Safari Notes

Democracy" - what's its definition? The West prefers it to be defined as suits them. Hence - they did all they could to subvert and overturn "democratic elections" in: Algeria, Palestine etc. And they support and prop dictators as long as these are what they consider beneficial to/for them. They invade and kill millions and try to impose on others, as in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Grenada etc. - in the name of "human rights" and "democracy", as defined by them.  Africa and many parts of the world have been scammed/duped by the so called "democracy". Millions are living in hunger, misery and abject poverty in these so called "democracies". While the rulers, leaders and the elite in these countries live in such affluence and luxury that - that, in itself are excellent catalyst and motivation for these revolutions sweeping Africa.  Very hopefully these revolutions will very uplift the lives of its people, give these people justice ...

The Snow Leopard. They scale the great, steep slopes of mountains in Central Asia with ease, blending into the landscape. They are known for their beautiful, thick fur, with white, yellowish or soft gray coat and ringed spots of black on brown - which help camouflage them from prey. Here are some basic facts about these beautiful cats :

The Kakapo Parrot If asked to choose which animal is their most favorite, most people's choice would be an animal that is common and known to most people. My choice is the elephant ; of all animals, for many reasons - I like and love elephants . ARkive , a charitable non-profit organization, recently asked people around the world to vote on and say what their World's Favourite Species is, and the result is surprising but very encouraging. Furthest from my thoughts, was a creature that very few people know of or have heard of; and even fewer, have seen: a critically endangered, flightless, heavy parrot found in the wild only in New Zealand. The Kakapo - scientific name Strigops habroptila . The magnificent kakapo stole 9% of the total votes. It’s a beautiful bird that cannot fly and is only found in New Zealand. But from the many thousands of creatures with which we share our precious planet, what made the kakapo stand out from the crowd? For most of you, tragically, it ...

Do you love penguins? Most of us do. And can there be a better way to express that love and support than helping in saving these very adorable creatures?  Right now there is an opportunity to protect these amazing animals by helping establish the world’s two largest sanctuaries at sea around Antarctica. Adding your voice will help protect countless penguins, whales, seals and nearly 10,000 other incredible species. *Despite the best efforts of the Happy Feet penguins, the Southern Ocean is not yet protected. That’s why Greenpeace is working with the  Antarctic Oceans Alliance , and lobbying governments to come together to protect areas like   the Ross Sea , which are vital for many penguins. You can help Greepeace, and the penguins, by  j oining their call for ocean sanctuaries around Antarctica , and by spreading the word about World Penguin Day.  Learn more  |  Sign the petition + Facts About Penguins: Defenders , World Wildlife Fund , W...

There is some thing about these massive creatures that has, from the instant I set eyes on them , captured my imagination and won my complete admiration. I have always felt without any doubt, that Elephants are supreme . They are huge, but whenever I get close to them and look at them attentively, I have always felt that Elephants are unique. Not because of their size or the way they are shaped, but there is some thing about them that simply awes and makes you love them. They are massive, but neither threatening nor menacing; compared to their size, they have these very small eyes that whenever they look at you, they seem to say: 'I know and understand '. The way they move, feed, breed, take care of their young and each other and sleep - is simply amazing: so organized and disciplined. They are more intelligent and superior than most animals. That superiority has now been confirmed: An experiment reveals that elephants not only cooperate, but that they understand the logi...

The Blobfish or Blob Sculpin Not many of us will ever set our eyes on this rather lazy, slow moving creature: the Blobfish, also known as the Australian Sculpin or Toadfish - scientific name: Psychrolutes marcidus . Except in pictures. Because they live in oceans, deep underwater. The problem is that the blobfish lives at depths of 600 to 1,200m (1,970-3,940 ft). Instead of using a swim bladder to maintain buoyancy, he has gelatinous flesh that is slightly less dense than water, allowing him to float just above the sea floor. It probably doesn't look so bad down there, but up here he looks a little melty and... splat.. Mainly off the cost of Australia and Tasmania. For most of us: few creatures come as ugly as the blobfish. Most likely, the few fishermen who get to catch them in their nests while fishing must think they must have caught some alien. But: stop hating the Toadfish. It is a product of its environment; it is due to its brilliant adaptation allowing this fish to be...

We know of snakes and fish being poisonous, but a poisonous bird? That is what the brightly colored pitohui is; it is a native of New Guinea. At least three of the bird's species have poison in their skin and feathers, which is used only as mechanism against predators such as snakes and hawks or even humans. The poison has served the bird well: humans, even the natives in New Guinea, very rare would think of eating it. More on the Pitohui: BBC , NPR , Species Wikimedia , Wikipedia , uga.edu , The New York Times , Bird Forum , interaktv , Menankatuck , Suite 101.com , itg.be , National Geographic , WWF , Scholar

The Goliath bird-eating tarantula of South America, got its name because it has been known to catch young birds and eat them; although that is very rare. They are huge, are the world's biggest spider - can grow to one foot long and have one inch fans; and many people mistakenly perceive them as very dangerous, but they are harmless and their venom causes only swelling and mild pain like a wasp sting. Some native tribes in South America, catch them for food; they eat them. Its scientific name is: Theraphosa blondi . More on the Spider: Here , National Geographic , Wikipedia , Big Hairy Spiders , Blue Planet Biomes , Tarantula Guide , Tarntulas Tropica , Picasa , YouTube Image: bugs.org

The Golden Poison Dart Frog (Phyllobates Terribilis). It is considered as one of the most toxic animals on Earth. It is a threatened, endangered species and lives in small patches of forests in Colombia. More on the Frog: National Geographic , Animal Diversity , IUCN Red List , Tropical Rainforest Animals , Science Ray , AMNH ,  National Zoological Park , Wonderquest , AMNH , Facts , Wikipedia Image: National Geographic News

A moth that flies during the day time; one of the very few moths that do so. Is the Madagascan sunset moth the most beautiful insect on Earth? Most people say it is. Spectacularly and brilliantly colored. They are native to that wonder island: Madagascar; and South America. Some people, due to its appearance, mistakenly believe the colorful moth to be a butterfly. That is what it was categorized in 1773 but years later, in 1831, it was correctly classified as a moth. More on the Sunset Moth: Wikipedia , Butterflies ,  Top 10 Most Beautiful Moths , Its Nature , Helium , Botanical Arts , Wings in Motion , stat.wisc.edu

Anyone who has been to Uganda, will never miss seeing this magnificent, graceful creature. It is found too, in South Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo and Ethiopia. The kob and the crested crane are national animals and they on the government emblem and Uganda's flag. Years ago, the kob could be found in western Kenya and northern Tanzania, but now can be found no more. In Uganda too, the antelope is not as common as it was years ago; today, Murchison Falls National Park, is the easiest place to find and see it. More on the Kob: AWF , wild-about-you Image: bimpyak's