went on our first safari . As tourists we were instructed to remain in the tour vehicle . However , bathroom breaks out in bush country meant going off alone , which made me nervous , especially at sunset ! Our Land Rover had no roof or side walls , making me wonder which one of us would look most delicious to a predator . The Rover had plenty of room , making it easy to move around and take pictures without leaving the vehicle .
Without warning , our driver went offroad through bushes and rocks to stop a short distance from a herd of elephants . We also saw antelopes , giraffes , black rhinoceros and water buffalo . Except for the very young animals , the herds hardly seemed to notice us . I was startled at the first sight of predators near our vehicle , including leopards and lions . Especially since our tracker , who was referred to as the “ snack ”, was seated on the hood of the vehicle . He must have had nerves of steel ! Over the next four days we went on seven game drives and saw all of the “ big five ” mammals . One of my most memorable experiences was seeing four leopards stalking their prey , resting near a kill , and climbing trees . The big cats are quiet , stately and graceful animals .
We watched from our vehicle as several African elephants among a large herd began trumpeting and charging around , disturbed by the vibrations of large road crew trucks rumbling toward us . Leading the herd were enormous matrons , known for their ability to find water and feeding spots , followed by smaller bulls and juveniles from one to four years old . One juvenile lifted his trunk and charged at us but then ran for cover behind his mother !
On another drive we came across five “ bachelor ” Cape buffalo . These muddy , ornery beasts are reputed to be one of Africa ’ s most dangerous animals . As we watched , they clashed horns to determine who would be king of the mud hole . Apparently it ’ s their frequent clashes that
92
GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2016 gmhtoday . com