Author Topic: Carnivorous Animal Rescue (Read 11993 times)

Hyena Girl · « **Reply #50 on:** December 08, 2006, 10:24:34 AM »

I turn, and I see a herd of addax on the move. Marc said that they were very rare beause of habitat destructions. This particular herd need not fear though, they are safe in the reserve. Marc said that they were not the only endangered antelope in North Africa. We were also looking for some scimitar horned oryx.
We walk on, looking for more wildlife. Suddenly, Marc stopped me and pointed. Then I saw a pair of tortoises Marc told me that these particular tortoises were smuggled from the wild and sold in the pet trade. The previous owner of the tortoises bought them as a Christmas present one year, but gave them to the local zoo when she found out where they came from. The zookeepers decided that the tortoises should have another chance for freedom, so they were given to the reserve.

Nique · « **Reply #51 on:** December 08, 2006, 11:01:49 AM »

I

that pictue of the addax Hyena Girl! Amazing! I'll be looking forward to whatever is next...

sheltiefan · « **Reply #52 on:** December 08, 2006, 05:53:31 PM »

That addax picture is great. It looks like a real desert. The tortoise pic is really nice as well, looks to me like they're trying to get to that plant so they can eat it lol.

Hyena Girl · « **Reply #53 on:** December 09, 2006, 01:07:06 AM »

Warning: Images of death. This might upset very young children. There isn't any blood. Mods, just tell me if it is unsuitable and I'll delete it.
We move towards an oasis; it was territory belonging to a clan of striped hyenas. Unlike the famous spotted hyena which hunts most of its prey, the striped hyena mostly scavenges. However at dawn and dusk, Marc said the tables would turn.
I hear rustling in the bushes. Out of them came a pair of fennec foxes.
They hopped and skipped round, unaware of our presence. They looked so joyful and so happy. They easily put a smile on my face. We went back to the hotel to prepare sandwiches and flasks of hot chocolate. For tonight, we were going to find the hyenas.

Marc woke me up at about one o'clock in the morning. We took a Jeep out to the oasis. I heard screams, whoops and hight pitched excited cackles. Then we saw the hyenas. Marc told me that they were more closely related to cats than dogs. This particular clan was used to humans watching them, and many approached the vehicle with curious eyes. I snapped a quick photo of a young male.
We watched them until the early hours of the morning.
Then suddenly they all stopped, crouched and started to stalk. I then saw what they were hunting. There was nothing I could do to save the pair of fennec foxes; the same ones that had brought such joy to me. The hunt was on! One fox managed to escape but the other was caught and killed.:

: In all of the horror, I managed to take a picture.

Hyena Girl · « **Reply #54 on:** December 10, 2006, 01:30:38 AM »

I cried all the way back to the hotel. Marc tried to console me by saying the hyenas were only trying to survive; they weren't killing for fun. If they didn't kill, then they couldn't eat, and if they couldn't eat, they'll starve to death. It was just the way nature worked. I knew that and I accepted it. But I still felt sad for the other fennec fox, who was on his own now.

By the afternoon, I caught up on all of my sleep. We were now going to a special corner of the reserve, where some scimitar horned oryx had been sighted. When we arrived, I couldn't believe my luck! There were two oryx standing underneath a tree. A third emerged, and galloped away. I knew they were an endangered species and their fate was decided upon a small nimber of reserves like this one, and many zoos and parks around the world.

Two Oryx
An Oryx galloping

I leave the reserve now, and say goodbye to Marc and all the staff at the hotel and visitor centre. I wanted to stay out here in the Sahara, but I needed to catch a plane to England. I learnt that the desert is a cruel place, but yet very beautiful at the same time.

SageofWater · « **Reply #55 on:** December 10, 2006, 04:20:50 AM »

Bravo,Bravo! I love that story. You must have great graphics. When the fennec fox was being attacked it looked like it was hiding in a tornado drill or something XD.

Hyena Girl · « **Reply #56 on:** December 10, 2006, 06:06:14 AM »

Thank you Sagey! And thank you for all the support. I had a fun time making it. What should I do next? A zoo, a rescue centre or another wild adventure?

