Where are the giraffes?
Sep 19th, 2007, 08:28 AM
#23
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andybiggs
you write
my best giraffe moments and photographs have been taken at the least likely of game parks - Arusha NP
well, i love this park & it has some advantages in comparison to other parks
as i wrote earlier on this thread
"one place that is packed with Giraffes is Arusha NP - a cute afternoon Giraffe-based-gamedrive"
It is also the best park IMO (within Kenya-Tanzania) when it comes to B&W Colobus-watching.
it is also the best place i know to watch red Duiker...
so, it depends which 'game' u r looki' for
aby
you write
my best giraffe moments and photographs have been taken at the least likely of game parks - Arusha NP
well, i love this park & it has some advantages in comparison to other parks
as i wrote earlier on this thread
"one place that is packed with Giraffes is Arusha NP - a cute afternoon Giraffe-based-gamedrive"
It is also the best park IMO (within Kenya-Tanzania) when it comes to B&W Colobus-watching.
it is also the best place i know to watch red Duiker...
so, it depends which 'game' u r looki' for
aby
Sep 19th, 2007, 10:28 AM
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I'm not Andy, but I'll jump in. Samburu has the reticulated giraffe not often seen anywhere else. In most other places in East Africa, you'll see the Maasai giraffe. However, for sheer numbers, I still like Arusha NP. Also, the lush foliage of Arusha is great for photos. As you say, it's also THE place to see Black and White Colobus monkeys. I've seen them every time I've been there (3 times.)
Sep 19th, 2007, 01:55 PM
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Hi "marthag", sorry i just saw your post today. You can find me Kenya trip report at http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...4&tid=34844365
Regards
Mohammed
Regards
Mohammed
Sep 19th, 2007, 02:00 PM
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I am not an expert on Samburu, Aby. Just relaying my wonderful experiences with Arusha NP in regards to giraffe. One thing that I love about Arusha NP is the soft light that you get for most of the day, due to frequent cloud cover. This works quite well when photographing animals in a more intimate setting. In other words, when you don't want to include the sky in your scene.
Sep 19th, 2007, 03:10 PM
#28
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Have to throw my "two cents worth" in for Arusha NP. In the short time (maybe half a day) we spend there this past May
we probably saw more giraffe than we did anywhere else during 4 safaris to East Africa. I recall having lunch on a grassy hilltop overlooking the lakes at Aruaha NP and seeing several dozen. And the various topography would have made for interesting photos (shooting up, down, across small valleys/ravines, etc). The other nice feature of that park that day was we saw only one other safari-related vehicle while on the game drive.
we probably saw more giraffe than we did anywhere else during 4 safaris to East Africa. I recall having lunch on a grassy hilltop overlooking the lakes at Aruaha NP and seeing several dozen. And the various topography would have made for interesting photos (shooting up, down, across small valleys/ravines, etc). The other nice feature of that park that day was we saw only one other safari-related vehicle while on the game drive.
Sep 19th, 2007, 11:39 PM
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Hi Aby,
Samburu is a very dry and arid region in northern Kenya, not far from the Somalia border. Closest town is Isiolo and it was made famous by the Adamsons in the story of Elsa in Born Free. There are two more adjacent parks, Shaba (quite classy) and Buffalo Springs. Due to the climatic conditions the fauna is quite unique and you can see Grevys zebra, reticulated Giraffe, gerenuk and oryx.
The reticulated giraffe are really the most beautiful, something in there body markings and colours that make them so elegant. I don't know if they exist anywhere else?
The Rotschilds giraffe that one sees in Nakuru is actually supposed to be quite rare too but they are not as beautiful in features.
In the Masai Mara the giraffes are differently marked again and they are called Masai giraffes.
Andy, I presume the giraffes in Arusha NP must be similar to the Masai giraffe? Can you verify pls?
Regards
Mohammed
Samburu is a very dry and arid region in northern Kenya, not far from the Somalia border. Closest town is Isiolo and it was made famous by the Adamsons in the story of Elsa in Born Free. There are two more adjacent parks, Shaba (quite classy) and Buffalo Springs. Due to the climatic conditions the fauna is quite unique and you can see Grevys zebra, reticulated Giraffe, gerenuk and oryx.
The reticulated giraffe are really the most beautiful, something in there body markings and colours that make them so elegant. I don't know if they exist anywhere else?
The Rotschilds giraffe that one sees in Nakuru is actually supposed to be quite rare too but they are not as beautiful in features.
In the Masai Mara the giraffes are differently marked again and they are called Masai giraffes.
Andy, I presume the giraffes in Arusha NP must be similar to the Masai giraffe? Can you verify pls?
