| Storyboards |
Hippo Versus LionS
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This was probably the most incredible thing we saw in our entire visit to Tanzania. Even when our guide Yusuf told his colleagues this story, they didn't believe him. But it really did happen. |
We are in Serengeti National
Park, having just spotted three lionesses lounging in the shade of
some tall grass. We are about to take their picture, when all of a
sudden, we hear a distant "THUMP THUMP THUMP" sound approaching
from the left. Unbelievably, we see a large hippo charge through the
bush a few moments later. We've hardly seen hippos walk, let alone
run, so this alone was astounding, almost comical. |
The lions hear it too, and
they have no idea what is making the noise. |
They are completely startled
by the sudden appearance of the hippo, and scramble up from their
resting positions.  |
The hippo on the other hand,
has no idea that there are three lions around the corner, and it charges
into them at full tilt, scattering them in three different directions. |
Incredibly, the lions switch
instantly from defence to offence, and two of them start running alongside
the hippo, who hasn't lost a beat and is still stomping along at a
furious pace.  |
We are amazed to see the
two lions launch themselves onto the hippo's back, in an effort to
bring the massive beast down. |
However, the hippo isn't
stopping for anything, and it still tears along, as if the lions weren't
there. |
Unfazed, the lions try again,
this time digging their claws into the hippo's back. |
But the hippo still continues
running at full speed, with claw marks visible across its back. |
It continues running into
the tall grass with the lions still in hot pursuit, where we temporarily
lose sight of the three animals.  |
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About thirty seconds later, we see the lions give up the chase as they come out of the grass and stare at the hippo, who in the distance, finally stands motionless for a very long time. Yusuf tells us that the hippo will probably die eventually from the infections sustained from the wounds inflicted by the lions. The whole event takes place in the span of a minute. We still can't believe it actually happened... we're not sure who was more surprised, the hippo, the lions, or us!! |
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| Flying in Formation: Flamingos and Pelicans |
We saw several groups of
flamingos flying around the Salt Lake in the Ngorongoro Crater. It
was a bit of a challenge panning with the camera to photograph them
in flight, but some of the pictures turned out. |
These five flamingos were
putting on a show, flying back and forth just a few feet above the
water.  |
With their feet stretched
out behind them, they looked like pink rockets with wings. |
Just before landing, the
five flamingos flared their wings as they all banked in the same direction. |
They then proceeded to strut
around the lake "like a bunch of girls doing the can-can"
says Dave, as if to congratulate each other on a nice flight. |
This group of pelicans stood
out dramatically as their white feathers were easily visible from
far away. |
They were quite awkward-looking
as they started to take off, jockeying for position. |
After some fairly intensive
flapping, they eventally got themselves airborne. |
However, from that point
on, they were anything but awkward. They cruised in the air effortlessly
as they did a slow turn over our vehicle. |
They totally reminded us
of B-52 bombers flying in formation. |
This was truly an example
of precision flying! |
© 2003-2004 Winston & Jennifer Yeung. All Rights Reserved.