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Tanzania`s Northern Circuit - Home to the LFC`s


mvecht

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@@elefromoz

Sorry, my knowledge about Tanzanian mice is very limited so I have no clue to what species it is.

PS the banana was already there when we arrived.

 

~ @@mvecht and @@elefromoz

 

Might it possibly be Steatomys pratensis, Fat Mouse?

They have the fur color shown, with the faint light bands, and are found in the Serengeti.

Uncertain, but the excellent banana-eater image does look like a Fat Mouse.

Tom K.

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@@Tom Kellie

 

Tom, thank you for raising the question about the Python/Nile Monitor.

I fully trusted our guide on this one but I do agree with you that the markings are more in line with a Nile Monitor.

However in none of the 10 photos I have are there any signs of any legs showing. Unfortunately it finished its swim by going onshore in a position that was hidden to us.

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@@Tom Kellie

 

Tom, thank you for raising the question about the Python/Nile Monitor.

I fully trusted our guide on this one but I do agree with you that the markings are more in line with a Nile Monitor.

However in none of the 10 photos I have are there any signs of any legs showing. Unfortunately it finished its swim by going onshore in a position that was hidden to us.

 

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~ @@mvecht

 

Surely your guide knew best.

I stand corrected. Ha! I should have refrained from expressing my doubts.

It's not directly relevant, but when I've visited Singapore's Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve — @@Kitsafari's territory — the specimens of Varanus salvator which regularly swim there seldom if ever show their legs, which function as paddles below them.

Above is an August, 2011 image of a Varanus salvator swimming at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve.

However, they're a different monitor species and may very likely have entirely different swimming habits.

Thank you for pointing out the identification of your experienced guide so that I might improve my meager identification skills.

Tom K.

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Your photos continue to be superb - so many really good closeup photos of birds and some really nice scenic photos.

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@@Tom Kellie

The more I look at the Picture the more I think Nile Monitor.

Anyone out there that can help?

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@@Tom Kellie

The more I look at the Picture the more I think Nile Monitor.

Anyone out there that can help?

 

~ @@mvecht

 

Were there any means of directly asking @@inyathi or @@Bush dog or @@Geoff or @@armchair bushman, it would be helpful to hear their evaluation and identification.

Undoubtedly there are others who share their ample experience and keen eyes.

Tom K.

Edited by Tom Kellie
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The next morning it was time for a very long drive of 130 km.

At first it seemed like a fruitless drive going past huge area og open plains with long grasses and no animals. We then passes the road to Namiri plains and I started remembering @@madaboutcheetah glwing reports. From then on the grasses became shorter and suddenly there was an abundance of animals. One of the highlights of the day was a Honeybadger. Very difficult to take Pictures as it was running NeXT to our vehicle. Unfortunately I missed the highlight where it was showing, teeth, growling and spraying us at the same time. Not a nice smell!

Then we found a Cheetah. However she did only get up and move once and went back to sleep. We started heading home and saw the first other vehicle for four hours. We could tell him about the Cheetah and he directed us to some Lions. Park rules seem a Little more relaxed in that area so we could get really close.

Other notables: A Purple Roller, a Martin, some Barbets, a Kori Bustard and a chanting Goshawk.

 

 

 

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madaboutcheetah

Michael, lovely brown headed parrot - those aren't easy to photograph? Not even sure I saw one in the serengeti.

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@@mvecht @@Tom Kellie Yes I would say that the swimming reptile definitely looks more like a Nile monitor than a python despite what the guide said, seeing a monitor swimming would not be that unusual I have certainly seen them swimming in Africa whereas I wouldn't expect to see a python swimming although they obviously can and do swim when they need to. I also think that your wee mouse is actually an un-striped grass rat Arvicanthis spp. very common in the Serengeti.

Edited by inyathi
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@@mvecht @@Tom Kellie Yes I would say that the swimming reptile definitely looks more like a Nile monitor than a python despite what the guide said, seeing a monitor swimming would not be that unusual I have certainly seen them swimming in Africa whereas I wouldn't expect to see a python swimming although they obviously can and do swim when they need to. I also think that your wee mouse is actually an un-striped grass rat Arvicanthis spp. very common in the Serengeti.

 

~ @@inyathi

 

Thank you for the correction and clarification on the very tentative mouse identification.

Heretofore didn't know about unstriped grass rats, having never visited the Serengeti.

Tom K.

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Mating giraffes, what a find! That rat in the acais is is too. And not just any old rat, an unstriped grass rat! Since @@inyathi states they are common in the Serengeti, I'll be looking for them. They have eluded me thus far. The LFCs are not LFing in the photos above.

Edited by Atravelynn
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@@Atravelynn

The Giraffe sighting was quite special as they seemed to have very close contact to each other.

The Rats were plentiful at the Naabi Hill gate picnic site sitting on the ground below the bushes and from time to time hurrying out to nearby tables looking for food.

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~ @@mvecht

 

The Kori Bustard photo is my idea of the ideal bustard image.

The lighting and level of detail are exceptional.

In all my safaris I've yet to take any bird image which is so lovely.

As if your safari wasn't already blessed, an odoriferous honey badger showed up.

Your trip report is such great fun to peruse.

Tom K.

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@mvecht @Tom Kellie Yep, definitely a Nile Monitor.

