Highly Inquisitive Baboon Daily Shopping Mall
Baboons have learned humans are an easy target, stealing food is an easier life to finding roots and berries. When warned to lock windows and doors, be on the watch out for Chacma baboon or Cape baboon (English), bobbejaan (Afrikaans), imfene (IsiXhosa)... take note.. Being out of your natural environment, never a dull moment!
Family of baboons swoop down daily from lofty mountain ledge, Scar as I called the big male baboon caused havoc, quietly appearing most mornings he would take a path around all the cottages looking to gain entry for a quick "shopping spree". The big guy obviously knows how to fight seeing the wound on his back leg!
Bulk of family would approach more cautiously, definitely not as brazen as Scar, first photo quiet time with obviously latest baby displaying normal behaviour foraging food. The baboons would come and go at odd times of the day, I noticed early morning Scar did his patrol more often than not on his own.
Lunch time and early afternoon the whole family would come through, thank goodness baboons sleep at night! Staff at the resort said to close and lock everything when going out, baboons knew how to slide glass doors open, evident in our kitchen where special baboon proof burglar bars had been put in the wooden frame was broken so leaving "protected" windows open was not an option.
Family of baboons at 14h00 foraging on the lawn about 20 meters away. Photo f/6.9 1/250 sec ISO-800 - Canon PowerShot SX730 HS
Even being in the home did not stop Scar sneaking in behind your back to take food, our neighbours for the week had him come in over lunch time when people were in and out of the kitchen, he made off with hot-cross buns and a loaf of bread, not afraid to take a chance in getting what he wants.
Best to keep windows/doors properly locked even when you are home, we introduced the problem into the area with our waste, now humans need to learn how to accommodate the natural residents by avoiding conflict. Male adult baboons have 5 cm long canine teeth, a dog like head, weighing in around 40 kg's, not something cute and cuddly from close up.
Photo 14h05 f/6.9 1/200 sec ISO-640 - Canon PowerShot SX730 HS
Baboon Mum and Baby are very cute to watch moving around together, warning grunts, screams and alarm barks would alert her to any danger, troop normally moves together during the day, sleep together on cliffs, in caves here in the mountains.
Photo 14h06 f/6.9 1/200 sec ISO-640 - Canon PowerShot SX730 HS
Finding a way into cottages, most of the resort cottages have local thatch now clad with tiles over the top, a few remain to be covered, here is the baboon doing what most would not believe, finding a way in!
Time 08h12- f/5.6 1/20 sec ISO-80 - Canon PowerShot SX730 HS
Signs have been put up requesting guests not to feed, this is becoming something one is seeing in more and more places where humans and animals share the same space.
Self-service on fruit juice in the morning, not quite something you anticipated, no matter how careful you are about leaving something to entice wildlife, they are watching.
Snakes Alive
With recent rain the snakes came out, never seen so many in the space of one week, have the utmost respect for these slithering reptiles. Arriving at the end of summer I mentioned why to use a walking stick, hitting the bush you will alert a snake to your approaching, much safer to sound a warning.
First snake encountered I think is a Yellow bellied sand snake photographed up on of the hills, most snakes are not dangerous. (Photograph taken by my husband).
Time 11h53 - f/10 1/160 sec ISO-100 - Canon EOS 500D
Sitting out after dinner noticed this lovely little Red-lipped Herald snake quietly moving on the patio about ten centemeters away from my foot, needless to say I had to photograph this pretty little snake.
Photograph 19h51. f/5.6 1/80 sec ISO-800 - Canon PowerShot SX730 HS
Very brave when you know the snake is harmless!
Taken at 09h52 trying to hide away between the pole and building. f/5.6 1/60 sec ISO-800 - Canon PowerShot SX730 HS
My brother and his wife went in search of the Hidden Valley finding the walk difficult, losing direction for a short while before being set on the right path by rangers. Using a walking stick cannot be emphasized enough (yes we may use it for more than bush whacking, it really is needed)!
Walking along the path this Rhinkhals raised itself out of the grass, with the walking stick having alerted it via noise and vibration. Now this is a spitting snake, not one I would ever like to encounter when out hiking. My brother did his best to capture to identify snake, excuse shaky hand.
Rinkhals (Hemachatus haemachatus)
Rinkhals is a related member of the cobra family that have the ability to shoot venom from their fangs usually aiming for a person's face. They are generally brown to brown-black on the top with irregular spotting/banding in lighter browns or creams. They have a dark belly with two lighter stripes around the neck. They are generally about 1.2 meters long. They can spray their venom up to 2, 5 meters.
Rinkhals are normally active at night but will bask in the sun during the day. They prefer to live in wet grasslands and can be found at high altitudes. They occur in the Southern Cape, Eastern Cape, Free State and parts of KwaZulu-Natal.
