulares formaciones que se pueden admirar recorriendo varias rutas a pie (aproximación en coche), en bicicleta y a caballo, y que no dejan a nadie indiferente.

 

143866

Impalas

 

Kruger National Park is one of the largest game reserves in Africa. It covers an area of 19,485 km2 (7,523 sq mi) in the provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga in northeastern South Africa, and extends 360 km (220 mi) from north to south and 65 km (40 mi) from east to west. The administrative headquarters are in Skukuza. Areas of the park were first protected by the government of the South African Republic in 1898, and it became South Africa's first national park in 1926.

 

To the west and south of the Kruger National Park are the two South African provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga. In the north is Zimbabwe, and to the east is Mozambique. It is now part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, a peace park that links Kruger National Park with the Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe, and with the Limpopo National Park in Mozambique.

 

The park is part of the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere an area designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as an International Man and Biosphere Reserve (the "Biosphere").

 

The park has nine main gates allowing entrance to the different camps.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

The impala (/ɪmˈpɑːlə, -ˈpælə/, Aepyceros melampus) is a medium-sized antelope found in eastern and southern Africa. The sole member of the genus Aepyceros, it was first described to European audiences by German zoologist Hinrich Lichtenstein in 1812. Two subspecies are recognised—the common impala, and the larger and darker black-faced impala. The impala reaches 70–92 centimetres (28–36 inches) at the shoulder and weighs 40–76 kg (88–168 lb). It features a glossy, reddish brown coat. The male's slender, lyre-shaped horns are 45–92 centimetres (18–36 inches) long.

 

Active mainly during the day, the impala may be gregarious or territorial depending upon the climate and geography. Three distinct social groups can be observed: the territorial males, bachelor herds and female herds. The impala is known for two characteristic leaps that constitute an anti-predator strategy. Browsers as well as grazers, impala feed on monocots, dicots, forbs, fruits and acacia pods (whenever available). An annual, three-week-long rut takes place toward the end of the wet season, typically in May. Rutting males fight over dominance, and the victorious male courts female in oestrus. Gestation lasts six to seven months, following which a single calf is born and immediately concealed in cover. Calves are suckled for four to six months; young males—forced out of the all-female groups—join bachelor herds, while females may stay back.

 

The impala is found in woodlands and sometimes on the interface (ecotone) between woodlands and savannahs; it inhabits places close to water. While the black-faced impala is confined to southwestern Angola and Kaokoland in northwestern Namibia, the common impala is widespread across its range and has been reintroduced in Gabon and southern Africa. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies the impala as a species of least concern; the black-faced subspecies has been classified as a vulnerable species, with less than 1,000 individuals remaining in the wild as of 2008.

 

The first attested English name, in 1802, was palla or pallah, from the Tswana phala 'red antelope'; the name impala, also spelled impalla or mpala, is first attested in 1875. Its Afrikaans name, rooibok 'red buck', is also sometimes used in English.

 

The scientific generic name Aepyceros (lit. ‘high-horned’) comes from Ancient Greek αἰπύς (aipus, 'high, steep') + κέρας (keras, 'horn'); the specific name melampus (lit. ‘black-foot’) from μελάς (melas, 'black') + πούς (pous, 'foot').

 

The impala is a medium-sized, slender antelope similar to the kob or Grant's gazelle in build. The head-and-body length is around 130 centimetres (51 in). Males reach approximately 75–92 centimetres (30–36 in) at the shoulder, while females are 70–85 centimetres (28–33 in) tall. Males typically weigh 53–76 kilograms (117–168 lb) and females 40–53 kilograms (88–117 lb). Sexually dimorphic, females are hornless and smaller than males. Males grow slender, lyre-shaped horns 45–92 centimetres (18–36 in) long. The horns, strongly ridged and divergent, are circular in section and hollow at the base. Their arch-like structure allows interlocking of horns, which helps a male throw off his opponent during fights; horns also protect the skull from damage.

 

The glossy coat of the impala shows two-tone colouration – the reddish brown back and the tan flanks; these are in sharp contrast to the white underbelly. Facial features include white rings around the eyes and a light chin and snout. The ears, 17 centimetres (6.7 in) long, are tipped with black. Black streaks run from the buttocks to the upper hindlegs. The bushy white tail, 30 centimetres (12 in) long, features a solid black stripe along the midline. The impala's colouration bears a strong resemblance to the gerenuk, which has shorter horns and lacks the black thigh stripes of the impala. The impala has scent glands covered by a black tuft of hair on the hindlegs. Sebaceous glands concentrated on the forehead and dispersed on the torso of dominant males are most active during the mating season, while those of females are only partially developed and do not undergo seasonal changes. There are four nipples.

 

Of the subspecies, the black-faced impala is significantly larger and darker than the common impala; melanism is responsible for the black colouration. Distinctive of the black-faced impala is a dark stripe, on either side of the nose, that runs upward to the eyes and thins as it reaches the forehead. Other differences include the larger black tip on the ear, and a bushier and nearly 30% longer tail in the black-faced impala.

 

The impala has a special dental arrangement on the front lower jaw similar to the toothcomb seen in strepsirrhine primates, which is used during allogrooming to comb the fur on the head and the neck and remove ectoparasites.

 

The impala is diurnal (active mainly during the day), though activity tends to cease during the hot midday hours; they feed and rest at night. Three distinct social groups can be observed – the territorial males, bachelor herds and female herds. The territorial males hold territories where they may form harems of females; territories are demarcated with urine and faeces and defended against juvenile or male intruders. Bachelor herds tend to be small, with less than 30 members. Individuals maintain distances of 2.5–3 metres (8.2–9.8 ft) from one another; while young and old males may interact, middle-aged males generally avoid one another except to spar. Female herds vary in size from 6 to 100; herds occupy home ranges of 80–180 hectares (200–440 acres; 0.31–0.69 sq mi). The mother–calf bond is weak, and breaks soon after weaning; juveniles leave the herds of their mothers to join other herds. Female herds tend to be loose and have no obvious leadership. Allogrooming is an important means of social interaction in bachelor and female herds; in fact, the impala appears to be the only ungulate to display self-grooming as well as allogrooming. In allogrooming, females typically groom related impalas, while males associate with unrelated ones. Each partner grooms the other six to twelve times.

 

Social behaviour is influenced by the climate and geography; as such, the impala are territorial at certain times of the year and gregarious at other times, and the length of these periods can vary broadly among populations. For instance, populations in southern Africa display territorial behaviour only during the few months of the rut, whereas in eastern African populations, territoriality is relatively minimal despite a protracted mating season. Moreover, territorial males often tolerate bachelors, and may even alternate between bachelorhood and territoriality at different times of the year. A study of impala in the Serengeti National Park showed that in 94% of the males, territoriality was observed for less than four months.

 

The impala is an important prey species for several carnivores, such as cheetahs, leopards and lions. The antelope displays two characteristic leaps – it can jump up to 3 metres (9.8 ft), over vegetation and even other impala, covering distances of up to 10 metres (33 ft); the other type of leap involves a series of jumps in which the animal lands on its forelegs, moves its hindlegs mid-air in a kicking fashion, lands on all fours (stotting) and then rebounds. It leaps in either manner in different directions, probably to confuse predators. At times, the impala may also conceal itself in vegetation to escape the eye of the predator. The most prominent vocalisation is the loud roar, delivered through one to three loud snorts with the mouth closed, followed by two to ten deep grunts with the mouth open and the chin and tail raised; a typical roar can be heard up to 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) away. Scent gland secretions identify a territorial male. Impalas are sedentary; adult and middle-aged males, in particular, can hold their territories for years.

 

The impala inhabits woodlands due to its preference for shade; it can also occur on the interface (ecotone) between woodlands and savannahs. Places close to water sources are preferred. In southern Africa, populations tend to be associated with Colophospermum mopane and Acacia woodlands. Habitat choices differ seasonally – Acacia senegal woodlands are preferred in the wet season, and A. drepanolobium savannahs in the dry season. Another factor that could influence habitat choice is vulnerability to predators; impala tend to keep away from areas with tall grasses as predators could be concealed there. A study found that the reduction of woodland cover and creation of shrublands by the African bush elephants has favoured impala population by increasing the availability of more dry season browse. Earlier, the Baikiaea woodland, which has now declined due to elephants, provided minimum browsing for impala. The newly formed Capparis shrubland, on the other hand, could be a key browsing habitat. Impala are generally not associated with montane habitats; however, in KwaZulu-Natal, impala have been recorded at altitudes of up to 1,400 metres (4,600 ft) above sea level.

 

The historical range of the impala – spanning across southern and eastern Africa – has remained intact to a great extent, although it has disappeared from a few places, such as Burundi. The range extends from central and southern Kenya and northeastern Uganda in the east to northern KwaZulu-Natal in the south, and westward up to Namibia and southern Angola. The black-faced impala is confined to southwestern Angola and Kaokoland in northwestern Namibia; the status of this subspecies has not been monitored since the 2000s. The common impala has a wider distribution, and has been introduced in protected areas in Gabon and across southern Africa.

 

The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) classifies the impala as a species of least concern overall. The black-faced impala, however, is classified as a vulnerable species; as of 2008, fewer than 1,000 were estimated in the wild. Though there are no major threats to the survival of the common impala, poaching and natural calamities have significantly contributed to the decline of the black-faced impala. As of 2008, the population of the common impala has been estimated at around two million. According to some studies, translocation of the black-faced impala can be highly beneficial in its conservation.

 

Around a quarter of the common impala populations occur in protected areas, such as the Okavango Delta (Botswana); Masai Mara and Kajiado (Kenya); Kruger National Park (South Africa); the Ruaha and Serengeti National Parks and Selous Game Reserve (Tanzania); Luangwa Valley (Zambia); Hwange, Sebungwe and Zambezi Valley (Zimbabwe). The rare black-faced impala has been introduced into private farms in Namibia and the Etosha National Park. Population densities vary largely from place to place; from less than one impala per square kilometre in Mkomazi National Park (Tanzania) to as high as 135 per square kilometre near Lake Kariba (Zimbabwe).

 

(Wikipedia)

 

Der Kruger-Nationalpark (deutsch häufig falsch Krüger-Nationalpark) ist das größte Wildschutzgebiet Südafrikas. Er liegt im Nordosten des Landes in der Landschaft des Lowveld auf dem Gebiet der Provinz Limpopo sowie des östlichen Abschnitts von Mpumalanga. Seine Fläche erstreckt sich vom Crocodile-River im Süden bis zum Limpopo, dem Grenzfluss zu Simbabwe, im Norden. Die Nord-Süd-Ausdehnung beträgt etwa 350 km, in Ost-West-Richtung ist der Park durchschnittlich 54 km breit und umfasst eine Fläche von rund 20.000 Quadratkilometern. Damit gehört er zu den größten Nationalparks in Afrika.

 

Das Schutzgebiet wurde am 26. März 1898 unter dem Präsidenten Paul Kruger als Sabie Game Reserve zum Schutz der Wildnis gegründet. 1926 erhielt das Gebiet den Status Nationalpark und wurde in seinen heutigen Namen umbenannt. Im Park leben 147 Säugetierarten inklusive der „Big Five“, außerdem etwa 507 Vogelarten und 114 Reptilienarten, 49 Fischarten und 34 Amphibienarten.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

Die Impalas (Aepyceros) sind eine Gattung mittelgroßer afrikanischer Antilopen, die gleichzeitig die monotypische Tribus Aepycerotini bilden. Wegen der äußerlichen Ähnlichkeit wurden die Impalas früher oft in die Nähe der Gazellen gestellt, nach neuen Erkenntnissen sind sie aber enger mit den Kuhantilopen verwandt.

 

Impalas erreichen eine Schulterhöhe von 90 cm und ein Gewicht von 40 kg (Weibchen) bis 65 kg (Männchen). Sie sind oben rehbraun gefärbt, die Flanken haben dabei eine etwas hellere Farbe. Der Unterbauch, die Brust, die Kehle und das Kinn sind weißlich. Den Steiß ziert beidseitig ein senkrechter schwarzer Streifen. Tarsalgelenk und Metacarpus sind dagegen schwarzbraun, weshalb diese Art auch Schwarzfersenantilope (A. melampus) genannt wird. Oberhalb des Hufes wächst an jedem Hinterlauf ein schwarzes Haarbüschel. Der Kopf ist zierlich, die Augen groß und die Ohren schmal und spitz. Bei der Schwarznasenimpala (A. petersi) ist ein namensgebender dunkler Streifen auf der Nase ausgebildet, der bei der Schwarzfersenantilope deutlich diffuser erscheint. Die Männchen haben leierartige Hörner, die bis zu 90 cm lang werden können und nach hinten, seitwärts und oben ausschwingen.

 

Das Verbreitungsgebiet der Schwarzfersenantilope reicht von Kenia und Uganda über Tansania, Sambia, Mosambik und Simbabwe bis nach Botswana und ins nordöstliche Südafrika. Isoliert von diesem Gebiet lebt eine weitere Population im Grenzgebiet von Angola und Namibia; diese wird als eigene Art abgetrennt, die Schwarznasenimpala. Diese Art ist besonders häufig im östlichen Teil des Etosha-Nationalparks in Namibia anzutreffen. Sie hat sich von dort im Verlaufe der letzten Jahre zunehmend auch in den westlichen Teilen des Nationalparks verbreitet, so dass sie heute auch an den Wasserlöchern um Okaukuejo vorkommt. Alle anderen Impalas sind näher miteinander verwandt und werden zumeist als eine einzige Art aufgefasst, die Schwarzfersenimpala, was auch durch genetische Analysen gestützt wird.

 

Eine ungewöhnliche Ansiedlung von Impalas fand 1976 im Calauit Game Preserve and Wildlife Sanctuary auf den Philippinen statt. Es ist die einzige frei lebende Population von Impalas außerhalb Afrikas.

 

Bevorzugtes Habitat der Impala ist die offene Savanne. Während der Fortpflanzungszeit bewacht ein Impalamännchen in der Regel eine Gruppe von Weibchen. Dabei geht er wie auf einer Parade hin und her, zeigt seine Hörner, legt die Ohren zurück und hebt seinen Schwanz. Der Kampf der Männchen um einen Harem lässt sich in drei Kampffolgen aufteilen. Im ersten Teil demonstriert der Herausforderer seine helle Bauchseite, gähnt und lässt die Zunge herausschnellen. Dann senkt das Männchen seinen Kopf als Herausforderung zum Kampf. In der zweiten Phase stehen sich die beiden Rivalen einander mit erhobenem Kopf gegenüber, rücken vor und ziehen sich wieder zurück. Gibt nach dieser Demonstrationsphase noch keines der Männchen auf, verkeilen die beiden Tiere die Hörner ineinander und schieben sich vor und zurück, trennen sich wieder und beginnen mit ihrem Schiebekampf wieder von vorne, bis eines der Tiere aufgibt. Blut fließt in der Regel nicht.

 

Weibliche Impalas leben mit ihren Jungen in Herden von zehn bis hundert Tieren. Von diesen getrennte Herden bilden junge und alte Männchen, die zu schwach sind, um ein Revier zu verteidigen. Männchen im mittleren Alter sind territoriale Einzelgänger und beanspruchen jedes Weibchen für sich, das ihr Revier durchwandert.

 

Auf der Flucht können Impalas hohe Geschwindigkeiten erreichen und bis zu 9 Meter weite Sprünge vollführen. Bei der Überquerung von z. B. Farmzäunen können sie außerdem bis zu 3 Meter hoch springen. Sie suchen allerdings meistens eine Deckung auf, anstatt allein auf ihre Geschwindigkeit zu vertrauen. Zu ihrer Verteidigungsstrategie gegenüber Hetzjägern wie dem Afrikanischen Wildhund zählen auch sogenannte Prellsprünge, bei denen die Antilopen steifbeinig in die Luft springen.

 

Die Tribus und die Gattung gliedern sich folgendermaßen:

 

Tribus Aepycerotini Gray, 1872

 

Gattung Aepyceros Sundevall, 1847

 

Schwarzfersenantilope oder Impala (Aepyceros melampus Lichtenstein, 1812)

Schwarznasenimpala (Aepyceros petersi Bocage, 1879)

 

Die IUCN stuft die Schwarzfersenantilope als „nicht gefährdet“ (least concern) ein. Die Schwarznasenimpala gilt als „gefährdet“ (vulnerable).

 

Der Name „Impala“ entstammt der Zulu-Sprache, die Betonung erfolgt auf das a in der Mitte (Impala). Chevrolet nannte sein 1957 erschienenes Full-Size Car Chevrolet Impala nach der Antilope.

 

(Wikpedia)

African bush elephants crossing the Sabie

 

Afrikanische Elefanten überqueren den Sabie

 

Kruger National Park is one of the largest game reserves in Africa. It covers an area of 19,485 km2 (7,523 sq mi) in the provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga in northeastern South Africa, and extends 360 km (220 mi) from north to south and 65 km (40 mi) from east to west. The administrative headquarters are in Skukuza. Areas of the park were first protected by the government of the South African Republic in 1898, and it became South Africa's first national park in 1926.

 

To the west and south of the Kruger National Park are the two South African provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga. In the north is Zimbabwe, and to the east is Mozambique. It is now part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, a peace park that links Kruger National Park with the Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe, and with the Limpopo National Park in Mozambique.

 

The park is part of the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere an area designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as an International Man and Biosphere Reserve (the "Biosphere").

 

The park has nine main gates allowing entrance to the different camps.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

Name

 

African Elephant or African Bush Elephant [Loxodonta africana]

 

Introduction

 

The Elephant is the world's largest land mammal, and weighs up to 7 tonnes and reaches heights of 3.3 m at the shoulder. Elephants can live to a potential age of 70 years. The massive tusks of older bulls can weigh up to 50 or 60 kilograms, but tusks weighing up to 90 kilograms have been recorded.

 

Appearance

 

What is the trunk and what is it used for?

The Elephant's trunk is a modified nose which is very sensitive and can even detect water under ground. There are as many as 50 000 muscles in an Elephant trunk. The sensitive finger-like appendages at the tip of the trunk enables them to pick the smallest twig or flower, pull the toughest reed of grass or even pick out a thorn from their feet.

 

Do elephants have knees or elbows?

 

The joints that are perceived as 'knees', are in fact wrists. This is a common misunderstanding due to the belief that a leg joint that bends between the foot and the body must be a knee. The main difference between us and the elephants is that our foot bones and hand bones are separate, whereas those of the elephant are one in the same, and have evolved to suit this four-legged mammal.

 

Why do elephants have tusks?

 

The tusks are used for obtaining food, fighting (amongst males) and for self defence. They are actually their upper incisors, and grow continuously until they die at around 60 years old. Although their skin is up to 3cm (1 inch) thick, it is quite sensitive.

 

Diet

 

Elephants are voracious feeders which in a day consume up to 272 kg (600 pounds) of grass, tender shoots and bark from trees. An adult Elephant can drink up to 200 litres of water in a single session. A single Elephant deposits up to 150kg (330 pounds) of dung every day - about one dollop every 15 minutes!

 

Breeding

 

African Elephant are not seasonal breeders. Generally they produce one calf every 3 to 4 years. The gestation period is about 22 months. At birth calves weigh about 100 kg (220 pounds) and are fully weaned between 18-24 months. An orphaned calf will usually be adopted by one of the family's lactating females or suckled by various females. Elephants are very attentive mothers, and because most Elephant behavior has to be learned, they keep their offspring with them for many years. Tusks erupt at 16 months but do not show externally until 30 months. Once weaned, usually at age 4 or 5, the calf still remains in the maternal group. Females mature at about 11 years and stay in the group, while the males, which mature between 12 and 15, are usually expelled from the maternal herd. Even though these young males are sexually mature, they do not breed until they are in their mid, or late 20s or even older and have moved up in the social hierarchy.

 

Behaviour

 

Mature males form bachelor groups and become solitary bulls. Elephant form strong family units of cows, calves and young offspring. Such herds are always led by an old female. Apart from drinking large quantities of water they also love wading or swimming in it. Elephants clearly relish mud baths.

It was once thought that family groups were led by old bull elephants, but these males are most often solitary. The female family groups are often visited by mature males checking for females in oestrus. Several interrelated family groups may inhabit an area and know each other well.

 

How do you tell an elephant's mock charge from a serious one?

 

It is imperative to keep in mind that Elephant are extremely intelligent, and each individual has a distinct character. Although there will be exceptions to the rules, the common signs of a mock charge are bush-bashing, dust-throwing, trumpeting and other vocalizations, open ears and an intimidating presence, can be considered a mock-display. Aggressive or startled elephants usually make sudden headshakes and flap their large ears against their head. Serious charges usually occur after all attempts to intimidate have failed, and the Elephant feels threatened. The ears are pinned back and head and trunk are lowered. Ultimately, the key lies in the intelligence of the animal and how they will react to the 'target' and unfamiliar actions, and a conscious decision is made.

 

Why do elephants rhythmically flap their ears?

 

Contrary to common belief, it is not an expression of anger. Being an animal of such a large size, with no sweat glands and a dark body colour, elephants flap their ears to cool the body and rid themselves of irritating insects.

 

Where are they found?

 

Once ranging across most of Africa the Elephant population has declined dramatically across the continent. In South Africa the Addo Elephant and Kruger National Park protect large herds. Due to rigorous conservation measures the Elephant population in South Africa has grown from a estimated 120 in 1920 in 4 locations, to 10 000 at 40 locations to date.

