Naturally, along with my passion for the bush, comes an animal wish list that I would like to see in the wild before I am confined to a rocking chair on the front porch. So to start off here is my top 5 "out of Southern Africa" animals:
5. The Gorilla. Gorilla's natural habitat is fast disappearing and we need to look after these majestic Kings of the jungle. They are the only primate that has always captured my interest (them and strangely the ververt monkey).
4. Whilst not particularly exciting, the Red river hog has got a strange make up and seems tamely out of place in west Africa's jungles.
3. The Ethiopian Wolf is the only wolf to be found in Africa. I find wolves to be fascinating pack animals and their need to partner and a pack is close to home.
2. Strangely enough coming in at number 2 is in fact a bird. I first came across the Shoe-billed Stork on a NaGeo wild documentary and I couldn't believe how this bird was put together, it has an almost comical look about it. I later learnt, through a Davis Attembrough documentary that these birds lay two eggs but will only raise the strongest of the two leaving the weaker one to starve and be killed by it's stronger sibling.
1. Coming in at number one is the very endangered Okapi. I first saw this animal at the Pretoria zoo and found it to be truly amazing. Not only did its markings fascinate me but the sheer size of it as well. It stood around 16-18 hands in horse terms with large ears to go with it, a truly magnificent animal.
My Southern African wishlist is a bit longer as it is closer to home and these are the animals that when I go to Kruger I always wish for... even just a glimpse.
7. Now I have seen wild dogs once when I was about 8 years old. One dog ran in front of our car and a second later a pack of about 20 strong ran in front of the car up ahead of us. So I have been inclined to put them on my list.
6. Next on my list is the bat-eared fox. Good old Big-Ears has has got nothing on these little guys.
5. The rubber tyre and butcher's knife combo, tough and dangerous Honey Badger is in next. Once again I have been lucky enough to have already seen one of these guys. We came across a very busy and energetic fellow at Chobe national park in Botswana. They are amazingly brave creatures with great intelligence and so make the list.
4. Next on my list is the Caracal. Once again, this animal with its tuffty ears, has always just captured my interest and I have always home to see one of these guys in the wild.
3. In at number three is the Ardwolf, an illusive animal that can be found all around southern Africa. It is not to be mixed up with the brown hyena who is darker with a more shabby coat.
2. It was a story my parents came back with from a trip to the Victoria falls. Whilst taking a cruise, they asked their guide (working for 20 odd years as a game ranger) what the most amazing thing he has ever see in the wild. His response was that once on a cruise he came across a pangolin swimming across the Zambezi river. To this I thought wow, that is incredible and so the interest too flight.
1. My number one all time top of any list of animals to see in the whole world ( que drum roll) is the Aardvark. This nocturnal animal as been the pinnacle of my love for wildlife. As a child, my first animal teddy bear was an aardvark. This is truly one of Gods most amazing creatures. I will spend my last amount of money and go out on my wheel chair and find one of these guys in the wild before I die. Viva Aardvark viva!
I hope that my animal wishlist has sparked your interest in wildlife and the bush. I hope one day these will be my pictures that I will be showing you.
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