Just over two weeks ago, before we arrived here at the school, we were enjoying our final vacation adventure before our duties were to begin. We were in the shallow south of TZ in the Udzungwa Mountains staying a very cool camp at the foot of the mountains for a few days. Though we had gone on a guided hike the day before, where my eyes were peeled the whole time for snakes or lizards (and monkeys too), it wasn't to be until the next day on our own self bicycle tour through the local villages that we came upon a very special treat. We were slightly out of the main village and on a sandy road about 20ft across when Gabby, riding out front yelled "Snake, snake, snake!" Well that was all I needed to hear to jump of my bike and run up to her while adeptly bringing the camera out of my bag and into ready position. As soon as I saw it, I knew what it was and what a treat this was. There lumbering across the road without a care in the world was one of Africa's most feared venomous beauties. A PUFF ADDER just over a metre long. A big female by colouring. There are other feared snakes here like the Black Mamba and several cobra species, but this one is at or near the top of the list for bites on humans in all of East Africa. With Gabby's voice sharing worthy concern behind me, I got to with about 7 or 8 feet. Not only did the snake not care about me, but it seemed to show no concern to the rooster dancing about its head in protest to its presence. We both thought the rooster was about to die, but no drama was to be. Fortunately I know that a Puff Adder is one of the slowest moving snakes there is. The opposite of the Black Mamba, fastest in the world. But the Puff is one of the fastest strikers and is an ambush predator. It waits camouflaged on the sides of pathways and bushes to wait for passing prey. People get bitten more by these snakes because they just don't see them and then step next to or on it and WHAP! Okay, enough Croc Hunter excitement here's the pic I snapped. Very cool. Don't worry mom, it is a sluggish snake and in NO position to strike. Safety first. I look at it as God saying, "All right Brent, I know how much you want to see a cool snake so because it is so rare and you won't see one likely again, let's get it out of the way." Thanks G!
Even the Cradle of Love Baby home where I volunteer (teaching the
director's 6 and 8 yr old daughters and playing with the 3 and under
crowd) is full of cool creatures. There are dozens of bats hanging out
in the half finished director's house where construction is on hold. On
Friday (the only day I didn't have my camera, we found a little
chameleon and played with it for almost an hour. Wow, they are so cool
with it's eyes moving independently and it changing colours while on my
shirt. I'm like a kid in a candy store. Today was monkey city. There was
a large troop of Vervet monkeys hanging around and several larger Blue
monkeys in the low trees and sometimes venturing to the ground but well back of the vervets. Here's some pictures...
Other random cool critters...
Buffalo Spider (looks venomous to me) and huge 7inch centipede in Zanzibar.
Well, that is a critter update galore and we haven't even gone on safari yet. I'm excited to be here as you can see. On a quick personal note, I am learning my daily commute to CoL and it has been interesting and exciting to be out there in local culture as the only 'mizungu' (white person) within sight. The locals are curious and very friendly most often. Our Swahili is coming slowly and we've just began weekly lessons for the next 10 weeks. It'll be nice to make more than just the most basic communication with the Tanzanian locals. Gabby and I are both settling into a routing now and it is very nice to come 'home' to the same place every night for the first time in a couple of months. Till next time...
Brent (and Gabby)
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