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Lonely Planet Publications Melbourne Oakland London Paris watching wildlife EAST AFRICA David Andrew Susan Rhind

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Page 1: EAST AFRICA - Lonely Planetmedia.lonelyplanet.com/shop/pdfs/watching-wildlife-east-africa.pdf · chapters (Nature in East Africa, Wildlife-Watching and Habitats), the Wildlife Gallery

Lonely Planet PublicationsMelbourne Oakland London Paris

watchingwildlifeEAST AFRICA

David AndrewSusan Rhind

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contentsThe Authors ......................................................................................8This Book..........................................................................................9Preface ............................................................................................10Introduction ....................................................................................11How to Use this Book ....................................................................12

The East African Environment......16Wildlife ......................................18Humans and Wildlife ..................20

Conservation ..............................22Parks and Reserves......................24

When to Go................................28How to Look ..............................29Getting In & Around ..................36Living with Wildlife ....................38On Safari ....................................40

Birdwatching ..............................42Gorilla & Chimpanzee Tracking....44Snorkelling ..................................46Alternative Safaris ......................48Photography ..............................50

Habitats ..............................................................................52Savannas ....................................54Grasslands and Woodlands..........58Rainforests ..................................62The High Mountains ..................66

The Semiarid Zone ......................70Lakes, Rivers & Swamps ..............74Sea & Shores ..............................78Other Habitats ............................82

Parks and Places..................................................................86Introduction ....................................................................................88Kenya ......................................90Masai Mara NR ..........................92Tsavo East & West NPs................98Arabuko�Sokoke FR ..................102Amboseli NP ............................106Kakamega Forest ......................108Mount Kenya NP ......................110Nairobi NP ................................112Samburu, Buffalo Springs &Shaba NRs ................................114Aberdare NP ............................116Hell�s Gate NP ..........................117

Lake Baringo ............................118Lake Bogoria NR ......................119Lake Naivasha ..........................120Lake Nakuru NP ........................121Lake Turkana ............................122Malindi & Watamu MNPs ........123Marsabit NP ..............................124Meru NP ..................................125Mt Elgon NP ............................126Saiwa Swamp NP ......................127Shimba Hills NR ........................128Other Sites ................................129

Tanzania ................................130Ngorongoro CA ........................132Serengeti NP ............................138Zanzibar & Pemba ....................144Selous GR..................................148Tarangire NP ............................152Arusha NP ................................156

Lake Manyara NP......................158Mikumi NP................................160Kilimanjaro NP ..........................162Ruaha NP..................................164Udzungwa Mountains NP ........166Saadani GR ..............................168Other Sites ................................169

Wildlife-Watching ..............................................................26

Nature in East Africa ..........................................................14

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Uganda..................................170Kampala....................................172Bwindi Impenetrable NP............174Kibale Forest NP........................178

Murchison Falls NP....................182Queen Elizabeth NP ..................186Lake Mburo NP ........................190Budongo FR ..............................192

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6 Contents

Kidepo Valley NP ......................193Mgahinga Gorilla NP ................194Mt Elgon NP ............................195Rwenzori Mountains NP............196

Semliki NP ................................197Semliki Valley WR ....................198Other Sites ................................199

Rwanda and the DRC ............200PN de l�Akagera ........................202PN de Kahuzi-Biéga ..................204

RF de Nyungwe ........................205PN des Virunga ........................206PN des Volcans..........................207

Mammals ..............................210Primates ....................................212Greater Galago..........................214Vervet Monkey .........................215Olive Baboon ............................216Black-and-white Colobus...........217Gorilla .......................................218Chimpanzee ..............................219Dogs .........................................220Hunting Dog .............................221Cats ..........................................222Cheetah ....................................223Lion...........................................224Leopard.....................................225Mongooses ...............................226Banded Mongoose ....................227Spotted Hyena ..........................228Striped Hyena ...........................229Aardwolf ...................................229Ratel .........................................230African Clawless Otter...............230African Civet .............................231Common Genet ........................231Ground Pangolin .......................232Dugong.....................................232African Elephant........................233

