http://community.luxurylink.com/t5/Best-Travel-Experience-Stories/Tracking-Gerenuks/ba-p/14270 <div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><p><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Verdana">Of the wild animals we have seen and photographed over the years, none have seemed more illusive than Gerenuks. <span> </span>We had our ground operator do some research and we learned recent sightings had been made in Meru, Samburu and Buffalo Springs National Parks in Northeastern Kenya.</font></span></p><p><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Verdana">What was so special about this graceful gazelle like antelope...their long limbs and (almost llama-like) necks, their smallish and sleek heads (when compared to the size of their bodies), their large soft eyes and beautifully long lashes?<span>  </span>Or is it their unique eating habits……standing on their hind legs and nibbling the tender leaves on middle branches of trees?</font></span></p><p><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Verdana">Nope, just wanted get some good photographs…pure and simple.</font></span></p><p><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Verdana">For five days, we camped at Samburu National Park and Buffalo Springs National Parks.</font></span></p><p><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Verdana">During our first couple of days, we saw Reticulated Giraffes, Grevy's Zebras, Elephants, Oryx, Somali Ostrich, Hippos, a few Crocodiles, Buffaloes, Lions, Leopards, Cheetahs and Hyenas….but no Gerenuks! </font></span></p><p><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Verdana">Our guide suggested tracking on foot.<span>  </span>We got permission from the Park Supervisor and hired two armed park rangers to accompany us. Since predators, we were told; were active most mornings…..we thought the two armed rangers were more a necessity than luxury as we did not wish to be eaten for breakfast! </font></span></p><p><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Verdana">One of the rangers said we would trek along approved trails and try to located fresh Gerenuk guano (all of that stuff basically looked the same lying in the dirt….some a little bigger…some a little smaller….but pretty much the same to us).<span>  </span>That trail ran parallel to the river and near several large stands of Acacia trees.</font></span></p><p><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Verdana">The Plan: Arrive early, park our Land Rover, hike to the river, find concealment and wait.<span>  </span>After a hour or so passed and we heard some noises and saw some movements in distant grasses.</font></span></p><p><span><font color="#0000ff"><font face="Verdana"><em>Gerenuks</em>?</font></font></span></p><p><font color="#0000ff"><font face="Verdana"><span>The ranger pointed to a troop of Olive Baboons </span><span>(Papio cynocephalus anubis)</span><span> </span><span>moving along the bank.<span>  </span>He said they were forging for food and frequently passed through this area.  Must have smelled us - they halted; stood erect and stared our way…..so much for concealment (we couldn’t even hide from Baboons)!<span> </span></span><span><span>    </span></span></font></font></p><p><font color="#0000ff"><font face="Verdana"><span>Were the Baboons going to be a problem for us, I asked the ranger.<span>  </span>“<em>No</em>”, he informed me “they are lazy ‘<em>scoundrels</em>’ and ‘<em>hooligans</em>’ that steal food from camps and lodges.<span>   </span>Baboons are</span><span> <u>omnivores</u>,&quot; he said, “ <u>selective</u> <u>feeders</u> (umh, did ‘<u>selective</u>’ include a taste of Homosapiens) preferring grasses and leaves, roots, berries, seeds, blossoms, bits of bark and bugs and small animals (we felt much safer).</span></font></font></p><p><font color="#0000ff"><font face="Verdana"><span>He told us to be “quiet” and the Baboons would ignore us and move along </span><span>(I wondered how much he really knew about Baboons…I had wondered earlier if he had live ammunition for the old rifle he carried).</span></font></font></p><p><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Verdana">I pulled out my binoculars and decided to watch the troop for a while; figuring the rangers would alert us if any Gerenuks showed.  Several of the female Baboons had young ones and were caring for them while the males and other females busily forged about for <em><span>le petit dejeuner</span></em>. </font></span></p><p><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Verdana">There was one female in particular who was most attentive to her young one.<span>  </span>I was captivated by the relationship between the two of them; watching helped pass the time as we remained <em>Gerenuk-less</em>.</font></span></p><p><font color="#0000ff"><font face="Verdana"><span>The sun got hotter and I was tiring of the bugs biting my legs and arms. </span><span></span></font></font></p><p><span><font color="#0000ff"><font face="Verdana">I continued to focus my binoculars on the one female; fascinated by her tolerance of her frisky young one.<span>  </span>He wanted to play and scamper about and kept trying to pull free, but she never allowed him to venture too far….usually not more than an arm’s length or so.<span>  </span>She persisted in holding him in tow.