Nature’s paintbrush!

Did nature just run out of paint or is there more too these fascinating spotted or white animals we encounter in nature?

Of late I have encountered some fascinating specimens of rarity, more notably in Uganda while on safari. I updated you on the case of the “pink hippo” that we encountered at Chobe Safari lodge….and yes Uganda also has a Chobe; I didn't lose my way and ended up in Botswana. The Uganda version is one of those must see places, especially if you wanted to photograph the rare Rothschild giraffe as the park is home to the remaining 70% of this rare subspecies. 

 Rothschild giraffe outside Chobe Safari lodge in Uganda by John Gibbons

This Chobe lodge is located in Murchison falls national park in Uganda along the Frothing river Nile, and was named after the area. In the local lingo Chobe refers to place without men, referring to old tribal wars that took the men from the area in days long gone. Marasa Africa rebuilt the lodge two years ago once Joseph Kony and his lords residence army was pushed out of the area and Uganda, making this unspoiled area accessible to tourism again. 

While visiting the lodge, we stumbled onto a hippo that was covered in white spots, making it appear pinkish and I was intrigued to hear from the local guides that is was not an isolated case in the park and that they have seen completely pink coloured hippos. This obviously got my attention and I tucked this little titbit away as we proceeded with the trip, determined to find out more.

 Photo - Spotted pink hippo in front of Chobe Safari lodge by Kim Allen

On a Safari to Queen Elizabeth national park in the weeks that followed we took clients on a water Safari down the Kazinga channel.  As we approached a bachelor herd of buffalo on the banks of the channel I noticed that it was a combination of both forest and Cape buffalo, which was new to me in itself. But even more peculiar was the very evident white stripe down the front of the one males face.

Photo - Both forest and cape buffalo found lazing together on the banks of the Kazinga Channel by Corne Schalkwyk.  

That was my first encounter with this buffalo bull, that I now know has been spotted in the area before by guides and the locals estimate that they first noticed him some five years before as a young calf.

On my return to the lodge, I sent some photos off to both Lex Hes and Anton Lategan of EcoTraining in the hopes that my old employers and mentors could shed some light on the curious case of the white faced buffalo.

 Photo - Curious case of the white faced buffalo by Corne Schalkwyk

In the weeks that followed I got some feedback from guides and EcoTraining on abnormalities and colour variations in wild animals. This also opened the door to discussions around possible inbreeding or interbreeding of wild animals and even domestic animals, as Uganda doesn’t have fences surrounding their national parks.

Not only did I learn a lot, it actually made me feel at home in Uganda as this was a normal part our office life at EcoTraining and to be truthful, something I missed in Uganda.

Genetic abnormalities are present in all wildlife. Even birds have white spots that appear to be a linked to albinism or leucism.  This is due to the fact that every animal, from cockroaches to apes makes melanin and can have albinism. Such animals normally fare poorly in the wild and don’t always survive long enough for us to enjoy or see them in the wild, but the occurrence of albinism runs the gamut across the animal kingdom.

Their rate of survival is virtually zero. Predators easily pick them out of a group. Families and social groups can exclude them because to every other member, they look foreign. The specimens we normally see are in captivity as their survival rate increases significantly in captivity.  When it comes to mating, some species fare better than others. The albino peacock attracts females just fine.

 "Pink Hippo" spotted on Safari at Paraa Safari lodge - Photo by Penny Boyd

Albinism derived from the word “white “is a congenital disorder characterized by the complete or partial absence of pigment in the skin, hair and eyes due to absence of the copper-containing enzyme involved in the production of melanin.

While speaking to my friends and co-workers at Marasa Africa and Premier Safaris in Uganda it became apparent that there has been some ongoing sightings of “Pink Hippo’s” in Uganda, Maanan even sent me this amazing photo taken by Penny Boyd of a completely pink hippo that they spotted on a game drive close to Paraa Safari lodge in Murchison falls national park in Uganda prior to me joining the team at Marasa.

The hippo we spotted at Chobe wasn’t an albino as it had dark eyes and some pigmented spots on its body. Therefore it is most likely that this is an example of a leucistic hippo.

