Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
and the Limpopo, Zambezi, and Kavango River Basins. The fluid from the live beetle larvae
was squeezed onto arrow shafts and in winter the collected poison fluid was also mixed with
cobra venom. To help bind the poison from Diamphida pupae to arrows, the resin from “wait a
bit” Buffalo Horn Trees or shrubs (Ziziphus mucronata, a shrub and tree distributed more
widely and southerly than the others of the Bushveld but does not include growth in the Fynbos
biome and Central Kalahari) was used. These trees are also known as the “Blinkblaar Wag-n'-
Bietjie “ shrubs in Afrikaans because of their smooth green shiny leaves and the thorns hooking
into clothing or skin, usual requiring assistance for removal if badly penetrating. The branches
and tree also have great spiritual meaning to Nguni tribes. The poison arrows are careful
stored in a kaross (see photo of San bushmen at the end of the topic setting out on the hunt and
photo of Karoo succulents) of skin and a hollowed branch of a desert tree called the quiver
tree, hence its name (The tree is really of the Aloe family, with a soft pulp, and called Aloe
dichotoma in Latin, and kokerboom in Afrikaans, koker meaning quiver). The reason is quite
simple why that lions fear humans: they showed lions, by their superior intelligence, to fear
man during daylight. The Masai would go on lion hunts, an event which also served as a
manhood status achievement. This still continues to this day, although illegally. It has been
estimated that in Tanzania some 25-30 lions are still killed this way annually based on the
appearance of fresh lion hides during ceremonies among the Masai. The reason for this is
protection against lions. In the analysis of 500 lion attacks between 1988 and 2009 in Tanzania
by Dr. Craig Packer, two thirds of the attacks resulted in death and being eaten; the majority
occurring between dusk and 10pm when the moon was waning and the nights were getting
darker. Thus, the period after full moon was a particularly busy time for man-eaters as they had
to catch up on the moon induced fast during the full moon light. Attacks also increased during
the rainy season when clouds obscured the moon. Both Livingstone and Gordon-Cummings
relate lions attacking on particularly dark nights, in the case of Livingstone during rain, and
Gordon-Cummings early on a dark windy night when his Hottentot helper Hendrick was taken
from around a low fire and killed. Gordon-Cumming killed the lion the next day after his dogs
bayed the lion. In the case of the San Bushmen, they would keep an eye on their local lion
pride populations and the ruling males. If a new male lion took over they would wait until he
had fed well on a kill, made by his newly acquired harem lionesses, and was contently
sleeping off his meal under a shady tree and then they would then attack him with sticks and
stones. Livingstone relates that in present day Botswana the bushmen there would take this one
step further and two of them would stalk up to the sleeping lion and one would fire a poison
arrow into the lion and the other would throw a leather skin tunic over its head at the same
time, the lion would jump in confusion and charge off, and then would be heard in agony
roaring from the poison and going berserk tearing at trees and branches, ripping everything
around him in rage. If Bushmen by accident got the poison in a cut, they would also start
behaving strangely. After that experience a lion would remember that humans were the masters
and not to be messed with. Don Heath relates that there were few things that would lead San
Bushmen to work for his family since money had no value, but a revolver did for obvious
reasons. The San would trade bee's wax, feathers, or ivory and would sometimes work for
pots, a folding knife, or blanket and then wonder off again. They would work longer for a .455
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