Of Old Friends and New: Kenya Revisited - February 2016

[Tom Kellie]

@@Tom Kellie Swahili has very strict pronunciation of its vowels, unlike in English where you can have short vowels, long vowels etc. It becomes problematic when a word is taken from the English language because then pronunciation becomes a mix between what the colonials would have used and what a native Swahili speaker would have used. Such as 'zebra' where the swahili pronunciation should be with a short 'e' sound but where anyone influenced by Colonial British heritage is more likely to say 'zeebra' which frankly sounds a bit pretentious. Having said that, you hear many native swahili speakers using 'zeebra' so language like everything morphs.

 

'e' should be pronounced somewhat like the 'e' in 'get', and 'i' would be pronounced like 'ee' in 'see'. Anything around what Safaridude has written will get you understood, Jipe with no pronunciation of the final 'e' may give you raised eyebrows.

 

~ @@twaffle

 

From what you've so helpfully explained, it sounds as if “gee-pay” might also be somewhat close.

I ask because not only @@Safaridude's current trip report but past comments from @@Patty about the Lumo Sanctuary have increased my interest in that area of Kenya, including Taita Hills and Lake Chala, not to mention my persistent ongoing interest in eventually visiting Shimba Hills.

It's so nice of you to take time to clarify the reality of Swahili vowels. When traveling with @@Anthony Gitau I've sensed that his vowels were less variable than mine, but never understood what might have led to that.

BTW: In @@Safaridude's post above he alludes to “scimitar-horned oryx”.

Who...aside from @@Safaridude...knew?

Whether linguistic clarification or zoological taxonomy, Safaritalk really is a rich source of information. As with a game drive, from hour-to-hour one never knows what might pop up next.

Case in point, until today, I never realized that you're a pilot, in addition to your other talents! My ventures in the sky are limited to one tandem sky-dive...that's it!

Thank you for this informative post.

Tom K.

[twaffle]

Yes, I agree re Safaridude's posts, he is a font of knowledge and his reports are always interesting as well as enlightening.

 

It has been decades since I have flown a plane and never achieved my full license. Too expensive despite the many hours I'd already invested and I let it all slide. However, I still love planes and flying.

[Tom Kellie]

Yes, I agree re Safaridude's posts, he is a font of knowledge and his reports are always interesting as well as enlightening.

 

~ ...and fun, too!

Tom K.

[michael-ibk]

@@Safaridude

 

Your latest post on Oryx is a perfect example of why I think your reports are really in a league of their own. In-depth-information on animals one would not even find in most books, entertaining presentation of your experiences and wonderful photography to go with it. More than that, you have taught all of us a lot about conversation, and ST is certainly a far richer place because of your contributions. So I think "Safaridude" does not do you justice, you are more like "Your Most Honourable Mr. Safari" to me. And "That Antelope Guy" of course.

[Game Warden]

@@Safaridude Thank you for continuing on.

 

Matt

[TonyQ]

@@michael-ibk

 

When we were in Meru, we talked to our guide (Stanley) about @@Game Warden and @@Safaridude

Stanley remembered them well. He remembered @@Game Warden had a particular interest in conservation and how the difffernt bits of the environment fitted together (and he remembered the beard!). @@Safaridude he referred to as an "antelope researcher" - and commented on how unusually knowlegable he was

 

I certainly learn a lot from these reports - and in a most enjoyable way

Edited March 23, 2016 by TonyQ

[armchair bushman]

@@Safaridude

 

Wow what a trip!!

I'm a little slow here and have only read the report now, today, so my apologies for references to old posts.

I'm interested to hear about what you refer to as Mt. Kenya Hartebeest. Same thing as Jackson's Hartebeest? What's in a name?

I was also very interested to hear how precipitously Fringe-Eared Oryx populations have declined in Kenya and Northern TZ. I have spent so much time in Masai Mara and haven't spent much time in FE Oryx territory much recently.

