African Elephant

African elephants (Ndovu in Swahili) (loxodonta Africana) are the species of elephants in the genus Loxodonta derived from a Greek word meaning ‘oblique-sided tooth’. African elephants are bigger than Asian Elephants with males weighs about 4,700–6,048 kg (10,000–13,330 lb) while a female weighs about 2,160–3,232 kg (4,800–7,130 lb).

Elephants have four molars; each weighs about 5 kg (11 lb) and measures about 30 cm (12 in) long. As the front pair wears down and drops out in pieces, the back pair shifts forward, and two new molars emerge in the back of the mouth. Elephants replace their teeth six times. At about 40 to 60 years of age, the elephant no longer has teeth and will likely die of starvation, a common cause of death.

African Elephant

Their tusks are teeth; the second set of incisors becomes the tusks. They are used for digging for roots and stripping the bark off trees for food, for fighting each other during mating season, and for defending themselves against predators. The tusks weigh from 23–45 kg (51–99 lb) and can be from 1.5–2.4 m (5–8 ft) long. Elephants are gregarious and form small family groups consisting of an older matriarch and several generations of relatives.

These family groups are often visited by mature males, who check for females in estrus. Several interrelated family groups may inhabit an area and know each other well. When they meet at watering holes and feeding places, they greet each other affectionately.Smell is the most highly developed sense, but sound deep growling or rumbling noises is the principle means of communication. Some researchers think that each individual has its signature growl by which it can be distinguished.

Sometimes elephants communicate with an ear-splitting blast when in danger or alarmed, causing others to form a protective circle around the younger members of the family group. Elephants make low-frequency calls, many of which, though loud, are too low for humans to hear. These sounds allow elephants to communicate with one another at distances of five or six miles.

Some African elephant facts;

African Elephant,Samburu

• The elephant is distinguished by its high level of intelligence, interesting behavior, methods of communication and complex social structure, as they share a trait also shared by humans, apes and certain dolphin species.
• Elephants seem to be fascinated with the tusks and bones of dead elephants, fondling and examining them. The myth that they carry them to secret "elephant burial grounds," however, has no factual base.
• Elephants are very social, frequently touching and caressing one another and entwining their trunks.
• Elephants demonstrate concern for members of their families they take care of weak or injured members and appear to grieve over a dead companion.
  
  JBA- 2 days kenya safari

Mombasa Safari

The Kenyan coastline is approximately 536km fronting the Indian Ocean, with some of the most beautiful beaches in the worlds. The long white sandy beaches are home to some of the most diverse marine life in the oceans, with the abundance of beautiful bright corals, dolphins, butterfly fish, sharks and turtles, complimented by the large numbers of yellow and red tuna and snappers.

Mombasa City Tour

The Kenya coast is also rich in history, dating back over one thousand years, epitomized by the Vasco da Gama pillar and Fort Jesus. It’s very diverse culture has been influenced by a mixture of Swahili, Portuguese and European cultures.The region comprises five sub regions, namely the city of Mombasa, the North Coast, the South Coast Malindi and Lamu, each with unique features and tourist attractions.

Sunrise in Mombasa

Kenyan coast welcomes an enchanting power of nature which blends in with the exotic style of the Indo-Arab buildings to offer you a mesmerizing charm, which in Swahili is called Bembeleza”. Sit in the Balinese sun loungers on your room terrace and listen to the sound of the wind rustling the palm trees, enjoy the music of the waves and let your heart dance in silence, where your dream of total relaxation has finally come true.Choose to dine on the open –air terrace, facing the sea and swimming pool or inside the air conditioned restaurants with the same view. Enjoy a cuisine of Mediterranean touch with a selection of fresh fish and seafood, pasta meat, fish, vegetarian dishes, among other indigenous cuisines.

Spice your holiday in Mombasa by visiting some of the historical places in Mombasa which includes Fort Jesus, Vasco da Gama, Mwalugange elephant sanctuary, Arabuko sokoke for birders, gede ruins, among other Mombasa safari.

