Planning a safari - Botswana and Namibia - page 56

» Weather Prevailing conditions can greatly affect your wildlife-viewing experience.
For example, high winds may drive herbivores and birds into cover, so concentrate
your search in sheltered areas. Summer thunderstorms are often followed by a flurry
of activity as insect colonies and frogs emerge, followed by their predators. Overcast
or cool days may prolong activity such as hunting by normally crepuscular predators,
and extremely cold winter nights force nocturnal species to stay active at dawn.
» Water Most animals drink daily when water is available, so water sources are
worthwhile places to invest time, particularly in the dry season. Predators and very
large herbivores tend to drink early in the day or at dusk, while antelopes tend to
drink from the early morning to midday. On the coast, receding tides are usually fol-
lowed by the appearance of wading birds and detritus feeders such as crabs.
» Food sources Knowing what the different species eat will help you to decide where
to spend most of your time. A flowering aloe might not hold much interest at first
glance, but knowing that it is irresistible to many species of sunbirds might change
your mind. Fruiting trees attract monkeys, while herds of herbivores with their young
are a predator's dessert cart.
» Habitat Knowing which habitats are preferred by each species is a good beginning,
but just as important is knowing where to look in those habitats. Animals aren't
merely randomly dispersed within their favoured habitats. Instead, they seek out spe-
cific sites to shelter - hollows, trees, caves and high points on plains. Many predators
use open grasslands but also gravitate towards available cover, such as large trees,
thickets or even grass tussocks. 'Ecotones' - where one habitat merges into another -
can be particularly productive because species from both habitats overlap.
» Tracks and signs Even when you don't see animals, they leave many signs of their
presence. Spoor (tracks), scat (droppings), pellets, nests, scrapes and scent marks
provide information about wildlife, and may even help to locate it. Check dirt and
sand roads when driving - it won't take long for you to recognise interesting spoor.
Elephant footprints are unmistakable and large predator tracks are fairly obvious.
Also, many wild cats and dogs use roads to hunt, so look for where the tracks leave
the road - often they mark the point where they began a stalk or sought out a nearby
bush for shade.
» Equipment Probably the most important piece of equipment you can have is a
good pair of binoculars. These help you not only to spot wildlife but also to correctly
identify it (this is essential for birding). Binoculars are also useful for viewing species
and behaviours where close approaches are impossible. Field guides, which are
pocket-sized topics that depict mammals, birds, flowers etc of a specific area with