09 July 2012

Day 4, Chobe National Park safari drive. Hoofed animals.

I like these photos of cape buffalos:

cape buffalo

cape buffalo

This kudu has several tick-eating birds on it:

kudu with birds

Impalas are a type of antelope. They are abundant in Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Kenya, where they live both in and out of game preserves. They aren't as big as kudu, and I got the feeling that they are easy prey for the lions. This lovely, graceful female caught my attention:

impala female

We came upon a couple male impalas sparring. Note the "M" on the rear end of the impalas - it's formed from two looping black lines on either side of the tail. Tonia calls the impala "the McDonalds of the game preserve". The "M" really does look like the McDonalds logo. I thought she also might mean that the impala is eaten by all of the carnivores in Africa!

The face off:

male impalas

The fight begins:

impalas sparring

impalas sparring

impalas sparring

The one on the left has the other impala's head pinned. Note how the hooves of the impala on the right are off the ground.

the fight

The left impala must have won, because he looks smug as the other one walks away.

the winner

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