On Safari in South Luangwa National Park Quiz

Answer: Herbivorous and semi-aquatic

Hippos are mammals, and therefore not described as amphibious. Amphibious animals, or amphibians, are usually completely aquatic in the early stages of their life. Hippos do spend a large part of their time in the water, which helps them keep cool. They do not swim, as a rule, just float below the surface, and walk along the river bottom when they want to move around. They come out of the water in the evening to graze on land, and at that time do not display the aggressive territorial behavior that is typical in the water. Hippos are considered one of the most dangerous African mammals, because it is hard to know when one is going to decide to attack, and their large teeth and strong jaws can do a lot of damage. They even keep the crocodiles at bay (when mature - youngsters are more vulnerable).

Most of the hippos you will see here in South Luangwa National Park are in the subspecies called Cape hippopotamus or South African hippopotamus (H. a. capensis), although some East African hippos (H. a. kiboko) are also seen, especially in the northern parts of the park.

Answer: No

That honour goes to the saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus), commonly found along the coasts of Southeast Asia and Australia, which average around 6m in length and 1,000 kg in weight for an adult male. An adult male Nile crocodile, the freshwater species found in northern and eastern Africa is only(!) 5m long, weighing around 750 kg.

They're ambush predators, lurking under the water doing their best to look like a floating log until suitable prey comes within reach. Their sharp teeth impale their prey, and the strong jaws lock in place to hold on as they drown any animals too large to have had their necks snapped as they are grabbed.

Answer: African bush elephant

Until recently, there were considered to be two species of elephant, African and Asian. Now the African elephants are grouped into bush elephants (Loxodonta africana) and forest elephants (Loxodonta cyclotis). Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) are in a separate genus, and are rarely seen here in Africa. Bush elephants, also called savanna elephants, are larger than their cousins, and are recognised as the largest living terrestrial (living on land) mammal.

Its ears are more triangular than those of the forest elephant, and its trunk less hairy.

It you see an elephant on its own, it is probably an adult male. Females, with their young, live in herds; male herds do also form, but they are not as strongly bonded as are the family herds.

Answer: Big Five

The Big Five animals of Africa are the lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant and Cape buffalo. Formerly hunted and killed, modern safaris encourage the use of cameras to record encounters (preferably from a safe distance) with these magnificent animals.

The Cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer), has never been domesticated, unlike some other bovines called buffalo. Should you get close enough to one to see the top of its head, you will note that the two horns are actually fused, so that the top of the head has a bony covering. We recommend use of a telephoto lens to take your picture - these animals will readily charge if disturbed, and several hundred people a year die from being gored by an angry buffalo.

Answer: Rhodesian giraffe

The term Rhodesia (in memory of Cecil Rhodes, a major mover in the establishment of British colonies in the area) has been used to describe a number of different regions. The country now known as Zambia, where our safari is based, has historically been part of several different administrative regions with Rhodesia somewhere in their name. Immediately before it was renamed Zambia, it was known as Northern Rhodesia, and was part of a federation that included Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and Nyasaland (now Malawi). The local giraffe, formally identified as Giraffa camelopardalis thornicrofti, kept its nickname of Rhodesian giraffe through the name changes.

G. c. thornicrofti can only be seen in the wild, as there are no captive populations. Since tourists love the experience of seeing the rare animals (there are only around 500 known to roam the park), they have been carefully conserved, and are not considered endangered despite their low numbers. Compared to other giraffes, they have very long, thin necks. The pattern of their coats is not fixed, but consists of large brown areas separated by yellow (sometimes very pale) bands.

Answer: Plains zebra

There are three living species of zebra. These are the plains zebra, the mountain zebra (Equus zebra) and the largest of the all, the imperial zebra, also known as Grévy's zebra (Equus grevyi). The plains zebra was formerly classified as Equus burchelli, and its common names include Burchell's zebra. Locals call it the quagga, in reference to the extinct subspecies.

It is also sometimes just called the common zebra, as it is the most widespread species of zebra. There are five living subspecies, and E. q. crawshayi is found in Zambia and several nearby countries. Compared to other subspecies of the plains zebra, it has much narrower stripes. If you can get close enough to have a look at its mouth, you will also note that its lower incisors do not have the structure called an infundibulum which is characteristic of most equids, and which helps keep their incisors from wearing down through constant use. I'll take their word for it.

Answer: True

Despite the impression I got as a child listening to "The Gnu Song" performed by Flanders and Swann, the G is silent. The comedy routine "Hugh the Blue Gnu" got it right, although I never realised that there is actually such a thing as a blue gnu - I thought the adjective was a reference to the fact that Hugh and Sue were sad about the childless state of their marriage, a situation which was happily resolved when he came home to hear her say, "I've got gnus for you." My father's sense of humor has a lot to answer for.

Back to the point. The blue wildebeest is also called the common wildebeest, as it is more common than the other species of wildebeest, the black wildebeest or white-tailed gnu (Connochaetes gnou). There are a number of subspecies, and Cookson's is found only in the Luangwa River Valley. Their genus name comes from Greek words meaning flowing hair and beard, both obvious features, especially when compared to other antelopes. The common description of them as blue is because their coats (especially for the subspecies C. t. taurinus) have a silvery-bluish lustre when seen in the right light. In the local Khokloi language, they are called gnu. Most of them inhabit dry regions, and Cookson's wildebeest is the only one commonly found in proximity to a river.

Answer: Puff adder

The puff adder is found in most parts of Africa south of the Sahara, aside from the rainforests - they prefer the savanna. Their species name means "striking violently", and that is exactly what they do when disturbed. As they have strong fangs and potent venom, inhabit the same regions as humans, and like to bask in the sun, all curled up and hard to spot, they are responsible for a large proportion of reported cases of snake bite.

The young one in the photo is in the classic S-shaped posture they adopt if unable to flee, and forced to defend themselves.

This is accompanied by loud hissing, which is the reason they are called puff adders. When the snake starts hissing, it's a good time for a tactical retreat.

Answer: True

Also known as the Zambian barbet, it is in fact only found in a small part of that country. It was identified as a separate species in 1920, and named after Sir Francis Drummond Percy Chaplin, who was the Administrator of Southern Rhodesia at the time.

They used to be classified in the family Capitidae, which is where the New World barbets are still grouped. African barbets are now classified in the family Lybiidae, and Asian barbets as Megalaimadae. Chaplin's barbet, also called the Zambian barbet, is officially named Lybius chaplini.

Their primary food is fruit, with figs being a special favorite.

Answer: South African ostrich

They are indeed ostriches (Struthio camelus), which are in the order Struthionidae along with kiwis, emus, rheas, and cassowaries. The South African ostrich is also called the Cape ostrich and (surprisingly, given the photo) the black-necked ostrich. This refers to the color of the skin on its neck, which is darker than that of many other subspecies, and can be clearly seen because the ostrich's neck has no feathers, and is covered with a thin layer of down, giving it a whitish appearance from a distance. South Luangwa National Park is near the northern end of their range, which extends down to South Africa.