Murchison Falls

[Shane]

Off to Murchison Falls before sunrise tomorrow. Nets, bags, buckets, clothes, cameras, etc packed with care and I even broke out and strung to brails a new seine.
I'll return this coming weekend provided all goes well. Murchison claims one of Africa's densest population of Crocodiles and Hippos, and Hippos scare me.

http://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2007/0 ... 68x297.jpg

Will be headquartered from here... where Earnest Hemingway nearly died. It is also the area where they filmed the African Queen if anyone knows that oldie but goodie movie.

http://www.paraalodge.com/index.html

-Shane

[wrasse]

That looks fantastic. Hope you have a successful trip.

If I can join you I'll deal with the 4 legged critters, you just keep anything with 8 legs at bay!

[Richard B]

My safari & bush-walk guide in Kenya did say the Hippo is the most dangerous animal in Africa - primarily when out of the water.

[Jools]

Are you driving there?

Jools

[Mike_Noren]

@Shane: They allow collecting in the national park?

[Shane]

Back. Three great days but sadly no fish (and not for lack of trying). Will post some habitat pics at least. Yes Jools, drove up there and back.

Freakiest part was that my cell phone went off with a message notification in the middle of the bush near Lake Albert. I looked at the text and it said, "Zain wishes you a pleasant stay abroad in the Democratic Republic of Congo." (Zain is my cell carrier) I was like, "Damn did I make a wrong turn somewhere." I must have just bounced to a cell tower in the DRC. Funny thing was that I had packed an Iridium Sat phone as a back up. Who knew there was actually cell coverage on the DRC/Uganda border? As Jools can testify there is still not cell coverage at my family's home in California!

Mike, yes you can get the permits to collect in the National Park. Costs was US $50 a day. Expensive permit when you return empty handed.

I came across some beautiful spots but everything was packed with hippo or crocs. As it is the dry season even the drying pans, where I had hoped to catch killies and Clarias, were full of buffalo trying to keep cool.

-Shane

[Richard B]

Bummer - never mind, i look forward to the habitat shots

[Shane]

Bummer

True, but I would not trade anything for moments like this with my daughter. We are on a rock island in the middle of the Nile. Murchison Falls behind us.

[Shane]

Thought they were eating fishes, but just found tadpoles here.

Can you guys move so I can get to the water?

Lizard at the ferry landing. Any Herp specialists out there?

[Shane]

Collecting hazards

[Shane]

Dried pan, not even Killies left here.

Papyrus swamp, Lake Albert

Fishermen on Lake Albert delta

[bronzefry]

Shane,
Great family photo! Does your daughter know that most of us see these animals on television only?
Amanda
ps. the windchill here is enough to make your eyes water.

[jimoo]

The lizard is Agama agama, the red headed rock agama, it's a male in breeding coloration (the tail turns red, the head is always red)

[wrasse]

The agama was fortunately not the man-eating variety
It looks an amazing place to be. Hippo, crocs and buffalo are probably the most dangerous African animals. What others animals have you come across?

[Shane]

Great family photo! Does your daughter know that most of us see these animals on television only?

No. She thinks it is normal. She had a little kids animal book when she was younger. It said, "Animals in the Forest" and had bears, deer, etc then "Animals in the Zoo" with lions, elephants, etc. Caused the poor kid no end of confusion.
On the way back we stopped at Ziwa rhino sancuatary. They had a poster that showed a dozen or so Ugandan animals. She stood there and, of her own accord, named every single one correctly (to include dung beetle!). There was a Uganda Wildlife Agency ranger standing there and he could not believe it. He pointed at the leopard and asked how she knew it was not a cheetah. She gave the guy a funny look and said, "It does not have any tears."
She loves that show "Bindi the Jungle Girl." Wonder if we could do a show called "Sofia
's Fishy Adventures"?

The lizard is Agama agama

Thanks, I have a good reptiles guide for southern Africa but need to pick up something more local. They are just gorgeous with that orange/red.

What others animals have you come across?

Wow Wrasse, I could fill a book with the mammals we saw in the area. Elephant, giraffe, cob, duikers, warthogs, baboons, hartebeest. I am still learning the animals here as the spp are different than South Africa. many things look similar but are different.

Note below photo. You men out there know that the least thing my wife said to me was, "You go get the car. We'll wait here."

-Shane

[bronzefry]

Shane,
I love it! Cheetah identification 101. High-five Sofia for me, please.
Amanda

[wrasse]

Shane its an incredible place you are at. I've been 'into' wildlife, particularly birds and African mammals since I was a kid.
You might have noted that the giraffe have a different pattern to the ones you saw in South Africa. This one, with calf, is a Rothschild Giraffe. There are several subspecies. I luv'em!

"You go get the car. We'll wait here."

- I think your wife must have seen the canines on those babboon, when they smiled as you walked towards them.