Etosha National Park Things to Do

Also known as gemsbok, the oryx is a grazing animal that is distinguished by its near straight horns that rise high above its head. These horns are found in both males and females and are not merely a fierce looking item, for they can be used to sometimes even kill aggressive lions!

Although the oryx is known to hang out in herds, on my safari trip the oryxes I came across were mostly loner rangers. The oryx is also notable for being able to tolerate extreme heat and they can survive without drinking as they obtain enough water from their food alone. As another way of conserving water, the oryx can let its body temperature rise to levels that would kill most other mammals. The things evolution brings to ensure survival! What a fascinating world.

It is said that when an elephant is angry, not even a rhino, cheetah, or lion would stand around to argue with it.

On my trip, I found that the most commonplace to see these otherwise gentle animals is around waterholes. So make sure to check out one in the early hours of the morning (around 6am) or late at night near a well-lit waterhole near one of the campsites. The African elephant is distinguished from its Asian counterparts by its much larger ears that go beyond the neck...perhaps they use it as a fan for themselves whenever it gets too hot? ;)

Elephant societies are matriarchal and the herds are dominated by old females. Male elephants tend to live alone or in bachelor groups outside of mating season.

And if you think you have a big appetite, take comfort in the following fun fact: the average adult elephant eats about 250 kg of grass, leads, and bark every day. :)

Photography Tip: elephants do not have the bold stripes of a zebra or the fierce mane of a lion to give the photo an extra "kick" or element of drama. Therefore, when it comes to photographing elephants, lighting becomes even more important than usual. You want to make sure that the elephant is well-lit by the sun, and not backlit. Otherwise, none of the details on the grey animal will show up very well. If you find that your safari truck is parked at an angle which backlights the elephant, do ask the driver nicely to see if he can nudge the car position accordingly. I did on my trip and he very happy obliged. The result? This photo right here.

If this bird looks familiar, it may be because you've seen him already in Disney's Lion King (starring as Zazu) :) This one in the photo is a Southern yellow-billed hornbill, and is distinguished by its long, hooked beak and the pinkish skin around its eyes. This species is typically found in Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe. In comparison, the Eastern yellow-billed hornbill bird is normally found in North Eastern Africa, and has blackened skin around the eyes. These birds typically feed on seeds, small insects, spiders and scorpions. During the dry season, termites and ants also become part of the menu.

Photography tip: as is the rule for general bird photography, capturing good shots of this bird in flight will require you to set a fast shutter speed of about 1/4000 in advance. Train your lens steadily on the bird and get your lightening reflexes ready for the moment of flight!

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Before coming to Etosha I had a vision of the photo I was going to take: a giraffe at a waterhole with its straight legs apart, its neck and head bent and of course its reflection in the mirror of the water. I did manage to see the sight, but the light conditions were so poor (it was at dusk), that the picture is far from being good. But now when I'm looking through my Etosha pictures I find out that my other pictures of giraffes are really great - it's not because of my photograhic skills, but the objects themselves are so graceful and interesting.
Everybody knows that everything about a giraffe is long: it is up to 6 metres tall, its legs are almost two metres long and the tongue itself is about 60 cm.
The time when a giraffe is drinking at a waterhole is unluckily the moment of its biggest vulnerability, when the risk of being attacked is much increased. But being tall has also its advantages - it helps the animal to watch for predators.

We saw just a few jackals in Etosha - always alone, always vigilant, apparently ready to hunt. Actually, jackals eat everything, even grass when there is nothing else. They hunt small mammals, also lizards and insects, but usually feed on the remains of dead animals. An interesting fact is that a jackal couple can stay together for years, even for life. They also make great parents sharing the care for their puppies. So after all, quite nice animals, aren't they?

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What a strange looking animal it is! Definiteley, the least graceful of all the antelope type. It seems to consist of parts belonging to different animals: its heavily built forequarters may have come from an ox, hindquarters, which are much slender, from an antelope and a mane and tail from a horse. Its horns resemble those of a buffalo. Its square head looks like a box. But despite its frightening looks, it is not particularly dangerous.
Wildebeest is also known as gnu.

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The distinguishing features of kudu are their spectacular spiral horns and from six to ten pale vertical stripes against their grey-brown body. Actually, only males have horns which can be over one metre in length. They have been used in Africa as musical instruments, honey containers or ritual objects. Male kudus often use them for wrestling and during the fight the horns may get so interlocked that it's impossible for the animals to release themselves from the grip, which may end up with their death.
Kudu have big and round ears which are very sensitive to noise. It makes these shy antelopes hard to approach. When startled, they escape with long jumps but have a habit of stopping and looking back, which often has fatal results.

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Gemsbok, also known as oryx, is a heavily-built antelope which weighs up to 250 kg. Its most striking feature are sharp-pointed horns which are about 80 cm long. What's interesting, both sexes have horns and those of females are a bit longer. They can be used as weapons to scare away the enemies. In medieval England they were sold as unicorn horns and still today in many cultures they are in demand as charms. Native Africans have used the tips of horns for spear points.
Another characteristic feature of its appearance are black and white facial markings, which for me look like a carnival mask.
Gemsbok diet consists mainly of grass, but in arid environment they can even feed on roots. Their adaptation skills are remarkable. When necessary, the animal can cool down its blood thanks to an intricate network of blood vessels situated in the nose.