<span>   </span>She clung to the squirming and rambunctious little guy.<span>  </span>He rolled about and vocalized his displeasure at being tethered by his Mom….but she would have no part of his scampering away on his own.<span> </span></font></font></span></p><p><span><font color="#0000ff"><font face="Verdana">To settle him, she picked him up by his neck, softly began to preen him, stroked his tiny head and rubbed his little back as she encouraged him suckled her.<span>  </span>He settled down and they both sat quietly as I stared in amazement at how attentively she delivered nurturing care.<span> </span></font></font></span></p><p><font color="#0000ff"><font face="Verdana"><span>I couldn’t think of a more caring mother, human or otherwise….totally focused on the needs of her young one, disregarding, to a great extent, her own personal safety and even apparently oblivious to the prying eyes of her human observer.<span>  </span>What a compelling and tender scene in such a potentially hostile and dangerous environment. </span><span></span></font></font></p><p><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Verdana">I picked up my Nikon, focused on the two of them and squeezed off a few frames.</font></span></p><p><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Verdana">Suddenly, our guide poked my shoulder, pointed in the other direction and whispered, “<em>Gerenuks</em>!”</font></span></p><p><span><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Verdana">It was a good day; five Gerenuks cautiously strolled around the cluster of Acacia trees, and one by one gracefully rose on their hind legs and munched away on those tender green leaves.<span>  </span>I steadied the Nikon, focused tightly on one of my newly discovered treasures and got the “money shots” I had been waiting for! </font></span></span></p><p><span><img alt="Gerenuk-1a-1.jpg picture by omegaet" src="http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg58/omegaet/Gerenuk-1a-1.jpg?t=1205423254"><a target="_blank" href="http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg58/omegaet/Gerenuk.jpg"></a></span></p><p><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Verdana">After watching and photographing the Gerenuk for a while, I turned around to see what the Baboons were doing…..they had already moved on and were no longer in sight.</font></span></p><p><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Verdana">Weeks later, after returning home, we spent hours sorting through and editing our safari photos. </font></span><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Verdana">Many of the pictures exceeded our expectations, including those taken of the Gerenuks. They are now all filed away and backed up on our external hard drive to be viewed occasionally with friends.</font></span></p><p><span><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Verdana">Only one exception; I made a print of the female Olive Baboon and young one and still keep it in a small frame on a bookcase shelf in my office.</font></span></span></p><p><span><span><a target="_blank" href="http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg58/omegaet/Morning.jpg"></a><img alt="Morning.jpg Mother&amp;amp;Child picture by omegaet" src="http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg58/omegaet/Morning.jpg?t=1205423845"></span><a target="_blank" href="http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg58/omegaet/Morning.jpg"></a></span></p><p><font color="#0000ff"><font face="Verdana"><span>In the “global sense,” it is just another picture of two wild animals, struggling to survive another day along a dusty river bank in a remote part of East Africa.  The scene is likely repeated thousands of times daily around the world!</span><span></span></font></font></p><p><span><font color="#0000ff" face="Verdana">However, that moment, for me, captured a great deal of intensity and the image still evokes special feelings when I look at it.</font></span></p><p><font color="#0000ff"><span><font face="Verdana">The picture reminds me of the importance of <i>Motherly Love and Tender Care…</i>..qualities I consider so important to a new life…. all new lives for that matter, regardless of the species…no matter how difficult or comfortable the surroundings!</font></span><span><span>  </span></span></font></p><p><span><span>  </span></span></p><p><span></span> </p></div><br><br><br><br><br><br>Message Edited by omegaet on <span class="date_text">03-13-2008</span> <span class="time_text">12:30 PM</span> Thu, 13 Mar 2008 15:29:25 GMT omegaet 2008-03-13T15:29:25Z http://community.luxurylink.com/t5/Best-Travel-Experience-Stories/Tracking-Gerenuks/ba-p/14270 ..special moments in journeys often create lasting memories! Thu, 13 Mar 2008 15:29:25 GMT http://community.luxurylink.com/t5/Best-Travel-Experience-Stories/Tracking-Gerenuks/ba-p/14270 omegaet 2008-03-13T15:29:25Z http://community.luxurylink.com/t5/Best-Travel-Experience-Stories/Tracking-Gerenuks/bc-p/14277 omegaet,<br>what a great story! I have longed to go on safari, and your wonderful description reinforces my desire!