 

I hope you don't mind me stepping in to be the third person to answer @@Tom Kellie's question about pronunciation of "Jipe". In general, Tom, words of Bantu origin follow the following rules. The second last syllable (even if that happens to be the first syllable) is usually emphasized over other syllables. Hence, as an example. the word "Kiswahili" is pronounced with the "hi" emphasized. The letter "i" is usually pronounced the same as when you pronounce "is" in English. "ih" rather than "ee". The letter "e" is generally pronounced as "eh", rather than "ee" or "ay". You'd pronounce it the same as the "e" in "pen" in english.

So "Jipe" is hence pronounced "JIpeh". In Kenya, you'll hear all sorts of variations of this, from Jeepay, to Jipee.

Also, in case you hadn't picked it up yet, an "e" after a vowel and a consonant, in most bantu-based languages, does not modify the first vowel. So unlike english, where Stripe and Bike are pronounced Straip and baik, if you were to encounter the same sets of letters in a bantu-based language, they'd be pronounced strippeh and bikkeh. The second last vowel remains unmodified in pronunciation to what it would be without that 'e' at the end of the word.

I hope that makes sense.

[wilddog]

@@Safaridude fantastic report as usual. Thanks so much for all the great photos and very interesting and informative text.

 

I must say I loved the airial views, particulary of the landscapes. Some images are almost surreal in their appearance

[Tom Kellie]

~ @@armchair bushman

 

Today is a master class in pronunciation which delights me.

Thank you so much for further refining my limited understanding of pronunciation in Kenya.

That Lake Jipe would spark such a full consideration of these linguistic and phonological matters is a marvel, once again showing Safaritalk's capacity for education.

It also had the effect of my writing to my dear friend @@Anthony Gitau to inquire about safari possibilities in southeastern Kenya!

With Happiness and Gratitude,

Tom K. (who knows little but continues learning)

[Safaridude]

Thanks everyone.

 

All I know is that when I say "Jipe" (probably slightly incorrectly), it rhymes with "Yipee".

[Tom Kellie]

Thanks everyone.

 

All I know is that when I say "Jipe" (probably slightly incorrectly), it rhymes with "Yipee".

 

 

~ Another Safaritalk poet is born!

Tom K.

[Safaridude]

@@Safaridude

 

I'm interested to hear about what you refer to as Mt. Kenya Hartebeest. Same thing as Jackson's Hartebeest? What's in a name?

 

 

@@armchair bushman

 

This is complicated, so please bear with me… I hope I make sense here...

 

Firstly, it bears mentioning that not everyone agrees on taxonomy in general. Most people used to go by (and still go by) the standards used by the Smithsonian and/or the IUCN. Ungulate taxonomy was thrown into a loop when Groves and Grubb published their new findings in 2011. (For example, it's Groves and Gubb who consider the fringe-eared oryx a separate species rather than merely a subspecies of Oryx beisa. As far as I know, other authorities still regard the fringe-eared oryx (O. beisa callotis) and beisa oryx (O. beisa beisa) as subspecies of O. beisa.) It's important to recognize that there are no hard-and-fast rules that dictate what makes something a separate species or a separate subspecies. There is no "old man with a grey beard" who is the ultimate arbiter of such things. Rather, the science and art of it is a continuum. I know there is a notion out there that a good line of delineation amongst species would be the test of whether two species could breed and successfully rear non-sterile offspring (the idea that if they can't, they must be separate species). This notion also gets thrown in for a loop… as Grevy's zebra and plains zebra (taxonomically very different) have produced a few cases of non-sterile offspring. There may be other such cases.

 

Going by the Smithsonian categorization… there are two branches of hartebeests in play in Kenya: (1) Coke's hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus cokei) and (2) hybrid forms of Coke's hartebeest x Lelwel hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus lelwel). The term, "Jackson's hartebeest" is often used as a substitute term for "Lelwel hartebeest", as some "splitters" believe the pure Lelwel hartebeest can be broken down into four further forms, one of which is Jackson's hartebeest (this form occurs in Uganda (and as such, it is the closest of the Lelwel forms to Kenya) and it lacks the dark stripes in the front of the legs present in other Lelwel hartebeest forms). A pure form of Lelwel (Jackson's) hartebeest does not occur in Kenya.

