Game viewing statistics - Botswana
 

Hello everyone,

I just finished my gameviewing statistics from my visits to Botswana over the last 2 years and it seems that I saw 6 different mammal species in every camp (stays ranging from 2 - 10 days) I visited.

Do you Fodorites have any idea which mammals I am talking about?

Greetz,

Johan

Impala
Lion
Elephant
Baboon
Vervet Monkey
Black Backed Jackal

How did I do?

My guess:

impala
kudu
lion
elephant
baboon
warthog

1. Spa Girls
2. British Twitchers
3. Honeymooners
4. Australian Blokes
5. Arielles
6. Fodorites

NapaMatt has an impressive list. I'll trade his jackal for a zebra.

If you saw a serval at every camp I will turn green with envy.

In the Fodors Lounge I wrote that I hate playing games at parties but this game is kind of fun. Maybe if my next holiday gathering gets dull I'll pose this question.

I posted before I saw Predator's list. I'll also trade lion for warthog.

Johan went to Duba Plains, so it's unlikely that he saw a zebra there. Wildebeest at every camp is a possibility. The squirrels are also very successful and possible to see at every camp.....and don't forget hyenas.

With the Duba info, which I should have recalled because I think there were 2 trips to Duba, I revise my list to

Impala
Elephant
Baboons
Vervets
Warthogs
Tree Squirrels

Johan, you better not have tricked us by including Humans as one of the species "in camp."

Hello everyone,

At the moment, there is only one species missing.

And because I went to Duba plains that will exclude some species like Gaurang correctly mentioned.

From the lists I saw, the highest score is 3 out of 6.

And one last thing, in the list of 6 is only one species belonging to the big five.

So I am curious who will know the sixth one.


Greetings,

Johan

ones answer would have to be buffalo. If i remember correctly, there were one or two of them at Duba.

forgot to mention, you always see at least one dagga boy or kakuli at each camp

my vote for No. 6 = tree squirrel

I see that tree squirrel has already been listed, so I'll go with scrub hare.

If only one of the species in your list is a "Big 5" and you went to Duba Plains, then you missed either lion or buffalo there. I will assume it was the lions that were not present.

Buffalo (that's the big 5)
Impala
Vervet
Baboon
Tree Squirrel
Tsessebe (hope spelling doesn't count)

As you can tell, I've become obsessed with your little game.

I just read that only ONE species had not been mentioned.

So now my list is

warthog
baboon
vervet
impala
tree squirrel
buffalo

I am not sure I am comprehending your observation:
You saw six species of mammals in two years of visiting Botswana? Or at the various camps that you visited of all the species of mammal that you have seen only six were common to all camps?

If so:
Giraffe.
Impala
Lechwe
Warthog
Mongoose
Squirrel
Would probably balance the lsit.
Seconding it would be hippo & lion.

The six animals I saw in every camp were the following:

- squirrel;
- baboon;
- wildebeest;
- warthog;
- tsessebe;
- lion.

The only one on the list that surprised me a bit was lion.

Because I went to Duba Plains zebra and impala couldn't figure on the list. Also buffalo are difficult to see
during rainy season in some of camps.

The following species were not seen on only one occasion:

- elephant; common reedbuck; red lechwe and greater kudu.

- leopards (8 out of 12 camps);
- cheetah (6 out of 12 camps);
- wild dogs (5 out of 12 camps).

If I visited one camps three times in these two years than it counted for 3.

During several visits in two years I didn't see a glimpse of the following 5 species:


- sitatunga; roan antelope; eland;porcupine and the elusive pangolin (never seen anywhere by me until now).

Greetz,

Johan

Johan,

I havent been on fodors a lot lately, so i missed out on this thread.....

Ok here's my guess for the 6 camps with cheetah....let's see how i did

Lebala, Chitabe, Mombo, Kwara, Vumbura?, Duma tau........

How did i do.....

the 5 camps with wild dog.......Lebala, Duma Tau, Chitabe, Kwara and Mombo?

Anyways, good fun......

Hari

Hari,

You were very close:

Cheetah: Lebala (2)/Chief's camp/Kwara/Chitabe trails/Baines camp.

Wild dog: Lebala (2)/Duma Tau/Chitabe trails/Kwara.

Greetz,

Johan

Oh, i thought they were 6 induvidual camps.....no surprises though....

I was off the mark a bit.....Baines in particular.

Rgds
Hari

Johan.... during my recent 8 nights in Kwando, I saw eland, roan, porcupine and pangolin. I have some interesting photos but you'll have to wait until I reach that part of my trip report ;) I guess we must have been very lucky, especially considering it was the rainy season.

Hari...I hope all is well. It was unfortunate that we couldn't meet up recently but maybe another time.

Regards

Gaurang