WILDLIFE VIEWING TIPS

Going on a safari l about wildlife spotting, a little preparation and research to help you see more is a worthwhile investment whether you are searching for the big five, or even more elusive little five. These  tips are a guide to wildlife viewing whilst on any safari and will help you gain much from your safari

1. Consider the time of the day

Time of day is probably the most crucial factor in determining animal movements and behaviours. Dawn and dusk tend to be the most active time for most mammals and birds, when there’s some light. Although the middle of the day is usually too hot, reptiles are most visible at this time, and many mammals can be seen in the shades of larger trees.

2. Water sources

Most animals will drink daily when water is available, so make sure that you go near water sources for greater views particularly in the dry season. Hanging out quietly at watering holes, or on stretches of rivers or lakes which offer animals easy access will give you a good chance of spotting game Predators and large herbivores tend to drink at dawn or dusk, whilst antelopes drink in small doses throughout the day. Rhinos favor mid evening drinking sessions from dark until around 10pm. During a hot day, animals like elephants, buffalos, hippos do enjoy water sources and are greatly visible at water points.

3. Sheltering habits of particular specie

Knowing animal’s habitant helps in spotting the wildlife, especially knowing specifically where to look will improve your chances of spotting immensely. Animals like particular places to shelter within a habitat, whether it is under or in trees like the tree climbing lions do, in or on termite mounds, holes in the ground, reeds or grassland etc. Learning the specific sheltering habits of a species makes your viewing simpler.

4. A Guided Tour

Taking a guided safari with a good professional guide gives you the opportunity to chat with your guide while asking him some questions about animals in the field. You will learn a few tricks and after a few hours of spotting you will be able to understand at least some of the animal signs and be able to put it in to good use yourself. This is very important because you can fall in danger and yet you can not interpret animal signs and in the end an animal attacks you.

5. Look for Tracks and animal signs

Even if you don’t see the animals themselves, you may see telltale signs ,tracks, droppings, nests, scrapes etc. Elephants and the larger predators will leave obvious tracks on sand or dirt roads, so check often. As cats and dogs often use roads to hunt, if you see their tracks leaving the road this may mark the spot they left the road to hunt, so keep a watchful eye before they attack you.

6. Have the Right Tools

Having the right equipments greatly enhance your wildlife viewing so remember to pack them before leaving for a trip .A good pair of binoculars will help you to spot animals further away, and give you a better look when you are close up.

 A guide book with pictures and descriptions of the animals of can expect to see will allow you to identify what you are seeing more precisely.

Please do not forget a camera also.

 7. Your Clothing

While you are organizing for any game or wildlife viewing safari, please endevour to pack clothes that will blend with the environment and in most cases non bright colours are encouraged and a silent green colour does best for this matter. Very shouting colours do scare away wildlife species and this gives them chance to attack you because you may look an enemy to them. Environmentally blending colours may not easily be spotted by animals and this gives you a chance of spotting their behavior like eating habits, without them noticing you