tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72193997351087618022024-03-15T00:31:10.578-07:00Livingstone ManThe unusual things I encounter in Zambia on a daily basisAbout the livingstone manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15047348353838788167noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219399735108761802.post-89058205331869194382013-01-29T08:59:00.000-08:002013-01-29T08:59:24.177-08:00The Great Hippo Hunt!<br />
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<span style="text-align: justify;">I was contacted last week by ZAWA in Mansa and asked to report to the office for a campaign they needed to inform me of. So on Thursday I arrived to find 2 other wildlife rangers from Samfya waiting for deployment. I was told that there was a hippo in the area of Mununga that was eating the villagers crops and causing a problem. </span><br />
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<span style="text-align: justify;">There was only one male hippo that apparently left the group and went up a river that was used by the people. So for the past few weeks he was destroying the maize that was only a few months old. The stalks were soft and sweet, a favorite for the hippo, so I was told that the government has commanded us to shoot and kill it.</span><br />
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I took the rangers with me and drove about 3 hours north to a village called Mununga. There we talked with the local police to get an idea of where the animal was last seen. Then to do the traditional thing, we went to the Chief's palace to get information on the animal, the destruction of the crops, meet the headman and to talk to the farmers that were affected by the hippo.</div>
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After this we had lunch and went to see the affected area. </div>
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As you can see in the photo, many fields near the river were eaten--many eaten down to only a few inches from the ground.</div>
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This will affect the growth of the maize and will not give the farmer the harvest he needs to sustain his family during the dry months.</div>
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Maize is the main staple of the Zambian people and without it the people will starve.</div>
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We then started our patrol of the area in a boat that the locals provided with 3 men to paddle it. This patrolling went on for many hours up and down the river with no success. </div>
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As night arrived we went back to the shore. There the other Rangers hiked back to camp to rest up for the night patrol and to get some food. I remained in the boat along the river to keep an eye on the river to try to spot the Hippo coming across the river to feed.</div>
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This waiting period is what tries the hunter--separating the men from the boys as they have to keep from sleeping or giving up.</div>
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Fortunately, I do fine in this area, but keeping an eye on the open river and on both banks on either sides was my first priority. </div>
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One side was a bunch of marshes where I was suspecting the hippo was sleeping and the other was a mud bank that he often pounced through to ravage the planted fields. </div>
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Around 7 pm the moon was high and the night crawlers began their duty of singing to me in many different tones that kept my mind busy by trying to isolate each insect by its note.</div>
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After all was nice and cozy I continued my hippo watch until the rain began. Well, I was already covered from head to toe, but then the heat began to build up in my sealed chamber that I had created. I finally had to open it up, but to my surprise a good wind was blowing with the light rain that felt like heaven. This peacefulness lasted for an hour before the rain died down and I went back to the wrapping up. </div>
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This routine went on all night until midnight when the other hunters arrived. When the men arrived they found that the place next to the boat was infested with fiery black ants that got them dancing. To avoid more bites they ran back into the bush with their pants down and were not seen for the rest of the night.</div>
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The next morning we set out to investigate the claim that a villager had heard hippo grunts coming from a marsh across the river.</div>
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Then we heard it for ourselves, a deep grunting noise just in the marsh beyond our sight. I instructed our paddlers to come from behind it to flush it out into the open. This we did very cautiously as we didn't want the animal to think we were there to threaten it. If cornered or provoked, the Hippo could attack the boat and kill everyone on board, as was the case last year.</div>
