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TAIL OF
THE DOG

Bushveld Babies

espite the heat, November is a giraffe mother giving birth, delicately colony higher up against possible
good time to visit the bushveld, holding her own tail out of the way of floods, in the middle for normal
Dso many adorable babies are her baby coming out. Rhino babies rainfall, and lower down for drought
about. weigh in at 40 to 50 kgs, and the conditions. An interesting bird is the
mother protects them ferociously. hornbill, who builds her nest inside a
Tiny zebras are so pretty, their stripes They will even shield larger calves tree hollow. She will incubate herself
not quite as dark as the adults, but from the boisterous teenagers in the in this hollow, stripping off all her
they stick closely to their mothers. same herd. outer feathers so she cannot fly, then
Each animal has a different stripe the male will close up the hole with
pattern, just like human fingerprints. Impalas are synchronised breeders – mud and dung so only a slit remains.
The family herds will have one male the females drop their calves within The female adds her own soft chest
and several females, and other days of each other, but only after feathers to the nest, and the male
families will live in the same space. the early rains, so there is enough will feed her through the slit, calling
Apparently, if a baby is not one of the nourishment around. They can graze when he arrives, and waiting for her
male’s offspring, it will be rejected grass and browse leaves, so have answering call before giving her the
and possible killed – possessive extra nutrition if necessary. Each food. She will circulate the nestlings
father behaviour. herd has the one ram to protect it, so no one gets preferential feeding.
but he will allow other males from Pity any predator who tries to get
Baby hippos are really cute, and a bachelor herd nearby to help if near the nest – a very sharp bill will
after being born under water, spend there is a threat of predators to his poke out an eye in a flash.
time on their mother’s back, learning pregnant ladies.
how to stay underwater, and how to All these sightings and all this bush
breathe and swim. They weigh about The village weaver birds weave their lore in one weekend – thanks to
25 – 30 kgs at birth. Baby giraffes fall colonies of nests hanging over water, people who preserve this incredible
two metres to their birth, severing to protect the chicks from snakes and wilderness in areas within reach of
the umbilical cord with the fall. They other predators. They will sense if our cities.
are huge, 60 kgs, and two metres there is going to be good, normal, or
tall. I saw a photo recently of a light rainfall, and will build the nest Gill Butler

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