 Photo - Another example from Lex Hes - Lex took this photo of a young Impala in South Africa 

 “Leucism is a condition characterized by reduced pigmentation in animals and humans. Unlike albinism, it is caused by a reduction in all types of skin pigment, not just melanin.” Different to most cases of albinism, leucistic animals generally retain some essence of their normal pigmentation. A partial expression of leucism can be exhibited in the form of an animal having spotted or piebald appearance. The skin appears pink; its coat or fur colour may vary from blond to beige to pure white. Uganda has some great examples of this as the photos have shown.

Leucistic and albino animals are also easily spotted by predators which greatly reduces their chances of survival. Fortunately, hippos are too big for most predators, and this is probably why we spot more of these examples of nature’s sometimes wondering brush.

Given the millions of different shades of colour that we see in nature, it’s no wonder that, once in a while, nature might simply run out of paint. Perhaps this is why pure-white or patched coloured animals leave such a strong impression on us. Some of them look like ghostly spirit animals, especially if encountered at night. Others, like albino whales or apes, are lonely one-in-a-million albinos with striking, unexpected appearances.

As a keen wildlife photographer, it is always exciting to photograph something a little bit different, or out of the ordinary and Uganda delivered on the unusual.

Whether you find them strange, beautiful, abnormal or freakish, I hope you enjoyed this update of Uganda sightings that nature…..just forgot to colour in its normal way.

By Corne Schalkwyk

Photo Credits: Penny Boyd, Lex Hes of EcoTraining, Kim Allen of Chobe Safari lodge, Corne Schalkwyk and John Gibbons 

If you would like some more information related to the update above or Uganda in general please see information below:

Travel to Uganda with Premier Safaris, visit their website at www.premiersafaris.com or contact reservations@premiersafaris.com .

Premier have a great upcoming photographic Safari with Albie Venter (also from EcoTraining) in June called the "Pearl of Africa" Photographic Safari to Uganda – http://www.premiersafaris.com/itineraries/%E2%80%9Cpearl-africa%E2%80%9D-photographic-trip

To learn about the Marasa Africa lodges in Uganda and Kenya, Including Mweya, Paraa and Chobe safari lodges mentioned above visit their website at www.marasa.net

EcoTraining - Nature Guide Training – Reconnecting you to the natural world through educational, exciting and life-changing wilderness experiences - www.ecoTraining.co.za

Also read the original update on the blog: http://travelcorne.blogspot.com/

White Buffalo calf in Kruger - http://blog.africageographic.com/africa-geographic-blog/wildlife/wildlife-and-nature/white-buffalo-calves-in-kruger-area/

Tip for the day - #Wildlifewednesday 

Take a holiday, and travel to the wild as fascinating experiences awaits you. You can always make more money but our untouched wilderness and exploration is fast slipping out of our grasp. 

Rothschild giraffe research kicks off in Uganda

Murchison’s Falls National park at the centre of new Rothschild giraffe research effort

A new research project is being launched in Uganda’s Murchison Falls National Park to research, document and perform genetic analysis on the Rothschild’s giraffe, the tallest creature on earth, dapper in white knee socks (no spotting on the lower leg), and notable for its grace, winsomeness and beautiful patterning. Of the nine recognized giraffe sub-species, the Rothschild’s is one of the most imperilled, with fewer than 1100 individuals remaining in the wild. It has been declared an endangered species by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and as being of high conservation priority. Murchison Falls National Park is home to the last endemic population of this once abundant animal, all other surviving populations have been reintroduced, and often in areas where they never were originally.

The project is spearheaded by the Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF) and will be led by their conservation scientist Dr. Julian Fennessy, a Namibia-based Australian who is also Co-Chair of the IUCN SSC Giraffe and Okapi Specialist Group (GOSG), and fellow GCF trustees and researchers Andy Tutchings, a Germany-based British national and Fellow of the Royal Geographic Society, and Stephanie Fennessy, a Namibia-based German, both also members of the GOSG. Working closely with the Ugandan Wildlife Authority, the team’s local-based researcher will be Henry Opio from the Ugandan Wildlife Education Centre.

