African Migration ~ Wrap Up ~ Part 2

Happy New Year! It's 2016, and I have some resolutions to share with you. Also, since my family spent Winter Break in Hawaii this year, I have a WeForWildlife TRAVEL SPECIAL to share with you guys soon! But first, I will present to you all the final and long overdue African Migration Wrap Post: Part 2.

In the last post, I shared with you the main highlights of the Migration during each month of the year. Today, I will inform you of the best places to stay or go to ensure the most exciting views of the Migration!

Let's jump right into it shall we?

January-April: 

From January all the way through April, the wildebeest and other Migration animals will be present in the Serengeti Plains, so depending on which specific area in the Serengeti you wish to visit, I would recommend different lodges and camps (There aren't really big commercial hotels in the middle of Africa like you would see in Las Vegas).

In January, most of the action takes place in Tanzania, so if you are going at that time, the Asilia safari camp in Namiri Plains would be a place to consider to stay. According to the UK Telegraph Travel, The Namiri Plains was closed off to public for 20 years in an effort to bring back the cheetah population, but they have reopened again last year. Due to its cutoff from human traffic for so long, if you decide to go anytime in the next couple of years, the camp will still seem more "wild" and natural than commercialized.

Courtesy: Asilia Namiri Plains

At the Asilia camp you will be able to see a wide variety of animals, which include: lions, cheetahs, leopards, wildebeest, buffalo, and hyenas. If you are lucky, you might see some black rhinos, aardwolf, and ground pangolins as well. Your chances of seeing more active animals are higher if you go on a safari in the early morning or late afternoons. 

Asilia is not the only camp you can stay at. Serengeti Under the Canvas and Olakira Camp are "mobile tented camps" that follow the Migration. In other words, unlike the Asilia, they are always moving and there is no set "location" for where their camp is. Where the animals are, that's where these mobile camps are.

There are pros and cons to all of these options. Stationary camps like Asilia do not follow the wildebeest and other animals which are constantly on the move, so you are only guaranteed seeing lots of migrating animals when they are in the Serengeti/Namiri Plains area (January-April). However, the Asilia camp area is still very natural and animals are still comfortable wandering in this area--meaning you will see a greater variety of animals (you will probably see some more predators than grazers). 

Courtesy: Asilia Namiri Plains

Mobile camps like Under the Canvas and Olakira follow the movement of the animals, so you will pretty much always see animals in action, but they focus on the migration of wildebeest and zebras and other grazers--so the variety of animals (rare predators in particular) you will see are slightly less than the variety of animals that will wander around the Namiri Plains area during January through April.

May-July

From May to August, the wildebeest and other animals will be crossing rivers, so you should stay in the Central and Western Serengeti area. In my opinion, this is the most action-packed period of time the whole entire year! There aren't a whole of of options for where to stay in this area, since the river-crossings can get rather wild. The Serengeti Migration Camp is centrally located, however, so this might be a place for you to consider. 

The Serengeti Migration Camp is located close to the Grumeti river, so you will be able to see wildebeest and zebras crossing rivers, hippos, and even some crocodiles. You will also be able to see herds of elephants, giraffe, and beautiful lions prowling in the area in search of prey. Here is a complete list of the wildlife you will be able to see in the Serengeti area around the camp:

Click on the picture to enlarge Courtesy: Elewana Collection

August-October

During this time of year all the animals have followed the rains to the Masai Mara region. However, this region is "government property," officially called the Masai Mara National Reserve. You will have to present your passport in order to enter this area.

There are two great options when staying in the Masai Mara, and which one you choose will depend on your personal preference. If you prefer a more commercialized hotel to stay in, consider the Mara Serena Safari Lodge. If you would like a more wild experience that is closer to nature, consider Governor's Camp. 

Mara Serena Safari Lodge is a hotel and a more commercialized place to stay (it even has Wifi, a conference room, and a buffet!). They also offer safaris and game drives, as well as a special "Gorilla Safari" which you can book in advance. See their website for pricing and booking details.

Mara Serena Safari Lodge lobby Courtesy: Mara Serena Safari Lodge

Governor's Camp is more of a traditional safari camp, with tents and campfires...the like. During the months August through October, you will be able to see thousands of wildebeest and zebras (and many other animals) grazing on the plains, and due to this camp's excellent location, you will be in the center of all the action. Governor's Camp offers safaris as well, which you will also have to book in advance to guarantee a spot. Visit their website for more details on safaris, pricing, and activities.