Bites from the Rinkhals are rare as most predators and threats are put off by them spraying venom in their eyes. Local swelling occurs at the site of the bite. They usually spray their venom in a person's eyes and this can cause temporary or permanent blindness. If you get sprayed with venom in the eyes wash the poison out with lots of water and seek medical help. If you are bitten, bandage the affected area and seek medical help. The bites are rarely fatal. Source: http://www.nature-reserve.co.za/dangerous-snakes.html
Photo was taken 09h59 f/8 1/250 sec ISO-100 - Nikon D3200
So we come to an end of slithering and in-house shopping, walking stick moments, nature sharing the good, the better and the best, whether we like it or not...
Thanks for joining me the first part of the story began with Life's Road Trips Like Human Wings
Day 1 Supporting @steemitworldmap How Green Was My Valley
Day 2 Natural Wonders of the Drakensberg South Africa
I want to thank @tattoodjay for hosting WednesdayWalk and @ace108 for hosting WalkWithMe!! Two great reasons to share nature!
Thought for Today: Patience can cook a stone. ~ African proverb
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The same person also downvoted our charity Lady Joan. I have replaced your downvote with a 100% upvote!
A great post here about nature!
Blessings!
Kind of you to do that, @papilloncharity. Just so that you know, that account is worth nothing so the downvote doesn't make any difference. It's just an awful thing to do, though. I don't understand it.
That guy has been around for a couple of months, thanks for support in downvote, I have mentioned him in communities, he is an irritant!
Thanks for visiting Stephen.
He holds the distinction of my first downvote Lady Joan, but such is life!
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Awesome to be so close to wild nature. It's too bad that there are those people who think it's OK to feed wild animals. It can be dangerous to both the animal and human when they lose their fear of humans. Wonderful photos and description, Joan! You're really brave with the snakes.
Don't believe I am brave anywhere near snakes, have had to learn which ones are approachable and which ones aren't Roger. When I was younger it would not take much for me to go straight up the walking stick and land twenty foot away becoming airborne in fear of snakes...
it looks bed to see this animal in cage.
Beautiful photographs my friend...
Animals need their freedom without human interference, thanks for visiting.
Great photos, @joanstewart. Is the baboon in your first photo injured?
That mother and baby are so sweet. As for snakes - pretty or not, I prefer to give them a wide berth. That said, we do get harlequin snakes around here and they are really beautiful little things. I prefer it if the cats don't catch them.
Yes he was injured Fiona, obviously fighting for his male rights, he was an imposing figure around the area.
Snakes do so much good, I too give them wide berth irrespective of knowing they are not venomous, how my brother even considered stopping to photograph the Rinkhals was beyond me, I would have been out of there in a flash.
Awesome post! The baboon climbing the wall looks so sneaky and fun hahaha. The ones I'm not a fan of are the snakes but nature it is what it is, we can't choose what to keep or what to discard, or at least we shouldn't.
Thanks for sharing!
Baboon caused havoc with everyone being on their guard. Snakes play a big role in nature, best to leave well alone.
Appreciate your visit and comment.
Gr8 Post Joan.
One of my most favorite memories is of tracking wild monkeys in the jungle in Thailand. These are different animals but it reminded me of that, lovely pics :)
Thanks Raj, we have monkeys in our village (also naughty), the baboons are more fearsome due to size.
Seems like you had quite the trip mate. The Baboons are super dope. Was that drink the little bird is standing on alcohol? It must have been real funny to see a drunk bird lol. Great Pictures dude.
Guava juice around breakfast in the morning attracted the bird down to enjoy some, no drunk birds 😊😊
Such neat animals! It's too bad that they are such a menace. In the mountains here in California we get bears that will get the taste of human food and become a problem. Breaking into houses, cars, and dumpsters to get it.
People have allowed this all to happen, we develop onto the land without giving the animals much space.
Would love to see a bear in the wild one day Derek, I can well believe how scary it must be having your homes terrorized by bears.
Totally agree. Humans have been quite stupid when it comes to dealing with wild animal populations. Usually just making the problems worse more than making them better. Here in California we only have black bears and not the aggressive grizzly bears, so for the most part they are not a problem. But when they get the taste of human food they can become a nuisance like bear #514 was for me for awhile. He wasn't mean... just wouldn't leave me alone!
Hahaha and the first thing we give children are Teddy Bears to cuddle up to, makes you think! #514 sure would have fun going through trash cans and disrupting life, because now he knows he can!
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Love the monkeys...first one looks like alpha..but snakes..yucky
Baboon's can be more scary than snakes sometimes 😊
Definitely and even deadlier, but still snakes make me run!