 

Notes

 

The African Elephant has recently been classified into two separate species, the more common African Bush Elephant [Loxodonta Africana] and the smaller African Forest Elephant [Loxodonta cyclotis] of the rainforest of Central Africa.

 

(krugerpark.co.za)

 

(Wikipedia)

 

Der Kruger-Nationalpark (deutsch häufig falsch Krüger-Nationalpark) ist das größte Wildschutzgebiet Südafrikas. Er liegt im Nordosten des Landes in der Landschaft des Lowveld auf dem Gebiet der Provinz Limpopo sowie des östlichen Abschnitts von Mpumalanga. Seine Fläche erstreckt sich vom Crocodile-River im Süden bis zum Limpopo, dem Grenzfluss zu Simbabwe, im Norden. Die Nord-Süd-Ausdehnung beträgt etwa 350 km, in Ost-West-Richtung ist der Park durchschnittlich 54 km breit und umfasst eine Fläche von rund 20.000 Quadratkilometern. Damit gehört er zu den größten Nationalparks in Afrika.

 

Das Schutzgebiet wurde am 26. März 1898 unter dem Präsidenten Paul Kruger als Sabie Game Reserve zum Schutz der Wildnis gegründet. 1926 erhielt das Gebiet den Status Nationalpark und wurde in seinen heutigen Namen umbenannt. Im Park leben 147 Säugetierarten inklusive der „Big Five“, außerdem etwa 507 Vogelarten und 114 Reptilienarten, 49 Fischarten und 34 Amphibienarten.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

Der Afrikanische Elefant (Loxodonta africana), auch Afrikanischer Steppenelefant oder Afrikanischer Buschelefant, ist eine Art aus der Familie der Elefanten. Er ist das größte gegenwärtig lebende Landsäugetier und gleichzeitig das größte rezente landbewohnende Tier der Erde. Herausragende Kennzeichen sind neben den Stoßzähnen und dem markanten Rüssel die großen Ohren und die säulenförmigen Beine. In zahlreichen morphologischen und anatomischen Merkmalen unterscheidet sich der Afrikanische Elefant von seinen etwas kleineren Verwandten, dem Waldelefanten und dem Asiatischen Elefanten. Das Verbreitungsgebiet umfasst heute große Teile von Afrika südlich der Sahara. Die Tiere haben sich dort an zahlreiche unterschiedliche Lebensräume angepasst, die von geschlossenen Wäldern über offene Savannenlandschaften bis hin zu Sumpfgebieten und wüstenartigen Regionen reichen. Insgesamt ist das Vorkommen aber stark fragmentiert.

 

Die Lebensweise des Afrikanischen Elefanten ist durch intensive Studien gut erforscht. Sie wird durch einen stark sozialen Charakter geprägt. Weibliche Tiere und ihr Nachwuchs leben in Familienverbänden (Herden). Diese formieren sich wiederum zu einem enger verwandten Clan. Die einzelnen Herden treffen sich zu bestimmten Gelegenheiten und trennen sich danach wieder. Die männlichen Tiere bilden Junggesellengruppen. Die verschiedenen Verbände nutzen Aktionsräume, in denen sie teils im Jahreszyklus herumwandern. Für die Kommunikation untereinander nutzen die Tiere verschiedene Töne im niedrigen Frequenzbereich. Anhand der Lautgebung, aber auch durch bestimmte chemische Signale können sich die einzelnen Individuen untereinander erkennen. Darüber hinaus besteht ein umfangreiches Repertoire an Gesten. Hervorzuheben sind auch die kognitiven Fähigkeiten des Afrikanischen Elefanten.

 

Die Nahrung besteht sowohl aus weicher wie auch harter Pflanzenkost. Die genaue Zusammensetzung variiert dabei regional und jahreszeitlich. Generell verbringt der Afrikanische Elefant einen großen Teil seiner Tagesaktivitäten mit der Nahrungsaufnahme. Die Fortpflanzung erfolgt ganzjährig, regional gibt es Tendenzen zu einer stärkeren Saisonalisierung. Bullen kommen einmal jährlich in die Musth, während deren sie auf Wanderung zur Suche nach fortpflanzungswilligen Kühen gehen. Während der Musth ist die Aggressivität gesteigert, es finden dann auch Rivalenkämpfe statt. Der Sexualzyklus der Kühe dauert vergleichsweise lange und weist einen für Säugetiere untypischen Verlauf auf. Nach erfolgter Geburt setzt er in der Regel mehrere Jahre aus. Zumeist wird nach fast zweijähriger Tragzeit ein Jungtier geboren, das in der mütterlichen Herde aufwächst. Junge weibliche Tiere verbleiben später in der Herde, die jungen männlichen verlassen diese.

 

Die wissenschaftliche Erstbeschreibung des Afrikanischen Elefanten erfolgte im Jahr 1797 mit einer formalen artlichen Trennung des Afrikanischen vom Asiatischen Elefanten. Der heute gebräuchliche Gattungsname Loxodonta wurde offiziell erst dreißig Jahre später eingeführt. Die Bezeichnung bezieht sich auf markante Zahnunterschiede zwischen den asiatischen und den afrikanischen Elefanten. Im Verlauf des 20. Jahrhunderts wurden mehrere Unterarten unterschieden, darunter auch der Waldelefant des zentralen Afrikas. Letzterer gilt heute genetischen Untersuchungen zufolge als eigenständige Art, die weiteren Unterarten sind nicht anerkannt. Stammesgeschichtlich lässt sich der Afrikanische Elefant erstmals im beginnenden Mittleren Pleistozän belegen. Der Gesamtbestand gilt als gefährdet. Ursachen hierfür sind hauptsächlich die Jagd nach Elfenbein und Lebensraumverlust durch die zunehmend wachsende menschliche Bevölkerung. Der Afrikanische Elefant zählt zu den sogenannten „Big Five“ von Großwildjagd und Safari.

 

(Wikipedia)

Sunset - Greater Kudu

 

Sonnenuntergang - Großer Kudu

 

Kruger National Park is one of the largest game reserves in Africa. It covers an area of 19,485 km2 (7,523 sq mi) in the provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga in northeastern South Africa, and extends 360 km (220 mi) from north to south and 65 km (40 mi) from east to west. The administrative headquarters are in Skukuza. Areas of the park were first protected by the government of the South African Republic in 1898, and it became South Africa's first national park in 1926.

 

To the west and south of the Kruger National Park are the two South African provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga. In the north is Zimbabwe, and to the east is Mozambique. It is now part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, a peace park that links Kruger National Park with the Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe, and with the Limpopo National Park in Mozambique.

 

The park is part of the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere an area designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as an International Man and Biosphere Reserve (the "Biosphere").

 

The park has nine main gates allowing entrance to the different camps.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

The greater kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) is a woodland antelope found throughout eastern and southern Africa. Despite occupying such widespread territory, they are sparsely populated in most areas due to declining habitat, deforestation and poaching. The greater kudu is one of two species commonly known as kudu, the other being the lesser kudu, T. imberbis.

 

Kudu, or koodoo, is the Khoikhoi name for this antelope. Tragos (Greek) denotes a he-goat and elaphos (Greek) a deer. Strepho (Greek) means "twist", and strephis is "twisting". Keras (Greek) refers to the horn of the animal.

 

Greater kudus have a narrow body with long legs, and their coats can range from brown/bluish grey to reddish brown. They possess between 4 and 12 vertical white stripes along their torso. The head tends to be darker in colour than the rest of the body, and exhibits a small white chevron which runs between the eyes.

 

Greater kudu bulls tend to be much larger than the cows, and vocalize much more, utilizing low grunts, clucks, humming, and gasping.[citation needed] The bulls also have large manes running along their throats, and large horns with two and a half twists, which, were they to be straightened, would reach an average length of 120 cm (47 in), with the record being 187.64 cm (73.87 in).[citation needed] They diverge slightly as they slant back from the head. The horns do not begin to grow until the bull is between the age of 6–12 months, twisting once at around 2 years of age, and not reaching the full two and a half twists until they are 6 years old; occasionally they may even have 3 full turns.

 

This is one of the largest species of antelope. Bulls weigh 190–270 kg (420–600 lb), with a maximum of 315 kg (694 lb), and stand up to 160 cm (63 in) tall at the shoulder. The ears of the greater kudu are large and round. Cows weigh 120–210 kg (260–460 lb) and stand as little as 100 cm (39 in) tall at the shoulder; they are hornless, without a beard or nose markings. The head-and-body length is 185–245 cm (6.07–8.04 ft), to which the tail may add a further 30–55 cm (12–22 in).

 

The range of the greater kudu extends from the east in Ethiopia, Tanzania, Eritrea and Kenya into the south where they are found in Zambia, Angola, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and South Africa. Other regions where greater kudu are located are Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Malawi, Mozambique, Somalia, Swaziland, and Uganda. They have also been introduced in small numbers into New Mexico, but were never released into the wild. They are often refered to as "desert moose" in southeren United States. Their habitat includes mixed scrub woodlands (the greater kudu is one of the few largest mammals that prefer living in settled areas – in scrub woodland and bush on abandoned fields and degraded pastures, mopane bush and acacia in lowlands, hills and mountains. They will occasionally venture onto plains only if there is a large abundance of bushes, but normally avoid such open areas to avoid becoming an easy target for their predators. Their diet consists of leaves, grass, shoots and occasionally tubers, roots and fruit (they are especially fond of oranges and tangerines).

 

During the day, greater kudus normally cease to be active and instead seek cover under woodland, especially during hot days. They feed and drink in the early morning and late afternoon, acquiring water from waterholes or roots and bulbs that have a high water content. Although they tend to stay in one area, the greater kudu may search over a large distance for water in times of drought, in southern Namibia where water is relatively scarce they have been known to cover extensive distances in very short periods of time.

 

Predators of the greater kudu generally consist of lions, Spotted hyenas, and African hunting dogs. Although cheetahs and leopards also prey on greater kudus, they are unable to bring down a bull, and consequently target the more vulnerable cows and offspring. There are several instances reported where Nile crocodiles have preyed on greater kudus, although based on records the larger mammalian carnivores statistically are much more dangerous to the kudu and comparable large ungulates, or at least those with a preference for dry, upland habitats over riparian or swamp areas. When a herd is threatened by predators, an adult (usually female) will issue a bark to alert the rest of the herd. Despite being very nimble over rocky hillsides and mountains, the greater kudu is not fast enough (and nor does it have enough stamina) to escape its main predators over open terrain, so it tends to rely on leaping over shrubs and small trees to shake off pursuers. Greater kudus have excellent hearing and acute eyesight which helps to alert them to approaching predators.

 

Greater kudus have a life span of 7 to 8 years in the wild, and up to 23 years in captivity. They may be active throughout the 24-hour day. Herds disperse during the rainy season when food is plentiful. During the dry season, there are only a few concentrated areas of food so the herds will congregate. Greater kudu are not territorial; they have home areas instead. Maternal herds have home ranges of approximately 4 square kilometers and these home ranges can overlap with other maternal herds. Home ranges of adult males are about 11 square kilometers and generally encompass the ranges of two or three female groups. Females usually form small groups of 6-10 with their offspring, but sometimes they can form a herd up to 20 individuals. Male kudus may form small bachelor groups, but they are more commonly found as solitary and widely dispersed individuals. Solitary males will join the group of females and calves (usually 6-10 individuals per group) only during the mating season (April–May in South Africa).

 

The male kudus are not always physically aggressive with each other, but sparring can sometimes occur between males, especially when both are of similar size and stature. The male kudus exhibit this sparring behavior by interlocking horns and shoving one another. Dominance is established until one male exhibits the lateral display. In rare circumstances, sparring can result in both males being unable to free themselves from the other's horns, which can then result in the death of both animals.

 

Rarely will a herd reach a size of forty individuals, partly because of the selective nature of their diet which would make foraging for food difficult in large groups. A herd's area can encompass 800 to 1,500 acres (6.1 km2), and spend an average of 54% of the day foraging for food.

 

Greater kudus reach sexual maturity between 1 and 3 years of age. The mating season occurs at the end of the rainy season, which can fluctuate slightly according to the region and climate. Before mating, there is a courtship ritual which consists of the male standing in front of the female and often engaging in a neck wrestle. The male then trails the female while issuing a low pitched call until the female allows him to copulate with her. Gestation takes around 240 days (or eight months). Calving generally starts between February and March (late austral summer), when the grass tends to be at its highest.

 

Greater kudus tend to bear one calf, although occasionally there may be two. The pregnant female kudu will leave her group to give birth; once she gives birth, the newborn is hidden in vegetation for about 4 to 5 weeks (to avoid predation). After 4 or 5 weeks, the offspring will accompany its mother for short periods of time; then by 3 to 4 months of age, it will accompany her at all times. By the time it is 6 months old, it is quite independent of its mother. The majority of births occur during the wet season (January to March). In terms of maturity, female greater kudus reach sexual maturity at 15–21 months. Males reach maturity at 21–24 months.

 

Greater kudus have both benefited and suffered from interaction with humans. Humans are turning much of the kudu's natural habitat into farmland, restricting their home ranges. Humans have also destroyed woodland cover, which they use for their habitat. However, wells and irrigation set up by humans has also allowed the greater kudu to occupy territory that would have been too devoid of water for them previously. The greater kudu are also a target for poachers for meat and horns. The horns of greater kudus are commonly used to make Shofars, a Jewish ritual horn blown at Rosh Hashanah.

 

The greater kudu population in the northern part of its range has declined due to excessive hunting and rapid habitat loss. However, they are evaluated as low risk in the IUCN Red List of endangered species. The long-term survival of the greater kudu at large is not in jeopardy as populations located elsewhere remain robust and well-managed. The greater kudu receives adequate protection from southern Tanzania to South Africa. There are large populations in parks and reserves such as Ruaha-Rungwa-Kisigo and Selous (Tanzania), Luangwa Valley and Kafue (Zambia), Etosha (Namibia), Moremi, Chobe and Central Kalahari (Botswana), Hwange, Chizarira, Mana Pools and Gonarezhou (Zimbabwe) and in Kruger (11,200 – 17,300) and Hluhluwe–iMfolozi (South Africa). An abundance of greater kudu is also found in private farms and conservancies in southern Africa, in particular in Namibia, Zimbabwe and South Africa, where they are popular amongst trophy hunters.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

Der Kruger-Nationalpark (deutsch häufig falsch Krüger-Nationalpark) ist das größte Wildschutzgebiet Südafrikas. Er liegt im Nordosten des Landes in der Landschaft des Lowveld auf dem Gebiet der Provinz Limpopo sowie des östlichen Abschnitts von Mpumalanga. Seine Fläche erstreckt sich vom Crocodile-River im Süden bis zum Limpopo, dem Grenzfluss zu Simbabwe, im Norden. Die Nord-Süd-Ausdehnung beträgt etwa 350 km, in Ost-West-Richtung ist der Park durchschnittlich 54 km breit und umfasst eine Fläche von rund 20.000 Quadratkilometern. Damit gehört er zu den größten Nationalparks in Afrika.

 

Das Schutzgebiet wurde am 26. März 1898 unter dem Präsidenten Paul Kruger als Sabie Game Reserve zum Schutz der Wildnis gegründet. 1926 erhielt das Gebiet den Status Nationalpark und wurde in seinen heutigen Namen umbenannt. Im Park leben 147 Säugetierarten inklusive der „Big Five“, außerdem etwa 507 Vogelarten und 114 Reptilienarten, 49 Fischarten und 34 Amphibienarten.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

Strepsiceros ist eine afrikanische Antilopen-Gattung, deren Vertreter die vier Arten des Großen Kudu sind. Die Gattung kommt in vielen afrikanischen Savannengebieten vor, während die nah verwandte Gattung Ammelaphus mit der Art Kleiner Kudu ein recht beschränktes Verbreitungsgebiet im östlichen Afrika bewohnt.

 

Die Tiere erreichen eine Kopf-Rumpf-Länge von 193 bis 248 cm und eine Schulterhöhe von 121 bis 157 cm. Der Geschlechtsdimorphismus ist sehr stark ausgeprägt. Männliche Tiere werden zwischen 249 und 344 kg schwer und sind damit bis zu 150 % größer als weibliche, die 160 bis 210 kg wiegen. Die kleinste Art ist der Westliche Großkudu (Strepsiceros cottoni), alle anderen sind durchschnittlich größer. Mit den angegebenen Maßen gehören die Strepsiceros-Arten nach den Elenantilopen (Taurotragus) zu den größten bekannten Antilopen. Das Fell der Männchen ist graubraun, das der Weibchen und Jungtiere mittelbraun gefärbt und mit sechs bis zehn weißen Querstreifen versehen. Die Tiere verfügen über große, runde Ohren und einen buschigen Schwanz. Die Männchen tragen ein Schraubengehörn, das bis zu 105 cm lang wird, entlang der Schraubenwindung gemessen erreicht es 160 cm. Die Hornspitzen stehen etwa 80 cm auseinander. Der Nachwuchs entspricht im Aussehen den hornlosen Weibchen, heranwachsende männliche Jungtiere können anhand der Anzahl der Windungen bestimmt werden, da die erste Windung etwa mit zwei Jahren ausgebildet ist.

 

Die Arten von Strepsiceros leben im östlichen und südlichen Afrika und halten sich vor allem in Baumsavannen, nicht jedoch in reinen Waldgebieten oder reinem Grasland auf, sie kommen aber auch in der Nähe von Flüssen in ariden Gebieten vor.

 

Meistens leben die Weibchen und Jungtiere in relativ ortstreuen Herden von drei bis zehn Individuen, bei größerer Anzahl splitten sie sich auf. Diese Clans durchstreifen Gebiete von 1,6 bis 5,2 km² Größe, in einigen Fällen können sie auch 25 km² erreichen. Die Männchen leben in eigenen Junggesellen-Gruppen bestehend aus 3 bis 4 Individuen oder sind Einzelgänger und gesellen sich nur zur Brunft zu den Weibchen. In der Regel wird nur ein einzelnes, etwa 16 kg schweres Junges in der Regenzeit geboren. Kudus sind je nach Region tag- oder nachtaktiv. Die Nahrung besteht hauptsächlich aus Laub und jungen Zweigen, wobei sie nicht wählerisch sind. Kudus fressen auch Pflanzen die von anderen Tieren wegen ihrer Giftigkeit gemieden werden. Die Lebenserwartung der Böcke beträgt bis zu 8 Jahre, die der Kühe bis zu 15 Jahre.

 

Die Bestände der Vertreter von Strepsiceros gelten in Ost- und Südafrika als einigermaßen gesichert. Regional ist er aber bedroht, vor allem in seinem nördlichsten Verbreitungsgebiet in Äthiopien, Somalia, Sudan und Tschad. Neben dem Menschen stellen Leoparden, Löwen und Wildhunde den Kudus nach. Für gewöhnlich versuchen Kudus, sich vor ihren Feinden im Gebüsch zu verstecken. Gelingt dies nicht, können sie mit hoher Geschwindigkeit und weiten Sprüngen fliehen. Zäune, z. B. um Farmgelände, stellen in der Regel kein Hindernis für sie dar, da sie bis zu 3 Meter hohe Hindernisse überspringen können.

 

Der Name „Kudu“ stammt aus der Sprache der Khoi Khoi und wurde von diesem Volk nur auf diese Antilope angewandt, von den Weißen dann aber auch auf den Kleinen Kudu übertragen.

 

Der Kudu ist offizielles Wappentier Simbabwes.

 

(Wikipedia)

Spotted Hyena

 

Tüpfelhyäne

 

Kruger National Park is one of the largest game reserves in Africa. It covers an area of 19,485 km2 (7,523 sq mi) in the provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga in northeastern South Africa, and extends 360 km (220 mi) from north to south and 65 km (40 mi) from east to west. The administrative headquarters are in Skukuza. Areas of the park were first protected by the government of the South African Republic in 1898, and it became South Africa's first national park in 1926.

 

To the west and south of the Kruger National Park are the two South African provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga. In the north is Zimbabwe, and to the east is Mozambique. It is now part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, a peace park that links Kruger National Park with the Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe, and with the Limpopo National Park in Mozambique.

 

The park is part of the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere an area designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as an International Man and Biosphere Reserve (the "Biosphere").

 

The park has nine main gates allowing entrance to the different camps.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

The spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta), also known as the laughing hyena, is a hyena species, currently classed as the sole extant member of the genus Crocuta, native to Sub-Saharan Africa. It is listed as being of least concern by the IUCN on account of its widespread range and large numbers estimated between 27,000 and 47,000 individuals. The species is, however, experiencing declines outside of protected areas due to habitat loss and poaching. The species may have originated in Asia, and once ranged throughout Europe for at least one million years until the end of the Late Pleistocene. The spotted hyena is the largest known member of the Hyaenidae, and is further physically distinguished from other species by its vaguely bear-like build, its rounded ears, its less prominent mane, its spotted pelt, its more dual purposed dentition, its fewer nipples and the presence of a pseudo-penis in the female. It is the only mammalian species to lack an external vaginal opening.

 

The spotted hyena is the most social of the Carnivora in that it has the largest group sizes and most complex social behaviours. Its social organisation is unlike that of any other carnivore, bearing closer resemblance to that of cercopithecine primates (baboons and macaques) with respect to group-size, hierarchical structure, and frequency of social interaction among both kin and unrelated group-mates. However, the social system of the spotted hyena is openly competitive rather than cooperative, with access to kills, mating opportunities and the time of dispersal for males depending on the ability to dominate other clan-members. Females provide only for their own cubs rather than assist each other, and males display no paternal care. Spotted hyena society is matriarchal; females are larger than males, and dominate them.

