With flowers blooming in such abundance, which omnivorous, grazing or browsing animal can resist such a feast? Certainly not this enormous Leopard Tortoise!
This Red Hartebeest was tucking in too:
So was this elephant:
As were these zebra:
These photographs were all taken in the Addo Elephant National Park.
Seen in the Addo Elephant National Park:
It was the poet John Donne who first told us that no man is an island, implying that we cannot live entirely without contact with other people i.e. we do not thrive in isolation. Simon & Garfunkel sing the refrain, I am a rock / I am an island, claiming to be self-sufficient – for the time being anyway. To isolate ourselves is neither possible nor a good idea claims the philosopher, Karl Popper (1902-1994). According to him, we are social creatures to the inmost of our being.
True: so are many other animals in their own way, which is possibly why we enjoy scenes such as the ones below as they reflect the empathy we have for others and connect with our desire to be regarded as being ‘special’ to someone.
Elephants in Addo Elephant National Park
Zebra in Addo Elephant National Park
Yellow-billed Storks in Kruger National Park
Giraffe in Kruger National Park
Springbuck in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
Zebras at Domkrag Dam
My wish for you all is a year filled with interesting and joyful times; that you will have time to observe the uniqueness of nature; make time to enjoy the company of friends and family; and that you will enjoy the fulfilment of a life well lived. Thank you for having joined me on my discoveries around my garden and elsewhere. Happy New Year!
These pictures were taken in the Addo Elephant National Park and speak for themselves.
Can any of you cast your minds back to Doris Day singing Please don’t eat the daisies? The opening lines of the song came to mind when I saw this Zebra enjoying the newly green growth after a very dry winter:
Please, please don’t eat the daisies,
Don’t eat the daisies, please, please.
Please, please don’t eat the daisies,
Don’t eat the daisies, please, please.
Then:
Too late!