Governor's Camp picnic table Courtesy: Governor's Camp

Some pros and cons to each of these places to stay: Mara Serena Safari Lodge is a cleaner and more commercialized to stay. They will have many amenities that will make your life there a lot easier and much like your normal business-trip hotel stay. However, because this hotel is so "developed," the experience will not be so "safari-like" for you. This pricing (as I would imagine and you would see on their website) is would also be more expensive because of all the services they offer in such a remote place. 

Governor's Camp is a more natural camp, making your trip a lot more "wild," but that means there is no maid to vacuum your room every day, refold the bathroom towels, and arrange the shampoo bottles in pretty positions. Although there will most likely be workers who will make your bed during the day, there is not much for them to be done regarding hygiene. Staying clean is up to you. The experience of your trip will be a lot closer to wildlife and nature, though. 

November-December

This is the trickiest time of year to find the center of all the action, because the animals are on their way back to the Serengeti, meaning they are all scattered and are not all concentrated in on particular area. Refer back to my last post, African Migration Wrap Up Part 1, for all the areas where you will be able to see most of the animals. I would recommend you stay with a mobile safari camp at this time of year to guarantee seeing the most amount of wildlife. The mobile Serengeti Safari Camp will help lead you to the best spot for animal viewing at the right time. This safari camp moves their location once every few months based on the route the Migration animals take.

Mobile tented camps follow the movement of the animals Courtesy: Serengeti Safari Camp

Private and/or guided safaris take you up close to wildlife Courtesy: Serengeti Safari Camp

Hopefully with these tips and advice on where to stay, you will be able to plan and experience an amazing African Migration trip! 

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Remember when I said I'd share with you all a great way to help wildlife? Don't worry, I haven't broken my promise. Here it is!

For those that don't know, there is a very famous wildlife conservation organization called World Wildlife Fund (or WWF for short). WWF offers a variety of ways for you to help contribute to wildlife conservation, but of the minority of people who discover their options for helping, the majority choose to donate or contribute a portion of their own money. However, I bet not everyone may be able to toss out a hundred or few hundred dollars. That is why on World Wildlife Fund, they also give you a choice to start your own fundraiser. I know that sounds really scary and time consuming, but if you are the type who doesn't want to just donate money, and really want some hands-on work/contribution, this is the perfect opportunity for you. Plus, most of the process is already laid out for you.

Panda Nation is what they call it. (Of course, the fundings won't go just to pandas--all wildlife on this Earth will get a portion of the money you fundraise) Click here to go to their "Panda Nation" homepage.

Click on the picture to enlarge Courtesy: WWF

As you can see, they give you plenty of options for what type of fundraiser you would like to start. You can choose to fundraise money for your birthday, participating in a competition, honoring a loved one or favorite animal, starting your very own fundraiser in your class at school, or hosting your personal community fundraiser (like a bake sale or car wash) in your neighborhood.

Once you've got an idea in mind, select the type of fundraiser you would like to have and just follow their simple instructions to get started!

A quick outline of the process of starting your own fundraiser Click on the picture to enlarge Courtesy: WWF

This fundraiser is totally based on you, so you may choose to work with your family or friends as a team. If this is the case, you can choose to set up a team fundraising page. The difference between a personal fundraising page and a team fundraising page is a team page will have a main page outlining your goal as a team, but in addition, each member of your team will also have their own personal page that records the funds that they have collected. 

Through this experience, you will not only be gaining experience for fundraising, having fun, and protecting animals yourself, you will also be helping the World Wildlife Fund take one step closer to their six main goals:

Click on the picture to enlarge Courtesy: WWF

Keep in mind that if you do not feel comfortable fundraising or donating money, that is totally fine. Everyone has their own way of contributing to this world, and I'm sure you'll find yours soon. Even making the tiniest changes in your everyday life can make big differences in the long run. Reducing your time in the shower can help save water. Recycling will help protect our environment. Not wasting paper (printer, napkins, notebook paper....and even toilet paper) will help save lots of forests as well. Whichever way you choose to help animals, I wish you the best of luck in doing so!

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I really hope you enjoyed this last post of the African Migration theme. I will announce the next theme in my next post, which will either be my WeForWildlife New Years Resolutions post or my Hawaii Travel Special. I hope you have an amazing week, see you next time!