Hyena Girl · « **Reply #57 on:** December 23, 2006, 09:45:29 AM »

Several months have passed, and I still think of my adventure in the desert. But now I am embarking on a new adventure:

I finally arrived in the USA. After departing the airport in Detroit, I spent a week of jetlag, shopping and meals out. But this is not a mere holiday. I've been called to the suburbs of the city to help out at a place called Bright River World. It's a small zoo that cares for wetland animals - and two of Africa's most dangerous mammals. It breeds an endangered species of cat and promotes the importance of the wetlands ecosystem thruogh guest education.

Hippo - an of our dangerous African mammals. More people are killed by hippos than by lions.
Flamingoes - not so dangerous (well they can give you a nasty peck LOL!)
Nile Monitor - a truly fascinating reptile.

But that is not all. What about the endangered cat? Or the other dangerous African Mammal? When I ask this to the zookeepers, they life and say that's for next time....

hupdo1593 · « **Reply #58 on:** December 23, 2006, 11:25:48 AM »

i think i know what the other dangerous african mammal is....

Hyena Girl · « **Reply #59 on:** December 24, 2006, 04:38:06 AM »

Well, hupdo, if you guessed African Buffalo, then you were ~~wrong~~ I mean right. Here's cute little calf and a notsocute Bull.
As I looked at the little calf running around, I wondered how they could be so dangerous? But I was still inclined to believe this fact, because these animals can kill a lion. I walked on and observed a Nile Crocodile. But a surprise was in store for me. Next to the buffaloes was the Florida panther exhibit. The panthers were not camera shy at all, as seen here! There a breeding program for the panthers but still, no results yet.....

Hyena Girl · « **Reply #60 on:** December 25, 2006, 04:48:10 AM »

But this was more than just a trip to the zoo. I was going to help out at Bright River World. The zoo has a beaver conservation program. The beavers have a huge exhibit and the zoo's goal is to create a thriving colony of beavers. There are only four beavers but the number is expected to increase in the near future. Here are the beavers at the moment:

Betty
Bert
And their children Nina and Nava.

Hyena Girl · « **Reply #61 on:** December 28, 2006, 07:49:30 AM »

A crate has been delivered to the main entrance. The crate is something called Fonda, which baffled me.
When 'Fonda' was released, it turned out to be a beaver! Here she is.

We left her for a while, and when we came back, she had settled in with the other beavers. In fact, Bert insisted on doing home improvements by expanding the dam.

germanwolf · « **Reply #62 on:** December 28, 2006, 08:23:17 AM »

Awww, how cute! I really like your zoos, Hyenagirl!

Hyena Girl · « **Reply #63 on:** December 31, 2006, 06:54:15 AM »

Thanks Germanwolf.:original:
Many weeks passed and soon it was time to go.
I wanted to stay longer, but I knew that I had to leave. But before I left, there was one last surprise for me.....

The beavers home was once again being expanded. It was for Betty's two new twin babies!The colony was bigger and more secure, and one day, they might go back to the wild.....

germanwolf · « **Reply #64 on:** December 31, 2006, 08:34:50 AM »

Awww... such cute little babies!:wub: And awesome pictures, Hyena Girl! I can't wait for what you have in store next!:thumbsup:

Hyena Girl · « **Reply #65 on:** January 01, 2007, 11:52:24 AM »

Africa called again. But this time, it wasn't to the Sahara desert. It was to the mighty African plains! Join me on my adventure into Kenya, and experience lions, giraffes, elephants and many more as we journey into wild.....

As I drove through the reserve, I saw nothing but tall grass and acacias. I saw a flash of ginger sprint through the grass. I stopped. The creature stopped. It was nothing more than a harmless Thomson's gazelle. He didn't mind me, but he still seemed nervous. I looked around, and saw why. A trio of hyenas was creeping towards the unsuspecting Tommy. They crept closer and closer.....
Maybe it was the harsh cry of the birds overhead, or the gazelle sensed my fear. Whatever it was, the gazelle sprung away as fast as it could.
The hyenas stopped stalking. They would probably have better luck at night, where they wouldn't be seen. I travel on. I wonder what is next......