Despite low population figures and its endangered status, little is known about the Rothschild’s giraffe in the wild, an issue that must be addressed to develop and implement effective conservation strategies. To this end, the Project seeks to provide the first scientific review of the Rothschild’s ecology, behaviour and habitat requirements in Uganda; essential information for the development and implementation of meaningful conservation initiatives. These include the provision of technical support and funding, data sharing and results for a comprehensive approach to giraffe conservation.

The group will be hosted by Marasa Africa at their Paraa Safari Lodge located near the Nile crossing inside the Murchison Falls National Park. Located high on the river bank the lodge overlooks one of nature’s best kept secrets, the River Nile, on its journey from its source at Lake Victoria to join Lake Albert. It is inside the park where it is suddenly channelled into a gorge only six meters wide, and cascades down the rocks into a white water inferno 48 meters below. When standing on top of the falls the earth literally trembles as one is only a few feet away from one of the world’s most powerful flows of water.

 

For the last stage of the initial data collection the research team will move to the Chobe Safari Lodge widely known in Uganda for its Giraffe sightings close to the lodge. Located in the Murchison Falls National Park, this Five Star lodge is undoubtedly the gem in Uganda's crown of tourism destinations. The breath-taking panoramic views, coupled with the sounds of the River Nile's magnificent rapids, sets the scene for an adventure that will impress even the most discerning of visitors.

Chobe Safari Lodge offers a unique opportunity to sample the wildlife, birds, flora and fauna; all in an area of the park that has yet to be discovered. This area of Murchison Falls National Park is ideal for fishing, and will revive this newly refurbished lodge to become one of the best fishing destinations in Africa.

Information regarding the project from Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF)

http://www.giraffeconservation.org/index.php

Once free ranging across western Kenya, southern Sudan and Uganda, the Rothschild’s giraffe has been almost totally eliminated from much of its former range. Despite the low and steadily declining figures across all Rothschild’s giraffe populations, there has never been any scientific study of the Rothschild’s giraffe in Uganda and its natural range – even though this (sub)species is heavily represented in captivity internationally. In Kenya, all known wild populations of Rothschild’s giraffe have been extirpated by agricultural development with remnant populations now confined to national parks, private reserves and other protected areas where they have been trans located. These remaining populations are isolated from one another and unable to interbreeding.

The vulnerability of the Rothschild’s giraffe is highlighted by recent phylogenetic studies. There is considerable uncertainty surrounding the geographic and taxonomic limits of giraffe (sub)species, but it has preliminarily determined that G. c. rothschildi is separate and distinct from other giraffe (sub)species, having split from other giraffe around 0.27 million years ago. The Rothschild’s giraffe therefore represents a unique genetic lineage that should be afforded the highest priority for conservation of giraffe biodiversity, in particular the only natural and viable population in Murchison Falls National Park.

The programme will begin in the field in August 2013 although considerable desktop research and development has already begun. It aims to establish a long-term research initiative in Uganda coordinated by local Ugandan researchers in collaboration with the Uganda Wildlife Authority and GCF:

·         To develop the first long-term research initiative on the only natural and viable Rothschild’s giraffe population.

·         To provide the first ever scientific review and country-wide status assessment of Rothschild’s giraffe in Uganda.

·         To collect giraffe DNA material for on-going genetic analysis and research of the giraffe species.

To identify the key ecological requirements of the Rothschild’s giraffe in Murchison Falls National Park so that new areas can be identified as recommendations for future translocation and establishment of new populations.

To provide scientific input and support to the development of a national conservation strategy for Rothschild’s giraffe in Uganda in collaboration with the Uganda Wildlife Authority.

For more information on the Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF), go to: www.giraffeconservation.org . For information about Marasa Africa or reservations at Paraa Safari Lodge or Chobe Safari Lodge, contact www.premiersafaris.com or go to their website at www.marasa.net

If you’re interested in arranging a Safari to the region contact resevartions@premiersafaris.com