 

The spotted hyena is a highly successful animal, being the most common large carnivore in Africa. 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. In functional terms, the spotted hyena makes the most efficient use of animal matter of all African carnivores. The spotted hyena displays greater plasticity 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.

 

The spotted hyena has a long history of interaction with humanity; depictions of the species exist from the Upper Paleolithic period, with carvings and paintings from the Lascaux and Chauvet Caves. The species has a largely negative reputation in both Western culture and African folklore. In the former, the species is mostly regarded as ugly and cowardly, while in the latter, it is viewed as greedy, gluttonous, stupid, and foolish, yet powerful and potentially dangerous. The majority of Western perceptions on the species can be found in the writings of Aristotle and Pliny the Elder, though in relatively unjudgemental form. Explicit, negative judgements occur in the Physiologus, where the animal is depicted as a hermaphrodite and grave-robber. The IUCN's hyena specialist group identifies the spotted hyena's negative reputation as detrimental to the species' continued survival, both in captivity and the wild.

 

The spotted hyena's scientific name Crocuta, was once widely thought to be derived from the Latin loanword crocutus, which translates as "saffron-coloured one", in reference to the animal's fur colour. This was proven to be incorrect, as the correct spelling of the loanword would have been Crocāta, and the word was never used in that sense by Graeco-Roman sources. Crocuta actually comes from the Ancient Greek word Κροκόττας (Krokottas), which is derived from the Sanskrit koṭṭhâraka, which in turn originates from kroshṭuka (both of which were originally meant to signify the golden jackal). The earliest recorded mention of Κροκόττας is from Strabo's Geographica, where the animal is described as a mix of wolf and dog native to Ethiopia.

 

From Classical antiquity until the Renaissance, the spotted and striped hyena were either assumed to be the same species, or distinguished purely on geographical, rather than physical grounds. Hiob Ludolf, in his Historia aethiopica, was the first to clearly distinguish the Crocuta from Hyaena on account of physical, as well as geographical grounds, though he never had any first hand experience of the species, having gotten his accounts from an Ethiopian intermediary. Confusion still persisted over the exact taxonomic nature of the hyena family in general, with most European travelers in Ethiopia referring to hyenas as "wolves". This partly stems from the Amharic word for hyena, ጅብ (jɨbb), which is linked to the Arabic word ذئب (dhiʾb) "wolf".

 

The first detailed first-hand descriptions of the spotted hyena by Europeans come from Willem Bosman and Peter Kolbe. Bosman, a Dutch tradesman who worked for the Dutch West India Company at the Gold Coast (modern day Ghana) from 1688–1701, wrote of "Jakhals, of Boshond" (jackals or woodland dogs) whose physical descriptions match the spotted hyena. Kolben, a German mathematician and astronomer who worked for the Dutch East India Company in the Cape of Good Hope from 1705–1713, described the spotted hyena in great detail, but referred to it as a "tigerwolf", because the settlers in southern Africa did not know of hyenas, and thus labelled them as "wolves".

 

Bosman and Kolben's descriptions went largely unnoticed until 1771, when the Welsh naturalist Thomas Pennant, in his Synopsis of Quadrupeds, used the descriptions, as well as his personal experience with a captive specimen, as a basis for consistently differentiating the spotted hyena from the striped. The description given by Pennant was precise enough to be included by Johann Erxleben in his Systema regni animalis by simply translating Pennant's text into Latin. Crocuta was finally recognised as a separate genus from Hyaena in 1828.

 

The spotted hyena's distribution once ranged in Europe from the Iberian Peninsula to the Urals, where it remained for at least one million years. Remains have also been found in the Russian Far East, and it has been theorised that the presence of hyenas there may have delayed the colonisation of North America. The causes of the species' extinction in Eurasia are still largely unknown. In Western Europe at least, the spotted hyena's extinction coincided with a decline in grasslands 12,500 years ago. Europe experienced a massive loss of lowland habitats favoured by spotted hyenas, and a corresponding increase in mixed woodlands. Spotted hyenas, under these circumstances, would have been outcompeted by wolves and humans which were as much at home in forests as in open lands, and in highlands as in lowlands. Spotted hyena populations began to shrink roughly 20,000 years ago, completely disappearing from Western Europe between 14–11,000 years ago, and earlier in some areas.

 

Historically, the spotted hyena was widespread throughout Sub-Saharan Africa. It is present in all habitats save for the most extreme desert conditions, tropical rainforests and the top of alpine mountains. Its current distribution is patchy in many places, especially in West Africa. Populations are concentrated in protected areas and surrounding land. There is a continuous distribution over large areas of Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana, Namibia and the Transvaal Lowveld areas of South Africa.[140] During the 1770s and 1780s the species was still widespread in southern and western South Africa, being recorded i.a. on the Cape Peninsula and Cape Flats, and near present-day Somerset West, Riviersonderend, Mossel Bay, George, Joubertina, Gamtoos River, Jansenville, Cannon Rocks, Alice, Onseepkans and Augrabies Falls.

 

The species dwells in semi-deserts, savannah, open woodland, dense dry woodland, and mountainous forests up to 4,000 m in altitude. It is scarce or absent in tropical rainforests and coastal areas. Its preferred habitats in west Africa include the Guinea and Sudan savannahs, and is absent in the belt of dense coastal forest. In the Namib Desert, it occurs in riverine growth along seasonal rivers, the sub-desertic pro-Namib and the adjoining inland plateau. In ideal habitats, the spotted hyena outnumbers other large carnivores, including other hyena species. However, the striped and brown hyena occur at greater densities than the spotted species in desert and semi-desert regions. Population densities based on systematic censuses vary substantially, from 0.006 to 1.7 individuals per km2.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

Der Kruger-Nationalpark (deutsch häufig falsch Krüger-Nationalpark) ist das größte Wildschutzgebiet Südafrikas. Er liegt im Nordosten des Landes in der Landschaft des Lowveld auf dem Gebiet der Provinz Limpopo sowie des östlichen Abschnitts von Mpumalanga. Seine Fläche erstreckt sich vom Crocodile-River im Süden bis zum Limpopo, dem Grenzfluss zu Simbabwe, im Norden. Die Nord-Süd-Ausdehnung beträgt etwa 350 km, in Ost-West-Richtung ist der Park durchschnittlich 54 km breit und umfasst eine Fläche von rund 20.000 Quadratkilometern. Damit gehört er zu den größten Nationalparks in Afrika.

 

Das Schutzgebiet wurde am 26. März 1898 unter dem Präsidenten Paul Kruger als Sabie Game Reserve zum Schutz der Wildnis gegründet. 1926 erhielt das Gebiet den Status Nationalpark und wurde in seinen heutigen Namen umbenannt. Im Park leben 147 Säugetierarten inklusive der „Big Five“, außerdem etwa 507 Vogelarten und 114 Reptilienarten, 49 Fischarten und 34 Amphibienarten.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

Die Tüpfelhyäne oder Fleckenhyäne (Crocuta crocuta) ist eine Raubtierart aus der Familie der Hyänen (Hyaenidae). Sie ist die größte Hyänenart und durch ihr namensgebendes geflecktes Fell gekennzeichnet; ein weiteres Charakteristikum ist die „Vermännlichung“ des Genitaltraktes der Weibchen. Die Art besiedelt weite Teile Afrikas und ernährt sich vorwiegend von größeren, selbst gerissenen Wirbeltieren. Tüpfelhyänen leben in Gruppen mit einer komplexen Sozialstruktur, die bis zu 130 Tiere umfassen können und von Weibchen dominiert werden. Die Jungtiere, die zwar bei der Geburt schon weit entwickelt sind, aber über ein Jahr lang gesäugt werden, werden in Gemeinschaftsbauen großgezogen.

 

Tüpfelhyänen erreichen eine Kopfrumpflänge von 125 bis 160 Zentimetern, der Schwanz ist mit 22 bis 27 Zentimetern relativ kurz. Die Schulterhöhe beträgt 77 bis 81 Zentimeter. Das Gewicht liegt üblicherweise bei 45 bis 60 Kilogramm, einzelne Tiere können bis zu 86 Kilogramm wiegen. Weibchen und Männchen unterscheiden sich nur geringfügig voneinander und nicht in allen Körpermaßen. Weibchen sind um 2,3 % länger und haben geringfügig größere Schädel und Brustumfänge aber keine längeren Beine als Männchen. Dieser geringe Geschlechtsdimorphismus soll regional variieren und im südlichen Afrika ausgeprägter sein als in anderen Regionen des Kontinents.

 

Das Fell ist relativ kurz und rau, und die lange Rückenmähne ist bei der Tüpfelhyäne weniger ausgeprägt als bei den anderen Hyänenarten. Die relativ feinen Wollhaare sind 15 bis 20 Millimeter lang, die gröberen Deckhaare 30 bis 40 Millimeter. Die Grundfärbung des Fells ist sandgelb bis rötlich-braun; am Rücken, an den Flanken und an den Beinen befinden sich zahlreiche schwarze und dunkelbraune Flecken. Diese werden mit zunehmendem Alter bräunlicher oder können verblassen. Wie bei allen Hyänen sind die Vorderbeine länger und kräftiger als die Hinterbeine, wodurch der Rücken nach hinten abfällt. Die Vorder- und die Hinterpfoten enden jeweils in vier Zehen, die mit stumpfen, nicht einziehbaren Krallen versehen sind. Wie alle Hyänen sind Tüpfelhyänen digitigrad (Zehengänger). Der Schwanz endet in einer schwarzen, buschigen Spitze; ihre Haare überragen das Ende der Schwanzwirbelsäule um rund 12 Zentimeter.

 

Drüsen an beiden Seiten des Analkanals sondern ein Sekret an den zwischen Anus und Schwanz gelegenen Analbeutel ab. Aus diesem Analbeutel wird bei der Reviermarkierung das Sekret abgegeben. Die Weibchen haben meist nur ein Paar, selten zwei Paare Zitzen. Den Männchen fehlt wie bei allen Hyänen der Penisknochen.

 

Obwohl Hyänen optisch den Hunden ähneln, sind sie näher mit den Katzen verwandt.

 

Eines der außergewöhnlichsten Merkmale der Tüpfelhyäne ist die Maskulinisation („Vermännlichung“) der Weibchen. Die Besonderheit der Anatomie der äußeren weiblichen Geschlechtsorgane war bis in das 20. Jahrhundert Anlass von Spekulationen. 1877 wurde die erste wissenschaftlich-anatomische Beschreibung veröffentlicht. Die Weibchen haben keinen Scheidenvorhof und keine Vulva. Die Gebärmutter ist zweihörnig, der Gebärmutterkörper durch ein Septum partiell geteilt (Uterus bicornis subseptus). Der Gebärmutterhals ist nur wenige Millimeter lang und undeutlich. Die Vagina verschmilzt – wie sonst nur bei männlichen Säugetieren – mit der Harnröhre zu einem Harn-Geschlechtsgang (Urogenitalkanal), der durch den Kitzler verläuft. Der Kitzler ähnelt dem Penis der Männchen, er erreicht rund 90 % von dessen Länge und ist ebenso erigierbar. Somit erfolgen das Urinieren, die Begattung und die Geburt durch diesen Urogenitalkanal. Vom Penis unterscheidet er sich durch das Fehlen des Harnröhrenschwellkörpers, durch eine starke Faltung der Schleimhaut und den unterschiedlichen Ansatz des Rückziehmuskels (Musculus retractor penis beziehungsweise clitoridis), der sich bei Männchen an der Penisunterseite, bei Weibchen an der Seitenfläche des Kitzlers anheftet. Diese Faktoren ermöglichen die Passage der relativ großen, bis zu 1,6 Kilogramm schweren Welpen zur Geburt. Der Geburtskanal hat durch die besonderen anatomischen Verhältnisse eine Biegung um 180° am Beckenausgang, was gelegentlich zu Geburtsproblemen führt. Die Schamlippen verwachsen und ähneln dem Hodensack (Skrotum) der Männchen (Pseudoskrotum). Die Geschlechter können an der Form der Spitze des Penis beziehungsweise des Kitzlers unterschieden werden: Männchen haben eine zugespitzte Eichel, was die Kopulation erleichtert, während die Spitze des Kitzlers vorne stumpf ist.

 

Die physiologische Ursache dieser „Vermännlichung“ liegt nicht – wie früher vermutet – ausschließlich darin, dass die Föten im Frühstadium Androgenen ausgesetzt sind. In Versuchen wurden trächtige Weibchen mit Anti-Androgenen behandelt, ohne dass die neugeborenen Weibchen einen säugetiertypischen Kitzler oder eine offene Vagina gezeigt hätten. Bei den neugeborenen Männchen glich sich der Penis äußerlich der Klitoris an. Die Androgene beeinflussen allerdings das Verhalten und den Rang: Höherrangige Weibchen haben in der Endphase der Tragzeit einen höheren Androgenspiegel als niederrangige Tiere; ihre neugeborenen Welpen sind aggressiver.

 

Die evolutionären Gründe hinter der Maskulinisation sind nicht geklärt. Manche Autoren vermuten, dass das Begrüßungsritual mit dem erigierten Geschlechtsteil (siehe unten) dermaßen wichtig für den Gruppenzusammenhalt ist, dass sich für die Weibchen Vorteile daraus ergaben, daran teilzunehmen. Eine andere Sicht hält die Maskulinisierung für ein „Nebenprodukt“ der Entwicklung der Weibchen hin zu stärkeren, aggressiveren Tieren, was beim Aufwachsen in den Auseinandersetzungen mit den Geschwistern und beim Kampf um Nahrungsressourcen von Vorteil ist. Letztendlich bleibt es aber schwierig, die evolutionären Schritte nachzuvollziehen, die zu diesem unter Säugetieren einmaligen Phänomen geführt haben.

 

Wie schwer die Geschlechtsbestimmung bei diesen Tieren ist, zeigt ein Fall von Mitte der 2010er Jahre aus dem Zoo Erfurt. Als dieser Hyänen züchten wollte, stellte man fest, dass in anderen, bereits züchtenden Zoos, die Männchen kleiner sind als die beiden Männchen in Erfurt. Erst eine genetische Untersuchung zeigte dann, dass man in Erfurt für die Zucht keine Weibchen braucht, da beide „Männchen“ in Wahrheit Weibchen sind. Ihre Namen haben sie trotzdem behalten. Es erstaunt aber, dass man weder im Zoo, aus dem die Tiere stammen, noch in Erfurt, ohne genetische Untersuchung das Geschlecht richtig bestimmen konnte.

 

Der Bau des Schädels und der Zähne der Tüpfelhyäne gleicht dem der anderen Eigentlichen Hyänen. Der wuchtige Schädel sitzt auf einem langen, muskulösen Hals, die Schnauze ist unbehaart und breit gebaut. Die Augen weisen als Anpassung an die dämmerungs- und nachtaktive Lebensweise ein Tapetum lucidum auf, die Ohren sind im Gegensatz zu den anderen Hyänenarten rundlich. Die Kiefer sind kräftig, die starke Kiefermuskulatur, insbesondere der Musculus temporalis hat einen hohen Sagittalkamm am Schädel als Ansatzstelle. Dank ihres außergewöhnlichen Kieferapparates können Tüpfelhyänen Beißkräfte von über 9000 Newton entwickeln.

 

Die Zahnformel lautet I 3/3 – C 1/1 – P 4/3 M 1/1, insgesamt haben sie also 34 Zähne. Die Schneidezähne sind unauffällig, die Eckzähne sind etwas verlängert. Die an das Aufbrechen von Knochen angepassten Prämolaren sind stark vergrößert und kräftig gebaut. Der Zahnschmelz ist von komplexer Struktur, was ein Zerbrechen der Zähne verhindert. Vor allem der dritte obere und der dritte untere Prämolar werden für das Aufbrechen von Knochen verwendet. Der vierte obere Prämolar und der untere Molar sind wie bei allen Landraubtieren zu Reißzähnen entwickelt; diese Zähne sind klingenförmig gebaut und dienen dem Zerschneiden von Fleisch.

 

Tüpfelhyänen sind in weiten Teilen Afrikas südlich der Sahara beheimatet, ihr Verbreitungsgebiet reicht von der Sahelzone bis nach Südafrika. Im westlichen Afrika ist die Verbreitung zersplittert, die Art kommt dort kaum noch außerhalb geschützter Gebiete vor. In weiten Teilen des östlichen und südlichen Afrika ist das Verbreitungsgebiet zusammenhängend. Die größten Populationen leben in der ostafrikanischen Serengeti und im Krüger-Nationalpark. Gebietsweise sind sie ausgestorben, etwa in Algerien, wo sie in den Gebirgen Ahaggar und Tassili n’Ajjer lebten, oder im mittleren und südlichen Südafrika. In manche Regionen kehren sie jedoch zurück, so wurde im Ivindo-Nationalpark in Gabun Anfang des 21. Jahrhunderts das erste Tier seit rund 50 Jahren gesichtet.

 

Tüpfelhyänen sind nicht wählerisch in Bezug auf ihren Lebensraum und kommen beispielsweise in Halbwüsten, Savannen, offenen Waldländern und auch in Gebirgswäldern vor. Im Hochland von Äthiopien sind sie bis in 4100 Metern Höhe anzutreffen. Die Tiere meiden reine Wüsten und tiefgelegene Regenwälder wie Teile des Kongobeckens. Sie zeigen wenig Scheu vor den Menschen und kommen auch in der Nähe von Dörfern und anderen Ansiedlungen vor.

 

Tüpfelhyänen haben bei der afrikanischen Bevölkerung einen ambivalenten Ruf. Sie gelten einerseits als dumme, grausame und gefährliche, andererseits auch als listige, kräftige Tiere. In der Mythologie der Tabwa aus dem östlichen Afrika hat eine Tüpfelhyäne die Sonne gebracht, um die Erde zu wärmen. In den Zeremonien der Bamana und der Yoruba werden Hyänenmasken verwendet, bei den Yoruba gelten die Tiere als Zeichen des Endes, da sie die Überreste der Kadaver beseitigen. Manche Stämme überlassen sogar ihre Toten den Tieren zum Verzehr.

 

In der westlichen Welt haben diese Tiere einen schlechten Ruf. So schreibt Alfred Brehm in Brehms Tierleben:

 

„Ich habe die Tüpfelhiäne in den von mir durchreisten Gegenden überall nur als feiges Thier kennen gelernt, welches dem Menschen scheu aus dem Wege geht. Den Kopf trägt sie niedrig mit gebogenem Nacken; der Blick ist boshaft und scheu. […] Unter sämmtlichen Raubthieren ist sie unzweifelhaft die mißgestaltetste, garstigste Erscheinung; zu dieser aber kommen nun noch die geistigen Eigenschaften, um das Thier verhaßt zu machen.“

 

Noch bis ins 20. Jahrhundert hielt man Tüpfelhyänen teilweise für Hermaphroditen oder nahm an, sie würden jährlich ihr Geschlecht wechseln. Die Behauptung, dieser Irrtum gehe auf die Historia animalium von Aristoteles zurück, ist falsch. Zum einen macht die Artbeschreibung deutlich, dass er von der Streifenhyäne spricht, was viel naheliegender ist, da diese Tiere im Mittelmeerraum vorkommen. Zum anderen widerlegt er diese Behauptung.

 

Das Image der Tüpfelhyänen gründet oft in ihrem Ruf als Menschen- oder Haustierfresser. Tatsächlich töten sie gelegentlich Menschen, beispielsweise wenn diese ungeschützt im Freien schlafen. Häufig dringen sie auch in Viehweiden ein und reißen Haustiere. Aus diesen Gründen werden sie verfolgt, entweder mit Schusswaffen, mit Fallen oder mit Giftködern. Diese Aktionen treffen aber auch andere Fleischfresser wie Geparde und Schakale. Der Sportjagd fallen hingegen nur wenige Hyänen zum Opfer, da sie keine attraktive Trophäe darstellen. Der Straßenverkehr und die Zerstörung ihres Lebensraums stellen weitere Bedrohungen dar. Eines der Hauptprobleme bei der Umsetzung von Schutzmaßnahmen ist das negative Image der Tiere.

 

Die Gesamtbestände der Tüpfelhyäne gehen durch die Bejagung und andere Faktoren zurück, allerdings noch nicht in besorgniserregendem Ausmaß. Sie haben ein großes Verbreitungsgebiet und sind sehr vielseitig in Bezug auf ihren Lebensraum und ihre Lebensweise und sind darum weniger empfindlich gegen menschliche Störungen als andere Raubtiere. Die Weltnaturschutzunion IUCN listet die Art als „nicht gefährdet“ (least concern) und schätzt die Gesamtpopulation auf 27.000 bis 47.000 Tiere. Damit sind sie nicht nur die häufigste Hyänenart, sondern auch die bei weitem häufigste Großraubtierart des afrikanischen Kontinents.

 

(Wikipedia)

Burchell's Zebras and Impalas

 

Steppenzebra und Impalas

 

Kruger National Park is one of the largest game reserves in Africa. It covers an area of 19,485 km2 (7,523 sq mi) in the provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga in northeastern South Africa, and extends 360 km (220 mi) from north to south and 65 km (40 mi) from east to west. The administrative headquarters are in Skukuza. Areas of the park were first protected by the government of the South African Republic in 1898, and it became South Africa's first national park in 1926.

