Reticulated Giraffes of Samburu

Do you remember the scene in Jurassic Park when Sam Neill & Laura Dern see a living dinosaur for the first time? Their jaws dropped and they stood there in complete and utter awe. That's the way I felt when I saw my first reticulated giraffes in Samburu National Reserve in Kenya. These gentle giants stand as tall as 18 feet (5.486 meters) and move with such brilliant majesty and grace. See for yourself by watching the video clip from "KidsLoveAnimals.com's African Safari" DVD.

CLICK here to watch these RETICULATED GIRAFFES on VIDEO

(If the audio sounds funny, hit pause for a second and let the video download a bit before you hit play again.)

CLICK here to watch same video clip at Google Video

How many vertebrae do you think that giraffes have in their necks?
a). Seven
b). Ten
c). Fifteen
Take a guess and I'll answer this question in my next post.

Walking With Giants - African Elephants

African elephants are the world's largest land mammal and can weigh as much as 13,000 pounds (5,896.7 kg). Males may grow to be 21 feet (6.4m) in length and with their trunks they can reach as high as 23 feet (7m) to grab leaves from trees.

At Wildlife Safari in Winston, Oregon, you can make special arrangements to walk with elephants, or even give them a bath. It's amazing to get up close and personal with elephants and touch their rubbery hairy skin.

wildlifesafari.org

Click here to learn more!

Have you ever touched an elephant?

The Big Cats of the Masai Mara - Kenya, East Africa

Lions are common in the Mara and can be found during the day resting in the shade of bushes and trees along the small streams that cut through the savanna.



Unlike lions, who live groups, leopards are solitary cats. They usually hunt at night and spend their days resting high up in trees, safely out of reach from lions and hyenas.

Because leopards and the lions tend to hunt at night, cheetahs hunt during the light of day to avoid confrontation. In addition, cheetahs are often found in the middle of grassy plains where they can watch out for both prey and predators.

Click here to see another big cat at FREAKS OF NATURE

Click here to see a silly cartoon about lions in Kenya

Can You Identify This Zebra?

This is the largest of the three species of zebras, and it is mainly found in Northern Kenya and parts of Ethiopia. It is estimated that there are fewer than 3500 of these animals left in the world. Of this number, 17% of them live on land that is owned by the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy.

WHAT IS THE NAME OF THIS ZEBRA?

A) Grevy's Zebra
B) Mountain Zebra
C) Plains Zebra

CLICK HERE FOR CLUES TO THIS QUESTION

Burchell's aka Plains or Common Zebra

Of the two species of zebras in Kenya, the Plains Zebra is the most common. I photographed this zebra in Masai Mara National Reserve.
To learn more about zebras, go to:

www.awf.org/wildlives/151