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@@Atravelynn Well you know once you’ve seen all the big game the Serengeti gets a bit dull so you have to move on to the small stuff just to alleviate the boredom ;), these little rodents are very common at Ndutu Safari Lodge and also at the picnic site at Seronera. Where there are lots of people around they become quite habituated they’re not afraid to join the birds in cleaning up the bread and cake crumbs around the picnic tables coming really pretty close or something else spooks them. Out on game drives you never really see rodents like rats and mice or never for long enough to identify them, they always move so fast but these little rats are so confiding that you can get a really good look at them. They don’t venture too far from cover so they can always make a dash for safety if they decide you’ve got a bit too close.

 

A quick consult of MOA reveals if my identification is correct that they are in fact not just an un-striped grass rat but Arvicanthis niloticus also known as the Nile grass rat and actually have a very wide distribution living in savannah grasslands from parts of Zambia up through East Africa and then all the way across to Senegal so you never know you may in fact have seen one somewhere @@Tom Kellie and not known what it was or at least you've probably been close to one out in the bush somewhere they don't come in doors. Lots of people visit Seronera to see leopards perhaps you should start a new trend and go there to see the Nile grass rats much more exciting than a boring big cat surrounded by cars. :lol:

 

 

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@@Atravelynn

The Giraffe sighting was quite special as they seemed to have very close contact to each other.

The Rats were plentiful at the Naabi Hill gate picnic site sitting on the ground below the bushes and from time to time hurrying out to nearby tables looking for food.

Thanks for the rat report! I had not seen them there in the past. Maybe I was focused on other creatures.

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@@Atravelynn Well you know once you’ve seen all the big game the Serengeti gets a bit dull so you have to move on to the small stuff just to alleviate the boredom ;), these little rodents are very common at Ndutu Safari Lodge and also at the picnic site at Seronera. Lots of people visit Seronera to see leopards perhaps you should start a new trend and go there to see the Nile grass rats much more exciting than a boring big cat surrounded by cars. :lol:

 

I'm on a new trend mission!

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My wife and I are not fanatics so we do not have to stop for any bird we see. I would be annoyed if I had to share a vehicle with such a person :D

 

 

hah better not end up in a vehicle with my spouse and I :lol: Although we do try--try--to restrain ourselves if in a vehicle with non-birders. But its not easy ;)

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armchair bushman

Definitely a Nile Monitor.

 

And then.... There are two pictures of a Ratel (Honey Badger) thrown in there amongst cheetah and giraffe photos as if it's "just another animal we saw on our game drive".

AND NO ONE HAS MADE A SINGLE COMMENT ABOUT IT!!???

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Definitely a Nile Monitor.

 

And then.... There are two pictures of a Ratel (Honey Badger) thrown in there amongst cheetah and giraffe photos as if it's "just another animal we saw on our game drive".

AND NO ONE HAS MADE A SINGLE COMMENT ABOUT IT!!???

 

~ @@armchair bushman

 

In comment #63 above, posted about 12 hours ago, yours truly mentioned the odoriferous honey badger, as I, too, was struck by the offhanded mention of its arrival on the scene.

It was a remarkable sighting, wasn't it?

Tom K.

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@@Tom Kellie

Thank you for pointing out the misidentification of the Nile Monitor

@@inyathi @@Geoff @@armchair bushman thank you for clarifying the identification of the Nile Monitor. When zooming in on the Pictures I can clearly see the opening behind the ear that a Python would not have.

Also thank you for identifying the Nile grass rat. Quite fun creatures to watch.

@@janzin I would be more than happy to share a vehicle with you! You seem to have good luck with your sightings and I am sure you could teach me a trick or two when it comes to photography :D

The reason I did not give the Honeybadger a lot of attention was that we were to have an even better (and sadder) sighting of another Honeybadger close to the entrance of the Sopa Ngorongoro lodge. The reason I was sad about the sighting was that the animal was in distress and had issues with its hindquarters most likely it had been hit by a car. Eventhough it was clearly injured it did not give us an easy time in terms of taking Pictures.

 

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@@mvecht, I'm only up to post 26, but great to see Tarangire much greener than we saw in our previous trip. I'm hoping we'll be lucky like you and find the kudu next month...

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In the afternoon we went to the infamous Hippo Pool. Had Joseph told me upfront I would have asked to go somewhere else as we had already seen plenty of Hippoes. The pool is not too bad in the green season as the Water level is quite high and there is very little smell. The highlight was a female with a small baby.

At the entry to the pool there were two nice Bateleurs but ofcourse the light was all wrong! Other sightings included some very dirty Buffalo, a Martial Eagle and a very nice Baboon sighting. I just love watching young Baboons play!

I have forgotten to talk about Tsetse flies. In Tarangire they were quite common in Ndutu and Serengeti we only encountered a few. In Zanzibar we had bought some Lemongrass oil that was supposed to help and I do believe that it did. Poor Joseph was the one to put up with most of the flies. Luckily neither my wife or I had any reactions to the few bites we had.

Take a look at the last Picture and tell me what image you see in the cloud? Personally I see a very happy Lion.

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Edited by mvecht
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madaboutcheetah

Brilliant light!!!

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Definitely a Nile Monitor.

 

And then.... There are two pictures of a Ratel (Honey Badger) thrown in there amongst cheetah and giraffe photos as if it's "just another animal we saw on our game drive".

AND NO ONE HAS MADE A SINGLE COMMENT ABOUT IT!!???

Not seeing the ratel for the rat on my part. You are right.

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