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We came within 10 yards of the hippo and got off a good shot just behind the ear in the jugular. The rifle that was used was a .375 with a BSA scope. </div>
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The animal took off across the river to the other side where he bled. Then with one good plunge, he was gone. We waited on the shore for a few minutes then proceeded to look for him in the marshes. From my past experience, I knew that a hippo could hold his breath for about 45 minutes at a time, especially if he is in danger. Right on the 45 minute mark, I spotted his body bobbing on top of the water. I directed the boat close to the hippo and poked it a few times with a paddle, and that was it. I declared him dead. </div>
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We took a rope and tied it to the hippo and brought it back to the bank where the processing would take place. </div>
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The first thing we had to do was to cut the tail off to take it to the local chief and present to him as proof that we had actually killed the beast.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx0SR_nmROoF7vcAIcbJJQ9koG1Sv1MmYNaMr9jCzAhbu7HEVuZWN_pl3PBAeeVAp-W_G_FF15Izuf1z9bqKzUxNVL1G7GJQBVdcL1Tcv9d30gFBUOcnD0XGsIHtBY_BlatnRC4LVNGjh9/s1600/hh10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx0SR_nmROoF7vcAIcbJJQ9koG1Sv1MmYNaMr9jCzAhbu7HEVuZWN_pl3PBAeeVAp-W_G_FF15Izuf1z9bqKzUxNVL1G7GJQBVdcL1Tcv9d30gFBUOcnD0XGsIHtBY_BlatnRC4LVNGjh9/s400/hh10.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZZvZNMmeI0LyRsVzAiRJ_4aBM7u6LP-L4EmfswhEtxleFLK1Zn_Tl25pNNub6UUUpxxsyxme3QE1TVElmJw69B7FoxgQieCWyJEW-R6jxVlt6eHtfSO_JYMi60Xhr1Y84IZHu3n7CLeOU/s1600/hh11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZZvZNMmeI0LyRsVzAiRJ_4aBM7u6LP-L4EmfswhEtxleFLK1Zn_Tl25pNNub6UUUpxxsyxme3QE1TVElmJw69B7FoxgQieCWyJEW-R6jxVlt6eHtfSO_JYMi60Xhr1Y84IZHu3n7CLeOU/s400/hh11.jpg" width="316" /></a></div>
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After that was done, we then had permission to cut the animal up for distribution to the people. We first inspected the animal to make sure it was healthy.<br />
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The tusks are considered trophy pieces and had to be sent to the capital for cataloging and paper work.<br />
The tusk can be purchased, but it must accompany a licence. And to export it or carry it with you to another country takes a lot of paper work and patience, but it can be done. Uncarved tusks like these will cost about $60 a piece.<br />
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Now, to spare my audience of a lot of gory photos of the cutting up the Hippo, I will show you one for interest purposes.</div>
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This shows you how thick the hide is on a Hippo. It is 2 to 3 inches and even 4 inches thick of fat. That is why there is only a few kill shot places on a Hippo. The head is the only place to shoot and between the eyes is the best.</div>
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By this time, hundreds of villagers were crowding on the bank to watch us cut the meat up. I hired 12 guys with knives and axes to do the job. And it took a long 7 hours to cut up. Now this is not up in small chunks but large pieces that took 4 to 5 guys to carry. </div>
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Finally the meat was distributed between the farmers who were affected, the Chief, the hired workers and the government. </div>
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So, to end this story I say it was a successful hunt with no casualties (aside from the hippo, that is), and the village is safe! </div>
About the livingstone manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15047348353838788167noreply@blogger.com104tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219399735108761802.post-54350397073018899972013-01-29T05:37:00.004-08:002013-01-29T05:37:47.044-08:00Pythons Galore!A week ago we got in about 9 young pythons that were brought by a kid that said he couldn't eat these so he wanted to sell them. I asked what happened to the mother and he said his family had it for dinner. So I gave him a dollar and told him that pythons were beneficial to the environment by getting rid of the rats that eat their maize and vegetables.<br />
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After inspecting them I found that 3 of them were dehydrated. You can tell by the wrinkled skin around their head. So I tried to feed them with pinkees (baby mice), but they didn't react to it. So I forced fed them with a small piece of goat liver each.<br />
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Feeding should be done once a week with a small mouse or a a small rodent the size of their body.<br />