 

To the west and south of the Kruger National Park are the two South African provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga. In the north is Zimbabwe, and to the east is Mozambique. It is now part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, a peace park that links Kruger National Park with the Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe, and with the Limpopo National Park in Mozambique.

 

The park is part of the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere an area designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as an International Man and Biosphere Reserve (the "Biosphere").

 

The park has nine main gates allowing entrance to the different camps.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

Burchell's zebra (Equus quagga burchellii) is a southern subspecies of the plains zebra. It is named after the British explorer and naturalist William John Burchell. Common names include the bontequagga, Damaraland zebra, and Zululand zebra (Gray, 1824). Burchell's zebra is the only subspecies of zebra which may be legally farmed for human consumption.

 

Like most plains zebras, females and males are relatively the same size, standing 1.1 to 1.4 meters (3.75 to 4.6 feet) at the shoulder. They weigh between 485 to 550 pounds. Year-round reproduction observed in this subspecies in Etosha National Park, Namibia, concludes synchronization of a time budget between males and females, possibly explaining the lack of sexual dimorphism.

 

Damara zebras are described as being striped on the head, the neck, and the flanks, and sparsely down the upper segments of the limbs then fading to white. One or two shadow stripes rest between the bold, broad stripes on the haunch. This main, distinguishing characteristic sets the Zuzuland Zebra apart from the other subspecies. Gray (1824), observed a distinct dorsal line, the tail only bristly at the end, and the body distinctly white. The dorsal line is narrow and becomes gradually broader in the hinder part, distinctly margined with white on each side.

 

Like most plains zebras, Burchells live in small family groups. These can be either harem or bachelor groups, with harem groups consisting of one stallion and one to six mares and their most recent foals, and bachelor groups containing two to eight unattached stallions. The males in bachelor herds are often the younger or older stallions of the population, as they are most likely not experienced enough or strong enough to defend breeding rights to a group of females from challengers. These small groups often congregate together in larger herds around water and food sources, but still maintain their identity as family units while in the population gatherings.

 

Formerly, the Burchell's zebra range was centered north of the Vaal/Orange river system, extending northwest via southern Botswana to Etosha and the Kaokoveld, and southeast to Swaziland and KwaZulu-Natal. Now extinct in the middle portion, it survives at the northwestern and southeastern ends of the distribution.

 

Burchell's zebra migrates the longest distance of any terrestrial animal in Africa, traveling 160 miles one way. They migrate from the Chobe River in Namibia to Nxai Pan National Park in Botswana. Their migration follows a straight north–south route almost entirely within the Kavango–Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA).

 

Like other plains zebras, Burchell's zebras must have populated the African plains in impressive numbers. Associations of thousands have been reported. The wild herds were thought to have disappeared by 1910, and the last known captive individual died in the Berlin Zoo in 1918. As European settlement spread northward from the Cape to colonial southern Rhodesia, this subspecies was thought to have been hunted to extinction.

 

However, Groves and Bell concluded in their 2004 publication that "the extinct true Burchell's zebra" is a phantom. Careful study of the original zebra populations in Zululand and Swaziland, and of skins harvested on game farms in Zululand and Natal, has revealed that a certain small proportion shows similarity to what now is regarded as typical burchellii. The type localities of the two subspecies Equus quagga burchellii (Burchell's zebra) and Equus quagga antiquorum (Damaraland zebra) are so close to each other that they suggest that the two are in fact one, and therefore the older of the two names should take precedence over the younger. They therefore say that the correct name for the southernmost subspecies must be burchellii, not antiquorum.[9] The subspecies Equus quagga burchellii still exists in KwaZulu-Natal and in Etosha. Equus quagga burchellii can be found in a number of zoos in the United States including the following: the Cincinnati Zoo, Columbus Zoo, Naples Zoo, Nashville Zoo, Woodland Park Zoo, etc.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

The impala (/ɪmˈpɑːlə, -ˈpælə/, Aepyceros melampus) is a medium-sized antelope found in eastern and southern Africa. The sole member of the genus Aepyceros, it was first described to European audiences by German zoologist Hinrich Lichtenstein in 1812. Two subspecies are recognised—the common impala, and the larger and darker black-faced impala. The impala reaches 70–92 centimetres (28–36 inches) at the shoulder and weighs 40–76 kg (88–168 lb). It features a glossy, reddish brown coat. The male's slender, lyre-shaped horns are 45–92 centimetres (18–36 inches) long.

 

Active mainly during the day, the impala may be gregarious or territorial depending upon the climate and geography. Three distinct social groups can be observed: the territorial males, bachelor herds and female herds. The impala is known for two characteristic leaps that constitute an anti-predator strategy. Browsers as well as grazers, impala feed on monocots, dicots, forbs, fruits and acacia pods (whenever available). An annual, three-week-long rut takes place toward the end of the wet season, typically in May. Rutting males fight over dominance, and the victorious male courts female in oestrus. Gestation lasts six to seven months, following which a single calf is born and immediately concealed in cover. Calves are suckled for four to six months; young males—forced out of the all-female groups—join bachelor herds, while females may stay back.

 

The impala is found in woodlands and sometimes on the interface (ecotone) between woodlands and savannahs; it inhabits places close to water. While the black-faced impala is confined to southwestern Angola and Kaokoland in northwestern Namibia, the common impala is widespread across its range and has been reintroduced in Gabon and southern Africa. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies the impala as a species of least concern; the black-faced subspecies has been classified as a vulnerable species, with less than 1,000 individuals remaining in the wild as of 2008.

 

The first attested English name, in 1802, was palla or pallah, from the Tswana phala 'red antelope'; the name impala, also spelled impalla or mpala, is first attested in 1875. Its Afrikaans name, rooibok 'red buck', is also sometimes used in English.

 

The scientific generic name Aepyceros (lit. ‘high-horned’) comes from Ancient Greek αἰπύς (aipus, 'high, steep') + κέρας (keras, 'horn'); the specific name melampus (lit. ‘black-foot’) from μελάς (melas, 'black') + πούς (pous, 'foot').

 

The impala is a medium-sized, slender antelope similar to the kob or Grant's gazelle in build. The head-and-body length is around 130 centimetres (51 in). Males reach approximately 75–92 centimetres (30–36 in) at the shoulder, while females are 70–85 centimetres (28–33 in) tall. Males typically weigh 53–76 kilograms (117–168 lb) and females 40–53 kilograms (88–117 lb). Sexually dimorphic, females are hornless and smaller than males. Males grow slender, lyre-shaped horns 45–92 centimetres (18–36 in) long. The horns, strongly ridged and divergent, are circular in section and hollow at the base. Their arch-like structure allows interlocking of horns, which helps a male throw off his opponent during fights; horns also protect the skull from damage.

 

The glossy coat of the impala shows two-tone colouration – the reddish brown back and the tan flanks; these are in sharp contrast to the white underbelly. Facial features include white rings around the eyes and a light chin and snout. The ears, 17 centimetres (6.7 in) long, are tipped with black. Black streaks run from the buttocks to the upper hindlegs. The bushy white tail, 30 centimetres (12 in) long, features a solid black stripe along the midline. The impala's colouration bears a strong resemblance to the gerenuk, which has shorter horns and lacks the black thigh stripes of the impala. The impala has scent glands covered by a black tuft of hair on the hindlegs. Sebaceous glands concentrated on the forehead and dispersed on the torso of dominant males are most active during the mating season, while those of females are only partially developed and do not undergo seasonal changes. There are four nipples.

 

Of the subspecies, the black-faced impala is significantly larger and darker than the common impala; melanism is responsible for the black colouration. Distinctive of the black-faced impala is a dark stripe, on either side of the nose, that runs upward to the eyes and thins as it reaches the forehead. Other differences include the larger black tip on the ear, and a bushier and nearly 30% longer tail in the black-faced impala.

 

The impala has a special dental arrangement on the front lower jaw similar to the toothcomb seen in strepsirrhine primates, which is used during allogrooming to comb the fur on the head and the neck and remove ectoparasites.

 

The impala is diurnal (active mainly during the day), though activity tends to cease during the hot midday hours; they feed and rest at night. Three distinct social groups can be observed – the territorial males, bachelor herds and female herds. The territorial males hold territories where they may form harems of females; territories are demarcated with urine and faeces and defended against juvenile or male intruders. Bachelor herds tend to be small, with less than 30 members. Individuals maintain distances of 2.5–3 metres (8.2–9.8 ft) from one another; while young and old males may interact, middle-aged males generally avoid one another except to spar. Female herds vary in size from 6 to 100; herds occupy home ranges of 80–180 hectares (200–440 acres; 0.31–0.69 sq mi). The mother–calf bond is weak, and breaks soon after weaning; juveniles leave the herds of their mothers to join other herds. Female herds tend to be loose and have no obvious leadership. Allogrooming is an important means of social interaction in bachelor and female herds; in fact, the impala appears to be the only ungulate to display self-grooming as well as allogrooming. In allogrooming, females typically groom related impalas, while males associate with unrelated ones. Each partner grooms the other six to twelve times.

 

Social behaviour is influenced by the climate and geography; as such, the impala are territorial at certain times of the year and gregarious at other times, and the length of these periods can vary broadly among populations. For instance, populations in southern Africa display territorial behaviour only during the few months of the rut, whereas in eastern African populations, territoriality is relatively minimal despite a protracted mating season. Moreover, territorial males often tolerate bachelors, and may even alternate between bachelorhood and territoriality at different times of the year. A study of impala in the Serengeti National Park showed that in 94% of the males, territoriality was observed for less than four months.

 

The impala is an important prey species for several carnivores, such as cheetahs, leopards and lions. The antelope displays two characteristic leaps – it can jump up to 3 metres (9.8 ft), over vegetation and even other impala, covering distances of up to 10 metres (33 ft); the other type of leap involves a series of jumps in which the animal lands on its forelegs, moves its hindlegs mid-air in a kicking fashion, lands on all fours (stotting) and then rebounds. It leaps in either manner in different directions, probably to confuse predators. At times, the impala may also conceal itself in vegetation to escape the eye of the predator. The most prominent vocalisation is the loud roar, delivered through one to three loud snorts with the mouth closed, followed by two to ten deep grunts with the mouth open and the chin and tail raised; a typical roar can be heard up to 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) away. Scent gland secretions identify a territorial male. Impalas are sedentary; adult and middle-aged males, in particular, can hold their territories for years.

 

The impala inhabits woodlands due to its preference for shade; it can also occur on the interface (ecotone) between woodlands and savannahs. Places close to water sources are preferred. In southern Africa, populations tend to be associated with Colophospermum mopane and Acacia woodlands. Habitat choices differ seasonally – Acacia senegal woodlands are preferred in the wet season, and A. drepanolobium savannahs in the dry season. Another factor that could influence habitat choice is vulnerability to predators; impala tend to keep away from areas with tall grasses as predators could be concealed there. A study found that the reduction of woodland cover and creation of shrublands by the African bush elephants has favoured impala population by increasing the availability of more dry season browse. Earlier, the Baikiaea woodland, which has now declined due to elephants, provided minimum browsing for impala. The newly formed Capparis shrubland, on the other hand, could be a key browsing habitat. Impala are generally not associated with montane habitats; however, in KwaZulu-Natal, impala have been recorded at altitudes of up to 1,400 metres (4,600 ft) above sea level.

 

The historical range of the impala – spanning across southern and eastern Africa – has remained intact to a great extent, although it has disappeared from a few places, such as Burundi. The range extends from central and southern Kenya and northeastern Uganda in the east to northern KwaZulu-Natal in the south, and westward up to Namibia and southern Angola. The black-faced impala is confined to southwestern Angola and Kaokoland in northwestern Namibia; the status of this subspecies has not been monitored since the 2000s. The common impala has a wider distribution, and has been introduced in protected areas in Gabon and across southern Africa.

 

The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) classifies the impala as a species of least concern overall. The black-faced impala, however, is classified as a vulnerable species; as of 2008, fewer than 1,000 were estimated in the wild. Though there are no major threats to the survival of the common impala, poaching and natural calamities have significantly contributed to the decline of the black-faced impala. As of 2008, the population of the common impala has been estimated at around two million. According to some studies, translocation of the black-faced impala can be highly beneficial in its conservation.

 

Around a quarter of the common impala populations occur in protected areas, such as the Okavango Delta (Botswana); Masai Mara and Kajiado (Kenya); Kruger National Park (South Africa); the Ruaha and Serengeti National Parks and Selous Game Reserve (Tanzania); Luangwa Valley (Zambia); Hwange, Sebungwe and Zambezi Valley (Zimbabwe). The rare black-faced impala has been introduced into private farms in Namibia and the Etosha National Park. Population densities vary largely from place to place; from less than one impala per square kilometre in Mkomazi National Park (Tanzania) to as high as 135 per square kilometre near Lake Kariba (Zimbabwe).

 

(Wikipedia)

 

Der Kruger-Nationalpark (deutsch häufig falsch Krüger-Nationalpark) ist das größte Wildschutzgebiet Südafrikas. Er liegt im Nordosten des Landes in der Landschaft des Lowveld auf dem Gebiet der Provinz Limpopo sowie des östlichen Abschnitts von Mpumalanga. Seine Fläche erstreckt sich vom Crocodile-River im Süden bis zum Limpopo, dem Grenzfluss zu Simbabwe, im Norden. Die Nord-Süd-Ausdehnung beträgt etwa 350 km, in Ost-West-Richtung ist der Park durchschnittlich 54 km breit und umfasst eine Fläche von rund 20.000 Quadratkilometern. Damit gehört er zu den größten Nationalparks in Afrika.

 

Das Schutzgebiet wurde am 26. März 1898 unter dem Präsidenten Paul Kruger als Sabie Game Reserve zum Schutz der Wildnis gegründet. 1926 erhielt das Gebiet den Status Nationalpark und wurde in seinen heutigen Namen umbenannt. Im Park leben 147 Säugetierarten inklusive der „Big Five“, außerdem etwa 507 Vogelarten und 114 Reptilienarten, 49 Fischarten und 34 Amphibienarten.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

Die Impalas (Aepyceros) sind eine Gattung mittelgroßer afrikanischer Antilopen, die gleichzeitig die monotypische Tribus Aepycerotini bilden. Wegen der äußerlichen Ähnlichkeit wurden die Impalas früher oft in die Nähe der Gazellen gestellt, nach neuen Erkenntnissen sind sie aber enger mit den Kuhantilopen verwandt.

 

Impalas erreichen eine Schulterhöhe von 90 cm und ein Gewicht von 40 kg (Weibchen) bis 65 kg (Männchen). Sie sind oben rehbraun gefärbt, die Flanken haben dabei eine etwas hellere Farbe. Der Unterbauch, die Brust, die Kehle und das Kinn sind weißlich. Den Steiß ziert beidseitig ein senkrechter schwarzer Streifen. Tarsalgelenk und Metacarpus sind dagegen schwarzbraun, weshalb diese Art auch Schwarzfersenantilope (A. melampus) genannt wird. Oberhalb des Hufes wächst an jedem Hinterlauf ein schwarzes Haarbüschel. Der Kopf ist zierlich, die Augen groß und die Ohren schmal und spitz. Bei der Schwarznasenimpala (A. petersi) ist ein namensgebender dunkler Streifen auf der Nase ausgebildet, der bei der Schwarzfersenantilope deutlich diffuser erscheint. Die Männchen haben leierartige Hörner, die bis zu 90 cm lang werden können und nach hinten, seitwärts und oben ausschwingen.

 

Das Verbreitungsgebiet der Schwarzfersenantilope reicht von Kenia und Uganda über Tansania, Sambia, Mosambik und Simbabwe bis nach Botswana und ins nordöstliche Südafrika. Isoliert von diesem Gebiet lebt eine weitere Population im Grenzgebiet von Angola und Namibia; diese wird als eigene Art abgetrennt, die Schwarznasenimpala. Diese Art ist besonders häufig im östlichen Teil des Etosha-Nationalparks in Namibia anzutreffen. Sie hat sich von dort im Verlaufe der letzten Jahre zunehmend auch in den westlichen Teilen des Nationalparks verbreitet, so dass sie heute auch an den Wasserlöchern um Okaukuejo vorkommt. Alle anderen Impalas sind näher miteinander verwandt und werden zumeist als eine einzige Art aufgefasst, die Schwarzfersenimpala, was auch durch genetische Analysen gestützt wird.

 

Eine ungewöhnliche Ansiedlung von Impalas fand 1976 im Calauit Game Preserve and Wildlife Sanctuary auf den Philippinen statt. Es ist die einzige frei lebende Population von Impalas außerhalb Afrikas.

 

Bevorzugtes Habitat der Impala ist die offene Savanne. Während der Fortpflanzungszeit bewacht ein Impalamännchen in der Regel eine Gruppe von Weibchen. Dabei geht er wie auf einer Parade hin und her, zeigt seine Hörner, legt die Ohren zurück und hebt seinen Schwanz. Der Kampf der Männchen um einen Harem lässt sich in drei Kampffolgen aufteilen. Im ersten Teil demonstriert der Herausforderer seine helle Bauchseite, gähnt und lässt die Zunge herausschnellen. Dann senkt das Männchen seinen Kopf als Herausforderung zum Kampf. In der zweiten Phase stehen sich die beiden Rivalen einander mit erhobenem Kopf gegenüber, rücken vor und ziehen sich wieder zurück. Gibt nach dieser Demonstrationsphase noch keines der Männchen auf, verkeilen die beiden Tiere die Hörner ineinander und schieben sich vor und zurück, trennen sich wieder und beginnen mit ihrem Schiebekampf wieder von vorne, bis eines der Tiere aufgibt. Blut fließt in der Regel nicht.

 

Weibliche Impalas leben mit ihren Jungen in Herden von zehn bis hundert Tieren. Von diesen getrennte Herden bilden junge und alte Männchen, die zu schwach sind, um ein Revier zu verteidigen. Männchen im mittleren Alter sind territoriale Einzelgänger und beanspruchen jedes Weibchen für sich, das ihr Revier durchwandert.

 

Auf der Flucht können Impalas hohe Geschwindigkeiten erreichen und bis zu 9 Meter weite Sprünge vollführen. Bei der Überquerung von z. B. Farmzäunen können sie außerdem bis zu 3 Meter hoch springen. Sie suchen allerdings meistens eine Deckung auf, anstatt allein auf ihre Geschwindigkeit zu vertrauen. Zu ihrer Verteidigungsstrategie gegenüber Hetzjägern wie dem Afrikanischen Wildhund zählen auch sogenannte Prellsprünge, bei denen die Antilopen steifbeinig in die Luft springen.

 

Die Tribus und die Gattung gliedern sich folgendermaßen:

 

Tribus Aepycerotini Gray, 1872

 

Gattung Aepyceros Sundevall, 1847

 

Schwarzfersenantilope oder Impala (Aepyceros melampus Lichtenstein, 1812)

Schwarznasenimpala (Aepyceros petersi Bocage, 1879)

 

Die IUCN stuft die Schwarzfersenantilope als „nicht gefährdet“ (least concern) ein. Die Schwarznasenimpala gilt als „gefährdet“ (vulnerable).

 

Der Name „Impala“ entstammt der Zulu-Sprache, die Betonung erfolgt auf das a in der Mitte (Impala). Chevrolet nannte sein 1957 erschienenes Full-Size Car Chevrolet Impala nach der Antilope.

 

(Wikpedia)

 

Das Steppenzebra (Equus quagga) oder Pferdezebra ist ein Zebra aus der Familie der Pferde (Equidae) und gehört zur Ordnung der Unpaarhufer (Perissodactyla). Es stellt heute die häufigste Zebra-Art in Afrika dar und ist vom Nordosten bis in den Süden des Kontinents verbreitet. Es lebt gesellig in kleinen Herdenverbänden und ernährt sich hauptsächlich von Gräsern. Im Gegensatz zu den anderen heutigen Pferdearten kommt es auch in teilweise geschlossenen Landschaften vor. Der Bestand, dessen größte Population heute in der Serengeti lebt, gilt als nicht gefährdet. Es werden sechs rezente Unterarten unterschieden, die sich meistens deutlich in der Streifenzeichnung voneinander abheben.

 

(Wikipedia)

We are now nearing the end of our voyage through the southern French provinces of Languedoc and Roussillon, and the penultimate monument we will visit is the very small and humble parochial church in the out-of-the-way village of Saint-Martin-des-Puits (i.e., “of the wells”) in the département of Aude. The village numbers less than 30 inhabitants, according to the 2021 census.

 

Small and humble, but how remarkable and outstanding this small church is! Its very old age (it was originally part of a Carolingian monastery), the way it still retains most of its architecture from the 800s, its astounding alfresco paintings, make it definitely worth a visit —and as an added bonus, you will most likely be alone, as the place is totally and blessedly ignored by the tourist trade.

 

For those of you who can read French and are interested in a detailed account if this monument, the study published in 1971 by Marcel Durliat is of primary importance; it can be accessed for free online here: www.persee.fr/doc/crai_0065-0536_1971_num_115_4_12692. For the others, I will try to summarize the history of this little jewel I have discovered.

 

The existence of the Carolingian monastery is first confirmed in writing in 897. At that time, it has possessions even in nearby Spain. Misappropriated by the Durfort family of local lords around 1050, it is returned to the religious world in 1093, but is from then on demoted from independent abbey and attached to the abbey of Lagrasse as a priory. It will remain so until the French Revolution. In the photographs, I will show elements re-used from Merovingian times, which tells us that an even older monument existed on this place, as I doubt there would have been enough financial resources to procure such elements and have then shipped from afar: the apparel itself tells us, as we will also see, how destitute the builders were.

