What's your closest encounter with wildlife?

Discuss the September 2017 Book of the Month, Bluewater Walkabout: Into Africa: Finding Healing Through Travel by Tina Dreffin.


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Jax14
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Re: What's your closest encounter with wildlife?

Post by Jax14 »

Considering the fact that I live in South Africa, we have so many opportunities to visit game parks and go on game drives or do self-drives. Over the years we have accidentally driven between a mother elephant and her baby (they just happened to be on either side of the road), which led to her chasing the vehicle behind us.

We also went on a walk with a ranger one day (no cats in this park so it was "safe") and came up to a herd of buffalo. He told us that is was fine as the herd was lying down. The next thing they all stood up and charged us! People scattered in all directions, up thorn trees, behind bushes, back to the camp or just ran in circles screaming! Luckily no one was hurt, but my little brother fell into a warthog hole on the way and my mom nearly broke his arm trying to pull him out quickly!

We were also in the Kruger park one year and were late in getting back to the camps. The gates close at a certain time so we were driving a little faster than we should have been. As we turned the corner an elephant was facing away from us but right in the middle of the road. We almost drove up its butt! We slammed on brakes and were waving our arms out of the windows to warn the car behind us. They said it was so funny to come round the corner and see dust flying everywhere and arms waving - they didn't even see the elephant until they passed us!

-- 18 Oct 2017, 03:14 --

I guess you could include snakes too - we have had a boomslang, many puffadders and other non-venomous snakes in our garden.

Many years ago we lived on a staff complex which allowed pets, and our neighbours kept reptiles. Lots of iguanas outside and loads of snakes inside. They used to let the pythons out during the day so it you went to visit you kept your eyes peeled as they liked to slither over your feet or the back of the couch. What was really scary was the spitting cobra in a glass cage on the coffee table - very aggressive!
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Post by KlareAllison »

Wow! Really enjoyed some encounters here, especially @ juliusotinyo and @ ReviewerDiksha. What's my closest encounter with wildlife? Well, I share Miriam Molina's sentiment on this: the closest I have ever gotten to wildlife is in the zoo, securely caged or restrained.
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Post by Neharajoria »

Kanha Tiger Reserve, is a vast expanse of grassland and forest in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. Tigers, jackals and wild pigs can be spotted in Kanha Meadows. I went there as part of a school excursion when I was 13.

We were covering the grounds in an open jeep, don't ask why. Almost towards the end of the trip, frustrated because we had not spotted any tigers we almost gave up.

Just then, the biggest tiger I have ever seen, I mean more than 6 feet in length and about 4 feet tall casually strolled on to the tarred road walked towards us lazily and eyed us, almost as though bored he/she I am not sure, turned around and walked in the opposite direction. We causiously followed at a snail's pace, the thing was playing with low hanging branches turning around and glancing at us bored this went on for half an hour or so. One of the most bizarre but exciting experience I have ever had.
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Post by Manang Muyang »

That was one large tiger! You were lucky it did not attack you; maybe it was full. I won't ask why you were in an open jeep, but I suggest you don't do it again. Next time, you may not be so lucky.
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Post by Kat Berg »

IanYanny wrote: As for plants, we saw a small rafflesia on our way to Mt. Makiling peak 2. I can't remember the closest station to it, but it was just sitting near the path. Image

Photo credit to my friend Lloyd Morilla
This is an amazing picture! I have never seen something quite like this. I think that I must lead a rather boring life, as I have no great stories as everyone else seems to! :oops:
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Post by Cheshire »

I totally don't have any experience in wildlife. I think that I spent in indoors more than I should.
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Post by KasieMiehlke »

I spend a lot of time outdoors and I have seen a lot of amazing sights such as hundreds of sandhill cranes doing a simultaneous mating dance to two bucks fighting for dominance. The one encounter that sticks out to me the most however is when my brother and his family, my cousin, and myself were frogging around on our property up north and suddenly I smelled the unmistakable scent of a bear. We ended up being stalked by it. My brother and I stayed behind as everyone else went back. In hindsight probably not our smartest move. That was the second encounter with that bear that week.
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Post by Manang Muyang »

Bears are dangerous. Stay away from them, KasieMiehlke!
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Post by Whitney Marchelle »

Not much experience with African wild life. But I saw some wolves in the mountains before. It was a pack with little pups, They were too far to have me scared spit less, but close enough that I was able to take a picture. as much as I love werewolves and shifters, I was NOT about to try to join the pack lol
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Post by henna sonum rajpoot »

Ohhh thank God?...i have not had any encounter with any wild animal but yes buffalos are quite like a wanderer where i live and they almost all of the time succed in scaring me to hell
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Post by Kalin Adi »

I used to visit my grandma's house every summer. I loved being there. There were a lot of fruit trees such as mango, papaya, guava, tamarind, oranges, grapefruit and others. One day when I was walking in the woods as usual, I heard a sound. I looked everywhere. I wanted to know where the sound came but could see nothing. Then, I set my eyes on ground and saw the leaves moving. Suddenly, I saw how the leaves where giving space to a figure; it was a huge slithery neon green snake. It raised its head and part of its body and fixated its red eyes on me. I was paralyzed. We both stayed there for some seconds, then it decided to go away. I fell on my knees when I couldn't see it anymore.
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Post by powergirl »

I never encountered a wildlife when i want to see a lion, monkey or a snake i just go to park and enjoy it.
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Post by Valton »

I have visited quite a number of national parks here in Kenya and with every visit,it comes with new experiences.There was this time, i visited lake nakuru national park where we had the chance of being in close contact with a lion and also other sorts of wild animals like baboons, monkeys.
There's this snake park i've been to where they actually wrap a snake around your neck, that's if you want to, around your arms.
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Post by Tpop »

juliusotinyo wrote:
I found a large male hippo next to my car. It was 2x bigger than my Toyota and mean looking, it's eyes shone in the dark-a forbidding red-blue hue. I just stood there, my 4 dogs ran to my side. We were no match for such a beast even with​ my ceremonial machete.

That is incredible. Hippos are extremely agressive and dangerous. Glad you all made it out safe!
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Post by juliusotinyo »

Tpop wrote:
juliusotinyo wrote:
I found a large male hippo next to my car. It was 2x bigger than my Toyota and mean looking, it's eyes shone in the dark-a forbidding red-blue hue. I just stood there, my 4 dogs ran to my side. We were no match for such a beast even with​ my ceremonial machete.

That is incredible. Hippos are extremely agressive and dangerous. Glad you all made it out safe!
@Tpop, were it not for the gap on my barbed wire fence, I would still be doubting this encounter. Sightings of these beasts are extremely rare in my area. There are a no. of rivers around, might have strayed...
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