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More pictures to follow!About the livingstone manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15047348353838788167noreply@blogger.com64tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219399735108761802.post-91754759497234521612012-11-14T05:44:00.000-08:002012-11-14T05:44:06.569-08:00Saying goodbye is hard!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkDk5wEb32g-R8mzsFbCv99LlcuJZC8KyYcE58WCHm4MH6Ee2rZCQx9j1gRDEfH4_pQF4i4wZfSfBKvckNQCMPP2RrUXx8QPSkw8Y6neqra0tAkscUnsQ6v8D9jWQ3QVNq7-EjN2QaTKNj/s1600/Civetbye.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkDk5wEb32g-R8mzsFbCv99LlcuJZC8KyYcE58WCHm4MH6Ee2rZCQx9j1gRDEfH4_pQF4i4wZfSfBKvckNQCMPP2RrUXx8QPSkw8Y6neqra0tAkscUnsQ6v8D9jWQ3QVNq7-EjN2QaTKNj/s1600/Civetbye.jpg" /></a></div>
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The Civet that I rescued a month ago is now ready to go to the wildlife conservation. He went from 1 1/2 pounds to almost 3 pounds doubling his weight! During this time his teeth came out along with his sharp claws. He is out of the danger zone and should start on solids this week.About the livingstone manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15047348353838788167noreply@blogger.com75tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219399735108761802.post-44701669095684665042012-10-24T06:50:00.003-07:002012-10-25T01:35:45.713-07:00Civet babiesToday a villager came up to the orphanage with two little animals that he no longer wanted. He had killed and eaten the mother which he said was very tasty but the babies were just too small to eat. So he brought them to me to get a few extra dollars for his family.<br />
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At first I didn't recognize these animals, but compared them to a local weasel called <a href="http://www.livingstoneman.com/2011/10/grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.html" target="_blank">Akasama</a>. When they exclaimed that it becomes as large as a dog I just couldn't believe it! Maybe it is a ferret, or another animal similar to a skunk.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEincIPBEEIRjfeI36L5qlPzZQKOECf83FX8aGkBEqdSoRgrhT_aEVgEQ0Y-rPI-25Ac1E-f15u40vszb9Pwk0CgNr9PZhvMDIYEuY6ZDYvKWSrumj-DBwg5OOvj9tUVV7hGwBuJ43HyMUG4/s1600/civitkazembe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEincIPBEEIRjfeI36L5qlPzZQKOECf83FX8aGkBEqdSoRgrhT_aEVgEQ0Y-rPI-25Ac1E-f15u40vszb9Pwk0CgNr9PZhvMDIYEuY6ZDYvKWSrumj-DBwg5OOvj9tUVV7hGwBuJ43HyMUG4/s400/civitkazembe.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I did some research and even called my buddy, Fred in Lusaka who runs the <a href="http://mundawanga.com/" target="_blank">Munda Wanga Wildlife Sanctuary </a>and sent him a few pictures of the thing. The next day he wrote and said it was a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civet" target="_blank">Civet</a>. I immediately went to Google to confirm this answer, and he was right.</div>
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Fred connected me to a woman in Zimbabwe, <a href="http://www.tikkihywoodtrust.org/" target="_blank">Lisa Hywood who runs a trust for animals</a> and who has experience in raising Civets. Today I got an email from her with instructions on how to make a formula and the amount of times they need to be fed. I was very happy for this and started right away with this program.</div>
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The formula is 120mls.-long life full cream milk in a box, 3 tablespoons-full cream powdered milk, children's multi vitamin and minerals.</div>
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I feed them five times a day. 6 AM, 10 AM, 2 PM, 6 PM and 10 PM. One is a bit bigger then the other so the amounts will be different. The big one (currently weighing 415 g.) will be getting 10-14 ml. (2-3 teaspoons) at a feeding, and the smaller one (at 250 g.) 6-8 ml. (1 1/2 teaspoons) per feeding.</div>
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They have no teeth and make a squealing noise throughout the day. A noise that is equivalently aggravating to a baby's cry.<br />
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They have many small fleas so she suggested Johnson's Baby powder, Savlon or Dettol for a temporary control until I get Frontline which is the best.<br />
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While feeding these creatures they paw me with their bear like feet and hands!</div>
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Their coat is soft and beautiful, a thing that contributes to their soon extinction</div>
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An interesting fact about the Civet is that it helps to give us the most expensive cup of coffee in the world. $50 a cup! How? You feed them ripe coffee beans, wait a few hours for them to digest and excrete, collect, roast over a fire, grind and drink. The taste is supposed to be the best ever. Like coffee but without the bitterness, thick, a bit oily, and smooth. </div>