~Cheri

Sources:

http://elewanacollection.com/

http://www.governorscamp.com/gallery/governors-camp-gallery

http://www.serenahotels.com/serenamara/default-en.html

http://wwf.worldwildlife.org/site/PageServer?pagename=panda_nation_fundraising#getstarted

http://www.asiliaafrica.com/destinations/tanzania/serengeti/namiri-plains#namiri-plains-offers

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/activityandadventure/9714916/Serengetis-great-migration-Trip-of-a-Lifetime.html

African Migration ~ Wrap Up ~ Part 1

As the last post of the African Migration theme, I thought it would be nice if I gave you a briefing and some advice on African Migration safaris, in case you ever want to visit there and witness the spectacular even in person (I did the same with the previous Australian Outback theme. View my previous Outback wrap up post here) I will be splitting this post into two parts, because there is a lot that I want to share with you! Part 2 will most likely come out later this week. I am setting the deadline for before Friday!

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Let's start with timing. The African Migration is actually pretty tricky to follow if you don't know where the animals are in each month. Because they follow the rains, the wildebeest and zebra won't be staying in the same spot the whole entire year. Below is a brief summary of where the animals are in each month and what is worth viewing:

January
Place: Tanzania Serengeti, heading south
Event: Many calves and babies are being born during this time of year. Unfortunately, this also means that predators are constantly lurking around to chow down on the weaker calves. If you want to witness the circle of life, be prepared to witness the beginning and end.

Courtesy: Thomson Safaris

February
Place: Southern Serengeti, Ndutu, Ngorongoro conservation area
Event: Grazing. Nothing extremely spectacular at this point, but if you want to see the peace and calm, now would be a good time.

March
Place: Southern Serengeti, Ndutu, Ngorongoro conservation area
Event: Almost all the grass have been grazed, all the calves have been born. The herds of zebra and wildebeest that were spread out before are starting to group up again, and prepare for their long journey ahead.

Courtesy: Dailymail UK

April
Place: Southern Serengeti, Central Serengeti, West Serengeti
Event: The herds are starting to make their way north. Depending on how fast they are, some herds might already be in the central Serengeti or the west. Go2Africa suggests that you stay in the southern Serengeti plains at this time still.

May
Place: Central and Western Serengeti
Event: Lots and lots of moving! The wildebeest and zebra are constantly on the go. It is even more of a fantastic sight when all of them run together, looking like a huge funnel.

Courtesy: Africa Geographic

June
Place: Central and Western Serengeti
Event: The herds are still moving north, similar to what happens in May. Next month, they'll be crossing the rivers!

July
Place: Western Serengeti and Grumeti Reserves
Event: ALERT! ALERT! This is no doubt the most exciting event of the whole entire Migration--the herds are crossing the rivers! During this month the Migration is packed with action and it gets very intense. Crossing a river isn't that hard, but crossing a river with 5-meter-long crocodiles? Yep, that's just a teeny bit harder. A teeny bit.

Courtesy: Ultimate Africa Safaris

August
Place: Northern Serengeti, Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya** you need a passport to get in
Event: The remaining survivors of the previous month's ordeal start heading back into Kenya. No doubt the newborn are a bit shaky from the crocodiles. I wonder if they have nightmares about them.

September
Place: Northern Serengeti, Masai Mara
Event: The large herds that were traveling together are starting to split up in smaller groups, and are starting to settle down. According to Go2Africa, half of the animals will stay here.

October
Place: Masai Mara
Event: There isn't much going on, although any activity can entertain us. The herds are grazing and having a great time in the Masai Mara area.

November
Place: Back toward Serengeti (leaving Masai Mara)
Event: It has started raining toward the Serengeti, so the wildebeest and zebra (and all other animals that migrate in the Migration) lose interest in the almost completely grazed Masai and start heading back to the Serengeti.

Courtesy: Ultimate Africa Safaris

December
Place: North-eastern Serengeti, Lobo, Southern Serengeti
Event: This is really interesting. It's mating season, and more babies are made. Calves start being born. So what does that mean? The lions and predators start moving in. As Go2Africa puts it, "the wildebeest get hammered. Again."

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I hope Part 1 of this Wrap Up post helped give you a clear idea of where and what the animals are doing during each month of the Migration. In Part 2, I will give you tips on where to stay during each period of the Migration and what to keep an eye out for. 

At the end of the next post I will also share with you all a great way to help endangered species (like the Giant Panda...!) without having to pool too much (or any) of your own money. Make sure to stay tuned for the next post if you want to know how you can help! 

I'll see you next time!