Plains Zebra...............................234Grevy�s Zebra ............................235White Rhinoceros ......................236Black Rhinoceros .......................237Rock Hyrax ...............................238Aardvark ...................................239Warthog....................................240Giant Forest Hog.......................241Bushpig .....................................241Hippopotamus...........................242Giraffe.......................................243African Buffalo ..........................244Introduction to Antelopes..........245Spiral-horned Antelopes ............246Topi & Hartebeests ....................248Wildebeest ................................249Impala.......................................250Horse-Antelopes........................251Gazelles.....................................252Gerenuk ....................................253Reduncine Antelopes.................254Uganda Kob..............................255Small Antelopes.........................256Klipspringer ...............................257Kirk�s Dik-dik.............................257Small Army of the Bush .............258

Wildlife Gallery.................................................................208

Birds......................................260Ostrich ......................................262Great White Pelican ..................263African Darter ...........................263Herons, Egrets & Bitterns...........264Shoebill .....................................265Hamerkop .................................265Storks........................................266Ibises & Spoonbills.....................267Greater & Lesser Flamingos .......268Ducks & Geese..........................269Birds of Prey..............................270Vultures.....................................272Secretary Bird ............................274African Fish Eagle ......................275Francolins..................................276Guineafowl ...............................277

Red-knobbed Coot....................278Black Crake ...............................278Grey Crowned Crane.................279Kori Bustard ..............................279Waders......................................280Plovers ......................................281African Jacana ...........................282Spotted Thick-knee ...................282African Skimmer........................283Sandgrouse ...............................283Pigeons & Doves .......................284Parrots & Lovebirds ...................285Cuckoos & Coucals ...................285Turacos .....................................286Owls & Nightjars.......................287Speckled Mousebird ..................288Kingfishers ................................289

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Contents 7

Bee-eaters & Rollers ..................290Hoopoe.....................................292Green Wood-hoopoe ................293Hornbills....................................294Barbets......................................296Woodpeckers ............................296Greater Honeyguide ..................297Larks .........................................297Swallows & Martins...................298Common Bulbul ........................298Wagtails, Pipits & Longclaws .....299Babblers ....................................300Warblers....................................300Thrushes, Chats & Relatives ......301Flycatchers ................................302

Waxbills ....................................303Shrikes, Bush-shrikes &Helmet-shrikes ..........................304Orioles ......................................306Common Drongo ......................306Pied Crow .................................307Oxpeckers .................................307Starlings ....................................308Sunbirds ....................................310Sparrows, Weavers, Bishops& Widows .................................312Whydahs...................................314Canaries ....................................314Pin-tailed Whydah ....................315

More Creatures Greatand Small ..............................316Nile Crocodile............................318Nile Monitor..............................318

Lizards.......................................319Snakes.......................................320Frogs & Toads ...........................320The Small Five ...........................321

Resource Guide ............................................................................322Glossary ........................................................................................328Photo Credits ................................................................................332Index ............................................................................................334

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David AndrewAfter his father was mauled by a gorilla at Howletts Zoo, Davidand his family fled the wilds of England to live somewhere safer� Australia! There David revolutionised the face of birdwatchingby creating Wingspan and Australian Birding magazines; editedWildlife Australia magazine; and among other jobs has been aresearch assistant in Kakadu NP, a birding guide for Englishcomedian Bill Oddie and an editor of Lonely Planet guides. Heis coordinating author for Watching Wildlife East Africa andcontributed to Watching Wildlife Australia. David is amassinga bird list to bequeath to the nation.

Susan Rhind Susan was raised on a farm in Western Australia and has alwaysbeen besotted by animals. After working as a nurse and scienceteacher she became a wildlife biologist, and after completing aPhD went to work in Africa for a rest. Susan spent nearly twoyears in Africa � until work for Lonely Planet interrupted the goodtime she was having in Namibia � traversing seven countries andexploring about 45 national parks. She has scientifically studieddolphins, monkeys and Australian marsupials, and is now back inWestern Australia publishing her research. Susan�s next ambitionis to find a job within cycling distance of home.