 

Aside from its pre-Romanesque elements (the most significant of which is the splendid horseshoe arch, which Durliat dates from the Carolingian period in the Wisigothic tradition), the church was modified in the 1000s by the addition of a chapel to the South, acting like a sort of false transept arm.

 

As regards the alfresco paintings in the choir and apse, there are no less than four layers of them. The latest is from the 18th century, but the former ones go back to the 12th and 13th centuries. We will also look at them closely.

 

This closeup view of the wall paintings in the apse shows that the whole height of the wall was decorated, down the level of the floor. Amazing!

One of the provinces closest to Panama City is Coclé, characterized by its varied landscapes offering both mountains and sea. The province is distinguished by a mixture of coastal plains, rolling hills, and mountainous regions, including parts of the Central Mountain Range.

 

This collection of photographs offers a look at this province from atop its valleys. The images feature marvelous clouds of grey tones, heralding the arrival of winter, better known as the rainy season. In addition, there's an abundance of lush vegetation and pleasant weather; the altitude provides coolness, but if desired, the beach is just minutes away. Water in the sky and on the earth is welcome; in its rawest forms, it always looks beautiful.

The Peterhof Palace is a series of palaces and gardens located in Petergof, Saint Petersburg, Russia, commissioned by Peter the Great as a direct response to the Palace of Versailles by Louis XIV of France. Originally intending it in 1709 for country habitation, Peter the Great sought to expand the property as a result of his visit to the French royal court in 1717, inspiring the nickname of "The Russian Versailles". The architect between 1714 and 1728 was Domenico Trezzini, and the style he employed became the foundation for the Petrine Baroque style favored throughout Saint Petersburg. Also in 1714, Jean-Baptiste Alexandre Le Blond, likely chosen due to his previous collaborations with Versailles landscaper André Le Nôtre, designed the gardens. Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli completed an expansion from 1747 to 1756 for Elizabeth of Russia. The palace-ensemble along with the city center is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

 

Construction

The end of the Great Northern War resulted in the Treaty of Nystad in 1721, ceding much of the Swedish Empire's claim to the Baltic Sea to the rising Tsardom of Russia. Peter the Great already began construction of his new capital St Petersburg in 1703 after successfully capturing Swedish provinces on the eastern coast. This strategic location allowed Russian access to the Baltic Sea through the Neva River that flowed to the Gulf of Finland. The island of Kotlin and its fortress Kronstadt west of St Petersburg provided a gateway and commercial harbor access owing to the shallowness of water closer to the city.

 

Throughout the early 18th century, Peter the Great built and expanded the Peterhof Palace complex as a part of his goal to modernize and westernize Russia.

 

Monplaisir Palace (1714–1723)

In 1714, Peter began construction of the Monplaisir Palace (French: "my delight") based on his own sketches. He "сhalked out not only the site but also the inside layout, some elements of the decorative finish, etc". Based in a Dutch style, this was Peter's summer retreat (not to be confused with his Summer Palace) that he would use on his way coming and going from Europe through the harbour at Kronstadt. On the walls of this seacoast palace hung hundreds of paintings that Peter brought from Europe and allowed to weather Russian winters and the dampness of the sea without heat. In the seaward corner of his Monplaisir Palace, Peter made his Maritime Study, from which he could see Kronstadt Island to the left and St. Petersburg to the right. Later, he expanded his plans to include a vaster royal château of palaces and gardens further inland, on the model of Versailles which would become Peterhof Palace. The initial design of the palace and its garden was done by the French architect Jean-Baptiste Le Blond.

 

Layout

The dominant natural feature of Peterhof is a 16-m-high bluff lying less than 100 m from the shore. The so-called Lower Gardens (Nizhny Sad), at 1.02 km2 comprising the better part of Peterhof's land area, are confined between this bluff and the shore, stretching east and west for roughly 200 m. The majority of Peterhof's fountains are contained here, as are several small palaces and outbuildings. East of the Lower Gardens lies the Alexandria Park with 19th-century Gothic Revival structures such as the Kapella.

 

Atop the bluff, near the middle of the Lower Gardens, stands the Grand Palace (Bolshoi Dvorets). Behind (south) of it are the comparatively small Upper Gardens (Verhnyy Sad). Upon the bluff's face below the palace is the Grand Cascade (Bolshoi Kaskad). This and the Grand Palace are the centrepiece of the entire complex. At its foot begins the Sea Channel (Morskoi Kanal), one of the most extensive waterworks of the Baroque period, which bisects the Lower Gardens.

 

The Grand Cascade and Samson Fountain

The Grand Cascade is modelled on one constructed for Louis XIV at his Château de Marly, which is likewise memorialised in one of the park's outbuildings.

 

At the centre of the cascade is an artificial grotto with two stories, faced inside and out with hewn brown stone. It currently contains a modest museum of the fountains' history.

 

The fountains of the Grand Cascade are located below the grotto and on either side of it. There are 64 fountains. Their waters flow into a semicircular pool, the terminus of the fountain-lined Sea Channel. In the 1730s, the large Samson Fountain was placed in this pool. It depicts the moment when Samson tears open the jaws of a lion, representing Russia's victory over Sweden in the Great Northern War, and is doubly symbolic. The lion is an element of the Swedish coat of arms, and one of the great victories of the war was won on St Sampson's Day. From the lion's mouth shoots a 20-metre (66 ft)-high vertical jet of water, the highest in all of Peterhof. This masterpiece by Mikhail Kozlovsky was looted by the invading Germans during the Second World War; see History below. A replica of the statue was installed in 1947.

 

Perhaps the greatest technological achievement of Peterhof is that all of the fountains operate without the use of pumps. Water is supplied from natural springs and collects in reservoirs in the Upper Gardens. The elevation difference creates the pressure that drives most of the fountains of the Lower Gardens, including the Grand Cascade.

 

The Lower Gardens

The expanse of the Lower Gardens is designed in the formal style of French formal gardens of the 17th century. Although many trees are overgrown, in recent years the formal clipping along the many allees has resumed in order to restore the original appearance of the garden. The many fountains located here exhibit an unusual degree of creativity.

 

The same bluff that provides a setting for the Grand Cascade houses two other, very different cascades. West of the Grand Palace is the Golden Mountain (Золотая Гора), decorated with marble statuary that contrasts with the riotous gilded figures of the Grand Cascade. To the east is the Chess Mountain (Шахматная Гора), a broad chute whose surface is tiled black and white like a chessboard. The most prominently positioned fountains of Peterhof are 'Adam' and 'Eve'.

 

The Grand Palace

The largest of Peterhof's palaces looks imposing when seen from the Lower or Upper Gardens, but in fact it is quite narrow and not overly large.

 

The Chesma Hall is decorated with twelve large paintings of the Battle of Chesma, a stunning naval victory of the Russo-Turkish War, 1768-1774. These were painted between 1771 and 1773 by the German artist Jacob Philipp Hackert. His first renderings of the great battle scenes were criticised by witnesses as not showing realistically the effect of exploding ships — the flying timbers, great flames, smoke, and fireballs.

 

The East and West Chinese Cabinets were decorated between 1766 and 1769 to exhibit objects of decorative art imported from the East. The walls were decorated with imitation Oriental patterns by Russian craftsmen, and hung with Chinese landscape paintings in yellow and black lacquer. Another room, positioned at the centre of the palace, bears the name of the Picture Hall.

 

Other features

The Grand Palace is not the only historic royal building in Peterhof. The palaces of Monplaisir and Marli, as well as the pavilion known as the 'Hermitage', were all raised during the initial construction of Peterhof during the reign of Peter the Great.

 

History

1705–1755

In the early 1700s, the original Peterhof appeared quite different from today. Many of the fountains had not yet been installed and the entire Alexandrine Park and Upper Gardens did not exist. What is now the Upper Gardens was used to grow vegetables, and its ponds, then numbering only three, for fish. The Samson Fountain and its massive pedestal had not yet been installed in the Sea Channel, and the channel itself was used as a grand marine entrance into the complex.

 

Perhaps the most important change augmenting Peter's design was the elevation of the Grand Palace to central status and prominence. The Grand Palace was originally called simply 'Upper', and was hardly larger than any of the other structures of the complex. The addition of wings, undertaken between 1745 and 1755, was one of the many projects commissioned from the Italian architect Bartolomeo Rastrelli by Elizabeth of Russia. Likewise, the Grand Cascade was more sparsely decorated when initially built.

 

1941–modern day

Peterhof, like Tsarskoye Selo, was captured by German troops in 1941 and held until 1944. In the few months that elapsed between the German invasion of the Soviet Union and the appearance of the German Army, employees were only able to save a portion of the treasures of the palaces and fountains. An attempt was made to dismantle and bury the fountain sculptures, but three quarters, including all of the largest ones, remained in place.

 

On 23 September 1941 German troops captured Peterhof. Two weeks later, on 5 October 1941, Soviet troops tried to recapture the town and block the highway by naval landing. 510 marines of the Soviet Baltic Fleet landed on the beach of the neighboring park of Alexandria but faced a heavy fire from the Germans. The commander of the operation was killed, all landing troops became disorganised, one landing craft was sunk and another one missed. Despite Soviet attempts to cover the landing forces by coastal artillery from Kronstadt, they were quickly suspended because of lack of connection with the landing troops. Evacuation attempts also failed due to heavy German artillery shelling (only one marine was picked up from the water). The Peterhof landing operation failed and all landing troops were cut off from the shore and surrounded. Some of them reached the Lower Gardens and fought until the bitter end, including hand-to-hand combat. The last pockets of resistance were destroyed on 7 October. Several dozen German Shepherd dogs were released into the gardens to find the hiding marines. Many of the wounded marines were mauled to death and several were captured.

 

The occupying forces of the German Army largely destroyed Peterhof. Many of the fountains were destroyed, and the palace was partially exploded and left to burn. Restoration work began almost immediately after the end of the war and continues to this day. The Lower Park was reopened to the public in 1945.

 

The name was changed to "Petrodvorets" ("Peter's Palace") in 1944 as a result of wartime anti-German sentiment and propaganda, but the original name was restored in 1997 by the post-Soviet government of Russia.

 

The "purpose" of Peterhof was as a celebration and claim to access to the Baltic (while simultaneously, Peter the Great was also expanding on the Black Sea littoral).

 

Petergof known as Petrodvorets from 1944 to 1997, is a municipal town in Petrodvortsovy District of the federal city of St. Petersburg, located on the southern shore of the Gulf of Finland.

 

The town hosts one of two campuses of Saint Petersburg State University and the Petrodvorets Watch Factory, one of the leading Russian watch manufactures. A series of palaces and gardens, laid out on the orders of Peter the Great and sometimes called the "Russian Versailles", is also situated there. The palace-ensemble along with the city center is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

 

St. Petersburg State University

Besides the downtown campus, certain Saint Petersburg State University's schools and departments are located in Petergof:

 

Graduate School of Management's campus in Mikhailovka (under reconstruction)

Faculty of Biology and Soil Studies' research center in Sergievka (Leuchtenberg Palace)

Petrodvorets Complex including four faculties:

Applied Mathematics and Control Processes

Chemistry

Mathematics and Mechanics

Physics

seven research institutes:

Astronomy

Chemistry

Computational Mathematics and Control Processes

Laser Research

Mathematics and Mechanics

Radiophysics

Physics

as well as 12 dormitories and a number of infrastructure objects.

 

The Petrodvorets Complex dates back to 1960s when it was decided[by whom?] to copy best international practices and to construct a brand-new suburban campus for the University, which had a crucial need for new premises. However, the idea was said to be widely opposed by the faculty, who did not want to commute two hours a day, and as few as four faculties relocated to Petergof.

 

In the 1990s the number of students from other regions fell significantly, and the University sold many of its downtown dormitories. When the trend reversed, the need for housing made the University administration accommodate most students in Petergof, even those studying in downtown faculties, which has created certain tensions. Still, the idea of a suburban campus seems to be persistent, as the Government of the Russian Federation has decided to hand over the Mikhailovka estate to the University to reconstruct it and house the Graduate School of Management's campus.

 

Due to the extensive presence of research facilities, mainly belonging to St. Petersburg State University, Petergof was named a naukograd in 2005.

 

Petrodvorets Watch Factory

Russia's oldest factory was founded by Peter the Great in 1721 first as a lapidary plant to help in the construction of the Peterhof Palaces but also other Palaces in St. Petersburg. It started to produce equipment and parts for the watch industry in the 1920s. After World War II, the factory started to produce complete watches under the brand name Pobeda and from 1961 under the brand Raketa. in 1985 the factory had 7500 employees and was producing 5 million mechanical watches per year. Today, it is the last watch factory in Russia producing its own movements from A to Z, though the production is much smaller than it used to be.

 

Transportation

The town is served by three railway stations (Novy Petergof, Stary Petergof, and Universitet). The palaces of Peterhof are accessible by sea via hydrofoils based near the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg. The palace is also accessed by road. Public transit and private van services make trips from Saint Petersburg.

 

The Upper Gardens are accessible, but entry to the Lower Gardens requires the purchase of tickets (not included in the boat fee for visitors arriving by hydrofoil). The palaces and grotto are accessible only as part of guided tours.

 

Local government

Petergof is a municipal entity - an intracity territory of the federal city of St. Petersburg. Local self-government is carried out on the basis of the charter, which was adopted by the resolution of the municipal council of the municipal formation of the city of Petergof dated 5 November 2008 No. 54-n.

 

The current body of local self-government - the Municipal Council - has been operating since 1998. As a result of the elections on 14 September 2014, a new composition of the fifth convocation was elected (out of 19 deputies: 18 from United Russia and 1 from the Communist Party of the Russian Federation).

 

The head of the municipal district of Petergof (since 2019) is deputy of the Municipal Council Alexander Shifman.

 

The executive body of local self-government is the local administration, headed by Tatyana Yegorova.

 

Sister cities

Germany Bad Homburg vor der Höhe, Germany

France Le Blanc-Mesnil, France

 

Saint Petersburg, formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), is the second-largest city in Russia after Moscow. It is situated on the River Neva, at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea. The city had a population of roughly 5.6 million residents as of 2021, with more than 6.4 million people living in the metropolitan area. Saint Petersburg is the fourth-most populous city in Europe, the most populous city on the Baltic Sea, and the world's northernmost city of more than 1 million residents. As Russia's Imperial capital, and a historically strategic port, it is governed as a federal city.

 

The city was founded by Tsar Peter the Great on 27 May 1703 on the site of a captured Swedish fortress, and was named after the apostle Saint Peter. In Russia, Saint Petersburg is historically and culturally associated with the birth of the Russian Empire and Russia's entry into modern history as a European great power. It served as a capital of the Tsardom of Russia, and the subsequent Russian Empire, from 1712 to 1918 (being replaced by Moscow for a short period of time between 1728 and 1730). After the October Revolution in 1917, the Bolsheviks moved their government to Moscow. The city was renamed Leningrad after Lenin's death in 1924. In June 1991, only a few months before the Belovezha Accords and the dissolution of the USSR, voters supported restoring the city's original appellation in a city-wide referendum.

 

As Russia's cultural centre, Saint Petersburg received over 15 million tourists in 2018. It is considered an important economic, scientific, and tourism centre of Russia and Europe. In modern times, the city has the nickname of being "the Northern Capital of Russia" and is home to notable federal government bodies such as the Constitutional Court of Russia and the Heraldic Council of the President of the Russian Federation. It is also a seat for the National Library of Russia and a planned location for the Supreme Court of Russia, as well as the home to the headquarters of the Russian Navy, and the Western Military District of the Russian Armed Forces. The Historic Centre of Saint Petersburg and Related Groups of Monuments constitute a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Saint Petersburg is home to the Hermitage, one of the largest art museums in the world, the Lakhta Center, the tallest skyscraper in Europe, and was one of the host cities of the 2018 FIFA World Cup and the UEFA Euro 2020.

 

Russia or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the largest country in the world by area, extending across eleven time zones. It shares land boundaries with fourteen countries. It is the world's ninth-most populous country and Europe's most populous country. The country's capital as well as its largest city is Moscow. Saint Petersburg is Russia's second-largest city and cultural capital. Other major urban areas in the country include Novosibirsk, Yekaterinburg, Nizhny Novgorod, Chelyabinsk, Krasnoyarsk, Kazan, Krasnodar and Rostov-on-Don.

 

The East Slavs emerged as a recognised group in Europe between the 3rd and 8th centuries CE. The first East Slavic state, Kievan Rus', arose in the 9th century, and in 988, it adopted Orthodox Christianity from the Byzantine Empire. Rus' ultimately disintegrated, with the Grand Duchy of Moscow growing to become the Tsardom of Russia. By the early 18th century, Russia had vastly expanded through conquest, annexation, and the efforts of Russian explorers, developing into the Russian Empire, which remains the third-largest empire in history. However, with the Russian Revolution in 1917, Russia's monarchic rule was abolished and eventually replaced by the Russian SFSR—the world's first constitutionally socialist state. Following the Russian Civil War, the Russian SFSR established the Soviet Union with three other Soviet republics, within which it was the largest and principal constituent. At the expense of millions of lives, the Soviet Union underwent rapid industrialisation in the 1930s and later played a decisive role for the Allies in World War II by leading large-scale efforts on the Eastern Front. With the onset of the Cold War, it competed with the United States for global ideological influence. The Soviet era of the 20th century saw some of the most significant Russian technological achievements, including the first human-made satellite and the first human expedition into outer space.

 

In 1991, the Russian SFSR emerged from the dissolution of the Soviet Union as the independent Russian Federation. A new constitution was adopted, which established a federal semi-presidential system. Since the turn of the century, Russia's political system has been dominated by Vladimir Putin, under whom the country has experienced democratic backsliding and a shift towards authoritarianism. Russia has been militarily involved in a number of conflicts in former Soviet states and other countries, including its war with Georgia in 2008 and annexation of Crimea in 2014 from neighbouring Ukraine, followed by the further annexation of four other regions in 2022 during an ongoing invasion.

 

Internationally, Russia ranks among the lowest in measurements of democracy, human rights and freedom of the press; the country also has high levels of perceived corruption. The Russian economy ranks 11th by nominal GDP, relying heavily on its abundant natural resources, and 68th by GDP per capita. Its mineral and energy sources are the world's largest, and its figures for oil production and natural gas production rank highly globally. Russia possesses the largest stockpile of nuclear weapons and has the third-highest military expenditure. The country is a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council; a member state of the G20, SCO, BRICS, APEC, OSCE, and WTO; and the leading member state of post-Soviet organisations such as CIS, CSTO, and EAEU/EEU. Russia is home to 30 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

‘Dhammakaya Dhutanga’ 6-Provinces -365 Kilometers to welcome the Year of 2012

 

Ven. Sanitwong Wuttiwangso, Assistant Director of Public Relations Division, Dhammakaya Foundation said, “Dhammakaya Foundation and Dhammakaya Temple under the patronage of Phrathepyanmahamuni (Dhammajayo bhikkhu), Abbot of Dhammakaya Temple organize ‘Dhammakaya Dhutanga’ Project in cooperation with 25 Associated Organizations to welcome the New Year 2012. The project is one of the efforts intended to revive the spirit of the disasters, remove the natural disastrous trouble and bless the nation with the power of merit. The Dhutanga event is scheduled to start on 2nd January and lasts till 25th of January 2012 by 1,127 monks. The activities are comprised of walking on pilgrim, chanting prayers, meditating practice and spreading loving kindness within the area of 6 recently inundated provinces: Pathum Thani, Ayuthaya, Supanburi, Nakornpathom, Nonthaburi and Bangkok. The total distance is up to 365 kilometers long.”

  

Ven. Sanitwong added, “In the Buddha time, there was once a natural disaster in the city of Vesali causing many people’s lives. The citizens also suffered greatly from the outbreak of cholera and the epidemic of devils. They so agreed to invite the Lord Buddha and His 500 disciple monks to bless the city. Before their arrival, people of the city cleaned and decorated streets and places beautifully with flowers to welcome their noble guests. With the power of the Lord Buddha, the disaster was obviated. The sick regain their normalcy. The devils were dispersed. The celestial King Sakka and other important celestial beings came to have an audience with the Lord Buddha at this particular time causing the land being blessed by their celestial power.”

 

“The 2011’s worst flood crisis has caused vast and serious damages to all Thais. In order to relieve people’s troublesome feeling, the Dhutanga monks follow the footstep of the Lord Buddha by performing the pilgrimage to nurture the disasters’ mind and bless the land at the same time.”

 

Source: www.dmc.tv/pages/en/scoop/Dhammakaya-Dhutanga-2012.html

 

Sony A77 + Tamron 70-300mm f4-5.6 Di USD A005 lens

For the first churchly visit of that November 2023 trip to the southern French provinces of Roussillon and Languedoc, I will treat you to a truly unique place, the so-called “priory” of Serrabone, which features an absolute world-class masterpiece of Romanesque sculpture: its tribune.

 

I said “so-called” above because a priory, in the genuine acception of the word, is a secondary monastery established by an abbey. It is populated by monks sent by that abbey. Those monks are led by a prior, whose superior is the abbot of the founding abbey. In the case of Serrabone, there first was a late Carolingian parochial church established in this mountainous locale and first mentioned in writing in 1069. The walls of the nave are, for some part, still those of that ancient church.

