I saw lots of wildlife in Mozambique, although not quite as much as for instance in Tanzania of Namibia. Both, the Maputo Special Reserve and the Gorongosa National Park had plenty of antelopes. Large predators however are rare. I only saw three lions in the Gorongosa National Park, and those only because they were collared with a transmitter, so my guide knew where they were.
Most wildlife is very shy in Mozambique, because during their recent civil war all the wildlife was hunted relentlessly. The exception are the elephants. They are not shy, they are angry. Some of them are old enough to actually remember these times, and they pass this sentiment on to their young. Because of that, they often get angry at vehicles. Several times an elephant charged our vehicle. Apparently, it is mostly the females with young that get really aggressive with vehicles to protect their young. We saw a few solitary males that seemed fairly calm when seeing our vehicle.
At the end of my trip I stayed in Tofo Beach for four nights. Scuba diving was nice, even though there were significant waves (1-1.5 m (3-4.9 ft)). I enjoyed it very much and saw some fish that I hadn't seen before. The highlight of Tofo Beach was swimming with Whale Sharks (Rhincodon typus, german: Walhai, french: Requin-baleine) just off the shore. The whale sharks are huge, almost 10 m (30 ft) long. They are the largest fishes. It was an impressive sight.
Pictures of birds in Mozambique and other nature pages are separate:
Sunset. (437k) Sunset. (498k) Beach in the Maputo Special Reserve. (450k)
Wildlife in Mozambique
Termite mound. On the sandy soil the mounds are fairly low, they can't build the huge mounds that you see elsewhere in Africa. (1152k) Wasp nests on a Baobab. (1235k) Small wasp nest, fallen off the Baobab. (1073k) Raiding party of Matabele Ants (Megaponera analis, french: Fourmi Matabele), returning from a raid on a termite nest Matabele Ants, carrying their termite prey. (953k) Close-up of the Matabele Ants (Megaponera analis, french: Fourmi Matabele). (941k) African Honey Bee hive (Apis mellifera scutellata, german: Ostafrikanische Hochlandbiene, french: Abeille africaine). (1042k) Beetles (Dischista rufa). These beetles were devouring the flowers completely. (632k) A male Popeye Dung Beetle (Pachylomera femoralis) rolling a ball of dung. The beetle is head down and rolling the ball with his back legs. (1327k) Barnacles. (1018k) Marine mollusk. (1089k) Stranded jellyfish. (636k) Portuguese Man-of-war (Physalia physalis, german: Portugiesische Galeere, french: Galère portugaise). The body was about 5 cm (2.0") long. (1209k) Portuguese Man-of-war (Physalia physalis, german: Portugiesische Galeere, french: Galère portugaise). The tentacle stretches almost to the right side of the picture. It was almost 1 m (3 ft) long. (816k) Pink Ghost Crab (Ocypode ryderi). (778k) Pink Ghost Crab (Ocypode ryderi). (1347k) Pink Ghost Crab (Ocypode ryderi) and its burrow. (994k) Millipede. (906k) Marbled Reed Frog (Hyperolius marmoratus). (712k) Argus Reed Frog (Hyperolius argus). (692k) Argus Reed Frog (Hyperolius argus). (600k) Reed Frog (Hyperolius sp.). (787k) Jones' Scorpion (Cheloctonus jonesii). (1287k) Southern African Python (Python natalensis, german: Südlicher Felsenpython). This python was huge, probably about 5-6 m (16-20 ft) long. (1490k) Southern African Python (Python natalensis, german: Südlicher Felsenpython). (893k) Head of the Southern African Python (Python natalensis, german: Südlicher Felsenpython). (823k) Size comparison of the python. (1.6M) Southern Vervet Monkey (Chlorocebus pygerythrus pygerythrus, german: Südliche Grünmeerkatze, french: Vervet bleu). (1143k) Female Yellow Baboon (Papio cynocephalus, german: Steppenpavian, french: Babouin jaune). (1189k) Male Yellow Baboon (Papio cynocephalus, german: Steppenpavian, french: Babouin jaune). (1026k) Male Grayfoot Chacma Baboon (Papio ursinus griseipes, german: Bärenpavian, french: Chacma). (675k) Grayfoot Chacma Baboon (Papio ursinus griseipes, german: Bärenpavian, french: Chacma). (1073k) Running group of Southern Warthogs (Phacochoerus africanus sundevallii, german: Warzenschwein, french: Phacochère). (1135k) Southern Warthog (Phacochoerus africanus sundevallii, german: Warzenschwein, french: Phacochère). (965k) Natal Red Duiker (Cephalophus natalensis, german: Rotducker, french: Céphalophe du Natal). (1287k) Male Grey Common Duiker (Sylvicapra grimmia caffra, german: Kronenducker, french: Céphalophe de Grimm). (784k) Male Southern Oribi (Ourebia ourebi ourebi, german: Südliches Oribi, french: Ourébi). (1097k) Female Oribi ssp. hastata (Ourebia ourebi hastata, german: Südliches Oribi, french: Ourébi). (1034k) Male Southern Steenbuck (Raphicerus campestris campestris, german: Steinböckchen, french: Steenbok). (1037k) Female Southern Steenbuck (Raphicerus campestris campestris, german: Steinböckchen, french: Steenbok). (1193k) Common Impala harem, one male (left) with a harem of females. (1106k) Female Common Impala (Aepyceros melampus melampus, german: Schwarzfersenantilope, french: Impala). (838k) Baby Common Impala. (819k) Female Common Impala (Aepyceros melampus melampus, german: Schwarzfersenantilope, french: Impala) with baby. (851k) Male Common Impala (Aepyceros melampus melampus, german: Schwarzfersenantilope, french: Impala). (1312k) Male Southern Bushbuck (Tragelaphus scriptus sylvaticus, german: Buschbock, french: Guib harnaché). (591k) Female Southern Bushbuck (Tragelaphus scriptus sylvaticus, german: Buschbock, french: Guib harnaché). (1276k) Female Southern Bushbuck (Tragelaphus scriptus sylvaticus, german: Buschbock, french: Guib harnaché) crossing the road in front of us. (993k) Female and male Common Reedbucks (Redunca arundinum arundinum, german: Großriedbock, french: Grand cobe des roseaux). (760k) Male Common Reedbuck (Redunca arundinum arundinum, german: Großriedbock, french: Grand cobe des roseaux). (1354k) Male Common Reedbuck (Redunca arundinum arundinum, german: Großriedbock, french: Grand cobe des roseaux). (735k) Herd of Female Nyalas (Tragelaphus angasii, german: Flachland-Nyala, french: Nyala) hiding in the forest. (736k) Female Nyala (Tragelaphus angasii, german: Flachland-Nyala, french: Nyala). (1068k) Large herd of Ringed Waterbucks (Kobus ellipsiprymnus ellipsiprymnus, german: Ellipsen-Wasserbock, french: Cobe à croissant). (866k) Female Ringed Waterbucks (Kobus ellipsiprymnus ellipsiprymnus, german: Ellipsen-Wasserbock, french: Cobe à croissant). (1062k) Male Ringed Waterbuck (Kobus ellipsiprymnus ellipsiprymnus, german: Ellipsen-Wasserbock, french: Cobe à croissant). Notice the "toilet seat" marking on his rear end. (1078k) Herd of Lichtenstein's Hartebeests (Alcelaphus buselaphus lichtensteinii, german: Lichtenstein-Antilope, french: Bubale de Lichtenstein) hiding in the forest. (1125k) Southern Sable Antelope (Hippotragus niger niger, german: Rappenantilope, french: Hippotrague noir). (966k) Herd of Blue Wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus taurinus, german: Streifengnu, french: Gnou bleu). (946k) Blue Wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus taurinus, german: Streifengnu, french: Gnou bleu). (1000k) Chapman's Zebras (Equus quagga chapmani, german: Steppenzebra, french: Zèbre de Chapman). (690k) Crawshay's Zebras (Equus quagga crawshayi, german: Steppenzebra, french: Zèbre de Crawshay). (1053k) Male Southern Greater Kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros strepsiceros, german: Strepsiceros, french: Grand koudou). (1289k) Group of South African Giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis giraffa, french: Girafe du Cap). (847k) Female South African Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis giraffa, french: Girafe du Cap) with young. (1118k) South African Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis giraffa, french: Girafe du Cap). (1248k) Cape Buffaloes (Syncerus caffer caffer, german: Kaffernbüffel, french: Buffle d'Afrique). As usual they were staring at us. (922k) Female Cape Buffalo with calf (Syncerus caffer caffer, german: Kaffernbüffel, french: Buffle d'Afrique). (920k) Southern African Crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus cowiei, german: Nilkrokodil, french: Crocodile du Nil). (1189k) Hippopotamuses (Hippopotamus amphibius, german: Flusspferd, french: Hippopotame amphibie). (778k) Hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius, german: Flusspferd, french: Hippopotame amphibie) showing off his teeth. (616k) Hippos covered in mud. (666k) Hippo trail. Note the grass ridge in the middle of the trail. Hippos walk with right and left legs completely separate. Elephants in contrast put left and right legs more in front of each other, so elephant trails don't have the center ridge. (1.5M) Herd of African Bush Elephants (Loxodonta africana, german: Afrikanischer Elefant, french: Éléphant de savane d'Afrique). (650k) African Bush Elephant (Loxodonta africana, german: Afrikanischer Elefant, french: Éléphant de savane d'Afrique). (1281k) Agitated elephant. (1249k) Agitated elephant charging us. (1268k) Female African Bush Elephant (Loxodonta africana, german: Afrikanischer Elefant, french: Éléphant de savane d'Afrique) with baby. (1178k) Female Southern Lion (Panthera leo melanochaita, german: Löwe, french: Lion), left, with two almost grown cubs. (933k)
Dr. Günther Eichhorn Travel Website
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