T-Travel Photography
Zdenko Takac & Iveta Takacova
Landscape, Travel & Fine Art Photography
Mt St Helens & Willamette NP
Giraffes
At 5.5m, the giraffe is the tallest of all animals and it gets its great height from its legs and neck, which are both about 2m but the neck can be even longer. Giraffes live in herds on savannas and in open bush country and they are native to most of Africa south of the Sahara. In Namibia they are commonly found in Etosha National Park and many private game reserves while the free roaming, wild populations are often found in Damaraland & Kaokoland.
We saw our first giraffe just a few metres behind the main gate to Etosha National Park as she crossed the road only a few metres in front of us. We were in awe over how truly big and gracious these animals are.
Driving through the park, we saw most of them around Dolomite Camp. They are so tall that it is very hard for them to hide in bushes like other animals do. We spotted herds in the distance while they were grazing on acacia tree leaves.
Female giraffes and their young often form small, loosely organized groups. They are joined from time to time by an adult male. Giraffes stay in the same general area for most of their lives. This area often covers an area of around 75km². They bull fight with each other by butting their heads against the neck or chest of its opponent. If a fight becomes serious, the powerful blows may be heard at a distance of 100m, however, the animals rarely injure each other. Females never fight though.
The most unforgettable experience for us was seeing their silhouettes in front of a dark orange sun which was just about to set behind the horizon in the evening. For us, it was one of those typical African moments we were waiting for.
Zebras
Zebras are the second most common animal in Etosha National Park in Namibia with numbers estimated to be around 20,000. They can also be found on farmland and parks throughout Namibia. For us the best time to take pictures of zebras was in the morning when they basked in the golden glow of the rising sun.
Each zebra has an individual stripe pattern and with no two being alike. Their coat has broad black stripes on an off-white body, with shadow stripes superimposed on the off-white stripes. The stripes extend down the underparts. The mane is short, erect and bristle-like.
We saw zebras quite often throughout Namibia. Every time we stopped the car and wanted to take a picture, they either started to run or showed us their pretty backsides. And we even saw Three Amigos:-)