~Cheri

Sources:

http://www.go2africa.com/africa-travel-blog/11704/how-the-wildebeest-migration-works

ENDANGERED SPECIES SPECIAL ~ RIP Nola

Rather than posting on a regular African Migration-themed animal this week, I would like to write a special post about a much more serious matter.

Unfortunately, this morning, Nola the Northern White Rhino at San Diego Zoo died at the age of 41. She was one of the last remaining Northern White Rhinos of this world. There were 4, and now there are only 3. Only one of them is male, and all of them are of great age.

Courtesy: YouTube (uploaded by ABC 10 News)

Rhino poaching has taken the toll of countless rhinos, and threatens to push the Northern White Rhinos to extinction. Their rhino horns are illegally poached, which some claim to be able to cure diseases and illnesses. Wildlife conservation programs around the world are trying to help bring back these species, one of which includes the San Diego Global Wildlife Conservancy (EndExtinction).

According to San Diego Zoo Safari Park's Instagram post earlier this morning, "Nola, who lived here since 1989, was under veterinary care for a bacterial infection, as well as age related health issues. In the last 24 hours, Nola's condition worsened and the animal care team made the difficult decision to euthanize here. We're absolutely devastated by this loss, but resolved to fight even harder to #EndExtinction." 

Over the past 8 years rhino poaching has worsened drastically, peaking in 2014 with a total of 1215 rhinos killed (in comparison to 13 in 2007). Thankfully, due to conservation efforts, the numbers were brought back down to 749 this year.

Chart created by me on Excel
Stats are from SaveTheRhino

Chart created by me on Excel
Stats are from SaveTheRhino

Hopefully we can decrease these numbers even more with some little more help.....from YOU! Yes, you can help! You can choose to donate money to wildlife conservation organizations like San Diego Zoo's EndExtinction program <<here>>. If you would like to try a money-free approach, please share the news of Nola's death and the plight of Northern White Rhinos on social media with #Nola4Ever and #EndExtinction. 

Fortunately, the San Diego Zoo Global Wildlife Conservancy has a plan to help the Northern White Rhinos. They are planning to use something similar to a surrogate pregnancy and have a Southern White Rhino carry the baby until birth (because none of the Northern White Rhinos are capable of bearing the weight of a baby rhino currently). To find out more, watch the video below and visit EndExtinction to learn about the Northern White Rhino's dark story. 

Courtesy: YouTube (uploaded by San Diego Zoo Safari Park)

I think we are all mourning right now of Nola's death. Although it may seem very difficult to bring back this species when there are only 3 left on this planet, remember: Their plight is on us, and we must try to make things right. Anything is possible, and we must not lose hope.

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I hope you have learned a lot about the Northern White Rhinos in this post. 

#Nola4Ever #EndExtinction

Long live Nola and the Northern White Rhinos!

~Cheri

Sources:

http://www.10news.com/news/critically-endangered-white-rhino-dies-at-san-diego-zoo-safari-park-112215

https://www.savetherhino.org/rhino_info/poaching_statistics

https://endextinction.exposure.co/the-heartless-darkness

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5SZHr3a1oc

The Animal That Can Laugh

Courtesy: Youtube, Waldemar Neto Lobo Melo do Carmo

If you've watched the Lion King or have seen pictures of this animal, you probably know what type of animal is cackling and fighting in the video clip above. That's right--the hyena! Hyenas are famous for their laughing sound they make, and are also a common scavenger found across the continent of Africa (meaning, inevitably, they also hunt animals and scavenge leftover carcasses from the Great Migration) To put in a more relatable (and harsher) way, I guess you can call them the janitors of the Migration. Except they don't mop floors. :) Today, I will be talking about the most common and well known subspecies: the spotted hyena.

Spotted Hyena

Courtesy: National Geographic

Classification: Mammal
Size: 44-73 in / 111-186 cm
Weight: 110-190 lb / 50-86 kg
Diet: Omnivore (plants & animals)~ Scavenger
Lifespan: 25 years
Appearance: Brown-beige color, rounded ears pointed at the top, dark brown spots over torso, shorter black muzzle
Status: 
Least of concern, but be careful! Infamous for killing livestock, hyenas are commonly killed by us when they come into human contact
Fun Fact: Although hyenas look like dogs, they are actually more closely related to cats!

