Ngorongoro Crater Lodge is perched on the edge of the world-famous Ngorongoro Crater at the eastern edge of the Serengeti in northern Tanzania. It lies within the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, which covers more than 8 000 square kilometres (3 100 square miles) of pristine African wilderness.
Eagle Eyes.
It is not common for us to see snakes as there are too many hiding places. Unfortunately for one snake near Ngoitoktok picnic site, we did not get enough time to identify it. It was about one and half meters long and green in colour. It was spotted from high above by a black-chested snake eagle. The eagle swooped in and grabbed its unsuspecting prey with its talons. It flew back up into the air with the writhing snake in its grasp, and settled on the ground about 20 meters away from us. Before it could kill and consume its meaty meal, the eagle was harassed by a pair of blacksmith plovers, refusing to move out of their territory. Instead, it waited patiently for the snake to die and then it gobbled it up whole. The snake was about 1 meter long. It was incredible to see the snake disappear so easily into the eagle’s crop. Then the eagle flew away, much to the delight of the blacksmith plovers.
SIGHTINGS
GALLERY
BOOK REVIEWS
GREAT MIGRATION
NEWSLETTERS
