Besides numerous elephant families, the Luangwa River valley supports many species of herbivores. Hippopotamuses congregate in the rivers and many lagoons. Only the deepest lagoons stay wet through the blistering heat of the dry season. This lagoon is covered in Nile water lilly. The hippo may walk 5kms from water to find suitable grazing, mostly at night. Hippos will get out of the water during the day to sunbathe and doze on exposed banks. Their skin obtains pink highlights by secretion of a sunscreen substance. The hippos in South Luangwa National Park are being culled. Overpopulation leads to serious habitat degradation due to overgrazing, trampling and erosion of banks. Their habitual paths to and from the water are clearly visible. Hippos are truly dangerous animals with a nasty disposition. They are credited with the most human deaths of any large African mammal.
The wart hog (
Phacochoerus aethiopicus) is a prey animal for lions and leopards. Only lions and spotted hyaenas can take on an adult like this one. Both sexes have warts and tusks. They use their muscular snout and tusks for rooting, but also eat meat. They sometimes chase wild dogs off their kill. Wart hogs are diurnal. At night they sleep in holes, usually abandoned burrows of other animals modified with their forefeet. They are a good indicator of the health of an ecosystem because their numbers rapidly decline when a habitat is under stress such as during a prolonged drought.
Waterbuck (
Kobus ellipsiprymnus) are plentiful in the Park. This young buck seems to be posing for his picture, giving you a good profile. Unlike an impala males which hold harems, the waterbuck holds a territory beginning at 5-6 years of age. The male will mate with females that move through his territory. As their common name implies they are usually found in proximity to a water source. Serious fights between males are severe and are often more fatal than in other antelope. A distinctive marking of this antelope is the elliptical white patch of fur on its rump, often described as a "toilet seat" ring. Behind the waterbuck on the left are puku.
Puku (
Kobus vardonii), along with impala, are the most numerous antelope in South Luangwa. Here a female nurses her young. Puku are uniformly brown with whiter underparts and no distinctive markings. Only males have horns. Puku usually live in small groups of females with young and bachelor males. Rams defend territories.
US Person hopes you have enjoyed seeing some of the marvelous and curious inhabitants of
South Luangwa National Park. The people are friendly too. The best time to visit in my opinion is at the beginning of the dry season which is the Southern Hemisphere's fall. Tourism helps protect these animals because it gives governments and locals an incentive protect them. Animal populations in southern Africa's protected areas are increasing, but the news from the rest of the continent is not good. A recent survey by the London Zoological Society revealed that in 78 protected areas there is an average decline of almost 60% in the population of key species including the "big five". Of course the situation outside parks and reserves is even worse. Zoos are sterile places for animals and humans. The experience of seeing a wild African mammal in its natural environment is one of a lifetime. These wild places need your visit to survive in tact.
A female leopard hunts in the African night.