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<br />About the livingstone manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15047348353838788167noreply@blogger.com94tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219399735108761802.post-67418615687660091652012-10-06T04:53:00.000-07:002012-10-06T04:53:18.093-07:00Checkered Elephant Shrew<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This is a very odd looking animal that came our way. A Checkered Elephant Shrew!</div>
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This animal can be handled without my special gloves, as it will not bite. But I did find out that his four figures are very sharp and can brake the skin.</div>
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They have a great pattern on their back. Three to four black stripes with white spots.</div>
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I thought that they eat through their nose, (silly me) but soon found out that there is a small mouth underneath his nose where a long tongue comes out like a dog to drink! </div>
About the livingstone manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15047348353838788167noreply@blogger.com63tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219399735108761802.post-83259047098912860942012-09-25T02:08:00.001-07:002012-09-25T02:08:47.881-07:00Another Bush baby!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A mother with 2 babies. </td></tr>
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About the livingstone manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15047348353838788167noreply@blogger.com41tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219399735108761802.post-63800546756904993212012-09-19T09:39:00.001-07:002012-09-19T12:37:03.779-07:00Bush baby arrives!Today, a villager arrived at the gate with a young Bush baby. She killed the mother for food and took the 2 babies home. The next day one died, so they decided to bring the remaining one to the orphanage to sell it before it too dies.<br />
After inspecting it, I paid $2,50 for it today and if he survives the week I will give another $2,50<br />
I am suspecting that he was still dependent on his mother so I will attempt to feed it with different things. First with a small specialized bottle with milk in it. If it doesn't take, I will put out fruits and yogurt, etc.<br />
If he survives for the next week, I will take him down to Munda Wanga to be with other bush babies.<br />
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<b><u>Physical description:</u></b> Including their relatively long, fluffy-tipped tails, these tiny primates are only about 37cm in length and weigh around 150g when fully grown. They have large orangey-brown eyes encircled by dark fur. Other than that, their fur is grey, with a lighter tummy and white stripe down the pinkish nose. Their ears are large and can be swivelled independently of each other.Until very recently, only 6 species of bushbaby were recognised. However, more intensive studies over the past 2 decades have proven that there are at least 25 different bushbabies, many of which look extremely similar (known as cryptic species). Detailed analysis has shown that some bushbaby species are even more distantly related to each other than humans are to gorillas! </div>
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Habitat: Bushbabies inhabit all types of habitat in much of sub-Saharan Africa, except the most southern parts of South Africa. Southern lesser bushbabies (the particular species found at Birds of Eden) can be found in the region between Angola, Tanzania and South Africa. They like to live in semi-arid territories, such as savannah, scrub forest or on forest edges, especially in the vicinity of acacia and mopane trees. Although they are not normally found as far south as Birds of Eden, our animals did just fine during the winter months since they have a heat lamp near their cosy sleeping boxes. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2dkGso_RTTbScIiHZEN6XaKua-Q88E9HnLr4soO2_fTUlZQ64E9KVr28Q8ou-FX5Qi9-NnACHybp5VZQs0cM8M9IlJETgt0NTajvu8cG8QOPbTqEBJYyEjY9d2ZIXqzyxiyqMTcWfw76O/s1600/bb3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2dkGso_RTTbScIiHZEN6XaKua-Q88E9HnLr4soO2_fTUlZQ64E9KVr28Q8ou-FX5Qi9-NnACHybp5VZQs0cM8M9IlJETgt0NTajvu8cG8QOPbTqEBJYyEjY9d2ZIXqzyxiyqMTcWfw76O/s200/bb3.jpg" width="200" /></a><b><u>Diet:</u></b> Bushbabies eat beetles, grasshoppers, scorpions, small reptiles, butterflies and moths. These amazing hunters can catch flying prey in mid-air whilst leaping from tree to tree. Bushbabies are also partial to acacia gum, which they gouge out of trees using their toothcomb. This dental apparatus is common amongst prosimians and consists of forward jutting teeth in the front of the lower jaw. Also helpful for tree-sap harvesting are the strong claws of bushbaby index fingers and their rough tongue, which feels just like sandpaper! Although some species of bushbaby eat fruit, Galago moholi only do so in captivity and have never been reported to eat fruit in the wild. </div>