 

So, again, in Kenya, there are (1) pure Coke's hartebeest and (2) hybrid Coke's/Lelwel (Jackson's) hartebeest. These hybrid Lelwel (Jackson's)/Coke's hartebeests come in three different forms in Kenya: (1) A Ruma National Park population that is closer to Lelwel (Jackson's) than Coke's; (2) A Laikipia population (called, "Mt. Kenya hartebeest", "Kenya hartebeest" or "Laikipia hartebeest") that is about half Coke's, half Lelwel (Jackson's); and (3) a Meru National Park population that is closer to Coke's than Lelwel (Jackson's).

 

So, the most correct terminology for the hartebeests one might encounter in Laikipia (seen in Lewa, Borana, Solio, Ol Pejeta, Segera, Mugie, Loisaba, etc.) is "Mt. Kenya hartebeest". "Kenya hartebeest" or "Laikipia hartebeest" are also acceptable. "Jackson's hartebeest" and "Lelwel hartebeest" are used and not entirely incorrect.

Edited March 23, 2016 by Safaridude

[armchair bushman]

yeesh. you learn something new every day.

Totally understood.

 

The whole business of separating species and sub-species has always been very messy, confusing, and contentious. When I first learned the "definitions", it all seemed cut and dry because I was being fed the very simplified form - "if it can inter-breed and produce fertile offspring, it's one species", and "Sub-species are members of the same species with some morphological/visible differences, separated by geography". Clean, un-confusing examples were given, like Maasai and Reticulated giraffes, Common and Defassa's waterbuck.

But then when I started to get more interested, and started looking at the Smithsonian taxonomical breakdowns, especially for antelopes, I thought I threw those definitions out the window. I guess I was still holding onto it regarding Hartebeest, though.

When you start looking at butterflies and other insects, those definitions of species and sub-species become even more obscure and frustrating.

 

Thanks for taking the time to explain it all. I had always called the hartebeest in Laikipia, "Jackson's". I'll now be able to speak more authoritatively on the subject.

[Sangeeta]

@@Game Warden or moderators - if there is a way for you to please cut & paste my comments to the previous page or at least to a point before SD resumed this TR, could you do that please since I hate to impede the flow but feel like I want to make a point as well.

=============================================

 

1) @@offshorebirder - It is entirely unfair to have discussions about the specifics of a particular outing on a public forum. Because the things we say & imply here and accuse people of doing can have very real repercussions on very real people. We need to think hard about what we say before we say it.

 

2) It is also inappropriate to jump to conclusions about altitude & proximity on the basis of a few images - especially given the kinds of lenses & cropping techniques used by serious photographers these days.

 

3) @@Safaridude has spent more time in the trenches doing conservation work than most people I know. He is the very opposite of some thrill-seeker willing to jeopardize the well-being of flamingos for a few images. Likewise his guide & pilot. Their ongoing contribution to the welfare of wildlife is well known in conservation circles.

 

This is not to imply that people involved in conservation work should get a free pass if they do anything wrong. When I talk about Safaridude's commitment to conservation, it is simply to demonstrate my belief that someone like him - who walks the walk and is so deeply involved in conservation work - would never, ever knowingly do anything unethical. And I would bet anything on that.

 

4) You had asked whether heli flights contribute monetarily to Lake Bogoria. You should know that the very same heli that was used here is also used in that area for anti-poaching patrols. On a pro-bono basis.

 

5) In terms of disturbance & nesting sites, to the best of my knowledge flamingos breed in Lake Natron & not Bogoria? So since there can be no question here of abandonment of nests, why raise that issue here?

