Articles by Val Jiwa

A Game Drive Through Lake Nakuru

Pink flamingo

There are up to two million lesser and greater flamingos in Lake Nakuru. The sight of huge flocks of these flamingos along the Nakuru lakeshore seems like a mirage from a distance because of its combination of white feathers and fuchsia-colored legs. In fact, at times, the lake’s surface is almost never seen. The patterns of flamingo migration are quite mysterious too. Sometimes they depart at night on long journeys between the many different alkaline lakes situated along the Rift Valley. So, it is never easy to predict at which lake they are. Flamingos almost never breed in Lake Nakuru.

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A Game Drive Through Tsavo National Park

Africa sunset

Little did the British colonial government know when they were splitting and developing Tsavo National Park that it would turn out into one of the most visited wildlife spots in the world. Both the West and East parks have their unique charm. While Tsavo West National Park is a stunning scenic beauty, Tsavo East National Park is slightly larger and closer for a day visit. Hopefully, with the conservation measures put in place by the wildlife authorities and the efforts of other stakeholders and well-wishers concerned, the population numbers of elephant and rhino may be restored to the former times.

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A Game Drive Through Nakuru National Park

Lake Nakuru

The beautiful and picturesque Nakuru, located 164 km from Nairobi, rises from the floor of the East African Rift Valley and is surrounded and dominated by an undulating terrain of acacia woodlands, open rough grassland and euphorbia forest, characteristic of the vegetation in the rift valley. Nakuru encloses the park, the lake, and its adjacent lands. The word Nakuru in the Maa language of Maasai means dust. The name is such perhaps due to its vast savannah whose soil loosens during the dry season. The place is ideal for bird watching and hiking and is a 2½-hour drive from Nairobi.

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Political History Of Amboseli National Park

African safari

Amboseli’s history is as ancient as human civilization. Excavators have discovered many fossils here. Although the Bantu people settled in Kenya over the first millennium, the Maasai established themselves in Amboseli. They were a Nilotic tribe but have amalgamated the customs of other tribes to form their culture. They named the region Empusel, which means salty and dusty open place in the Maa language. Maasais are fierce warriors, much like their ancestors, but living in peace with the wildlife population. Hence, the European explorers avoided them initially until an expedition arrived in the region in 1883 led by Joseph Thompson.

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East African Rift Valley Inspires Awe

Northern rift valley

One of the geologic wonders of the world is the East African Rift Valley System, which is the largest fracture on the surface of earth. People also call it the Afro-Arabian Rift Valley. It is where the tectonic forces of this planet have created new African plates by splitting the old continental crust apart in the same way it does mid-ocean ridges. So, the East African Rift Valley is a divergent boundary in a region of continental crust. Debates are still going on as to how exactly rift comes into being. But the process is well displayed in East Africa.

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A Game Drive Through Historical Naivasha

On the lake

Naivasha’s history embarks on a journey of facts and tales revealing the life of its people. Setting foot here unfolds the traces of its momentous events. The population is about 158,680 according to the Census of Kenya of 2009. Commercialization has crept into this quaint little town that Maasais once inhabited before the British colonised it. Lake Naivasha is the iconic feature of Naivasha fed by Malewa and Gilgil rivers flowing down the Aberdare Mountains. The water supports a horticultural industry and geothermal projects. However, this is taking its toll on its biodiversity resulting in environmental degradation, which are unsustainable.

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The Elephant’s Beautiful And Ugly Side

A notable feature of all elephants is their large ears, which radiates excess heat. Other distinguished elements are its face and familial structure. These features of the elephant make up the beautiful side of it. The ugly aspect of the beautiful giants comes out with the intervention of humans. In southeast Kenya, elephants and people enter into contact often, and conflicts occur. The main culprits of the conflict is population growth and climate change. A whole team of experts and field workers is working hard to eradicate the ugliness and restore the elephants to their former beauties that they are.

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Feelings, Emotions And Intelligence Of Elephants

In the wild, most elephants live in herds or clans that can only be separated by capture or death. Separation from one another, including transfer between different zoos, is a traumatizing event for them. During such trying moments, just like humans, elephants have proven to show great ability to empathize with the misfortune of others. The intelligence and insight of the animal are particularly note-worthy when they console each other in times of trouble. Some even consider that elephants do possess consciousness. Such thinking is not hard to believe. With further analyses, it may be able to ascertain its veracity.

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The Coveted Tusks Of The Elephants

All male and female African elephants grow tusks. The female ones are thin, small, and often of the same thickness. However, in Asia, only some male elephants have tusks. And the female Asian elephants do not have tusks but have tiny horns known as tushes. Perhaps the elephants in Africa have a greater need for digging for sustenance. In elephants, tusks are elongated, enlarged, and modified incisor teeth and are no different from other teeth. Tusks can grow up to eight inches a year. One of the largest ones found weighed about 200 pounds and was about 10 feet long.

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