African Safaris boast spectacular wildlife

When you are in Africa, you will obviously want to see animals. The best way to do this is to book yourself a place on a safari. Guided safaris leave regularly from all the biggest tourist destinations, and you can even arrange your own if you know what you’re doing and where you’re going.

Africa boasts some of the most spectacular wildlife in the world, including elephants, lions, tigers, crocodiles, hippos, rhinos, monkeys, and much more besides. If you’re not exactly the adventurous type, you can see a surprising amount without even leaving South Africa. If you want to see the most interesting animals, though, you should head for the rainforest.

When you go on safari, remember that it will be hot and the terrain will be rough. You need to wear the proper clothing, which means nothing too warm, and you should also be careful to be well-rested, fed and hydrated before you go. Take plenty of water with you, and don’t go too far in any one day.

There is also the issue that many of the animals that you’re going to be seeing can be very dangerous – even the ones you wouldn’t necessarily expect. Always stay alert. It is generally a good idea to stay in your car as much as possible, especially if you are a beginner. If you find yourself in danger, remember the golden rule: don’t panic, and stay still. Tempting as it might be to scream in terror and run away, that will only startle the animal, and make it far more likely for it to attack you in self-defence.

At the end of the day, a safari can be a very memorable experience, and you’ll be fine as long as you use your common sense. Don’t try to run before you can walk, and don’t put yourself in any danger. Just pick an animal you’ve always wanted to see, and go for it.

Polar Bears in Trouble

Polar bears have long fascinated us. With their thick, white coats, they look incredibly cuddly, particularly the cubs. In truth, they are the biggest and most powerful bears on the planet. Alas, they may be added to the endangered species list. 

Polar bears are an amazingly beautiful animal. Unfortunately, they are under a lot of pressure as a species due to climate change in the Arctic. Receding ice and pollution issues are leading to concerns polar bears may be facing extinction. To better understand polar bears, here’s an overview of this amazing animal.

While penguins are only found in Antarctica, polar bears are only found in the Arctic Circle. This, of course, means they are particularly susceptible to any environmental changes in the Arctic.

Polar bears are the largest bear species by over 400 pounds on average. They are primarily solitary creatures. For food, seal is always on the menu, but they will also scavenge if they come across something tasty. Interestingly, polar bears never drink water. They get it all from their meals.

Polar bears are known for their beautiful white coats. In truth, the coats are not white. The hairs are colorless, hollow tubes that absorb the light giving them the bears their white color. Polar bear skin is actually black like their noses. A common myth is the hollow tubes of polar bear skin can act like fiber optics for your phone. This myth has been disproved, but it gives you an idea of the nature of the hairs.

Female polar bears usually give birth in the last two months of the year. They almost always give birth to twins. When it is time to do so, the mothers will dig dens out of the snow and ice. They will remain in the den without food until the cubs are able to leave.

When born, polar bear cubs are absolutely tiny. They weigh less than one pound, which is pretty amazing considering an adult polar bear can weigh 1,100 pounds on average. After birth, the mother will stay with the cubs for two years and train them in all aspects of polar bear etiquette. After that she abandons them to their own fates. The fathers take no part in the raising of the cubs.

As with many animals, polar bears have some unique characteristics. They can walk up to 40 miles a day and swim up to 60. To catch seals, they stand over a breathing hole and wait for a seal to come up for air. They then swat the seal with their left paw, always their left paw for some unknown reason. After eating, they can go five days without swatting another seal.

As of the writing of this article, polar bear populations are under duress as the Arctic undergoes fundamental changes. Ice is melting and so is the territory of the polar bear. Latest estimates indicate only 25,000 polar bears remain.