 

It was then, at a time when local lords used to meddle more and more in the affairs of the Church (which was one of the reasons that prompted the coming of the Gregorian reform), that the viscount of Cerdagne and the local lord of Corsavy installed on the Serrabone mountaintop an unusually mixed group of canons and canonesses to live in accordance with the Augustinian Rule.

 

A new college church was built (mostly by enlarging the previous one) and consecrated in 1151. Its architecture is harmonious but very simple, as one would expect: in the Middle Ages, those mountains were populated (hence the creation of the parish) and did feed their inhabitants (serra bona in Catalan means “good mountain”), but there was precious little commerce with the outside world and the locals had nothing of real value to export. Therefore, the local economy was pretty much a closed circuit and money was far from flowing in abundantly. The style of the church, even though there were donations from the aforementioned lords, reflects this paucity of financial resources.

 

It is therefore a total mystery how the magnificent sculpted tribune, which would have cost a veritable fortune, was funded, and by whom. Nothing has ever been demonstrated in that matter, although many have conjectured in various directions. The only certainty we have is that it was built around the time when the church itself was completed, i.e., the mid–1150s.

 

The culmination of the “priory” did not last very long: canons and canonesses are not monks and nuns, their commitment is found throughout history and places to be much less strong, and by the late 1200s they had already broken communal life and begun to live in their own separate homes. Decadence went to such extremes that the “priory” was secularized by the pope in the 16th century and made a dependency of the chapter of the cathedral of Solsona. The last “prior” died in 1612 and the church returned to its simple parochial status.

 

The place was progressively abandoned as people left the mountains to go live easier lives in the valleys. It was almost in ruins when it was listed as a Historic Landmark in 1875 and the restoration began. Fortunately, the tribune had been protected and its capitals and columns hidden by the locals.

 

The single (and not very wide) archway leading beyond the tribune and to the eastern part of the nave. It is also through this sole opening that the faithful could view Mass being celebrated, in addition to hearing it.

Impalas

 

Kruger National Park is one of the largest game reserves in Africa. It covers an area of 19,485 km2 (7,523 sq mi) in the provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga in northeastern South Africa, and extends 360 km (220 mi) from north to south and 65 km (40 mi) from east to west. The administrative headquarters are in Skukuza. Areas of the park were first protected by the government of the South African Republic in 1898, and it became South Africa's first national park in 1926.

 

To the west and south of the Kruger National Park are the two South African provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga. In the north is Zimbabwe, and to the east is Mozambique. It is now part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, a peace park that links Kruger National Park with the Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe, and with the Limpopo National Park in Mozambique.

 

The park is part of the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere an area designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as an International Man and Biosphere Reserve (the "Biosphere").

 

The park has nine main gates allowing entrance to the different camps.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

The impala (/ɪmˈpɑːlə, -ˈpælə/, Aepyceros melampus) is a medium-sized antelope found in eastern and southern Africa. The sole member of the genus Aepyceros, it was first described to European audiences by German zoologist Hinrich Lichtenstein in 1812. Two subspecies are recognised—the common impala, and the larger and darker black-faced impala. The impala reaches 70–92 centimetres (28–36 inches) at the shoulder and weighs 40–76 kg (88–168 lb). It features a glossy, reddish brown coat. The male's slender, lyre-shaped horns are 45–92 centimetres (18–36 inches) long.

 

Active mainly during the day, the impala may be gregarious or territorial depending upon the climate and geography. Three distinct social groups can be observed: the territorial males, bachelor herds and female herds. The impala is known for two characteristic leaps that constitute an anti-predator strategy. Browsers as well as grazers, impala feed on monocots, dicots, forbs, fruits and acacia pods (whenever available). An annual, three-week-long rut takes place toward the end of the wet season, typically in May. Rutting males fight over dominance, and the victorious male courts female in oestrus. Gestation lasts six to seven months, following which a single calf is born and immediately concealed in cover. Calves are suckled for four to six months; young males—forced out of the all-female groups—join bachelor herds, while females may stay back.

 

The impala is found in woodlands and sometimes on the interface (ecotone) between woodlands and savannahs; it inhabits places close to water. While the black-faced impala is confined to southwestern Angola and Kaokoland in northwestern Namibia, the common impala is widespread across its range and has been reintroduced in Gabon and southern Africa. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies the impala as a species of least concern; the black-faced subspecies has been classified as a vulnerable species, with less than 1,000 individuals remaining in the wild as of 2008.

 

The first attested English name, in 1802, was palla or pallah, from the Tswana phala 'red antelope'; the name impala, also spelled impalla or mpala, is first attested in 1875. Its Afrikaans name, rooibok 'red buck', is also sometimes used in English.

 

The scientific generic name Aepyceros (lit. ‘high-horned’) comes from Ancient Greek αἰπύς (aipus, 'high, steep') + κέρας (keras, 'horn'); the specific name melampus (lit. ‘black-foot’) from μελάς (melas, 'black') + πούς (pous, 'foot').

 

The impala is a medium-sized, slender antelope similar to the kob or Grant's gazelle in build. The head-and-body length is around 130 centimetres (51 in). Males reach approximately 75–92 centimetres (30–36 in) at the shoulder, while females are 70–85 centimetres (28–33 in) tall. Males typically weigh 53–76 kilograms (117–168 lb) and females 40–53 kilograms (88–117 lb). Sexually dimorphic, females are hornless and smaller than males. Males grow slender, lyre-shaped horns 45–92 centimetres (18–36 in) long. The horns, strongly ridged and divergent, are circular in section and hollow at the base. Their arch-like structure allows interlocking of horns, which helps a male throw off his opponent during fights; horns also protect the skull from damage.

 

The glossy coat of the impala shows two-tone colouration – the reddish brown back and the tan flanks; these are in sharp contrast to the white underbelly. Facial features include white rings around the eyes and a light chin and snout. The ears, 17 centimetres (6.7 in) long, are tipped with black. Black streaks run from the buttocks to the upper hindlegs. The bushy white tail, 30 centimetres (12 in) long, features a solid black stripe along the midline. The impala's colouration bears a strong resemblance to the gerenuk, which has shorter horns and lacks the black thigh stripes of the impala. The impala has scent glands covered by a black tuft of hair on the hindlegs. Sebaceous glands concentrated on the forehead and dispersed on the torso of dominant males are most active during the mating season, while those of females are only partially developed and do not undergo seasonal changes. There are four nipples.

 

Of the subspecies, the black-faced impala is significantly larger and darker than the common impala; melanism is responsible for the black colouration. Distinctive of the black-faced impala is a dark stripe, on either side of the nose, that runs upward to the eyes and thins as it reaches the forehead. Other differences include the larger black tip on the ear, and a bushier and nearly 30% longer tail in the black-faced impala.

 

The impala has a special dental arrangement on the front lower jaw similar to the toothcomb seen in strepsirrhine primates, which is used during allogrooming to comb the fur on the head and the neck and remove ectoparasites.

 

The impala is diurnal (active mainly during the day), though activity tends to cease during the hot midday hours; they feed and rest at night. Three distinct social groups can be observed – the territorial males, bachelor herds and female herds. The territorial males hold territories where they may form harems of females; territories are demarcated with urine and faeces and defended against juvenile or male intruders. Bachelor herds tend to be small, with less than 30 members. Individuals maintain distances of 2.5–3 metres (8.2–9.8 ft) from one another; while young and old males may interact, middle-aged males generally avoid one another except to spar. Female herds vary in size from 6 to 100; herds occupy home ranges of 80–180 hectares (200–440 acres; 0.31–0.69 sq mi). The mother–calf bond is weak, and breaks soon after weaning; juveniles leave the herds of their mothers to join other herds. Female herds tend to be loose and have no obvious leadership. Allogrooming is an important means of social interaction in bachelor and female herds; in fact, the impala appears to be the only ungulate to display self-grooming as well as allogrooming. In allogrooming, females typically groom related impalas, while males associate with unrelated ones. Each partner grooms the other six to twelve times.

 

Social behaviour is influenced by the climate and geography; as such, the impala are territorial at certain times of the year and gregarious at other times, and the length of these periods can vary broadly among populations. For instance, populations in southern Africa display territorial behaviour only during the few months of the rut, whereas in eastern African populations, territoriality is relatively minimal despite a protracted mating season. Moreover, territorial males often tolerate bachelors, and may even alternate between bachelorhood and territoriality at different times of the year. A study of impala in the Serengeti National Park showed that in 94% of the males, territoriality was observed for less than four months.

 

The impala is an important prey species for several carnivores, such as cheetahs, leopards and lions. The antelope displays two characteristic leaps – it can jump up to 3 metres (9.8 ft), over vegetation and even other impala, covering distances of up to 10 metres (33 ft); the other type of leap involves a series of jumps in which the animal lands on its forelegs, moves its hindlegs mid-air in a kicking fashion, lands on all fours (stotting) and then rebounds. It leaps in either manner in different directions, probably to confuse predators. At times, the impala may also conceal itself in vegetation to escape the eye of the predator. The most prominent vocalisation is the loud roar, delivered through one to three loud snorts with the mouth closed, followed by two to ten deep grunts with the mouth open and the chin and tail raised; a typical roar can be heard up to 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) away. Scent gland secretions identify a territorial male. Impalas are sedentary; adult and middle-aged males, in particular, can hold their territories for years.

 

The impala inhabits woodlands due to its preference for shade; it can also occur on the interface (ecotone) between woodlands and savannahs. Places close to water sources are preferred. In southern Africa, populations tend to be associated with Colophospermum mopane and Acacia woodlands. Habitat choices differ seasonally – Acacia senegal woodlands are preferred in the wet season, and A. drepanolobium savannahs in the dry season. Another factor that could influence habitat choice is vulnerability to predators; impala tend to keep away from areas with tall grasses as predators could be concealed there. A study found that the reduction of woodland cover and creation of shrublands by the African bush elephants has favoured impala population by increasing the availability of more dry season browse. Earlier, the Baikiaea woodland, which has now declined due to elephants, provided minimum browsing for impala. The newly formed Capparis shrubland, on the other hand, could be a key browsing habitat. Impala are generally not associated with montane habitats; however, in KwaZulu-Natal, impala have been recorded at altitudes of up to 1,400 metres (4,600 ft) above sea level.

 

The historical range of the impala – spanning across southern and eastern Africa – has remained intact to a great extent, although it has disappeared from a few places, such as Burundi. The range extends from central and southern Kenya and northeastern Uganda in the east to northern KwaZulu-Natal in the south, and westward up to Namibia and southern Angola. The black-faced impala is confined to southwestern Angola and Kaokoland in northwestern Namibia; the status of this subspecies has not been monitored since the 2000s. The common impala has a wider distribution, and has been introduced in protected areas in Gabon and across southern Africa.

 

The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) classifies the impala as a species of least concern overall. The black-faced impala, however, is classified as a vulnerable species; as of 2008, fewer than 1,000 were estimated in the wild. Though there are no major threats to the survival of the common impala, poaching and natural calamities have significantly contributed to the decline of the black-faced impala. As of 2008, the population of the common impala has been estimated at around two million. According to some studies, translocation of the black-faced impala can be highly beneficial in its conservation.

 

Around a quarter of the common impala populations occur in protected areas, such as the Okavango Delta (Botswana); Masai Mara and Kajiado (Kenya); Kruger National Park (South Africa); the Ruaha and Serengeti National Parks and Selous Game Reserve (Tanzania); Luangwa Valley (Zambia); Hwange, Sebungwe and Zambezi Valley (Zimbabwe). The rare black-faced impala has been introduced into private farms in Namibia and the Etosha National Park. Population densities vary largely from place to place; from less than one impala per square kilometre in Mkomazi National Park (Tanzania) to as high as 135 per square kilometre near Lake Kariba (Zimbabwe).

 

(Wikipedia)

 

Der Kruger-Nationalpark (deutsch häufig falsch Krüger-Nationalpark) ist das größte Wildschutzgebiet Südafrikas. Er liegt im Nordosten des Landes in der Landschaft des Lowveld auf dem Gebiet der Provinz Limpopo sowie des östlichen Abschnitts von Mpumalanga. Seine Fläche erstreckt sich vom Crocodile-River im Süden bis zum Limpopo, dem Grenzfluss zu Simbabwe, im Norden. Die Nord-Süd-Ausdehnung beträgt etwa 350 km, in Ost-West-Richtung ist der Park durchschnittlich 54 km breit und umfasst eine Fläche von rund 20.000 Quadratkilometern. Damit gehört er zu den größten Nationalparks in Afrika.

 

Das Schutzgebiet wurde am 26. März 1898 unter dem Präsidenten Paul Kruger als Sabie Game Reserve zum Schutz der Wildnis gegründet. 1926 erhielt das Gebiet den Status Nationalpark und wurde in seinen heutigen Namen umbenannt. Im Park leben 147 Säugetierarten inklusive der „Big Five“, außerdem etwa 507 Vogelarten und 114 Reptilienarten, 49 Fischarten und 34 Amphibienarten.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

Die Impalas (Aepyceros) sind eine Gattung mittelgroßer afrikanischer Antilopen, die gleichzeitig die monotypische Tribus Aepycerotini bilden. Wegen der äußerlichen Ähnlichkeit wurden die Impalas früher oft in die Nähe der Gazellen gestellt, nach neuen Erkenntnissen sind sie aber enger mit den Kuhantilopen verwandt.

 

Impalas erreichen eine Schulterhöhe von 90 cm und ein Gewicht von 40 kg (Weibchen) bis 65 kg (Männchen). Sie sind oben rehbraun gefärbt, die Flanken haben dabei eine etwas hellere Farbe. Der Unterbauch, die Brust, die Kehle und das Kinn sind weißlich. Den Steiß ziert beidseitig ein senkrechter schwarzer Streifen. Tarsalgelenk und Metacarpus sind dagegen schwarzbraun, weshalb diese Art auch Schwarzfersenantilope (A. melampus) genannt wird. Oberhalb des Hufes wächst an jedem Hinterlauf ein schwarzes Haarbüschel. Der Kopf ist zierlich, die Augen groß und die Ohren schmal und spitz. Bei der Schwarznasenimpala (A. petersi) ist ein namensgebender dunkler Streifen auf der Nase ausgebildet, der bei der Schwarzfersenantilope deutlich diffuser erscheint. Die Männchen haben leierartige Hörner, die bis zu 90 cm lang werden können und nach hinten, seitwärts und oben ausschwingen.

 

Das Verbreitungsgebiet der Schwarzfersenantilope reicht von Kenia und Uganda über Tansania, Sambia, Mosambik und Simbabwe bis nach Botswana und ins nordöstliche Südafrika. Isoliert von diesem Gebiet lebt eine weitere Population im Grenzgebiet von Angola und Namibia; diese wird als eigene Art abgetrennt, die Schwarznasenimpala. Diese Art ist besonders häufig im östlichen Teil des Etosha-Nationalparks in Namibia anzutreffen. Sie hat sich von dort im Verlaufe der letzten Jahre zunehmend auch in den westlichen Teilen des Nationalparks verbreitet, so dass sie heute auch an den Wasserlöchern um Okaukuejo vorkommt. Alle anderen Impalas sind näher miteinander verwandt und werden zumeist als eine einzige Art aufgefasst, die Schwarzfersenimpala, was auch durch genetische Analysen gestützt wird.

 

Eine ungewöhnliche Ansiedlung von Impalas fand 1976 im Calauit Game Preserve and Wildlife Sanctuary auf den Philippinen statt. Es ist die einzige frei lebende Population von Impalas außerhalb Afrikas.

 

Bevorzugtes Habitat der Impala ist die offene Savanne. Während der Fortpflanzungszeit bewacht ein Impalamännchen in der Regel eine Gruppe von Weibchen. Dabei geht er wie auf einer Parade hin und her, zeigt seine Hörner, legt die Ohren zurück und hebt seinen Schwanz. Der Kampf der Männchen um einen Harem lässt sich in drei Kampffolgen aufteilen. Im ersten Teil demonstriert der Herausforderer seine helle Bauchseite, gähnt und lässt die Zunge herausschnellen. Dann senkt das Männchen seinen Kopf als Herausforderung zum Kampf. In der zweiten Phase stehen sich die beiden Rivalen einander mit erhobenem Kopf gegenüber, rücken vor und ziehen sich wieder zurück. Gibt nach dieser Demonstrationsphase noch keines der Männchen auf, verkeilen die beiden Tiere die Hörner ineinander und schieben sich vor und zurück, trennen sich wieder und beginnen mit ihrem Schiebekampf wieder von vorne, bis eines der Tiere aufgibt. Blut fließt in der Regel nicht.

 

Weibliche Impalas leben mit ihren Jungen in Herden von zehn bis hundert Tieren. Von diesen getrennte Herden bilden junge und alte Männchen, die zu schwach sind, um ein Revier zu verteidigen. Männchen im mittleren Alter sind territoriale Einzelgänger und beanspruchen jedes Weibchen für sich, das ihr Revier durchwandert.

 

Auf der Flucht können Impalas hohe Geschwindigkeiten erreichen und bis zu 9 Meter weite Sprünge vollführen. Bei der Überquerung von z. B. Farmzäunen können sie außerdem bis zu 3 Meter hoch springen. Sie suchen allerdings meistens eine Deckung auf, anstatt allein auf ihre Geschwindigkeit zu vertrauen. Zu ihrer Verteidigungsstrategie gegenüber Hetzjägern wie dem Afrikanischen Wildhund zählen auch sogenannte Prellsprünge, bei denen die Antilopen steifbeinig in die Luft springen.

 

Die Tribus und die Gattung gliedern sich folgendermaßen:

 

Tribus Aepycerotini Gray, 1872

 

Gattung Aepyceros Sundevall, 1847

 

Schwarzfersenantilope oder Impala (Aepyceros melampus Lichtenstein, 1812)

Schwarznasenimpala (Aepyceros petersi Bocage, 1879)

 

Die IUCN stuft die Schwarzfersenantilope als „nicht gefährdet“ (least concern) ein. Die Schwarznasenimpala gilt als „gefährdet“ (vulnerable).

 

Der Name „Impala“ entstammt der Zulu-Sprache, die Betonung erfolgt auf das a in der Mitte (Impala). Chevrolet nannte sein 1957 erschienenes Full-Size Car Chevrolet Impala nach der Antilope.

 

(Wikpedia)

We are now nearing the end of our voyage through the southern French provinces of Languedoc and Roussillon, and the penultimate monument we will visit is the very small and humble parochial church in the out-of-the-way village of Saint-Martin-des-Puits (i.e., “of the wells”) in the département of Aude. The village numbers less than 30 inhabitants, according to the 2021 census.

 

Small and humble, but how remarkable and outstanding this small church is! Its very old age (it was originally part of a Carolingian monastery), the way it still retains most of its architecture from the 800s, its astounding alfresco paintings, make it definitely worth a visit —and as an added bonus, you will most likely be alone, as the place is totally and blessedly ignored by the tourist trade.

 

For those of you who can read French and are interested in a detailed account if this monument, the study published in 1971 by Marcel Durliat is of primary importance; it can be accessed for free online here: www.persee.fr/doc/crai_0065-0536_1971_num_115_4_12692. For the others, I will try to summarize the history of this little jewel I have discovered.

 

The existence of the Carolingian monastery is first confirmed in writing in 897. At that time, it has possessions even in nearby Spain. Misappropriated by the Durfort family of local lords around 1050, it is returned to the religious world in 1093, but is from then on demoted from independent abbey and attached to the abbey of Lagrasse as a priory. It will remain so until the French Revolution. In the photographs, I will show elements re-used from Merovingian times, which tells us that an even older monument existed on this place, as I doubt there would have been enough financial resources to procure such elements and have then shipped from afar: the apparel itself tells us, as we will also see, how destitute the builders were.

 

Aside from its pre-Romanesque elements (the most significant of which is the splendid horseshoe arch, which Durliat dates from the Carolingian period in the Wisigothic tradition), the church was modified in the 1000s by the addition of a chapel to the South, acting like a sort of false transept arm.

 

As regards the alfresco paintings in the choir and apse, there are no less than four layers of them. The latest is from the 18th century, but the former ones go back to the 12th and 13th centuries. We will also look at them closely.

 

The church is nested in a hollow, not far from where river Orbieu runs in this quiet valley.

For the first churchly visit of that November 2023 trip to the southern French provinces of Roussillon and Languedoc, I will treat you to a truly unique place, the so-called “priory” of Serrabone, which features an absolute world-class masterpiece of Romanesque sculpture: its tribune.

 

I said “so-called” above because a priory, in the genuine acception of the word, is a secondary monastery established by an abbey. It is populated by monks sent by that abbey. Those monks are led by a prior, whose superior is the abbot of the founding abbey. In the case of Serrabone, there first was a late Carolingian parochial church established in this mountainous locale and first mentioned in writing in 1069. The walls of the nave are, for some part, still those of that ancient church.

 

It was then, at a time when local lords used to meddle more and more in the affairs of the Church (which was one of the reasons that prompted the coming of the Gregorian reform), that the viscount of Cerdagne and the local lord of Corsavy installed on the Serrabone mountaintop an unusually mixed group of canons and canonesses to live in accordance with the Augustinian Rule.