DingoMutt · « **Reply #66 on:** January 01, 2007, 07:07:59 PM »

Awesome! I want giraffes! Keep up the good work Hyena!

Hyena Girl · « **Reply #67 on:** January 02, 2007, 01:26:10 AM »

I stop the jeep. A mixed herd of giraffe browse nearby. The leaves on the trees would provide them with fresh food, but they were also here because of a nearby waterhole. I drive to it, and see a herd of elephants. But there were more than just elephants and giraffes. A black rhino and three ostrich were here for food and water. I wanted to look at the animals for longer but sadly, the sun was going down and I had to return to my tent.
As I drove back, I heard grunting and snorting. A herd of wildebeest was passing by. And as the light started to fade, I caught a glimpse (and a photo) of a cheetah.

DingoMutt · « **Reply #68 on:** January 02, 2007, 10:11:35 AM »

Wicked awesome! Keep up the good work! Love the giraffes!:giraffe1:

Hyena Girl · « **Reply #69 on:** January 02, 2007, 10:46:31 AM »

I woke up late; I couldn't sleep because of the hyenas. They had been whooping and cackling all night. They'd obviously made a kill. I wanted to see the cheetah again, so right after breakfast, I was back in the wild. A herd of Thomson's gazelle grazed outside the vehicle. Then I saw the cheetah.
She was crouching in the grass, ready to surprise an unsuspecting gazelle.....
I moved on away from the carnage. The other gazelles were safe, for now.
A little while later, I heard snuffling and snorting in the grass. A warthog was enjoying his lunch in the grass. According to the safari guide, he practically was lunch, being prey for lions, hyenas, cheetahs and leopards.
I went to cool off at a waterhole. A herd of zebra arrived, thirsty for water. I moved a slight distance away. Suddenly, something popped into my head. Where there's zebra, there's lions.....

hupdo1593 · « **Reply #70 on:** January 02, 2007, 12:16:03 PM »

i LOVE your pics, Hyena Girl! can i ask you one question? where do you live? because at the time when you posted those last few pics, i was in Social Studies at school!

Piaceri · « **Reply #71 on:** January 03, 2007, 11:43:12 PM »

Awe I loved reading your stories and seeing your pictures! Neat thread

Hyena Girl · « **Reply #72 on:** January 04, 2007, 11:22:18 AM »

Quote from: Piaceri;171055

Awe I loved reading your stories and seeing your pictures! Neat thread

Thanks. Your zoo is great!
And now, the adventure continues....

I took another photo of the zebras. They now seemed very nervous. And I saw why. A pride of lions lay in the grass nearby. They didn't appear to be hunting. I heard a rustling. A lioness was prowling through the grass. Of course, there was no chance of her catching prey; zebras have strong kick that could break her jaw. If she wanted zebra meat, she'd have to wait until the rest of the lionesses wanted to hunt. I moved on.
Towards the late afternoon, I passed by a patch of grass. I heard whining and whimpering in the grass. An African Wild Dog emerged. I heard more dogs in the grass. I watched their antics late into the evening. Soon, the sun started to set over Africa. The dogs started to go to sleep in a heap. Like the cheetah, they didn't hunt at night. I started to feel just like these dogs.

The next morning, I packed my trunk (no pun intended:

: ) and l left the reserve. I drove through the grasslands of Kenya. I stopped. Next to the road, a giraffe silently walked past. It was this beautiful charismatic animal that reminded me of the jewel I was leaving behind. But I decided once and for all that I would one day return.......

catfan · « **Reply #73 on:** January 04, 2007, 11:38:05 AM »

I love your pictures, Hyenagirl!:wub: I also love your animals! I don't have AA:

: , but I might be getting it!:original:

Nique · « **Reply #74 on:** January 04, 2007, 12:16:07 PM »

Hyena Girl - that was an awesome story and your pictures are amazing! I love the one of the single lioness on the prowl! She looks so serious! lol... Great job!

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Author Topic: Carnivorous Animal Rescue (Read 11993 times)