Tanzania 20 - Serengeti National Park - Hoofed Mammals

21 - 25 December 2014

By number, hoofed animals dominate the large fauna of the Serengeti.

Wildebeest migrating across the main road. (Zebras in the background.)

Nothing can look quite as haughty as a Cape buffalo.

The spots between this buffalo's eyes were worn by constant flapping of her ears to brush off insects.

Zebras always make great photos.

Mother and young zebra.

Impala among banded mongoose (mongeese?).

Young impala.

Topi -- a large and powerful antelope.

Topi

Dik-diks are small, even tiny, shy creatures. They are usually found in pairs, frequently with a young dik-dik well-hidden under nearby brush.

Another dik-dik.

Giraffe (obviously!)

The giraffe's long neck is a benefit for browsing trees, but is a liability when it is time to drink. In order to reach the ground, the giraffe must bend its front legs and just about kneel, making it vulnerable to predators.

Warthogs were remarkably difficult to photograph. In addition to not being terribly photogenic (!), they tended to be away from the road with their heads down munching green stuff. Here is a sow and one of her two young. (The whole family was traveling as a group.)

A closer look at the young warthog.

And a full view of the sow.