<br>cmdavilacli Thu, 13 Mar 2008 18:05:09 GMT http://community.luxurylink.com/t5/Best-Travel-Experience-Stories/Tracking-Gerenuks/bc-p/14277 CMDAVILACLI 2008-03-13T18:05:09Z http://community.luxurylink.com/t5/Best-Travel-Experience-Stories/Tracking-Gerenuks/bc-p/14281 Great story Omegaet - very touching photo of the baboons. I'm curious about the Gerenuk - will you repost the photo again? Like CMDAVILACLI, this has inspired me to go on safari! Thu, 13 Mar 2008 18:23:11 GMT http://community.luxurylink.com/t5/Best-Travel-Experience-Stories/Tracking-Gerenuks/bc-p/14281 claassenam 2008-03-13T18:23:11Z http://community.luxurylink.com/t5/Best-Travel-Experience-Stories/Tracking-Gerenuks/bc-p/14284 <div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><p><font color="#0000ff"><em><font color="#ff0000">CMDAVILACLI </font></em>&amp; <em><font color="#ff0000">claassenam</font></em>...East African safaris are great. As we are certain you have read from jashermd's SA postings (he is an obvious and frequent fan of safaris), being out with the animals and the general environment is &quot;special.&quot;</font></p><p><font color="#0000ff">In our experience and opinion, the more remote destinations (at least with visits to East Africa), the more interesting the trips can be.....also, a lot fewer visitors disturbing the animal sightings and &quot;dusting up&quot; the horizons.<br><br>We have friends who recently returned from trekking in the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and shared some of their fabulous photographic work of the great Silverbacks.<br><br>We still have Rwanda and Gorilla Trekking on our &quot;Life List.&quot;<br><br><em><font color="#ff0000">claassenam</font></em>...we sent you a PM for clarification regarding the Gerenuk photo question......see if you can this this shot of a different Gerenuk:</font></p><p><img alt="Gerenuk-2.jpg Gerenuk2 picture by omegaet" src="http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg58/omegaet/Gerenuk-2.jpg?t=1205450324"></p><br><br><br><br><br><br>Message Edited by omegaet on <span class="date_text">03-13-2008</span> <span class="time_text">07:29 PM</span> Thu, 13 Mar 2008 19:48:57 GMT http://community.luxurylink.com/t5/Best-Travel-Experience-Stories/Tracking-Gerenuks/bc-p/14284 omegaet 2008-03-13T19:48:57Z http://community.luxurylink.com/t5/Best-Travel-Experience-Stories/Tracking-Gerenuks/bc-p/14290 nice interesting post youve got here! going to safari is on my top travel list. :)<br>I love the last part showing how these animals are trying to survive. Fri, 14 Mar 2008 00:55:50 GMT http://community.luxurylink.com/t5/Best-Travel-Experience-Stories/Tracking-Gerenuks/bc-p/14290 christian07 2008-03-14T00:55:50Z http://community.luxurylink.com/t5/Best-Travel-Experience-Stories/Tracking-Gerenuks/bc-p/14307 christian07....wild animals have struggles all over the world.....we continue to increase human populations, take over and destroy more of their natural environments and they end up with shrinking ecosystems.<br><br>We're not &quot;hugging trees&quot; with this opinion, we're just observing real trends. If you want to see these &quot;natural wonders&quot; in their own settings, get out and get it done soon! Otherwise, wait in lines at your local zoos or look for their pictures under “extinct species”! Fri, 14 Mar 2008 18:30:14 GMT http://community.luxurylink.com/t5/Best-Travel-Experience-Stories/Tracking-Gerenuks/bc-p/14307 omegaet 2008-03-14T18:30:14Z http://community.luxurylink.com/t5/Best-Travel-Experience-Stories/Tracking-Gerenuks/bc-p/14315 Nice story! I had the pleasure of seeing a gerenuk in Taragire National Park in Tanzania -- they really are cool looking animals. There's nothing like seeing animals in their natural environment to make you realise how special they are.<br><br>If you want to go on a safari where you rarely see another soul, go to Botswana -- it's not cheap, but the government's high cost-low volume tourism policy has kept the wilderness pristine and prevented the crowds of white vans which have overrun the Serengeti and Masai Mara. Fri, 14 Mar 2008 21:03:49 GMT http://community.luxurylink.com/t5/Best-Travel-Experience-Stories/Tracking-Gerenuks/bc-p/14315 jashermd 2008-03-14T21:03:49Z http://community.luxurylink.com/t5/Best-Travel-Experience-Stories/Tracking-Gerenuks/bc-p/14320 jashermd....yes, Botswana is also on our list....after, Samburu, we moved further north and east to Meru, which proved to be a great opportunity for game viewing, even though it had experienced devastating poaching from bandits out of Somali in the 80s.<br><br>In 1999 and into the early 2000s, a process of re-introduction has substantially improved the numbers of Elephants, Kudu, Buffalo, Leopard, Lions and both Black and White Rhinos.<br><br>Even though the animals are growing in numbers, the return of tourists has been slow – hence, it remains a wonderfully isolated and peaceful place to visit, with several very nice camps as well! Fri, 14 Mar 2008 22:05:38 GMT http://community.luxurylink.com/t5/Best-Travel-Experience-Stories/Tracking-Gerenuks/bc-p/14320 omegaet 2008-03-14T22:05:38Z http://community.luxurylink.com/t5/Best-Travel-Experience-Stories/Tracking-Gerenuks/bc-p/20163 <p> </p><p> </p> Sat, 11 Apr 2009 19:08:44 GMT http://community.luxurylink.com/t5/Best-Travel-Experience-Stories/Tracking-Gerenuks/bc-p/20163 Mountie 2009-04-11T19:08:44Z http://community.luxurylink.com/t5/Best-Travel-Experience-Stories/Tracking-Gerenuks/bc-p/20164 Somali bandits? Sat, 11 Apr 2009 19:09:59 GMT http://community.luxurylink.com/t5/Best-Travel-Experience-Stories/Tracking-Gerenuks/bc-p/20164 Mountie 2009-04-11T19:09:59Z