 

A new college church was built (mostly by enlarging the previous one) and consecrated in 1151. Its architecture is harmonious but very simple, as one would expect: in the Middle Ages, those mountains were populated (hence the creation of the parish) and did feed their inhabitants (serra bona in Catalan means “good mountain”), but there was precious little commerce with the outside world and the locals had nothing of real value to export. Therefore, the local economy was pretty much a closed circuit and money was far from flowing in abundantly. The style of the church, even though there were donations from the aforementioned lords, reflects this paucity of financial resources.

 

It is therefore a total mystery how the magnificent sculpted tribune, which would have cost a veritable fortune, was funded, and by whom. Nothing has ever been demonstrated in that matter, although many have conjectured in various directions. The only certainty we have is that it was built around the time when the church itself was completed, i.e., the mid–1150s.

 

The culmination of the “priory” did not last very long: canons and canonesses are not monks and nuns, their commitment is found throughout history and places to be much less strong, and by the late 1200s they had already broken communal life and begun to live in their own separate homes. Decadence went to such extremes that the “priory” was secularized by the pope in the 16th century and made a dependency of the chapter of the cathedral of Solsona. The last “prior” died in 1612 and the church returned to its simple parochial status.

 

The place was progressively abandoned as people left the mountains to go live easier lives in the valleys. It was almost in ruins when it was listed as a Historic Landmark in 1875 and the restoration began. Fortunately, the tribune had been protected and its capitals and columns hidden by the locals.

 

The lions of Serrabone.

For the first churchly visit of that November 2023 trip to the southern French provinces of Roussillon and Languedoc, I will treat you to a truly unique place, the so-called “priory” of Serrabone, which features an absolute world-class masterpiece of Romanesque sculpture: its tribune.

 

I said “so-called” above because a priory, in the genuine acception of the word, is a secondary monastery established by an abbey. It is populated by monks sent by that abbey. Those monks are led by a prior, whose superior is the abbot of the founding abbey. In the case of Serrabone, there first was a late Carolingian parochial church established in this mountainous locale and first mentioned in writing in 1069. The walls of the nave are, for some part, still those of that ancient church.

 

It was then, at a time when local lords used to meddle more and more in the affairs of the Church (which was one of the reasons that prompted the coming of the Gregorian reform), that the viscount of Cerdagne and the local lord of Corsavy installed on the Serrabone mountaintop an unusually mixed group of canons and canonesses to live in accordance with the Augustinian Rule.

 

A new college church was built (mostly by enlarging the previous one) and consecrated in 1151. Its architecture is harmonious but very simple, as one would expect: in the Middle Ages, those mountains were populated (hence the creation of the parish) and did feed their inhabitants (serra bona in Catalan means “good mountain”), but there was precious little commerce with the outside world and the locals had nothing of real value to export. Therefore, the local economy was pretty much a closed circuit and money was far from flowing in abundantly. The style of the church, even though there were donations from the aforementioned lords, reflects this paucity of financial resources.

 

It is therefore a total mystery how the magnificent sculpted tribune, which would have cost a veritable fortune, was funded, and by whom. Nothing has ever been demonstrated in that matter, although many have conjectured in various directions. The only certainty we have is that it was built around the time when the church itself was completed, i.e., the mid–1150s.

 

The culmination of the “priory” did not last very long: canons and canonesses are not monks and nuns, their commitment is found throughout history and places to be much less strong, and by the late 1200s they had already broken communal life and begun to live in their own separate homes. Decadence went to such extremes that the “priory” was secularized by the pope in the 16th century and made a dependency of the chapter of the cathedral of Solsona. The last “prior” died in 1612 and the church returned to its simple parochial status.

 

The place was progressively abandoned as people left the mountains to go live easier lives in the valleys. It was almost in ruins when it was listed as a Historic Landmark in 1875 and the restoration began. Fortunately, the tribune had been protected and its capitals and columns hidden by the locals.

 

The columns that support the tribune are either paired or single. I chose this one to give you an overall impression of how they look: base, shaft, capital, impost and abacus.

For the first churchly visit of that November 2023 trip to the southern French provinces of Roussillon and Languedoc, I will treat you to a truly unique place, the so-called “priory” of Serrabone, which features an absolute world-class masterpiece of Romanesque sculpture: its tribune.

 

I said “so-called” above because a priory, in the genuine acception of the word, is a secondary monastery established by an abbey. It is populated by monks sent by that abbey. Those monks are led by a prior, whose superior is the abbot of the founding abbey. In the case of Serrabone, there first was a late Carolingian parochial church established in this mountainous locale and first mentioned in writing in 1069. The walls of the nave are, for some part, still those of that ancient church.

 

It was then, at a time when local lords used to meddle more and more in the affairs of the Church (which was one of the reasons that prompted the coming of the Gregorian reform), that the viscount of Cerdagne and the local lord of Corsavy installed on the Serrabone mountaintop an unusually mixed group of canons and canonesses to live in accordance with the Augustinian Rule.

 

A new college church was built (mostly by enlarging the previous one) and consecrated in 1151. Its architecture is harmonious but very simple, as one would expect: in the Middle Ages, those mountains were populated (hence the creation of the parish) and did feed their inhabitants (serra bona in Catalan means “good mountain”), but there was precious little commerce with the outside world and the locals had nothing of real value to export. Therefore, the local economy was pretty much a closed circuit and money was far from flowing in abundantly. The style of the church, even though there were donations from the aforementioned lords, reflects this paucity of financial resources.

 

It is therefore a total mystery how the magnificent sculpted tribune, which would have cost a veritable fortune, was funded, and by whom. Nothing has ever been demonstrated in that matter, although many have conjectured in various directions. The only certainty we have is that it was built around the time when the church itself was completed, i.e., the mid–1150s.

 

The culmination of the “priory” did not last very long: canons and canonesses are not monks and nuns, their commitment is found throughout history and places to be much less strong, and by the late 1200s they had already broken communal life and begun to live in their own separate homes. Decadence went to such extremes that the “priory” was secularized by the pope in the 16th century and made a dependency of the chapter of the cathedral of Solsona. The last “prior” died in 1612 and the church returned to its simple parochial status.

 

The place was progressively abandoned as people left the mountains to go live easier lives in the valleys. It was almost in ruins when it was listed as a Historic Landmark in 1875 and the restoration began. Fortunately, the tribune had been protected and its capitals and columns hidden by the locals.

 

The “cloister gallery” shown in the previous photo is the way visitors come into the monument, and as soon as they arrive, they are greeted by a first amazing series of sculpted capitals that herald quite fittingly what expects them inside...

Giraffe

 

Kruger National Park is one of the largest game reserves in Africa. It covers an area of 19,485 km2 (7,523 sq mi) in the provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga in northeastern South Africa, and extends 360 km (220 mi) from north to south and 65 km (40 mi) from east to west. The administrative headquarters are in Skukuza. Areas of the park were first protected by the government of the South African Republic in 1898, and it became South Africa's first national park in 1926.

 

To the west and south of the Kruger National Park are the two South African provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga. In the north is Zimbabwe, and to the east is Mozambique. It is now part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, a peace park that links Kruger National Park with the Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe, and with the Limpopo National Park in Mozambique.

 

The park is part of the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere an area designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as an International Man and Biosphere Reserve (the "Biosphere").

 

The park has nine main gates allowing entrance to the different camps.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

The giraffe (Giraffa) is an African artiodactyl mammal, the tallest living terrestrial animal and the largest ruminant. It is traditionally considered to be one species, Giraffa camelopardalis, with nine subspecies. However, the existence of up to eight extant giraffe species has been described, based upon research into the mitochondrial and nuclear DNA, as well as morphological measurements of Giraffa. Seven other species are extinct, prehistoric species known from fossils.

 

The giraffe's chief distinguishing characteristics are its extremely long neck and legs, its horn-like ossicones, and its distinctive coat patterns. It is classified under the family Giraffidae, along with its closest extant relative, the okapi. Its scattered range extends from Chad in the north to South Africa in the south, and from Niger in the west to Somalia in the east. Giraffes usually inhabit savannahs and woodlands. Their food source is leaves, fruits and flowers of woody plants, primarily acacia species, which they browse at heights most other herbivores cannot reach. They may be preyed on by lions, leopards, spotted hyenas and African wild dogs. Giraffes live in herds of related females and their offspring, or bachelor herds of unrelated adult males, but are gregarious and may gather in large aggregations. Males establish social hierarchies through "necking", which are combat bouts where the neck is used as a weapon. Dominant males gain mating access to females, which bear the sole responsibility for raising the young.

 

The giraffe has intrigued various cultures, both ancient and modern, for its peculiar appearance, and has often been featured in paintings, books, and cartoons. It is classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as vulnerable to extinction, and has been extirpated from many parts of its former range. Giraffes are still found in numerous national parks and game reserves but estimates as of 2016 indicate that there are approximately 97,500 members of Giraffa in the wild. More than 1,600 were kept in zoos in 2010.

 

The name "giraffe" has its earliest known origins in the Arabic word zarāfah (زرافة), perhaps borrowed from the animal's Somali name geri. The Arab name is translated as "fast-walker". There were several Middle English spellings, such as jarraf, ziraph, and gerfauntz. The Italian form giraffa arose in the 1590s. The modern English form developed around 1600 from the French girafe. "Camelopard" is an archaic English name for the giraffe deriving from the Ancient Greek for camel and leopard, referring to its camel-like shape and its leopard-like colouring.

 

Fully grown giraffes stand 4.3–5.7 m (14.1–18.7 ft) tall, with males taller than females. The tallest recorded male was 5.88 m (19.3 ft) and the tallest recorded female was 5.17 m (17.0 ft) tall. The average weight is 1,192 kg (2,628 lb) for an adult male and 828 kg (1,825 lb) for an adult female with maximum weights of 1,930 kg (4,250 lb) and 1,180 kg (2,600 lb) having been recorded for males and females, respectively. Despite its long neck and legs, the giraffe's body is relatively short. Located at both sides of the head, the giraffe's large, bulging eyes give it good all-round vision from its great height. Giraffes see in colour and their senses of hearing and smell are also sharp. The animal can close its muscular nostrils to protect against sandstorms and ants.

 

The giraffe's prehensile tongue is about 45 cm (18 in) 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. The upper lip of the giraffe is also prehensile and useful when foraging and is covered in hair to protect against thorns. The tongue, and inside of the mouth are covered in papillae.

 

The coat has dark blotches or patches (which can be orange, chestnut, brown, or nearly black in colour) separated by light hair (usually white or cream in colour). Male giraffes become darker as they age. The coat pattern has been claimed to serve as camouflage in the light and shade patterns of savannah woodlands. Giraffe calves inherit some spot pattern traits from their mothers, and variation in some spot traits are correlated with neonatal survival. The skin underneath the dark areas may serve as windows for thermoregulation, being sites for complex blood vessel systems and large sweat glands. Each individual giraffe has a unique coat pattern.

 

The skin of a giraffe is mostly gray. 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. At least 11 main aromatic chemicals are in the fur, although indole and 3-methylindole are responsible for most of the smell. Because the males have a stronger odour than the females, the odour may also have sexual function. Along the animal's neck is a mane made of short, erect hairs. The one-metre (3.3-ft) tail ends in a long, dark tuft of hair and is used as a defense against insects.

 

Giraffes usually inhabit savannahs and open woodlands. They prefer Acacieae, Commiphora, Combretum and open Terminalia woodlands over denser environments like Brachystegia woodlands.The Angolan giraffe can be found in desert environments. Giraffes browse on the twigs of trees, preferring trees of the subfamily Acacieae and the genera Commiphora and Terminalia, which are important sources of calcium and protein to sustain the giraffe's growth rate. They also feed on shrubs, grass and fruit. A giraffe eats around 34 kg (75 lb) of foliage daily. When stressed, giraffes may chew the bark off branches. Although herbivorous, the giraffe has been known to visit carcasses and lick dried meat off bones.

 

During the wet season, food is abundant and giraffes are more spread out, while during the dry season, they gather around the remaining evergreen trees and bushes. Mothers tend to feed in open areas, presumably to make it easier to detect predators, although this may reduce their feeding efficiency. As a ruminant, 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. It is common for a giraffe to salivate while feeding. The giraffe requires less food than many other herbivores because the foliage it eats has more concentrated nutrients and it has a more efficient digestive system. The animal's faeces come in the form of small pellets. When it has access to water, a giraffe drinks at intervals no longer than three days.

 

Giraffes have a great effect on the trees that they feed on, delaying the growth of young trees for some years and giving "waistlines" to trees that are too tall. Feeding is at its highest during the first and last hours of daytime. Between these hours, giraffes mostly stand and ruminate. Rumination is the dominant activity during the night, when it is mostly done lying down.

 

Giraffes are usually found in groups that vary in size and composition according to ecological, anthropogenic, temporal, and social factors. Traditionally, the composition of these groups had been described as open and ever-changing. For research purposes, a "group" has been defined as "a collection of individuals that are less than a kilometre apart and moving in the same general direction." More recent studies have found that giraffes have long-term social associations and may form groups or pairs based on kinship, sex or other factors. These groups may regularly associate with one another in larger communities or sub-communities within a fission–fusion society. The number of giraffes in a group can range up to 66 individuals.

 

Giraffe groups tend to be sex-segregated although mixed-sex groups made of adult females and young males are known to occur. Particularly stable giraffe groups are those made of mothers and their young, which can last weeks or months. Social cohesion in these groups is maintained by the bonds formed between calves. Female association appears to be based on space-use and individuals may be matrilineally related. In general, females are more selective than males in who they associate with in regards to individuals of the same sex. Young males also form groups and will engage in playfights. However, as they get older males become more solitary but may also associate in pairs or with female groups. Giraffes are not territorial, but they have home ranges that vary according to rainfall and proximity to human settlements. Male giraffes occasionally wander far from areas that they normally frequent.

 

Although generally quiet and non-vocal, giraffes have been heard to communicate using various sounds. During courtship, males emit loud coughs. Females call their young by bellowing. Calves will emit snorts, bleats, mooing and mewing sounds. Giraffes also snore, hiss, moan, grunt and make flute-like sounds. During nighttime, giraffes appear to hum to each other above the infrasound range for purposes which are unclear.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

Der Kruger-Nationalpark (deutsch häufig falsch Krüger-Nationalpark) ist das größte Wildschutzgebiet Südafrikas. Er liegt im Nordosten des Landes in der Landschaft des Lowveld auf dem Gebiet der Provinz Limpopo sowie des östlichen Abschnitts von Mpumalanga. Seine Fläche erstreckt sich vom Crocodile-River im Süden bis zum Limpopo, dem Grenzfluss zu Simbabwe, im Norden. Die Nord-Süd-Ausdehnung beträgt etwa 350 km, in Ost-West-Richtung ist der Park durchschnittlich 54 km breit und umfasst eine Fläche von rund 20.000 Quadratkilometern. Damit gehört er zu den größten Nationalparks in Afrika.

 

Das Schutzgebiet wurde am 26. März 1898 unter dem Präsidenten Paul Kruger als Sabie Game Reserve zum Schutz der Wildnis gegründet. 1926 erhielt das Gebiet den Status Nationalpark und wurde in seinen heutigen Namen umbenannt. Im Park leben 147 Säugetierarten inklusive der „Big Five“, außerdem etwa 507 Vogelarten und 114 Reptilienarten, 49 Fischarten und 34 Amphibienarten.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

Die Giraffen (Giraffa) sind eine Gattung der Säugetiere aus der Ordnung der Paarhufer. Ursprünglich wurde ihr mit Giraffa camelopardalis und der Trivialbezeichnung „Giraffe“ nur eine einzige Art zugewiesen. Molekulargenetische Untersuchungen aus dem Jahr 2016 zeigen jedoch, dass die Gattung wenigstens vier Arten mit sieben eigenständigen Populationen umfasst. Die Giraffen stellen die höchsten landlebenden Tiere der Welt. Zur Unterscheidung vom verwandten Okapi (sogenannte „Waldgiraffe“) werden sie auch als Steppengiraffen bezeichnet.

 

Männchen (Bullen) werden bis zu 6 Meter hoch und wiegen durchschnittlich rund 1600 Kilogramm. Weibchen (Kühe) werden bis zu 4,5 Meter hoch und wiegen etwa 830 Kilogramm bei einer Schulterhöhe zwischen 2 und 3,5 Metern.

 

Der Hals der Giraffen ist außergewöhnlich lang. Wie bei fast allen Säugetieren besteht die Halswirbelsäule gleichwohl aus nur sieben Halswirbeln, die aber stark verlängert sind. Der Hals wird von einer einzigen, sehr starken Sehne in einem Winkel von etwa 55° gehalten. Die Sehne verläuft vom Hinterkopf der Giraffe bis zum Steiß und ist für den „Höcker“ zwischen Hals und Körper verantwortlich. Der Ruhezustand hält Hals und Kopf in der aufrechten Position; um den Kopf nach unten zu bewegen, z. B. zum Trinken, muss die Giraffe Muskelarbeit aufbringen. Die Zunge kann 50 Zentimeter lang werden. Sie ist zum Greifen befähigt und im vorderen Bereich zum Schutz vor Sonnenbrand stark pigmentiert.

 

Das Muster des Haarkleids besteht aus dunklen Flecken, die sich von der helleren Grundfarbe abheben. Je nach Art variieren Form und Farbe der Flecken. Die Unterseite ist hell und ungefleckt. Die Flecken dienen der Tarnung und der Regulierung der Körpertemperatur. Im Unterhautgewebe verläuft um jeden Flecken eine ringförmige Arterie, die Äste in den Flecken hinein aussendet. Über eine stärkere Durchblutung kann die Giraffe so mehr Körperwärme abgeben und ist nicht auf Schatten angewiesen. Vor allem bei männlichen Giraffen werden die Flecken mit zunehmenden Alter dunkler. Dies geschieht jedoch nicht bei allen Individuen im gleichen Maß oder in der gleichen Intensität, so dass hellere und dunklere Tiere in derselben Altersklasse auftreten. Nach Untersuchungen an Tieren aus dem Etosha-Nationalpark sind dunklere Altbullen häufig einzelgängerisch und zeichnen sich durch ein dominantes Auftreten gegenüber Geschlechtsgenossen bei der Fortpflanzung aus. Gleichalte hellere Individuen führen dagegen häufig ein Leben im Verband und sind weniger dominant, was zu geringeren Erfolgen in der Verpaarung mit Kühen führt. Demnach gibt die Fellfarbe den sozialen Status eines Individuums wieder.

 

Der Geruch des Haarkleids ist für den Menschen unangenehm. Giraffenbullen riechen stärker als -kühe. An Fäkalien erinnern speziell die Stoffe Indol und Skatol, darüber hinaus finden sich Octan, Benzaldehyd, Heptanal, Octanal, Nonanal, p-Kresol, Tetradecan- und Hexadecansäure im Fell. Die meisten dieser Verbindungen hemmen das Wachstum von Bakterien oder Pilzen, wie sie auf der Haut von Säugetieren vorkommen. Der Gehalt von p-Kresol im Giraffenhaar ist ausreichend, um Zecken abzuschrecken.

 

Zwei zapfenartige Hörner sitzen bei beiden Geschlechtern dem Kopf auf. In seltenen Fällen wächst dahinter ein weiteres Hornpaar. Manche Giraffen haben zudem einen knochigen Höcker zwischen den Augen, der ähnlich wie die Hörner strukturiert ist.

 

Giraffen erreichen eine Spitzengeschwindigkeit von 55 km/h. Die langen Beine können die Giraffe aber nur auf festem Untergrund tragen. Sumpfige Gegenden werden von den Tieren daher gemieden.

 

Giraffen verständigen sich im für Menschen nicht hörbaren Infraschallbereich mit Frequenzen unter 20 Hertz.

 

Giraffen sind in afrikanischen Savannen verbreitet. Heute leben sie nur noch südlich der Sahara, vor allem in den Grassteppen Ost- und Südafrikas. Die Bestände nördlich der Sahara wurden frühzeitig durch den Menschen ausgerottet: während des frühen Altertums im Niltal und etwa im 7. Jahrhundert in den Küstenebenen Marokkos und Algeriens. Im 20. Jahrhundert verschwanden Giraffen aus vielen weiteren Bereichen ihres Verbreitungsgebiets.

 

Giraffen beweiden bevorzugt Akazien. Dabei greifen die Tiere einen Zweig mit ihrer bis zu 50 cm langen Zunge, ziehen ihn ins Maul und streifen durch Zurückziehen des Kopfes die Blätter ab. Zunge und Lippen sind so beschaffen, dass sie trotz der dornigen Äste keinen Schaden nehmen. Durch die hohe Bisskraft und die massiven Mahlzähne können die Äste, Blätter und Zweige zügig kleingemahlen werden und rutschen innerhalb kürzester Zeit den bis zu 2,5 Meter langen Hals herab. Jeden Tag nimmt eine Giraffe etwa 30 kg Nahrung auf; hierfür benötigt sie sechzehn bis zwanzig Stunden. Der Flüssigkeitsbedarf wird größtenteils aus der Nahrung gedeckt, so dass Giraffen wochenlang ohne zu trinken auskommen können. Wenn sie doch trinken, müssen sie die Vorderbeine weit spreizen, um den Kopf weit genug zur Wasserquelle herabsenken zu können; ebenso verfahren sie, wenn sie Nahrung vom Boden aufnehmen, was sie allerdings nur unter sehr ungünstigen Umständen tun.

