Remember To Relax On Your Safari

The dangling feet and tail of a lioness relaxing up a tree in Masai Mara Kenya

Some safari itineraries can be quite tiresome, especially when doing road circuits covering multiple national parks. The early morning wake up calls followed by long hours in the vehicle can become quite tiring for some travelers.

The key thing to remember is that your safari should be both exciting and relaxing. Sure there isn't much adjustment for time when trying to keep within the itineraries schedule, there are however moments that you can relax on a game drive and truly unwind.

The secret is.... while on your safari drive, stop to really appreciate everything! From small mammals and birds to mighty elephants and big cats. If possible try to spend at least thirty minutes or more with your favorite species to truly appreciate them and completely relax in their presence. Wildlife photographers are accustomed to this technique and can stay with animals for hours, yet holiday makers spend an average ten minutes with a species and then ask the driver to whisk away to find something else. Spending more time with wildlife will help you relax as you center yourself to the sight and sounds of the environment you are currently in. Appreciate the detail of what the animal is doing, listen to the leaves of trees rustling in the wind, the birds singing, the animals communicating and everything will suddenly come together like a beautiful melody. This melody is the key to ultimate relaxation while on safari game drives. You will finish your day feeling more relaxed and surprisingly fulfilled with all that you saw and heard on the day.

Lions Mating Up Close In Kenya

This lion and lioness are mating really close to the road.

The Roughness Of A Lions Tongue

A lions tongue has numerous tiny spines called papillae Pet lovers with a domestic cat at home will relate to this story quite well, as they would have had their hands or fingers licked by their cat's tongue at some point or another. A lion’s tongue is no less different in design to that of a house cats, with the exception that its sheer size and heaviness would make a lions tongue as rough and harsh as sandpaper! But why is the lions tongue so rough and how is this beneficial? The reason for its roughness is that the surface of the lions tongue is covered in many tiny spines called papillae, which are further divided into 3 types namely; Filiform, Fungiform and Vallate papillae. The cats filiform papillae which is located on the tongues dorsal surface, is the main reason for the roughness, and these can also be compared to barbs since they face backwards in the direction of the throat. Having a barbed tongue is beneficial to the lion for a number of reasons. I...

The Unique Looking Guitar Fish

Guitar Fish resting on the sea bed One of the most interesting characteristics about the guitar fish is its unique body shape. It seemingly looks like a cross between a shark and a ray - with its flattened ray like head yet it has a long shark like body with dorsal fins - but this fish is actually a classification of its own and has about 50 subspecies. The guitar fish prefers to remain tranquil on the sea bed, partly covering itself with sand to camouflage itself for any unsuspecting prey such as crabs or small fish that may come past it. Reaching sizes of approximately two meters in length, they are quite docile so can easily be approached by underwater photographers.

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