21st June 2011
The experience of seeing a kill is something that will stay with us both for the rest of our lives, and at this point in our travels it had had such an impact that we had a bit of difficulty focusing on anything else.
We were taking a circuitous route back to the lodge, though we were eager to get back - the adrenaline surge watching the kill had passed and we knew that the next day was going to be a long one; overlanding to the Serengeti and Kirawira.
On route, I caught a glimpse of what initially looked like an odd rock to my left, and Salvatory slowed and stopped. On closer inspection (and with Salvatory telling us!) we discovered that it was an elephant skull.
Big
The elephant in question had reached about 60 years of age before dying. Elephants will move to particular areas when they are dying of old age, because at a great old age their molars fall out... When that happens they need to seek out marshes and softer grass. This elephant was searching for such, but didn't make it before starvation felled him.
It was quite an event in the crater. A body of this size attracts a great deal of scavengers. Hyenas have the strongest jaws, and were the first to be able to break the skin of the dead beast, as even partly decomposed Elephant hide is too much for many animals.
The hyenas, though first to break the flesh, would suffer as a result. Some of the first hyenas were pushed and crowed from the other animals behind, and were physically forced into the belly of the elephant. Such was the crush that those first hyenas suffocated and died within the elephant. More food for the masses behind...
The story and sight served as yet another reminder that nature, whilst having created such an abundance of wonder and beauty, is yet remarkably cruel...
We finished the day watching elephants at a watering hole near the road to the crater rim, before heading up and taking our last lingering looks over the crater.
We hit the lodge and changed quickly for dinner. We both felt so comfortable here that there was a little trepidation over the thought of travelling the next day. I think we both could have happily stayed here all week...
We were in time to grab a Tusker from the bar, and have a seat while the local Maasai performed a dance - a pretty riotous affair with lots of drums and jumping. We had sat around the circular fire in the middle of the bar area, and the heat and beer really hit us. We finished it quickly and headed upstairs for food, both aware that we had maybe an hour left before we passed out.
The food was fantastic again, and we washed it all down with some more Tusker. Stomachs bulging, tired and full of wonder over what tomorrow would bring, we headed back to our room to pack, to sleep and to dream.
Next:
Giraffes, Oldupai gorge, a visit to a Maasai village and pure luxury at Kirawira Luxury Tented Camp... Oh yeah, and the wedding!
The experience of seeing a kill is something that will stay with us both for the rest of our lives, and at this point in our travels it had had such an impact that we had a bit of difficulty focusing on anything else.
We were taking a circuitous route back to the lodge, though we were eager to get back - the adrenaline surge watching the kill had passed and we knew that the next day was going to be a long one; overlanding to the Serengeti and Kirawira.
On route, I caught a glimpse of what initially looked like an odd rock to my left, and Salvatory slowed and stopped. On closer inspection (and with Salvatory telling us!) we discovered that it was an elephant skull.
Big
The elephant in question had reached about 60 years of age before dying. Elephants will move to particular areas when they are dying of old age, because at a great old age their molars fall out... When that happens they need to seek out marshes and softer grass. This elephant was searching for such, but didn't make it before starvation felled him.
It was quite an event in the crater. A body of this size attracts a great deal of scavengers. Hyenas have the strongest jaws, and were the first to be able to break the skin of the dead beast, as even partly decomposed Elephant hide is too much for many animals.
The hyenas, though first to break the flesh, would suffer as a result. Some of the first hyenas were pushed and crowed from the other animals behind, and were physically forced into the belly of the elephant. Such was the crush that those first hyenas suffocated and died within the elephant. More food for the masses behind...
The story and sight served as yet another reminder that nature, whilst having created such an abundance of wonder and beauty, is yet remarkably cruel...
We finished the day watching elephants at a watering hole near the road to the crater rim, before heading up and taking our last lingering looks over the crater.
 |
| Our last look at the Crater... Tomorrow - The Serengeti! |
We were in time to grab a Tusker from the bar, and have a seat while the local Maasai performed a dance - a pretty riotous affair with lots of drums and jumping. We had sat around the circular fire in the middle of the bar area, and the heat and beer really hit us. We finished it quickly and headed upstairs for food, both aware that we had maybe an hour left before we passed out.
The food was fantastic again, and we washed it all down with some more Tusker. Stomachs bulging, tired and full of wonder over what tomorrow would bring, we headed back to our room to pack, to sleep and to dream.
Next:
Giraffes, Oldupai gorge, a visit to a Maasai village and pure luxury at Kirawira Luxury Tented Camp... Oh yeah, and the wedding!
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