JBA- Kenya Safaris

Kenya Walking Safari

Kenya Walking Safari

Birding in Kenya

5 days birding in kenya

Kenya photography safaris

Masai Mara

Amboseli Safari

Masai mara Photo Safaris

3 Days Masai Mara safari

Lakes in Kenya

Lake Turkana,

It is the largest of the rift valley lakes covering an area of 6405 square kilometers .The lake is located in the northern –western district part of Kenya about 650 kilometers from Nairobi. It was originally known as Lake Rudolf, a name given by the first European who saw it in 1888.The Lake is a pre historic site and a good place to find out the history of the man.

Lake Logipe

3 days Lake BaringoSafari

Lake logipe is one of the lesser known rift valley lakes located south of lake turkana.

Lake Baringo

It is a 130 sq kilometer fresh Water Lake located in the semi desert baringo district .A boat trip across the lakes gives opportunity to see vast birdlife, Crocodiles and hippos. Visitors can also enjoy fishing and water sports. There is an also a snake park in the area where you can have a closer look at the reptiles. Nearby is a village of the njemps community where one can experience the culture of the people living around the lake.

Lake Bogoria

It is in the Ngendelel escarpments .Visitors to the lake gets an opportunity to marvel at the hot waters springs and even get to boil eggs or maize, and also see plenty of birdlife and game, including the greater kudu.

Lake Nakuru

7 days kenya safari

It is located 160 kilometers northwest of Nairobi and only 4 kilometers from nakuru town. It is home to millions of fuchsia pink flamingoes, the fish eating pelicans as well as over 450 other species of birds. It is also a good location of game viewing of the black rhino, the lion, the water buck and antelopes. It is one of the best places to see the leopard as well as the endangered Rothschild giraffe .The national park was gazetted to protect the flamingoes and also provide sanctuary to endangered species like the white and black rhinos.

Lake Elementeita

It is about 30 km from Lake Nakuru.The lake is rich with abundant birdlife and visitors will also get a splendid view of the vast rift valley.

Lake Naivasha

11 days birdwatching safari

It is the highest of the rift valley lakes, at 1880 meters above sea level .it is a fresh water lake and home to over 450 species of birds including the African fish eagle.

Lake Magadi

Lake magadi is 120 kilometers from Nairobi. Temperatures here are very high and from a distance you can see the evaporation of water from the lake that leaves a crust of sodium carbonate that is mined and exported .At Lake magadi you will also have the opportunity to see birdlife that comes to feed on the algae found in the mounds near the lake. Also, the masai people living there will tell you about their culture.

JBA- Kenya Safaris

Cheetahs lunch in masai mara

Masai mara ......the hot spot of animals wonders .....

Masai mara safari

Kenya Birdwatching Safari

7 days Kenya Safari

African driver ant

Most of us know them as siafu and try to avoid them at all costs but here are a few interesting facts about  African driver ant. A typical column  of siafu can contain about a million individuals ants a column the size would consume about fifty thousand prey items a day. Their prey item are insects, arachnids’, and warms, particularly grasshoppers, scorpions and large hairy spiders, but they will often attack larger prey if they have the chance, typically snakes or other reptiles trapped in their holes or nestlings unable to fly. Any injured creature is also at risk if it cannot move out of the ants’ way. A local village tell of cooped chickens or cows in bomas being stripped to the bone in a matter of days.

Unlike the other ten thousand or so ant species, African driver ants do not build complex underground nests. This is because they clear an area of prey quite quickly and need to move from one place to another. Instead they dig a large chamber underground, and then link their bodies together into a massive basket known as a bivouac. Inside this mass of siafu bodies, live the queen and her brood. The brood could be up to a million white maggots with a huge appetite for meat. Almost every siafu is a sterile daughter of the queen and these daughters care for the brood, defend the nest and kill the prey.

These sterile females are all blind. The male are fat and clumsy. The males are produced once a year from special clutch of eggs laid be the queen. These eggs develop into giant winged males that leave the colony on a nuptial flight.Unlike females, the males have very good eyesight, which they need  to find a new colony once he has found the colony he must impress the guards with his size, if he fails, they will cut him to pieces and feed the colonies and feed the colonies young with him; if he succeeds, then he will be allowed to mate with the queen, after which he is discarded.

JBA - Kenya Safari