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Let's see, where was I in my tale of woe? [In case you're reading my blog for the first time or you are a dedicated follower with short term memory loss, I recommend you read my last post..... Before continuing on]

We had just spotted a leopard this morning and were once again searching for more wildlife. I believe I was swaying in between boredom and snoring when we came upon a pride of lions--a respectable sized pride---with 3 fully-maned males---several females---and, okay, I'll admit it, 2 adorable 4 month old cubs. The environment around me began to change: the morning chill vanished; the colors became more intense; my vision improved as I could easily distinguish parts of the giraffe that provided the lions morning meal.

After what seemed like a few minutes (actually 25 or 30 minutes had passed), we eagerly continued our drive. Raymond received news that a rhino was giving birth. We raced to the spot, with instructions from Raymond about the distance we must have from the proud new mama, our voices are to be hushed or silent, and movement kept to a minimum. We found mama and baby, barely 30 minutes old, resting comfortably surrounded by 2 other rhinos. A tiny leg flailed in the air (can one accurately use "tiny" and "rhino" together?). Another leg stretched and baby stood up. We saw part of the umbilical cord hanging from baby's belly (Do rhinos have belly buttons?) and witnessed our grandchild's, oops I mean the rhino's first steps! In 13 years of tracking animals, Raymond had never seen a baby rhino minutes old and, of course, neither had anyone in our Land Rover.

Reluctantly, we had to allow other safari vehicles their turn (vehicles could only approach one at a time). As we returned to Leopard Hills, I reminded myself how much I loved this place!

Photo taken by Michael King on safari at Vumbura Plains, Botswana 

1. Researchers can estimate a lion's age by the color of its nose, which darkens as it gets older.
2. On average, giant pandas eat 28 pounds of bamboo per day.
3. Cheetahs can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in just three seconds.
4. As powerful swimmers, polar bears' front paws are slightly webbed.
5. Grizzly bears are named after their white-tipped "grizzled" fur.
6. Chimpanzees share more than 98 percent of the genetic blueprint of humans.
7. The oldest Galapagos tortoise on record lived to be 152 years old.
8. Killer whales (orcas) are actually not whales; they are the largest of dolphins.
9. Vertebrae in the necks of beluga whales are not fused, allowing their heads to move with great flexibility.
10. Elephants use their ears as a means of temperature regulation.

This list was compiled by our friends at Natural Habitat Adventures, who have wonderful journeys to see these animals in their own "natural habitat!" Ready to explore? Email Michael@greatgetaway.com today!