Sweetwater

We arrived at the private conservancy around noon after seeing giraffe on the drive in.  They were “sleeping” (10minutes to 2 hours a day) by sitting on the ground and leaning their neck against another giraffe; they will die if they put their head down.  They eat over 16 hours a day and are just the opposite of the lions who sleep approximately 20 hours a day.After one of the best meals we had in Kenya, we were able to get on “bushmail” and post three blog entries.  We were so excited that the wireless worked that I will post two more before we leave!
We went to the Chimpanzee Sanctuary and saw six of the 45 that live in the compound.  How they came to the sanctuary are very sad commentaries on people and the logging industry in Africa.  One chimp, Socrates was a pet and he was caged in a garage for over nine years and he could only stand. Another was confiscated in Kigali from a couple from Belgium when they tried to send him as checked luggage to Brussels.  By cutting down the natural habitats, the logging industry has forced them out of their homes.  Most of these companies are owned by Europeans and they provide guns to poachers who either kill or capture these endangered animals. We adopted a chimp and enjoyed our guide, Paul telling us the stories of all the chimps we met.

The next part of the day was a game drive where we saw several new species and met some of the oddest cows we have ever seen.  We were all bent out of shape because they were in a temporary corral that was so small that they could hardly move.  When we met the guide, he explained that the cows are afraid of open spaces and if they had a bigger space would still jam them together for safety.  Also by bunching them together, if a lion, cheetah or leopard attacks they would only get one cow.

Next stop was another sanctuary area for a beautiful, blind, black rhino.  Baraka had another incredible story due to his blindness from catartacts and an absess. He listens to music to know where he is and if people are around.  This compound is a great example of how to preserve wildlife in Kenya.Now for a little self deprecating humor…as many of you know, I am not a great photographer. 

Both Betsy and Luanne improving everyday and continue to give me grief.  I have promised to carry their water and bags and if they  to allow me to  download their photos.It is cold tonight and it has not helped Luanne’s sore throat…we have high hopes that the hot water bottle will warm her up and help he feel better.