It is early in the Morning, just before sunrise. The fog still hangs over the Ngorongoro crater, and has him firmly in its grip. Only the tips of the famous volcanic mountain sticking out. Steep and curvy with the all-terrain vehicle through the haze, past acacia trees and bushes, over stones and potholes, down to the huge cauldron in the floor. Down there prevail mystical mood, and unusual rest. Only two blocks to the Thomson-gazelles are already full of beans and fight with each other.
“what is There in the back of a lioness,” says Mudy Nuru, Guide of the South African tour operator, devices, and drives in the vicinity. “And there’s even a second,” he adds. The predators hidden in the Grass and lie in wait, to catch a favourable Moment, a distracted Gnu from the great herd. The antelopes seem to sense no danger. They snort, grunt and bleat as usual and look only into your eating breaks. Occasionally one of the bulls runs, on the other, to drive a rival out of the area.
After three quarters of an hour, the wildebeest of the planned attack of the lionesses Wind and drag, as a group, from thence. The two big cats, the not letting yourself in for hunts to debilitating, life long pursuit, this Time empty. “Bad luck,” says Nuru. There was still enough else to Eat. The crater is a Paradise for animals, especially for the Big Five, i.e. lion, Buffalo, Leopard, elephant and Rhino. Because of the variety of landscapes in the huge cauldron so rich and versatile, there would be, among other things, also, spotted hyenas, Zebras, warthogs, hippos, Green sea cats, ostriches or Flamingos, primarily in the Magadisee. A total of 25’000 mammals in the crater.
About 50 rhinos living in the crater
The journey continues over the pot flat bottom of the crater, which is about as big as the Canton of Geneva, and in 1979, the world heritage appointed. After a lava eruption 2 million years ago in the 5000 metres above sea level description the top of the Ngorongoro, so that its highest point is now only at 2300 meters. The nutrient-rich soil attracts an abundance of wildlife and is considered to be Noah’s ark in Africa for endangered species. Up to one and a half years, the Maasai here shoots, but the cattle, so that thousands of cattle, goats and sheep grazed in the middle of this unique animal world. For reasons of nature conservation, the shepherds are allowed to let their herds now, but only at the edge and in the areas outside of the crater pastures.
With the binoculars discovered Nuru a dark spot. “A Black Rhino,” says the experienced leader, and shuts down the engine. The Art is in danger, but here she was well. The Rangers were well-formed and would monitor the rhinos around the clock. Meanwhile, there were about 50 in the crater. Another Guide, from the opposite direction, and watched the colossus that moves with around a thousand kilograms leisurely to us. Getting closer and closer. At once the distance is just twenty meters.
The rhinoceros marks its territory with urine and trots along next to us. Although it can be hard to see, and our vehicle comes to a stop, perhaps, for some Bush, has made it to us thanks to its fine smell and sense of hearing long ago. The giant is again taking a Drohhaltung. “Don’t move and just quietly speak,” said Nuru. You should provoke the Rhino. However, after a quarter of an hour the other Guide to throwing the engine in the SUV, locking the rhinoceros over and then on to us. A cloud of dust and an extremely dangerous Situation.
The pachyderms to the noise source, and is directly in front of us. He is confused and undecided, threatens, once again, head down, ambles closer, and stops. “Quiet,” whispered Nuri. Then the gray powerhouse over trudges 1.5 meters next to our vehicle. “Phew,” says Nuru, and seems relieved. As the Rhino was frontal came to us, he would have been ready to go in case of an emergency at a 45-degree angle from the path directly in the Bush. The other driver, I made a mistake. But it was Yes everything went well. “Hakuna Matata,” says he in Swahili and laughing.
The Maasai pay for a bride with cattle
the journey from the world’s largest intact crater, we observed several spotted hyenas of a clan, the snooze relaxes in the Grass of the savanna, the long-legged bird of Prey, the Secretary, the one with the protruding, black neck feathers elegantly through the Vastness of stalking, as well as countless elephants, antelopes and Zebras when you Eat. But where are the giraffes? “For the leaves taste bitter,” says Nuru. They were, therefore, prefer outside of the crater, where the semi-nomadic Maasai life with the herds.
On the way to a Maasai village, several giraffes actually stuck, as if they were ordered as a tourist attraction almost, its long neck between the green Akazienäste. Now and again we pass Maasai pastoralists, whose pop Shine red and blue capes as colorful accent in the landscape. “The village gives a good impression of how some of the Maasai still live,” explained Nuru. It’s not quite as a tourist, was there, as in other villages, where it is the sale of Souvenirs.
Traditionally left to shepherds living Maasai pastures rare species such as the black Rhino. Image: Barbara Reye’s
The Maasai who originally came from the Nile valley, life in a group of more than 100 persons in round huts. “Every woman builds a hut made of wood, Grass and cow dung,” explains a young Maasai in the semi-darkness of the narrow lodging where you can sleep directly next to the fire place. A man have multiple women and often over twenty children. A bride-to-be will, as before, paid for with cattle. The more, the better.
Early slain warrior lion, to show their courage
Although today, many Maasai don’t live the way their parents and grandparents and also go to school, they are still associated closely with the culture and proud of it. “Over the generations, they ate only meat, milk and cattle blood,” said Nuru, who hails from the people of the Sandawe. But in the meantime, many Maasai also eat Corn, rice, potatoes, and cabbage. It had changed a lot lately. Also Killing a wild lion with a spear is no longer required to be a true warrior.
The sun tends to look after the day to reach out to the horizon. Your the rays of the huts, diving in a gold yellow light and the sky in a beautiful, deep Blue. On the return journey, again passing many cattle, goats and sheep, but also some giraffes. “We have a visitor,” says Nuru on arrival at the Lodge, and shows the input to be something of a Gray. A bull elephant in the middle of a high sea from the plant. Apparently, he feels there, in the dusk probably, and undisturbed.
The trip was supported by devices and Karibu Safaris.
(Sunday newspaper)
Created: 04.11.2018, 17:16 PM