 

Giraffen leben einzelgängerisch oder in losen Verbänden. Dabei hängt das Sozialverhalten vom Geschlecht ab: Weibchen tun sich stets zu Herden von 4 bis 32 Tieren zusammen, die jedoch immer wieder in der Zusammensetzung wechseln. Junge oder weniger dominante Männchen formen eigene Verbände, sogenannte Junggesellengruppen, dominante Altbullen sind meist Einzelgänger. Die Gruppengröße ist abhängig vom Lebensraum und wird nicht durch die Anwesenheit größerer Beutegreifer beeinflusst. Auffälligerweise finden sich Kühe mit Nachwuchs häufiger in kleineren Gruppen zusammen. In der Namib im südwestlichen Afrika bilden gemischte Gruppen zumeist größere Verbände als eingeschlechtige Gruppen, wodurch die Geschlechterzusammensetzung einen wichtigen Einfluss darstellt. Demgegenüber nehmen Herden mit Jungtieren nicht an Größe zu, was den Schluss zulässt, dass bei den Giraffen der Schutz des Nachwuchses vor Bejagung nicht über die Gruppengröße gesteuert wird. Einen weiteren wichtigen Faktor bei der Herdenbildung stellt die räumliche Verfügbarkeit von Nahrung dar. Dieser greift aber nicht über die Jahreszeiten hinweg, wodurch Herden als relativ stabil angesehen werden können. Fluktuationen in der Herdengröße sind demnach vom Nahrungsangebot abhängig und können über Tage deutlich schwanken. So kommt es häufig in den Morgen- und Abendstunden zu größeren Zusammenschlüssen, die der gemeinsamen Nahrungsaufnahme dienen.

 

Treffen zwei Bullen aufeinander, kommt es meistens zu einem ritualisierten Kampf, bei dem die Tiere nebeneinander stehen und ihren Kopf gegen den Hals des Konkurrenten schlagen. Zur Paarungszeit können solche Kämpfe aggressiver ausfallen und eine Heftigkeit annehmen, bei der einer der Konkurrenten bewusstlos geschlagen wird.

 

Entgegen weit verbreiteter Meinung fressen Giraffen, vor allem in der Trockenzeit, von niedrigen Büschen bzw. auf halber Körperhöhe. Aus diesem Grund wird mittlerweile angezweifelt, dass die Giraffen ihren langen Hals nur aufgrund von Nahrungsauswahl haben. Ein Argument, das gegen die Nahrungsaufnahme-Theorie spricht, ist, dass Giraffen im Laufe der Evolution stärker ihren Hals verlängert haben als ihre Beine. Längere Beine wären jedoch energetisch günstiger, wenn es nur um Höhengewinn gehen würde. Eine aktuelle Theorie für den langen Hals sieht daher den Kampf der Giraffen-Männchen um Dominanz und Weibchen als einen Hauptgrund. Ein langer Hals ist dabei im Kampf vorteilhaft.

 

Giraffen schlafen mehrmals innerhalb eines 24-Stunden-Tages, dabei liegen sie mit angezogenen Beinen auf dem Bauch, mit dem Kopf nach hinten auf dem Körper. Der Schlaf dauert in der Regel nur kurze Zeit, in mehr als der Hälfte aller Beobachtungen weniger als 11 Minuten, im Maximum bis zu 100 Minuten. Die REM-Phase währt im Mittel 3 Minuten. Es wird angenommen, dass die Tiere in der liegenden Stellung Raubtieren schutzlos ausgeliefert sind, da sie nur langsam aufstehen können und sich durch Treten mit den Beinen verteidigen. Den größten Teil der Nacht verbringen sie mit Wiederkäuen. Tagsüber dösen Giraffen hin und wieder kurz im Stehen, was insgesamt weniger als 50 Minuten eines 24-Stunden-Tages ausmacht. Dadurch kommt ein Individuum auf etwa 4,6 Stunden Schlaf je Tageszyklus. Jungtiere schlafen durchschnittlich länger.

 

(Wikipedia)

Udawalawe National Park lies on the boundary of Sabaragamuwa and Uva Provinces, in Sri Lanka. The national park was created to provide a sanctuary for wild animals displaced by the construction of the Udawalawe Reservoir on the Walawe River, as well as to protect the catchment of the reservoir. The reserve covers 30,821 hectares (119.00 sq mi) of land area and was established on 30 June 1972. Before the designation of the national park, the area was used for shifting cultivation (chena farming). The farmers were gradually removed once the national park was declared. The park is 165 kilometres (103 mi) from Colombo. Udawalawe is an important habitat for water birds and Sri Lankan Elephants. It is a popular tourist destination and the third most visited park in the country.

 

Udawalawe is an important habitat for Sri Lankan elephants, which are relatively easy to see in its open habitats. Many elephants are attracted to the park because of the Udawalawe reservoir, with a herd of about 250 believed to be permanently resident. The Udawalawe Elephant Transit Home was established in 1995 for the purpose of looking after abandoned elephant calves within the park. A total of nine calves, on two occasions in 1998 and 2000, with another eight calves in 2002, were released in the park when old enough to fend for themselves.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

-----

 

The morning safari-like trip through the Udawalawe national park was a delight - big mammals, birds, so many things to see and admire - Sri Lanka may be so diverse!

For the first churchly visit of that November 2023 trip to the southern French provinces of Roussillon and Languedoc, I will treat you to a truly unique place, the so-called “priory” of Serrabone, which features an absolute world-class masterpiece of Romanesque sculpture: its tribune.

 

I said “so-called” above because a priory, in the genuine acception of the word, is a secondary monastery established by an abbey. It is populated by monks sent by that abbey. Those monks are led by a prior, whose superior is the abbot of the founding abbey. In the case of Serrabone, there first was a late Carolingian parochial church established in this mountainous locale and first mentioned in writing in 1069. The walls of the nave are, for some part, still those of that ancient church.

 

It was then, at a time when local lords used to meddle more and more in the affairs of the Church (which was one of the reasons that prompted the coming of the Gregorian reform), that the viscount of Cerdagne and the local lord of Corsavy installed on the Serrabone mountaintop an unusually mixed group of canons and canonesses to live in accordance with the Augustinian Rule.

 

A new college church was built (mostly by enlarging the previous one) and consecrated in 1151. Its architecture is harmonious but very simple, as one would expect: in the Middle Ages, those mountains were populated (hence the creation of the parish) and did feed their inhabitants (serra bona in Catalan means “good mountain”), but there was precious little commerce with the outside world and the locals had nothing of real value to export. Therefore, the local economy was pretty much a closed circuit and money was far from flowing in abundantly. The style of the church, even though there were donations from the aforementioned lords, reflects this paucity of financial resources.

 

It is therefore a total mystery how the magnificent sculpted tribune, which would have cost a veritable fortune, was funded, and by whom. Nothing has ever been demonstrated in that matter, although many have conjectured in various directions. The only certainty we have is that it was built around the time when the church itself was completed, i.e., the mid–1150s.

 

The culmination of the “priory” did not last very long: canons and canonesses are not monks and nuns, their commitment is found throughout history and places to be much less strong, and by the late 1200s they had already broken communal life and begun to live in their own separate homes. Decadence went to such extremes that the “priory” was secularized by the pope in the 16th century and made a dependency of the chapter of the cathedral of Solsona. The last “prior” died in 1612 and the church returned to its simple parochial status.

 

The place was progressively abandoned as people left the mountains to go live easier lives in the valleys. It was almost in ruins when it was listed as a Historic Landmark in 1875 and the restoration began. Fortunately, the tribune had been protected and its capitals and columns hidden by the locals.

 

If we step outside the church for a moment, we find, in the northern mur gouttereau (“side wall”), this little doorway through which parishioners would gain access into the church for Mass on the Sunday.

 

The stereotomy of the archivolt is impressive and the decoration, although modest, is very nicely executed. Vandalism, dishonesty and lure of money still being very much part of human nature in our modern times, the two capitals atop the supporting columns were stolen in the 1990s and had to be replaced with resin copies.

Skukuza Rest Camp

 

Thievish Vervet Monkey

 

Diebische Südliche Grünmeerkatze

 

Kruger National Park is one of the largest game reserves in Africa. It covers an area of 19,485 km2 (7,523 sq mi) in the provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga in northeastern South Africa, and extends 360 km (220 mi) from north to south and 65 km (40 mi) from east to west. The administrative headquarters are in Skukuza. Areas of the park were first protected by the government of the South African Republic in 1898, and it became South Africa's first national park in 1926.

 

To the west and south of the Kruger National Park are the two South African provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga. In the north is Zimbabwe, and to the east is Mozambique. It is now part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, a peace park that links Kruger National Park with the Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe, and with the Limpopo National Park in Mozambique.

 

The park is part of the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere an area designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as an International Man and Biosphere Reserve (the "Biosphere").

 

The park has nine main gates allowing entrance to the different camps.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

The vervet monkey (Chlorocebus pygerythrus), or simply vervet, is an Old World monkey of the family Cercopithecidae native to Africa. The term "vervet" is also used to refer to all the members of the genus Chlorocebus. The five distinct subspecies can be found mostly throughout Southern Africa, as well as some of the eastern countries. Vervets were introduced to Florida, St. Kitts, and Cape Verde. These mostly herbivorous monkeys have black faces and grey body hair color, ranging in body length from about 50 centimetres (20 in) for males to about 40 centimetres (16 in) for females.

 

In addition to behavioral research on natural populations, vervet monkeys serve as a nonhuman primate model for understanding genetic and social behaviors of humans. They have been noted for having human-like characteristics, such as hypertension, anxiety, and social and dependent alcohol use. Vervets live in social groups ranging from 10 to 70 individuals, with males moving to other groups at the time of sexual maturity. The most significant studies done on vervet monkeys involve their communication and alarm calls, specifically in regard to kin and group recognition and particular predator sightings.

 

The vervet monkey very much resembles a gray langur, having a black face with a white fringe of hair, while the overall hair color is mostly grizzled-grey. The species exhibits sexual dimorphism; the males are larger in weight and body length. Adult males weigh between 3.9 and 8.0 kg (8.6 and 17.6 lb), averaging 5.5 kg (12 lb), and have a body length between 420 and 600 mm (17 and 24 in), averaging 490 mm (19 in) from the top of the head to the base of the tail. Adult females weigh between 3.4 and 5.3 kg (7.5 and 11.7 lb) and average 4.1 kg (9.0 lb), and measure between 300 and 495 mm (11.8 and 19.5 in), averaging 426 mm (16.8 in).

 

When males reach sexual maturity, they move to a neighboring group. Often, males will move with a brother or peer, presumably for protection against aggression by males and females of the resident group. Groups that had previously transferred males show significantly less aggression upon the arrival of another male. In almost every case, males migrate to adjacent groups. This obviously increases benefits in regard to distance traveled, but also reduces the amount of genetic variance, increasing the likelihood of inbreeding.

 

Females remain in their groups throughout life. Separate dominance hierarchies are found for each sex. Male hierarchies are determined by age, tenure in the group, fighting abilities, and allies, while female hierarchies are dependent on maternal social status. A large proportion of interactions occur between individuals which are similarly ranked and closely related. Between unrelated individuals, there is female competition for grooming members of high-ranking families, presumably to gain more access to resources. These observations suggest individual recognition is possible and enables discrimination of genetic relatedness and social status. Interactions between different groups are variable, ranging from highly aggressive to friendly. Furthermore, individuals seem to be able to recognize cross-group vocalizations, and identify from and to which monkey each call is intended, even if the call is made by a subadult male which is likely to transfer groups. This suggests the members within a group are actively monitoring the activity of other groups, including the movement of individuals within a group.

 

Vervet monkeys have four confirmed predators: leopards, eagles, pythons, and baboons. The sighting of each predator elicits an acoustically distinct alarm call. As infants vervets learn to make the variety of calls from observation alone, without explicit tutelage. In experimentation with unreliable signalers, individuals became habituated to incorrect calls from a specific individual. Though the response was lessened for a specific predator, if an unreliable individual gives an alarm call for a different predator, group members respond as if the alarm caller is, in fact, reliable. This suggests vervet monkeys are able to recognize and to respond to not only the individual calling, but also to the semantics of what the individual is communicating. It is believed that vervet monkeys have up to 30 different alarm calls. In the wild vervet monkeys have been seen giving a different call when seeing a human being approaching, leading researchers to believe that vervet monkeys may have a way of distinguishing between different land and flight predators.

 

Mothers can recognize their offspring by a scream alone. A juvenile scream will elicit a reaction from all mothers, yet the juvenile's own mother had a shorter latency in looking in the direction of the scream, as well as an increased duration in her look. Further, mothers have been observed to help their offspring in conflict, yet rarely aided other juveniles. Other mothers evidently can determine to which mother the offspring belongs. Individuals have been observed to look towards the mother whose offspring is creating the scream.

 

Siblings likely provide the prevailing social relationships during development. Within social groups, mother-offspring and sibling interactive units are distinct groups. The sibling interaction are heavily supportive and friendly, but do have some competition. Contests primarily involve postweaning resource allocation by the common mother. For example, siblings have conflict over grooming time allocated by their mother. Offspring are usually not born in extremely close proximity due to the interbirth period of the mother. This time can be reduced by use of an allomother. The clarity of the familial and sibships within a group may act as a form of alliance, which would come at relatively low cost in regards to grooming. Other alliances are shown through conflict with aggressive individuals that have acted against a closely related sibling.

 

Allomothering is the process when another individual besides the mother cares for an infant. In groups of vervet monkeys, infants are the source of a tremendous amount of attention. Days after an infant is born, every member of the group will inspect the infant at least once by touching or sniffing. While all group members participate in infant caretaking, juvenile females which cannot yet menstruate are responsible for the majority of allomothering. The benefit is mutual for the mother and allomother. Mothers that use allomothers are able to shorten their interbirth periods, the time between successive births. At the same time, allomothers gain experience in rearing infants, and had more success in raising their own offspring. Juvenile females discriminate in preference for the infant they choose to allomother, and will usually choose siblings or infants of high-ranking individuals. When a mother allows her juvenile daughter to become an allomother for a newborn sibling, the mother decreases her own investment in the infant, while increasing the chances of successful rearing of her immature daughter.

 

Grandmothers and grandchildren share one-quarter of their genes, so they should be more likely to form affiliative relationships than unrelated members in a group. Not only do infants approach their grandmothers more often than unrelated members, but they also prefer their grandmothers compared to other adult female kin, not including their own mothers. Additional research has shown grandmothers show no preference over the sex of their grandchild. Interest in the grandchild spurred from the rank of the grandmother within a group. Higher-ranking grandmothers showed more interest in caring for their grandchildren when compared to low-ranking grandmothers. The presence of grandmothers has been associated with a decrease in mortality of infants.

 

Spiteful actions are extremely rare in the animal kingdom. Often, there is an indirect benefit to the individual acting 'spiteful' or to a close relative of that individual. Vervet monkeys have been observed to destroy a competitor's food source rather than consume or steal it themselves. While energy is being lost on destroying the food, a competitive advantage is given to the individual due to an increase in competitive gain. This would be pertinent for a male which could be displaced within his group to immigrating males.

 

Female vervets do not have external signs indicating a menstruation period, thus there are not elaborate social behaviors involving reproduction. Typically, a female gives birth once a year, between September to February, after a gestation period of about 165 days. Usually only one infant is born at a time, though twins can occur rarely. A normal infant weighs 300–400 g.

 

The vervet monkey eats a primarily herbivorous diet, living mostly on wild fruits, flowers, leaves, seeds, and seed pods. In agricultural areas, vervets become problem animals, as they will raid bean crops, peas, young tobacco plants, vegetables, fruit, and various grain crops. Carnivorous aspects of their diet include grasshoppers and termites. Raids of cattle egrets and weaver bird nests have been observed where the vervets will eat the eggs and chicks.

 

The vervet monkey ranges throughout much of Southern and East Africa, being found from Ethiopia, Somalia and extreme southern South Sudan, to South Africa. It is not found west of the East African Rift or the Luangwa River, where it is replaced by the closely related malbrouck (C. cynosuros). The vervet monkey inhabits savanna, riverine woodland, coastal forest and mountains up to 4000 m (13,100 ft). They are adaptable and able to persist in secondary and/or highly fragmented vegetation, including cultivated areas, and sometimes are found living in both rural and urban environments. Annual home range size has been observed to be as high as 176 ha with an average population density of 54.68 animals/km².

 

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, and bullets, and is trapped for traditional medicine, bush meat, and for biomedical research. 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. There are heavy fines in some cities to discourage the killing of vervet monkeys.

 

Its status according to the IUCN is "least concern".

 

This species was known in ancient Egypt including the Red Sea Mountains and the Nile Valley. From fresco artworks found in Akrotiri on the Mediterranean island of Santorini there is evidence that the vervet monkey was known to the inhabitants of this settlement around 2000 BC; this fact is most noted for evidence of early contact between Egypt and Akrotiri. Excavations dated to the end of the 1st century AD from Berenike, a Roman-Egyptian port-town on the Red Sea coast, demonstrate that vervet monkeys must have been kept as pets at that time.

 

Introduced vervet monkeys are naturalized in Ascension Island and Cape Verde. Dania Beach, Florida, is home to about 20 introduced vervets.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

Der Kruger-Nationalpark (deutsch häufig falsch Krüger-Nationalpark) ist das größte Wildschutzgebiet Südafrikas. Er liegt im Nordosten des Landes in der Landschaft des Lowveld auf dem Gebiet der Provinz Limpopo sowie des östlichen Abschnitts von Mpumalanga. Seine Fläche erstreckt sich vom Crocodile-River im Süden bis zum Limpopo, dem Grenzfluss zu Simbabwe, im Norden. Die Nord-Süd-Ausdehnung beträgt etwa 350 km, in Ost-West-Richtung ist der Park durchschnittlich 54 km breit und umfasst eine Fläche von rund 20.000 Quadratkilometern. Damit gehört er zu den größten Nationalparks in Afrika.

 

Das Schutzgebiet wurde am 26. März 1898 unter dem Präsidenten Paul Kruger als Sabie Game Reserve zum Schutz der Wildnis gegründet. 1926 erhielt das Gebiet den Status Nationalpark und wurde in seinen heutigen Namen umbenannt. Im Park leben 147 Säugetierarten inklusive der „Big Five“, außerdem etwa 507 Vogelarten und 114 Reptilienarten, 49 Fischarten und 34 Amphibienarten.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

Die Südliche Grünmeerkatze (Chlorocebus pygerythrus) ist eine Primatenart aus der Familie der Meerkatzenverwandten (Cercopithecidae). Sie ist eine der sechs Arten, in die die Grünen Meerkatzen in jüngeren Systematiken unterschieden werden.

 

Südliche Grünmeerkatzen erreichen eine Kopfrumpflänge von 40 bis 60 Zentimeter, der Schwanz wird bis zu 70 Zentimeter lang. Ihr Gewicht beträgt 4 bis 6 Kilogramm, wobei die Männchen deutlich größer und schwerer als die Weibchen werden. Das Fell dieser Tiere ist an der Oberseite graugrün gefärbt, die Unterseite ist heller, die Hände und Füße sind schwarz. Auch das Gesicht ist schwarz, es wird von hellen Haaren an den Backen und an der Stirn eingerahmt. Wie bei allen Grünmeerkatzen haben die Männchen leuchtend gefärbte Genitalien: das Skrotum ist blau und der Penis rot.

 

Südliche Grünmeerkatzen sind im östlichen und südlichen Afrika beheimatet. Ihr Verbreitungsgebiet reicht von Äthiopien und Somalia über Kenia und Tansania bis nach Südafrika. Sie kommen in einer Reihe von Habitaten vor, bevorzugen aber offene Wälder und Savannen. Allzu dichte Wälder meiden sie aber ebenso wie völlig baumlose Gebiete. Auch in der Nähe des Menschen können sie sich aufhalten.

 

Diese Primaten sind semiterrestrisch (das heißt, sie halten sich sowohl am Boden wie auch auf den Bäume auf) und wie alle Altweltaffen tagaktiv. Zur Nachtruhe ziehen sie sich auf Bäume zurück. Sie leben in Gruppen von bis zu 50 Tieren, die sich aus mehreren Männchen, vielen Weibchen und den dazugehörigen Jungtieren zusammensetzen. Beide Geschlechter etablieren eine Rangordnung, die beispielsweise beim Zugang zu Nahrungsquellen und bei der Fortpflanzung zum Tragen kommt. Sie kommunizieren miteinander mit einer Reihe von Lauten, Gesten und Körperhaltungen.

 

Südliche Grünmeerkatzen sind Allesfresser, bevorzugen aber Früchte. Daneben verzehren sie auch Blüten, Blätter, junge Triebe, aber auch Insekten, Würmer und andere Kleintiere.

 

Nach einer rund 165-tägigen Tragzeit bringt das Weibchen ein einzelnes Jungtier zur Welt. Dieses wird im zweiten Lebenshalbjahr entwöhnt und mit 2 bis 3 Jahren geschlechtsreif – wenngleich sich Männchen aufgrund des Gruppenverhaltens selten vor dem fünften Lebensjahr fortpflanzen.

 

Südliche Grünmeerkatzen sind weit verbreitet und können sich besser als die meisten Primatenarten auf die Nähe des Menschen einstellen. Sie kommen teilweise auch in Städten vor und dringen in Plantagen ein. Mancherorts werden sie deswegen als Plage betrachtet und verfolgt, hinzu kommt die Bejagung wegen ihres Fleisches. Insgesamt dürfte die Art nicht gefährdet sein, die IUCN listet sie nicht gesondert.

 

(Wikipedia)