What I learned from Dung

It's important when on safari to have a guide who is a good tracker. We met many South Africans who had been to Kruger many times and not seen a lion for example and they were shocked at the wildlife we saw. The key is having a good guide. South Africans use their parks just like Americans use theirs, jumping in their cars and drive through a park like Yellowstone. But going with a guide brings not only luck which you will need but skill. Analyzing dung on the side of the road tells you what animals are around, how long ago, and what they eat. For example, all rhinos defecate in the same spot. It is how they mark their territory, these are called a midden. 

           white rhino midden, Kruger National Park, South Africa
                       Photo Credit: Rachael Costello

But one can also tell the difference between white rhinos and black rhinos by their dung. White rhinos eat mostly grasses, while black rhinos eat twigs and branches. These are visible in the dung. Elephants and giraffe defecate anywhere but the size of their dung is vastly different. Giraffe dung scatters like a Pollack painting since it falls from so high and it looks like goat droppings. 

                                                                    giraffe dung

                                                           Photo Credit: Rachael Costello

On our way out of the park we saw what appeared to be loose big cat dung with flesh and blood still whole in it. I was told it was indeed a big cat but one who was running hard who didn't have time to digest his meal.  

Safari guides use other indicators as well. The morning we left the park we saw no animals the  bush was really quiet, which was an indicator that the big cats were out hunting and their pray was hiding. Tracking footprints is another skill of the guides. They analyze the type of animal, the direction, and the age of the print.

                                                                                   tracking the big cats, a print
                                                               Photo Credit: Rachael Costello

There is a little luck involved too. As Shawn Anchor said in The Happiness Advantage positive thinking brings positive results. Also, Simphiwe reminded us yesterday that when we left the Apartheid Museum we threw a rock on their cairn and made a wish. Micah also had a good charm. Our first morning game drive was uneventful, but Micah bought a lion tee- shirt and wore it on our next two game drives. He says it's a combination of the tee-shirt and a ritual of putting one of the warm water bottles on the lion image, patting the bottle and rubbing in a circle. This ritual brought us luck on the game drives. Hahaha!