authors

from the authorsDavid AndrewGrateful thanks to all who helped with logistics, sound adviceand local knowledge, but in particular to Steve Turner (EAOS),Anthony Hyde, Kirsty Sutherland, Claire Anampio and PatrickShah (A&K), Gail Paul (UTC), Jane and Paul Goldring (G&CTours), Pamela and Jonathan Wright (Semliki Safaris), AndrewMukooza (Volcanoes), Chris Chan-Piu (Sheraton Hotels), MaryLewis (JGI), and Nigel Arensen and Shane Kennedy (Bike Treks).All the drivers and guides who assisted my relentless quest tofind creatures from gorilla to zorilla, and aardvark to flappet lark,but particularly Willis Oketch and Edwin Selempo (EAOS), AlfredTwinomujuni (Bwindi) and Simon (Lake Baringo Country Club).The many researchers who let me stick my nose into their busi-ness: Dedee Woodside, Julia Lloyd, Malcolm Wilson, JasonGilchrist, Jonathan Rossouw, Mike Clifton, Stuart Williams,Michel Masozera and Richard Wrangham. The staff of Game-trackers, Mara Intrepids, Little Governor�s Camp, Siana Springs,Mara Safari Club, Lake Baringo Country Club and the TerminalHotel. Bernadette Hince and Nick Drayson for good food andcompany, and for finding me a root-rat; Matt Fletcher andClare Irvine for a great trip to Meru NP; and Bianka Martens andKnut Kaepler for hospitality at Elsa�s Kopje. Thanks also to every-one at LP�s Outdoor Activities Unit for ideas and encourage-ment. And special thanks to Robyn Coventry for snapping awaywith our cameras and for putting up with a man obsessed.

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DAVID Andrew researched and wrote the introductorychapters (Nature in East Africa, Wildlife-Watching and

Habitats), the Wildlife Gallery plus the Uganda, Rwanda, DRCand Kenya (co-writer) sections for the Parks and Places chapter.Susan Rhind researched and wrote the Tanzania section and co-wrote the Kenya section for the Parks and Places chapter.

The Photography section was written by Luke Hunter; Lukeand Andrew van Smeerdijk contributed to several sections; andDudley Iles advised on the Zanzibar & Pemba section.

from the publisherTHE idea for this series came from David Andrew and was sup-

ported by Chris Klep, Nick Tapp and Sue Galley. The conceptwas developed further by Sean Pywell and Jane Bennett; Seanbecame the first series editor and Mathew Burfoot designed thelayout for the series.

Maps for Watching Wildlife East Africa were drawn by SimonTillema and Chris Klep. Editing and proofing were done byMiranda Wills, Sean Pywell, David Andrew and Andrew vanSmeerdijk. Layout was by Mathew Burfoot, Vicki Beale andWendy Wright. Most of the photos were sourced and suppliedby LPI � and special thanks to Annie Horner, Phil Weymouth,Brett Pascoe and all at LPI who put in much extra effort for thistitle. Indra Kilfoyle and Andrew Weatherill designed the cover.Mapping was checked by Teresa Donnellan; layout was checkedby Teresa, Lindsay Brown, Glenn van der Knijff, Jane Hart andMichael Blore. The index was created by Janet Brunckhorst andGlenn van der Knijff. Thanks also to Fiona Kinniburgh, DarrenElder and Sean Pywell for ideas and advice.

this book

9

Susan RhindThanks in Tanzania to: Nahid Patwa (Coastal Travels), IanWilliamson (Silver Sands), Buck Tilley (Thomson Safaris); Liz andNeil Baker, David Moyer (WCS), Rod East; Abercrombie & Kent,Rolf Baldus (GTZ), Chumbe Island Coral Park, Dive Africa (Zan-zibar), Gibb�s Farm, Guy Norton (ABRU Mikumi), FlycatcherSafaris (Rubondo), Anthony Collins (Gombe), Saleh Mohamed(Marlin Tours, Zanzibar), Mikumi Wildlife Camp, Mbuyu Camp,Mountain Village Lodge, Migration Camp, Momela Lodge (LionSafaris), Chris Fox (Mwagusi Safari Camp), Paul Oliver (Oliver�sCamp), Ras Kutani, Roland Purcell (Mahale/Katavi), Rufiji RiverCamp, Selous Safari Camp, Tarangire Safari Lodge, Tent with aView, Serengeti Balloon Safaris, Serena Lodge and SeroneraLodge. In Kenya: John Watkin (Nairobi), Gametrackers, MelindaRees (eco-resorts.com), Graeme Backhurst (Tsavo and otherparks), Tansy Bliss (Arabuko�Sokoke) and Lallie Didham(Malindi).