Oh, I don't miss the wildlife of Australia... similar to what you have here... they are nice and harmless (if you treat them with respect)... but not something you want too close to home! Snakes are especially frightening for me....
Respect for everything, so long as it leaves me alone I will avoid.
Wow, those baboons look like they’d wreck me if I got anywhere remotely close to them 😅
These guys know how to brawl over the opposite sex and territory they minute they come of age, practice makes perfect through childhood 😊
I’ve seen some of the fights on video before and it’s like savages fighting lol. I wouldn’t wanna be caught in the middle of it. Plus, they’re so quick!😱
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This is a good post, thanks...
Thanks for visiting, appreciate the kind comment.
Wow, so much nature! Baboons and bird and snakes ! What an incredible post :D !!! And those baboons are really good at finding their way around, it seems :O
Snakes are so cool but they are scary in the wilderness, aaah.... You got some really awesome photos of them, Joan !!! :O
We share this planet with some amazing animals, thanks for enjoying.
Thank you for visiting @blocktrades @ocd @gtg people who are quietly supporting and motivating! 😊😊😊
Amazingly interesting report! Such close contact with nature! Baboons cleverly adapted to new conditions.
But with snakes, I would be scared to meet, especially if there is a risk that she will spit in you.
Going out we need to be cautious, snakes normally move away (except for our puff adder which is lazy, I have not seen one in years), learning about snakes is something one should know if going out hiking, just in case.
nice post my friends
Thanks for sharing @jos3lider and visit.
Boy, howdy! Now that was an exciting moment or three! This was that amazing experience, especially for 1 who has never been in the bush, or any place close to it. The only baboon I have ever seen has been at a zoo and I actually have no trouble believing in their skills because they really cause a ruckus behind the fence. Having said that oh, I don't like to see animals caged up, but I can honestly say that a baboon on the loose needs to be filmed. They are expert little Bandits with absolutely no thoughts on getting caught!
As always your are always so well thought out and written and the subjects that you use are always interesting and never have any problem keeping my attention. I always want more more more! Thank you for the awesome pictures and for taking your brother along and getting the picture of the Rinkhal! I believe you and give you a wide berth to most snakes, poisonous or not, and admire your brother for risking life and limb. Literally. That would be enough to Spook me out of the Tall Grass to see a head coming out! But he has a breve sister also LOL and I don't care if it's poisonous or not. Thank you so much for you are amazing writing and subjects!
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Scared of walking into either of the above Denise, don't go out on long hikes like I used to. Hikes are not the problem now they come right up to the houses, keep ones wits never take anything for granted LOL.
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OMG very scary for me, a city gal. Amazing photos and story, I enjoy your posts a lot 😊
City life is not for me, love the bush @starjewel
Bush life one may walk into the odd not so comfortable moment, cities are just too wild and noisy.
Dear Joan,
that was so brave of you taking pics of the snake. For me, I do have 2 modes in seeing a snake: I AM GONNA MURDER THAT SNAKE NO MATTER WHAT and, HELP! THERE'S A SNAKE MODE! hahahaha
Yeah. This is coming from someone who started living in Australia where 7 of the most venomous snakes live. Did I mention that we do have crocs, gators, sharksm jellyfish and a whole bunch of creature out there waiting/ attempting to murder anyone? hahahahaha
2 Modes 4 sure Flight or Fright one you travel in time to a destination far, far away airborne. The second option stand dead still and pretend you are dead hoping it does not strike.
Yeah, out of Africa we got some critters that enjoy a nibble or two when confronted @nurseanne84
Those baboons are quite sneaky, aren't they? I hope they don't get too much human food to ruin their baboonish figures. ;)
Snakes are not my favorite creatures. I know they serve a purpose in the world, but I prefer to stay far away! I will scream like a little girl if one came that close to me, haha! I just try to leave them alone and hope that they do the same for me. ;)
Baboons are scary when confronted, snakes normally go their own way without incident, must be honest in I prefer them not coming up so close.
I really like wild life, but some animals are really scary, lol. I love visiting zoo
Thanks for visiting @cryptocheta
I love nature and wildlife :)
Me too Ian.
I would not want to live near the baboons and as for the snake any snake my wife will never go there. Great post.
Very few places in the world without snakes, pity your wife is missing out on great adventures 😊
Beautiful photos and great stories from the live of animals living in peoples neighborhood. Worth of resteeming.
Thanks for kind comment and visiting @hairyfairy
Great post Joan.
Thanks for visiting.
I'm sorry that @camillesteemer sucks so much and downvoted your post. I'm working on gaining Steem Power to fight back against their constant and baseless attacks.
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