Buffalo herd

zebra playing

Sometimes it looks as if these animals are fighting, but the are actually just enjoying being zebra in the African Savanna

Blue wildebeest fighting

PROTECTING MOM

 CARING ELEPHANT MOTHER

This elephant mom is very protective.  Here she protects her baby calf by standing over her.

The elephant herd as a group takes very good care of their young.  Even the older brothers and sisters are always aware of the whereabouts of the little one

It is so cute to watch a tiny elephant copying the movements of the older ones.  They are the cutest little copy cats!.

OSTRICHES

OSTRICHES HIDING

The wind was blowing madly as we visited a nearby reserve last week.  The ostriches simply went lying down in the tall grass and all we could see was a small part of their bodies through the grass.  Most intriguing were the heads that popped up like sticks or better knobkieries. They were so neat I had to paint them.

Monday 9 April 2012

ANOTHER BOABAB

 BOABAB IN THE HOT AFTERNOON.

Here is another Boabab with the zebra underneath to show how large it is.

I used a completely different colour scheme  to contrast with the previous one. This one is a more hot mid afternoon tree!

BOBABAB TREE

The boabab tree is called the upside down tree by the Khoi.

The colour of the trunk varies during the day as the sun climbs or sets.

Uses of the Baobab

- Besides making into soup, baobab leaves can be eaten like spinach
- Dried for use as a condiment.
- Natives eat the pulp for porridge
- Inside the seed pods, a white pulp, when mixed with water, makes the most refreshing drink
- Farmers mixed this pulp with water to treat Malaria.
- The seeds are also roasted and eaten like groundnuts and pounded they can be made into a sort of peanut butter.
- The bark may be pounded and soaked and made into rope, fishing nets or clothes. http://www.encounter.co.za/article/8.html