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WHEN I started my studies of chimpanzees more than 40years ago in what is now Gombe Stream National Park

(Tanzania), travel in many parts of Africa was truly an adven-ture: roads and infrastructure were almost nonexistent in manyplaces, and to journey overland or by aeroplane during the wetseason was to sometimes put oneself at the mercy of the elem-ents. Travel literature then often consisted of lengthy tomes com-piled by explorers and adventurers after years on the �road�;popular (and portable) travel guides were simply not availablefor destinations far from western Europe or North America.Likewise, the appreciation of wildlife as a pastime � that is,watching and enjoying live animals for their own sake and intheir own environment � was a privilege afforded to few.

All that has changed, of course, in this era of instant com-munications and fast transport: previously inaccessible and vir-tually unknown creatures and places appear almost daily in themass media; travel guidebooks are now available to nearlyevery place on earth; and a massive growth in ecotourism hasencouraged the proliferation of wildlife identification guides.

Watching Wildlife East Africa is a new type of guide. Not onlydoes it help the reader to identify what they�re seeing � withbeautiful photos and graphics � it tells them where to look forit in East Africa�s many superb wildlife reserves. But this handyguide goes even further: in language that anyone can under-stand, it explains what wildlife is doing � what it is eating, howit interacts with others of its own kind and other species, andhow it copes with environmental factors such as climate andterrain. This is the first title in the Watching Wildlife series todeal with Africa�s great wildlife spectacles, and ranges from thetraditional safari circuits of Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania to theonce inaccessible rainforest strongholds of the great apes.

For the first time in history virtually all of the world�s naturalwonders are accessible to those with a yen to seek them out.Yet watching wildlife is still a great privilege, albeit one that in-volves patience and dedication (like many great human en-deavours). By using this guide you will certainly get more outof your safari, gorilla or chimp tracking and birdwatching. Lestwe become too complacent, consider you belong to one of thelast generations who will be able to enjoy wildlife in its pristinestate.

Jane Goodall PhD CBEDr Jane Goodall�s study of wild chimpanzees in Gombe Forest(now Gombe Stream NP) began in 1960 and continues today.In 1977 she founded the Jane Goodall Institute (www.janegoodall.org), which aims to empower individuals to take in-formed and compassionate action to improve the environmentfor all living things. Her passion has taken her to almost everycorner of the globe as an advocate for conservation � for humanand nonhuman primates, and for all living things. The Institute�sphilosophy is �Every individual makes a difference.�

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FROM the coral reefs off Kenya and Tanzania to the summitsof Africa�s highest mountains, nowhere else on earth within

a similar geographical area is so great an assemblage of largeanimals supported by such a range of environmental and climaticvariation � elements which continue to shape animal distributionand behaviour today.

But too often watching wildlife in East Africa involves beingshuttled from one herd or pride to the next, a two-dimensionalexperience not unlike watching a TV documentary. A more ex-pansive experience can be had by understanding the elementsof an ecosystem and their inextricable linkage. For example, theabundance of tiny insects at the bottom of a food chain canaffect the behaviour of predators at the top; and entire habitatscan appear or disappear according to the behaviour of animals� and people.

The stimulation of the sheer variety and endless activity offorest and savanna should be justification in itself to find outwhy, how and when it all started, and what makes the cogsturn. And if the emotions stirred by the experience prompt youto take further action for the conservation of what you haveseen, then a greater understanding will make that action moreeffective.

Few visitors come away unmoved from tracking mountaingorillas or our closest living relatives, chimpanzees; for many theexperience challenges preconceptions about human nature andevolution. Yet habitat favoured by early humans � mosaics ofriverine forest, savanna and lake shore � remain today much asthey did a million years ago. Extensive fossil beds in Kenya andTanzania show that large numbers of existing animal speciesshared the savannas of East Africa when our ancestors firstbegan to walk upright. If not for the evolutionary pressures thatcaused their extinction, those early hominids could still be livingand reproducing alongside modern lions, antelopes, giraffes�and human beings.