Regards
Mohammed
Sep 20th, 2007, 02:48 AM
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ShayTay
thanks for 'backing' my view about Colobus (from now on i won't need to use the "IMO")
do you agree about the Duikers as well ?
andybiggs
i totally agree with you about the "diffused-light" for photography.
In (semi-)arid environs, there's always less clouds & Samburu is no exception.
Though i do think Ret' Giraffes are 'photogenic', plus the setting in Samburu is IMO a stunning "African" with its beautiful umbrella shaped Acacias (mainly Acacia tortilis
The riverine forest can also serve as a good setting...
aby
Sep 20th, 2007, 03:02 AM
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Mohammed
The Giraffes at Arusha NP are 'considered' same 'sub-species' as in Mara = G.c. tippelskirchi
but we must remember that there's no objective definition to sub-species, & scientists are arguing over a few sub-species of Giraffe...
{although they differe in looks & even in number of horns e.g. - Rothschild Giraffe (G.c. rothschildi) has usually 3 or 5 horns, while other ssp in Kenta/Tanzania may have only 2...)}
(in fact there's no absolute definition even to species, since nature & evolution do not 'obey' to our rules of putting organisms in closed "boxes" with well defined borders...
aby
PS there's also interbreeding "buffer" zones; but to answer your question it is "yes" according to the common view of sub-species
The Giraffes at Arusha NP are 'considered' same 'sub-species' as in Mara = G.c. tippelskirchi
but we must remember that there's no objective definition to sub-species, & scientists are arguing over a few sub-species of Giraffe...
{although they differe in looks & even in number of horns e.g. - Rothschild Giraffe (G.c. rothschildi) has usually 3 or 5 horns, while other ssp in Kenta/Tanzania may have only 2...)}
(in fact there's no absolute definition even to species, since nature & evolution do not 'obey' to our rules of putting organisms in closed "boxes" with well defined borders...
aby
PS there's also interbreeding "buffer" zones; but to answer your question it is "yes" according to the common view of sub-species
Sep 20th, 2007, 03:45 AM
#32
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talking about Arusha NP - it is also a very good place for forest birds
look how close we got, by foot without the car's cover, to Silvery-cheeked Hornbills:
photos by my 12-year-old daughter with a simple Minolta (10X)
http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/1...71253734yqEDNW
look how close we got, by foot without the car's cover, to Silvery-cheeked Hornbills:
photos by my 12-year-old daughter with a simple Minolta (10X)
http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/1...71253734yqEDNW
Sep 20th, 2007, 07:33 AM
#33
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Hi Aby,
I haven't seen duikers in Arusha NP, but that doesn't mean they aren't there. I've also seen blue monkeys on every trip into the Park. The walk to the waterfall with an armed ranger is a great experience. You get to learn about various plants such as the Sodom Apple and also see wildlife such as buffalo and giraffe.
It's a great park that often gets skipped, which is a shame. The picnic site that rsnyder describes is a great vantage point overlooking the lakes, with Mt. Meru on one side and Mt. Kilimanjaro on the other.
I haven't seen duikers in Arusha NP, but that doesn't mean they aren't there. I've also seen blue monkeys on every trip into the Park. The walk to the waterfall with an armed ranger is a great experience. You get to learn about various plants such as the Sodom Apple and also see wildlife such as buffalo and giraffe.
It's a great park that often gets skipped, which is a shame. The picnic site that rsnyder describes is a great vantage point overlooking the lakes, with Mt. Meru on one side and Mt. Kilimanjaro on the other.
Sep 22nd, 2007, 12:46 PM
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ShayTay
The duikers were there.
You don't need to 'sharpen' your eyes, or acquire the right "search image" - it takes a simple technique: search with your binoculars the edge of a clearing bordering the forest (places like "serengeti ndogo" in Arusha NP)
When driving a road in the forest, drive slowly and look ahead again on the edge of the trees; can't miss 'em.
Yes i agree about the Blue monkeys
vantage point:
i know what you mean. those skipping Arusha also miss the amazing array of lake colours...
i love the picnic site + vantage point above Ngurdoto (a caldera resembling a mini Ngorongoro )
when talking about plants (on the way to the falls) we must also notr the "Strangling" Fig - some fine specimens around this park
aby
The duikers were there.
You don't need to 'sharpen' your eyes, or acquire the right "search image" - it takes a simple technique: search with your binoculars the edge of a clearing bordering the forest (places like "serengeti ndogo" in Arusha NP)
When driving a road in the forest, drive slowly and look ahead again on the edge of the trees; can't miss 'em.
Yes i agree about the Blue monkeys
vantage point:
i know what you mean. those skipping Arusha also miss the amazing array of lake colours...
i love the picnic site + vantage point above Ngurdoto (a caldera resembling a mini Ngorongoro )
when talking about plants (on the way to the falls) we must also notr the "Strangling" Fig - some fine specimens around this park
aby
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