January 27th, Safari

Hello everyone, this is Emma and KayLyn! Today was the long-awaited safari day! We started out with our typical class in the morning and then headed to the Aquila Safari, a Big 5 Safari in Cape Town. It is a private game reserve that focuses on protecting and restoring the natural wildlife that is in support of animal rescue initiatives. 

Our group quickly ate at the buffet and eagerly waited to go on our safari tour. We met with our tour guide, who presented us with many facts and answered our questions. The first animal we saw was a hippo in the water, sadly not the whole hippo, but its nose and part of its head. He explained how hippos are herbivores but will defend themselves and, especially, their babies with their incredibly strong bites. If you get in between the hippos and their water source or their babies, there is a high likelihood that it will charge at you and leave you bleeding out. Definitely a fact that we were not prepared to hear! Additionally, the top 3 most dangerous animals are lions, rhinos, and hippos. 

A mama giraffe and a baby giraffe were seen next, even though it was briefly since the trees almost hid them. We saw a family of ostriches: the mom, dad, and six hatchlings. The babies were short and fluffy following very closely to their mom. So, so adorable!

White rhinos were seen next! They are the second largest animal after elephants. Poachers are a big problem here resulting in the removal of their horns, protecting and lowering their risk. But it did not hurt them since their horns are made of keratin which is what our hair and nails are made of. There are also guards watching 24/7 to protect the animals here from poachers. The rhinos did indeed have a bio break when we arrived.

There were many dazzles of zebras and they were hanging out with a herd of buffalo when we saw them. Other animals like to be around zebras due to their poop since it helps other animals' immune systems, particularly babies. 

We got up close to a lion and lionesses and seemed to have driven in at an interesting time. After we sat there for about a minute, the lion decided that it was time to mate. Another experience that we were not prepared for! We did learn, however, that they mate about 38 times a day and that it is painful for the males. 

Now for a bio break and some fun drinks!

The elephants were one of our favorite parts of the safari ride since one of the teenagers wanted to get up close and personal with us. We also saw some baboons!

Such an amazing and fun experience! We had such a great time and took many pictures and videos. What a way to end our study abroad in South Africa. Thanks for following along on our journey!