So in a sense the East African wildlife-watching experience isalso a direct and profound link with the origins of every humanbeing on the planet. As Karen Blixen wrote in her famous book,Out of Africa: �In Africa�you woke up in the morning andthought: Here I am, where I ought to be.�

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YOU�RE here to see the animals and we�ll help you: Watch-ing Wildlife East Africa shows you how to recognise the major

players and advises you where to find them. But this book is alsopacked with background information on wildlife habitats, adviceon getting started, when to go and how to prepare. There arealso watching tips (eg, which trail or lake to go to), and clues onthe best time to look. Read on to help plan your wildlife-watchingadventure and to get the best out of this treasure-trove.

Getting Started There are two main ways to go about watch-ing wildlife: pick your animals and then find out where to go;or choose where you want to go and then find out what�s there.In East Africa you�ll see a lot of the same wildlife in a lot ofplaces (eg, giraffes and zebras); but for other animals you�llneed to go to certain places (eg, flamingos are best sought atRift Valley lakes). The key chapters cover both approaches:Parks and Places describes where to go and what�s there; and theWildlife Gallery tells you about the animals. Flipping betweenthese chapters will tell you almost everything you need to know.

Index The quickest way to find out about an animal or reserveis to look it up in the Index. Animals are arranged into groupsaccording to their common names (Grevy�s zebra comes underzebras) � page numbers in bold indicate a photo of that animal.Reserves are listed alphabetically by name.

Table of Contents This gives you a quick overview of the book.We�ve colour-coded each chapter to help you find your wayaround until you�re more familiar with the layout.

Wildlife Gallery A run downon all the key species andgroups: what they look like(and how to tell them apart)and the kinds of things youcan see them doing. Thischapter is divided into threesections: Mammals, Birds, andOther Creatures Great andSmall (eg, reptiles).

Key animals are presentedas feature pages which de-scribe unusual and interestingaspects of their ecology. Asidebar next to the main textsummarises some of theirmain characteristics (eg, be-haviour, breeding and pre-ferred habitat); Swahili namesare included for most species;and a Hotspots box lists someplaces where they might be

how to use this book

Nature

Wildlife-Watching

Habitats

Parks and Places

Wildlife Gallery

HHiigghhlliigghhtt ppaaggeeAnimal�s rangeGGrroouupp ppaaggee

Summaryinformation

Hotspots: where tofind animals

12

Each chapter is colour coded to helpyou navigate through the book �look for the thumb tabs.

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found (use this as a link to the Parks and Places chapter). Asmall map indicates each species� range.

Other animals appear in family (or closely related) groups �these pages are packed with photos to help you work outwhat�s what.

Parks and Places Organised country by country and starting withan introduction to the overall region, this chapter describes thebest national parks, reserves and other places in which to seewildlife. Each country section begins with an overview (includ-ing itineraries) and includes an urban section if wildlife can beseen there, eg, in Nairobi. Specific destinations, eg, nationalparks and other reserves, are ordered alphabetically according totheir importance for wildlife-watching. Thus, major attrac-tions, such as Serengeti NP,are given detailed treatmentand less-frequented reservesmay be covered in only onepage. Wildlife highlights,watching tips and facts fortravellers are summarised foreach; and a colour map pointsout major features and goodwildlife-viewing areas.

Wildlife-Watching Essentialbackground reading. Thischapter tells you when to goand what time of day to look,and explains the ins and outsof safaris, guides, equipmentand field guides. Special fea-tures cover game drives,gorilla and chimp tracking,birdwatching and some safarialternatives, such as walking.

Nature in East Africa Weexplain the reasons behindEast Africa�s great biodiversityand introduce some of theconservation issues.

Habitats Explains East Africanecosystems in simple terms.

Resource Guide This lists rec-ommended field guides andother books, reliable tour op-erators and wildlife-relatedwebsites.

Glossary Explains any confus-ing words in the text.

Wildlife highlights Park map

General park information Watching tips

13

PPaarrkkss aanndd PPllaacceess

WWiillddlliiffee--WWaattcchhiinngg

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T ips and h ints on the artof watching wi ld l ife

wildlife-watching

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UP at first light, a quick gulp of coffee and into the vehiclefor an early game drive � few experiences compare with

sunrise over the savanna. There�s no way of knowing what eachday will bring, but be assured that each day will bring some-thing. Whether you want to see as much variety as possible orget better acquainted with an old favourite, it is essential thatyou plan your trip to get the most out of every day and loca-tion. The following pages offer tips to help you maximise yourwildlife-watching experiences, but it is invaluable to read asmuch as possible before you go (see the Resource Guide for alist of useful references) and talk to people who�ve been �watching documentaries and attending public lectures is also agood way of keeping up to date with new discoveries on thewildlife scene.

when to goPossibly the single most important influence on the behaviourof wildlife � and therefore your chances of seeing it � is rain (seethe Nature in East Africa chapter for more on rainfall patterns).Rain affects plant growth, the seasonal availability of fruits anddrinking water, and the number, distribution, breeding and/ormigration of prey animals and their predators. Of course, it alsoaffects the personal comfort of the observer and the conditionof roads.