Spotted hyenas are the largest among the other hyena subspecies (striped and brown). They are also the most common, and often reside in the overpopulated areas of Africa, near the Sahara, or generally near the south. They like to dine on leftovers of prey from larger animals, and sometimes even the carcasses the Maasai village people leave out for them. Hyenas are also often perceived as sneaky predators that are known to kill farmers' livestock and raid harvested crops. Occasionally they will attack humans if they feel threatened.

Despite their nasty reputation, hyenas are extremely smart as a hunter. Together, a group of hyenas is called a clan. When a clan decides to go out and hunt for their prey (because hyenas have to compete with jackals and vultures when they scavenge), they always have a clever plan. Often they send one hyena to run into a herd of animals (gazelle, wildebeest, etc.) to cause confusion (making the herd scatter), and then the rest of the pack will chase down the weaker animals. Smart, right? Occasionally, they will also sneak in on some lions' snack, which I imagine won't make the lions very happy (more on this later). But for the most part, hyenas prefer to be scavengers.

Courtesy: "Hyenas at stolen impala kill" by I, JerryFriedman (Wikipedia)

Hyenas also have great hearing and eyesight, which especially benefits them at night as they are nocturnal. Yet another example of their cleverness is that hyenas don't often live in "dens" or burrows; they temporarily rest under shallow pool overhangs or bushes that will hide them from the sun during the day. Call that a free home!

Did you know that hyenas also have archenemies? It's the lions. Hyenas don't like lions, and lions don't like hyenas. Both animals will steal each other's food: sometimes a hyena clan's meal will be stolen by some lions, or sometimes vice versa. Both species also are very defensive of their territories (so when they overlap, I'm sure it isn't very pretty). When a fight occurs, hyenas will call out to the rest of its clan for reinforcements (but most of the times the hyena gets hurt, or worse, killed)

Courtesy: "Panthera Ieo and Crocuta Crocuta" by lubye13 (Wikipedia)

On a happier note, hyenas are not picky eaters. They can (and probably will) eat almost anything! They could completely eat up a bone if they wanted to! Often, hyenas will eat up every part of the animal they hunted down. This is because they have extremely strong and powerful jaw bones.

A hyena's clan is extremely complicated. They live under a "matriarchal society," when a dominant female is the leader. In fact, all females in a hyena clan hold a higher ranking than males. That means that a relatively low-ranked female's cubs could hold a higher rank than a male! That's something I'm sure the ladies would like to hear. 

The last thing I will cover in this post about hyenas is their vocalizations. If you didn't know already, scientists and researchers have recorded 11 different sounds that hyenas can communicate with! That makes them the most vocal animals of Africa, according to San Diego Zoo Animals' "Spotted Hyena." Some of these sounds include their laughing sound, which is used typically when they submit to a more dominant hyena or when they are anxious, nervous, or under stress. Their loud "whooping" sound is used to call out to other clan members or search for their cubs. Squealing sounds are used when they meet and greet each other. These are only a small number of sounds they can make!

Courtesy: "Hyena Standoff" by Maureen Lunn (Wikipedia)

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The next time you see a hyena, whether at the zoo or in the wild, don't think too lightly of these animals--they are very smart, and chances are you've underestimated their strength and ability to survive by a whole lot. Currently, spotted hyenas aren't in too much danger (conservation-wise) but we should still be careful. Droughts are slowly decreasing hyenas' and other animals' food supply. Farmers or villagers in Africa will often shoot and kill these animals to protect their livestock/crops (which there is nothing wrong with that!) but we shouldn't pick up and aim our gun unless we are absolutely sure our livestock/crops/our own life is in danger. Hyenas are actually very smart and interesting creatures which help clean up after other animals and help maintain the African Migration population in balance. 

Here is a video of just how smart and amazing hyenas can be:

"Why Do Hyenas Laugh?"

Source: YouTube, Smithsonian Channel

I hope you enjoyed this post! Next week I will cover the gazelle, and the two or three weeks after that will be the wrap-up posts for the African Migration theme (including great areas to see these animals, Migration vacation tips, a quick overview of what I've covered, and other interesting facts or information on the Migration). 

See you next time!

~Cheri

Sources:

http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/hyena/

http://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/spotted-hyena

The Tallest Animals on Earth

~I wonder why I didn't think of this animal before now!~

What is yellow-brown, has spots, and an EXTREMELY long neck? This should be easy: the giraffe! Although the giraffe is probably not usually the first animal you think of when I say "African Migration," let me give you some news--they are still part of it! Giraffe just don't run around as much as zebras and wildebeests, since they wander around in groups on grasslands, so I guess we don't automatically make the connection between them and the Migration. But they are still a prey species of the African Migration (because the Migration occurs year-round, or in other words, ALWAYS). Have fun refreshing your giraffe knowledge!

