Aardvark Dances with Death!

The long grass down at the river kept the female Leopard well hidden but an ear sticking out of the top was enough to keep us interested. While waiting for her to make her move the echoing grunts of Hippo’s in the Mzinene River and the croaking call of the Marsh Owl close by, was a sign that the darkness was going to be active. The Hippo’s had submarined their large bodies out onto the grazing lands and their calls disappeared into the settled night. Suddenly the dry grass started to rustle close by, what was creeping bravely close to us and had not noticed the king of camouflage the danger the Leopard? We held our breaths and slowly, slowly out of the growth came an Aardvark, this young animal had probably never seen a vehicle before because it came unafraid within meters of our vehicle and disappeared into the Fever Tree Forest, the strange looking animal narrowly escaped death, what the leopard was thinking we would never know.

Posted: Phinda by Daryl Dell, Date: 18 April 2008