 

6) It is not unreasonable to have a broader discussion on the impact of helis and drones and other flying machines on wildlife, especially birds - What about scenic flights with fixed wing aircrafts? Is microlighting acceptable? Do drones disturb wildlife? What constitutes a disturbance? What is harassment? And what is worth allowing regardless of some disturbance because of the greater good?

 

These & others are all questions worthy of discussion, but not here, and not in this manner.

Edited March 23, 2016 by Sangeeta

[Sangeeta]

I also think that @@AKR1's comment about 'helicopter envy' is unwarranted. None of us can presume to know what constitutes expensive or affordable to any Safaritalker and IMO, to assume that people who oppose flights do so simply because they envy those who can afford them is quite a leap to make.

[Safaridude]

@@armchair bushman

 

I am going "full-geek" here...

 

Hartebeest DNA study on the various hybrid forms in Kenya: http://slideplayer.com/slide/3907709/

 

Grevy's zebra x plains zebra hybrids and their fertile offspring: https://www.princeton.edu/~dir/pdf_dir/2009_Cordingley_AnimConser.pdf

Edited March 23, 2016 by Safaridude

[TonyQ]

@@Safaridude

Having just seen Hybrid zebra at Ol Pejeta, it was interesting to read this paper. I didn't know that some of the offspring were fertile. Our guide said that male Grevy's mate with Plains females because of the low numbers of Grevy's females in the area - and the paper agrees with him. It is also interesting that the paper sees the hybridisation of the zebra is not a threat to the Grevy's. Thank you for posting.

[fictionauthor]

@@Safaridude Absolutely stunning images. I especially liked the river shot, the moon bed, bush hyrax, the family scenes. But most memorable is your twenty-five year story of Spit. Very moving.

[Sangeeta]

I like Spit best too

[Caracal]

I've found the discourse on hartebeest and oryx species and subspecies fascinating and informative.

 

One question though @@Safaridude (which may seem dumb) is this:-

 

Are there clear distinguishing features of Mt Kenya Hartebeest so that armed with that knowledge one can identify them just by looking or are they so similar to other hartebeest species/sub species that the location is really the identifying factor?

[Neeners815]

@@Safaridude I just found this trip report and am so glad I did. Thank you, thank you, thank you! You are an excellent writer and photographer. The story re: Spit made me tear up. How wonderful to get to see her again. I can't even imagine. Thank you so much for continuing the report. I'm learning so much by reading your words and I truly appreciate it.

[armchair bushman]

I am going "full-geek" here...

Feel free to go "full-geek" at any time. That's when the genuinely interesting stuff comes out.

[pomkiwi]

@@Safaridude I am late for this trip report (and too many others) but just wanted to say how much I am enjoying the superb photography and the narrative which is both fun and informative. I particularly liked post #92 for no other reason that it is so unusual to see photos of people on ST - and they are lovely portraits.

[Safaridude]

I've found the discourse on hartebeest and oryx species and subspecies fascinating and informative.

 

One question though @@Safaridude (which may seem dumb) is this:-

 

Are there clear distinguishing features of Mt Kenya Hartebeest so that armed with that knowledge one can identify them just by looking or are they so similar to other hartebeest species/sub species that the location is really the identifying factor?

 

 

Yes, you can tell the difference by looking at them… but also, you would never encounter both of them in the same place. Mt. Kenya hartebeests only occur on the Laikipia plateau, where Coke's hartebeests are absent.

 

Mt. Kenya hartebeest has a longer face and horns that go up much higher. This, from @@Rainbirder, is probably the best Mt. Kenya hartebeest head shot I have seen: http://safaritalk.net/topic/10608-show-us-your-hartebeests/?p=93417 (Post #9)

Edited March 24, 2016 by Safaridude

[Game Warden]

@@offshorebirder has been asked to start a new discussion topic about flying regulations, and once he has done so, I will be tidying up this topic, editing and deleting posts where neccessary, (including this very post) and so any member wishing to copy and paste their replies from here to there is asked to do so before I take said action.

 

Thanks, Matt