Giraffe

Classification: Mammal
Size: 14-19 ft / 4-6 m
Weight: 1750-2800 lb / 794-1270 kg
Diet: Herbivore
Lifespan: 25 years in the wild
Appearance: tan color body; brown patches; extremely long neck and legs.
Status: (numbers decreasing)
They are still rather stable, but we need to watch out. There food supply and homes are being lost due to human settlement and cleared land for agricultural uses.


Where should I start? I think I'll start from the bottom and work my way up. Giraffe's legs are very long, sometimes reaching up to 6 feet tall, so unless you're a relatively tall person, I doubt your head will go any higher its hips (or hindquarters). Here's a picture that gives you an idea of the size of a giraffe relative to a 6-ft tall man:

Courtesy: National Geographic

These long legs serve an important purpose: to run. A giraffe's long legs can help it "sprint" up to around 35 miles per hour (56 kilometers) according to National Geographic. Running at an easygoing pace, they can "jog" comfortably at around 10 kilometers for quite a long time. Wow. I wish I could do that...

Now let's talk about their necks. I think everyone knows the main purpose of their long neck, right? For eating leaves! Because their long neck makes them so tall, they are able to reach into the high and deep branches of trees to pick out the juiciest leaves in the tree. And like humans, giraffe have favorite dishes as well; they love acacia. Also, due to their height, giraffe can see from a long distance, which helps them keep a lookout for predators and possible signs of danger.

Courtesy: National Geographic

The giraffe also has an extremely long tongue. It can reach up to 21 inches long! (That's 53 centimeters). What's that for? Well, after they reach high up into the branches with their neck, they reach even deeper into the leaves and stick out their tongue to look for the juiciest one. Then they pluck it out with their tongue and gobble it up.

Courtesy: Giraffe Boards
I don't know if a giraffe prefers to clean their ears like this,
but they definitely could if they wanted to!

If you take a really close look, you can see that all giraffe have little horn-like structures on the top of their head. They are actually called "ossicones," because they are made of ossified cartilage. Giraffe are born with ossicones detached from their head, and it fuses with their skull when they get older. Female giraffe have ossicones with little black tufts at the top, while the ossicones of males are balded, usually due to fights with other males (wacking each other on the neck with their head hurts...but with the horns I bet it hurts even more!) 

Despite all the perks giraffe have of being tall, long-legged, and "long-necked," there is one big disadvantage. Because of their long legs and tall overall height, it is extremely risky and dangerous for a giraffe to drink water or bend down at all. In order to do so, they have to spread their legs out (especially front legs) extremely wide so they can drink from a water hole while standing. If they fall over, their chances of standing up in a short a mount of time is pretty slim. So if a giraffe falls when they are being chased by a predator, then they are in really bad luck. 

Giraffe Fights

Yes, giraffe fight. Giraffe will fight for territory and possible mates. However, they are almost never fatal. Usually, after extensive neck wacking and long-legged wobbly dances, one giraffe will submit and walk away. In some cases, giraffe will fall over, but unless they are about to die or have very short time, they will just manage to get up and walk away. The winner of a giraffe fight is usually the younger giraffe, since they have less experience and are not as "bulked up" yet. 

Here is a video of a giraffe fight, probably the most violent a fight will ever get:

From Youtube, ABC News

Here is the link to the original video on Discovery of the giraffe fight

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I hope you liked this post on facts about the giraffe! My biggest hope is to educate and let everyone know how amazing and beautiful our planet's wildlife is, so we can all realize that killing these animals is wrong. 

I'm going to start wrapping up the African Migration in a couple of weeks. Because this topic got dragged on for so long, I probably missed some animals that you were expecting me to cover. Since I'm not exactly sure what the next theme will be yet, I can still take suggestions on what animals to do. Currently, my plan is to cover hyenas next week (10/31~11/1) and gazelles the week after that (11/7~11/8). If you want me to make a post on another animal, feel free to email me at weforwildlife.c@gmail.com with your suggestions, and I add it onto my list of animals to post on (if possible).  I hope to see you all in next week's post about hyenas!

Thank you for reading,

~Cheri

Sources:

http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/giraffe/

http://www.giraffeconservation.org/giraffe_facts.php?pgid=1