The Spotted Hyena is well known for its macabre chuckle or “laugh”, which is an indispensable sound of the African bush at night. The large head, sloping back and a keen sense of smell is unique to this species. Females dominate the social hierarchy and are larger than males.

Warthogs have naked skin with sparse, long bristles. A characteristic feature of Warthogs is the protruding curved tusks, which in boars grow into formidable weapons. These tusks are used to dig up roots, which all Warthog relish. I liked the tuft of hair at the end of the thin tail, which was very visible when they run, with the tail stiffly erect as if it were a rudder. Warthogs have the peculiar habit of kneeling on the front knees while feeding and foraging.

The running joke about wildebeests is that they were made last, out of the remaining spare sparts at hand. Despite their disproportionate appearance and ungainly movements, I found them to be admirable creatures with a placidity that was calming to observe. Blue wildebeest favour short grasses and need to drink less than other grazers such as zebra and buffalo. Although wildebeest are dependent on water, the severe drought of 1992/93 had little effect on their population, currently estimated at about 13,000. The pastoral scene bottom left with the wildebeest grazing alongside impala is one of my favorites from the journey.