Savannas During the dry seasons (which coincide with the peaktourist seasons) animals can usually be found reasonably closeto permanent water � elephants in particular remain nearby �and burnt or trampled grasses make viewing easier. Rain on thesavannas brings on spurts of green growth and triggers thebreeding or migration of many herbivores and predators, thecourting and breeding of birds, and the appearance of wild-flowers. By late in the wet seasons visibility is greatly reducedby high grass, and wildlife has dispersed as water and food ismore widely available � but tourists are then fewer in number.Getting around is usually no problem in dry seasons, but canbecome difficult, and in places impossible, during wet seasons.

Forests Rainforests can be very wet places at any time of year,but don�t let the wet put you off � carry a light umbrella so ob-servation can continue during showers. Dry seasons will meaneasier but hotter tracking of the forest-dwelling great apes, butthey are active year-round (their movement is dictated mainlyby the availability of food). Bird courtship � and therefore peakactivity � tends to coincide with wet seasons.

Mountains Rain, falling as snow on the high peaks, forces ante-lopes, elephants and birds to lower altitudes during wetseasons. Cold and wet conditions on the great mountains canpose a physical challenge to visitors at any time of year (al-though dry seasons are usually fine) and every care should beexercised � see Lonely Planet�s Trekking in East Africa for moreinformation.

28 Wildlife-Watching

There�s no way of knowing what

each day will bring, but be

assured that eachday will bring

something.

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how to lookLooking at the right time and placeAnimals are free to roam and may not be where you want themto be, but the better informed you are, the more likely you areto see what you are after. If you are on a tour, your knowledgewill complement that of the guide and will often be in demandby other members of the party.

Time of Day Arguably the most important factor in successfulwildlife-watching. Learn what time of day your quarry is mostactive, how it spends other times and how these might vary ac-cording to season and weather conditions � and plan your daysto make the most of these factors. An early start may catch noc-turnal predators still on the move; birds are most active in theearly morning, although raptors ride thermals as the day warmsup; and nocturnal animals may be active in overcast conditions.Activity dies off during the heat of the day, especially during thedry season (large mammals shelter under trees or shrubs, andbirds rest in shade), picking up again in the late afternoon andpeaking near sundown.

Weather Daily, as well as seasonal, temperature and rainfall pat-terns also make a difference. For example, puff adders are oftenon the move after rain; lizards like to bask in early sunshine; andmonkeys are more active when the day warms up. A storm canbring on a flurry of activity � swifts moving through on thefront, termites swarming, and, in the aftermath, predators snap-ping up wind-blown insects and rodents swept about. Andpredators generally hunt into the wind � this helps guidespredict where they�ll be the next day.

Food Sources Food availability can change with season, andknowing your quarry�s food preferences can help. Note what�sabout, eg, trees in flower attract birds, butterflies and bats;termite swarms are snapped up by many animals, from jackalsto rollers; and some lions follow the wildebeest migration.

Water For many animals daily access to water is essential andduring dry seasons they will stay close to a ready source; nat-urally the concentration of prey will attract predators. The dailyebbing and flowing of tides affects marine life, and the roost-ing and feeding of shorebirds on mudflats.

Know Your Habitat Some knowledge of where an animal liveswill be of great value in finding it, eg, don�t expect gorillas onthe savanna (see the Habitats chapter for more details). Learnwhat to expect in each major habitat and by patiently waiting� sooner or later something will show. For example, a cliff facemay harbour klipspringers, a leopard�s den or an owl�s nest.Once you make the link between species and habitat, your�search pattern� will change and new things will reveal them-selves. The area where one habitat merges into another isusually especially productive, eg, woodland abutting grassland

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