Not a day to day TR, stories are based on sightings during our trip
Story 40 – So Cute.. BUSHBABIES (for women only) Another story and today it is a about a small lovely, cute, beautiful baby of the bush.
When the night falls over Kruger, the Braai’s giving their last puffss and heath and lights go out in the huts the Babe’s of the Bush wake up to find food and to play.
It’s night in Crocodile Bridge… all neighbours went to bed and we were still enjoying the night… listening to the sound of a passing elephant, the sound of the hippo’s in the river, the sound of some birds sleeping in the trees. And then suddenly, while almost dreaming away after finishing a nice bottle of wine “something” almost jumped at Elly’s shoulder.
Huhhhhhhh what was that…. ??
Some noise closeby, standing up and shining around with my torch. Yesss… we saw some small animals jumping around very quickly. One was sitting down so finally we could recognize that animals it is. BUSHBABY
Realizing we never saw one in Kruger. Within a minute I got my camera, buttons in right position, flash ready and then whispering and walking very very slowly closer to them near the fence where they were sitting on the ground and in the trees…
Even at night I had to work with the camera ….
Well, I invite you to join me with this very very unexpected sighing.
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First one was sitting on the ground at a distance of maybe 5 meters.
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Then this lovely cute one jumped into a tree
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Since we never saw Bushbabies in kruger (except one in Satara near the reception) it was exiting to watch them.
We have been many times in Crocodile Bridge but never saw them before.
After the "lesser" ones have gone , a bit later some thick tailed Bushbabies appeared near the fence.
Standing still as a sculpture, sound of camera off, quickly changing my flashcard and waiting what was going to happen.
They decided to give a little show.
In the trees just outside the fence they felt safe. Time to make some more shots of them.
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and
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Another one decided to show up to be caught on camera…
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One of them, in the trees I counted about 5 of them but some were not in range of my flash to get good shots, was very curious and was watching who/what was watching him (or her).
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Bushbaby ..bushbay …lalalala… almost singing while watching…
Curious…? The Cute one was really staring now.
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and last shot before they moved on further away.
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Getting interested to know a bit more about them ?
Thick tailed Bushbaby - AppearanceThe thick-tailed bushbaby is the largest galago species. Head and body length ranges from 297 to 373mm, and tail length, from 415 to 473mm. Body size is sexually dimorphic with males being significantly larger than females.
The coloration of the fur is silvery brown to gray with the underside usually lighter in colour. The fur is dense, woolly, quite long, wavy, and usually described as without luster. They often furl and unfurl their ears giving them a quizzical expression. The eyes are forward pointing and large.
As with most galago species, there are flat disks of thickened skin at the ends of the fingers and toes useful in grasping limbs. The fingers are long, and the toes are flattened with flattened nails.
DietThick-tailed bushbabies are mostly gumivorous and frugivorous, they are known to eat insects as well. In a study in South Africa, approximately 62% of their diet was gums, supplemented by fruits and insects. Thick tailed bushbabies varies with locality.
In Gauteng, South Africa, insects were estimated to comprise 5% of the diet, while in Kenya insects may account for 50-70% of the diet. One insect that may serve as a seasonal food supply is the large termite, Macrotermes falcigar. When these termites are in the alate (winged) form, thick-tailed bushbabies have been observed eating them off the ground without using the hands. Generally their diet includes, insects, fruit, leaves, flowers, lizards, eggs and birds.
BreedingThe birth season of the thick-tailed bushbaby varies according to locality. It is restricted to November in the Gauteng and occurs in August and September in Zambia. Pregancies peak in August in Zanzibar and Pemba. The female estrous cycle lasts approximately 44 days. Gestation is 133 days.
Litter size is generally 2 individuals but can be 3. Females reach sexual maturity at 2 years of age. After birth, females will leave their young in the tree while they leave to forage. They produce a rich energy-dense milk especially in comparison with anthropoid primates. This may be related to their lifestyle as anthropoid primates carry their young during lactation and this galago does not.
This species gives birth once a year, when vegetation is thick. Although in captivity it has been reported that this species has continuous estrus cycles, thus being able to give birth all year and not have a birth season. Nests are made in the tangles of vegetation.
One infant is born at a time for this species with twins being rare. Young are weaned at the beginning of the driest season. Infants become independent from their mothers between the fourth and fifth weeks of life. Both sexes reach maturity at about 20 months of age.
BehaviourThis is the most social of all known bushbabies. This species, unlike other galagines, moves quadrupedally through the forest and bush. When this species jumps, it lands with hindlimbs first. When it has to move on the ground in open spaces between the canopy, this species will hop.
They are active for an average of nine and a half hours a day during summer and twelve hours a day during the winter. This is a nocturnal species, with both sexes dispersing from the birth territory. Males will disperse further and at a younger age than females, so male membership in a given population changes more than females.
Males may disperse further than females so as to reduce the complications from inbreeding. Males and females have ranges that do not overlap with same-age individuals, but do share ranges with younger or older individuals. Males have home ranges that overlap one or more females. This species has a promiscuous mating system.
Thick tailed bushbaby shows a social network without the structure of a foraging group. Females are dominant in this species. Adult males were found to follow adult females more in captivity than females followed males. Females also in captivity were found to act aggressively towards males.
Social play in thick-tailed bushbabies consists of exaggerated walk, chasing, tail pulling, wrestling, non-aggressive biting, and pouncing. In infants these play behavioural patterns are found on the first day of life. Infants play more when they develop independence from their mothers during the fourth and fifth weeks of life.
They sleep in nests that are 5-12 meters off the ground. thick tailed bushbaby sleep together during the day, but split up at night to forage. They have been found to move up to one kilometre through the night. They live in small groups of 2-6 individuals.
The composition of this group varies. It could be an adult pair with young, two adult females with young, or one adult female with young. The adult males are territorial and they seek home ranges that overlap several female home ranges. Thick-tailed bushbabies take their hands and cup them, and then deposits urine on them.
Next they take that urine and spread it on the soles of the feet. When it walks, it leaves a little bit of urine on the substrate. Males urine-wash more frequently than females do, and when the female is in estrus, the male will deposit the urine directly upon the female, but all age classes perform this behaviour. A thick tailed bushbaby will urine-wash when foraging in a new area, looking at a strange object, during aggressive encounters, and social grooming. This behaviour occurs more frequently in dominant individuals.
Where they are foundThick tailed bushbabies are found in the countries of Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania, and on the islands of Zanzibar. This species lives in highland and coastal forests. This species also lives in riverine forests. The thick-tailed galago, or bushbaby, is found in East Africa from southern Sudan to eastern South Africa and through southern Angola.
Prior to 1974 only six species were recognized, but by 1995 research has shown that in fact 17 species warrant recognition in Africa. As more of Africa’s forests are being scientifically explored and as scientific technology improves, the discovery of more new species is likely to continue.
Ok… also this story # 40 has come to an end.
I promised the animals in Kruger to not just show the big ones, the dotted or striped ones, not just the kings of the bush but also the smaller and cute ones.
So ladies, (since this was only for women) I hope liked it.
Next story ? Could be about “Elegance & Beauty”
Thanks again for being on board
Aat & Elly
Many other pictures of last en other trips:
My Wildlife Photography Sitehttp://www.awv-photography.com
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