Last update from Tanzania

We are in our last week here in Tanzania, leaving Sunday. If you are still reading along, thanks for joining us on the journey. We’ll have some final thoughts to add after our return to Minnesota.

Yesterday (Sunday) we spent in Tarangire National Park. It was time for one more animal fix before leaving the country.

Tarangire is reputed to have the highest concentration per kilometer of elephants in the world. It is also beautiful, located in the Great Rift Valley, with some of the classic vistas seen in movies. Trees include the acacia, with the widespread flat-topped canopy so identified with the Africa savannah, and baobab trees.

The latter have a shape like a fat-stemmed mushroom. The trunk can grow to 33 feet diameter in only 100 years. “Only”, because tests suggest some live to more than 3,000 years. Baobabs’ trunks can store large amounts of water, which get them through droughts. Animals, especially elephants, sometimes help themselves to the precious liquid when rains fail to come.

Our main reason for going there was animals and we found them. Supporting Tarangire’s reputation, we did see a lot of elephants. At one small water hole we came upon a group of at least 35, from small babies to the big bulls. They were all trying to spray themselves or lie down in the wet mud to cool off. It was an incredible sight! There were many more scattered throughout the park and we never tired of seeing them. We even witnessed what appeared to be a sibling fight, finally broken up by mom.

Unlike the other parks we visited, giraffes were also plentiful and they too had babies. They are amazing to watch, walking or even running in that swaying graceful fashion you’ve likely seen in movies or nature shows. Giraffes eat the leaves of acacias from the tops of the trees, which have long, sharp, nasty needles. They can do this because of a remarkable tongue, and it was fun to watch them feed.

One surprise was to see lions running by us, three females and a young one. When we arrived we were told that the lions were elsewhere and we wouldn’t see any in the park. When our driver reported back the sighting there was disbelief, but we have the photos to prove it.

We also saw a wide variety of gazelle-like animals, including topi, waterbuck, impala, eland, dikdik (VERY small), and some we couldn’t identify. There were many so-ugly-they’re-cute warthogs, including babies, all running with tails sticking straight up in the air. We did see a battle between two males. In addition there were baboons, ostriches (and many other birds), wildebeest and zebras.

We do need to make a correction. Previously we had referred to “water” buffalo. In fact we have been seeing cape or African buffalo. The former can be domesticated, the latter can’t.

This week we are finishing up our projects, including working with the great people on staff. Our expectation is that there will be continued work for us after we return to the United States.