Category: Wildlife

It happened on the 15th of January near Satara. The camp gates opened at 4:30 am sharp, but Chris overslept a bit and ended up leaving just before 5 am. As it turned out, on that particular morning, leaving late may have been a blessing.

Most of the safari-goers had left the camp as soon as the gates were open. However, it was still quite dark at half past four in the morning, so nearly everyone missed the lion sighting just outside the camp.

Chris left only a few minutes later, but there was noticeably more light at that time, and with Chris’ keen eye for sightings, he easily spotted the famous white lion, Casper with his pride. Chris arrived alongside another vehicle, and they both turned off their engines to quietly enjoy the moment.
Finding lions first thing in the morning is a dream for anyone visiting Kruger. And with three playful cubs around, things were only bound to get even better for Chris. Of the three cubs, one was male, and the other two were female.

It was the bigger female cub who was looking to cause the most trouble this morning. She was jumping around on mom, and just being the cutest menace possible. But when her attention shifted onto Casper, her dad, well that’s when the highlight of the sighting began to take shape.
The big white puffball at the end of Casper’s tail was too much of a temptation for the little lioness. So, the cub ran right up to her dad, who was now flicking his tail, which made it even more irresistible.

The cub initially grabbed the tail gently, which was enough to get her sleeping father’s attention. It was clearly not Casper’s first rodeo; he knew exactly what was happening and let out a few warning growls!

The cub seemed to take notice of the growls, even pulling back slightly. But as she retreated, the end of Casper’s tail just happened to fall in the perfect snapping position for the cub…
It was now the experience of getting into trouble vs instinct, and being a little lioness, it took the cub all but a split second to choose instinct. The cub chomped right her dad’s tail and made a quick dash for it!

Casper reacted immediately, springing up with a growl. However, the cub had already put her exit strategy into place, so there was no chance of catching her. Once he was sure the little rascal was gone, Casper flopped back down to relax again.

Chris couldn’t believe his luck. A few extra minutes of sleep rewarded him with one of the cutest wildlife moments. The only problem now was that it would be almost impossible to top this sighting for the rest of the trip!

This Iguana is a Freaking Survivor: A Tale of Resilience and Reptilian Grit
We’ve all heard stories of incredible survival against the odds, tales that leave us in awe of the human spirit. But sometimes, the most inspiring stories come from the least expected places, like the scaly, cold-blooded world of reptiles. Today’s hero? An iguana – a freaking survivor, to be exact.

While details of the specific incident remain shrouded in mystery (iguanas aren’t exactly known for their eloquent press conferences), the sentiment is clear: this particular iguana has faced adversity and emerged victorious. We’re not talking about a simple shed and a fresh coat of scales either. This is a story of true grit, a display of reptilian resilience that deserves to be celebrated.

So, what makes this iguana a “freaking survivor”? Was it a narrow escape from the jaws of a hungry predator? A daring trek through treacherous terrain? Perhaps it weathered a devastating hurricane clinging to a swaying palm tree? The possibilities are endless, and the lack of concrete information only fuels our imaginations.

Imagine this: our iguana, let’s call him Iggy for short, is basking in the sun, blissfully unaware of the danger lurking nearby. Suddenly, a hawk swoops down, talons extended. Iggy, with lightning-fast reflexes, leaps out of the way, losing a piece of his tail in the process but escaping with his life. He spends weeks recovering from his injuries, learning to navigate his environment with a shorter tail, proving his adaptability and unwavering determination.

Or picture this: Iggy is caught in a flash flood, swept away by raging currents. He fights against the tide, his powerful legs propelling him forward, clinging desperately to floating debris. After hours of struggle, he finally reaches solid ground, exhausted but alive, a testament to his physical strength and unwavering persistence.

The beauty of this “freaking survivor” narrative is that it allows us to project our own experiences and struggles onto this humble reptile. We can see in Iggy a reflection of our own battles, the challenges we’ve overcome, and the moments where we refused to give up.

This iguana’s story, however vague, serves as a powerful reminder of the inherent resilience that exists in all living creatures. It’s a testament to the power of adaptation, the importance of perseverance, and the sheer will to survive.

So, next time you see an iguana basking in the sun, remember Iggy, the freaking survivor. Remember his unseen struggles and his unwavering spirit. And remember that even in the face of adversity, we too have the potential to be freaking survivors. We just need to tap into our inner iguana and embrace the reptilian grit within.

The anaconda, the largest snake in the world, lives in the Amazon River Basin and other parts of South America. A very adept swimmer, it hunts its meals in the water using the cover of tangled roots to sneak up on its prey.

It wraps its long, powerful body around its victim and either crushes it or suffocates it to death. In this short film, Ocean Adventures team members Celine Cousteau and Richard Murphy get up close and personal with this legend, in the two-hour program, Return to the Amazon, part of the series Jean-Michel Cousteau Ocean Adventures, shown on PBS.

Mona and Max became minor celebrities earlier this year when a Gaza resident purchased the 2-month-old cubs from Gaza’s Rafah Zoo, which had been damaged by airstrikes and was financially struggling.

Animal welfare group Four Paws quickly noticed the situation was untenable. Raising lion cubs is expensive, and they require specialized knowledge their new owner didn’t have. Plus, keeping lions in a house full of children is a recipe for disaster.

“Both cubs have already grown quite a bit bigger and stronger since their arrival in the refugee camp, and they now represent a significant danger for the inhabitants of the camp,” veterinarian Amir Khalil said in a statement last month.

Unfortunately, the exotic cats’ time in the refugee camp had taken its toll. At only a few months old, both lions had a skin disease, and the female was “weakened and apathetic,” according to rescuers. She also had significant swelling on the back of her head, likely from a stroke.

The cubs received a sad goodbye from their owner, who had raised them since they were babies. “It was very hard for the father of the family, who bought the lion cubs from Rafah Zoo in March, to say goodbye,” Khalil said. “But we are very happy that he finally sees reason.”

Surprisingly, the young cubs weren’t alone in Gaza. While the territory is small, the keeping of exotic cats is a surprisingly big problem, according to Four Paws. Around 40 large cats currently call Gaza home, and many of them – like Mona and Max’s parents – were illegally smuggled in via underground tunnels from Egypt.

But despite their rough start in life, and the drama of their rescue, the little lions – whom Four Paws renamed Shalom and Salaam to encourage peace in Gaza – seemed undeterred by the changes around them. A photo shows the young lions asleep in their traveling cage, arms wrapped around each other and their faces pressed together as they cling to the only family they’ve ever known.

The little cubs are currently living in a quarantine center in Jordan, and they have a bright future ahead of them. This fall, the loving siblings will be released into a large enclosure at Jordan’s Al Ma’wa Wildlife Sanctuary, where they’ll be able to live life like nature intended.