Safari: Tanzania - Serengeti Part 2, Sunday 2022 November 6

---

We were driven to the tourist centre where we bought the balloon tickets. The others of our group were there, walking through an outdoor display about local geography, geology and history. Information signs told the story of the wild-life parks, inspired and created by former President Julius Nyere and zoologist Bernard Grzimek.

We spent the remaining morning on a game drive, moving in the direction of our camp. We saw two Lappet-face Vultures looking for prey from a tall dead tree, and they nicely waited for our picture-taking before soaring away. As a matter of course, wildebeest and zebras roamed the land, dashing one way or another in search of water and safety.

We saw one lion on her back under a tree, sleeping off a full belly. Quite soon, we saw a pride. The principal male and the female were in “the master bedroom” (Mariana’s joke), while two fairly adult females and a passel of youngsters cooled themselves under a near-by tree. In the distance, while we were watching the lions, we saw a large group of elephants – we haven’t seen many since arriving in Tanzania.

For the first time we had lunch at our hotel/camp: spaghetti Bolognese with fries, salad, and tomato and cheese sandwich for those who wanted. We very much appreciated a rest until the late afternoon. I really needed a nap and time to re-organize my luggage, as well as to write notes.

At 5:30 we drove back to the hippo pool, to watch them getting out of the pool and heading out for a night of eating. Lucas provided a few drinks and snacks (delicious samosas and roasted cashews). As dusk fell, we wandered over to the hippo pool to check out the action. The action was virtually the same as in the morning yesterday. They stayed below water for long periods, occasionally wiggled their ears, came up for air once in a while, opened their mouths at each other (anger or affection?), and pushed up against their family members. None got out of the pool. I didn’t hear it, but apparently a lion roared, which may have kept them from moving. It was a pleasant way to spend time. We were back at the camp by 7:00; this rule was not to be breached.

Dinner: roast chicken, deliciously spicy vegetable curry, green beans and carrots, and rice.

---

Photos

Lappet-faced Vulture
Resting or planning?

Cubs and siblings
A time to relax together

Display at Serengeti Visitors Centre
Wildebeest on the "landscape"

Information signs about Julius Nyere
Revered first President of Tanzania

Lapet-faced Vulture
On the lookout for a meal

Young zebra explores
Cape buffalo grazing

Cape buffalo
Not so much looking at us as smelling us

Lion cubs
Cuteness itself

Jostling
... as if the pool were not big enough

Comments

[Isabel Gibson]

I had no idea what hippos sound like, and had never thought to rectify this omission. Their behaviour looks to me like a "safety in numbers" strategy, although of course it could also be social. Floating/standing in water would also present a barrier for many predators. (Apparently sandhill cranes stand in marshy areas or ponds for protection from coyotes.) The lion cubs are, indeed, cuteness personified (animalified?). Cuteness made tangible, I guess.

[beentouring]

Hippos
This trip has revealed a whole world of hippo behaviours to me.