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<b style="font-weight: bold;"><u>Life history:</u></b> Like humans, bushbabies normally give birth to one offspring at a time, though twins and even triplets are occasionally born. The gestation length is usually just over four months. Newborn infants are carried in the mother's mouth or cling to her belly during their first month of life, after which they are able to ride on her back. By two months, a little bushbaby can travel independently and weaning occurs by the age of five months. Females are sexually mature at about one year of age, and will leave the family group to make a separate nest in which to give birth. These little animals have a lifespan of around 15 years.</div>
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<u><b>Associations:</b></u> Southern lesser bushbabies share their homeranges with thick-tailed greater bushbaies, northern lesser bushbabies, Demidoff's busbabies and Zanzibar bushbabies. The fact that many bushbabies share their territories with each other has made it even more difficult for researchers to distinguish between species. In general, similar species sharing a habitat will focus on different food sources and heights in the canopy.</div>
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<b style="font-weight: bold;"><u>Social structure:</u></b> Little is known about the social organisation of bushbabies, since their nocturnal habits and jumping speed make them difficult to observe in the wild and since all the different species exhibit vastly different social organisations. Generally, bushbabies are known to be solitary which appears to be untrue for most species. It seems that small groups of 1-3 Galago moholi may forage together at night. Whilst foraging, females usually "park" their young in a safe place until they can return for them. Up to 8 individuals, including only one male and often several females with their offspring, curl up together to sleep in tree hollows, abandoned bird's nest or self-made treetop nests during the day. Males occupy territories that overlap those of several females, especially if they are dominant over other males in the vicinity.</div>
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<b><u>Territorial marking:</u></b> Bushbabies scent-mark their territories with specialised scent glands and by urinating on their hands and feet, thereby spreading their sweet pungent smell anywhere they go. Their wet noses (rhinariums) and Jacobson's organ in the roof of the mouth allow them to detect complex information transmitted via liquid chemicals.</div>
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<b style="font-weight: bold;"><u>Communication: </u></b>Bushbabies make loud vocalisations that sound like crying human infants, which is what earned them their funny name. The different species of bushbaby look extremely similar, but they can be told apart by analysing their differing vocalisations, especially the loud calls. Also helpful in differentiating the various galago are hand pad shapes, reproductive behaviours, genetic analysis and male genital comparisons.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBRhqa6htpg8gXSkOrCgao683GWH_7sGZN1LS0-Do4wxM34H_dqZTAgdpPAxfGRhjt6pf_kx6k3r6FVx_MOpgWOEjYTHLCWyq_P4hr5jCI60At7N3O_5AfD3LmjPhFeFSvyLFLORkrmPgy/s1600/bb1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBRhqa6htpg8gXSkOrCgao683GWH_7sGZN1LS0-Do4wxM34H_dqZTAgdpPAxfGRhjt6pf_kx6k3r6FVx_MOpgWOEjYTHLCWyq_P4hr5jCI60At7N3O_5AfD3LmjPhFeFSvyLFLORkrmPgy/s320/bb1.jpg" /></a><b><u>Mating:</u></b> During the mating season, males roam through larger areas than usual in an effort to mate with as many different females as possible, whereas females remain within their territory. Males pick up weight during mating seasons, which occur twice a year over a period of only a few days each time. Their testicles also increase significantly in size and individuals with the largest testes have by far the most mating success! Mating is particularly popular in late September and is usually initiated by males. Intercourse lasts about 10 minutes and the longest recorded mating time in the wild was 53 minutes! </div>
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<b><u>Other behaviour:</u></b> These tiny animals can jump an astounding 5 meters from a vertical position on one tree to the next. They use their strong legs to push off for a jump and their tail works like a rudder to direct them to their desired landing spot. Bushbabies sleep very deeply, and therefore look endearingly stunned and confused immediately after waking up. This makes them rather easy prey, but if they wake up without danger they tend to groom a little before getting on with their nightly hunting and foraging.</div>
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<i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Infornation taken from: http://www.animal-info.co.za/southern-lesser-bushbaby.html </span></i></div>
<i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">References: <br />Anderson, M.J., Ambrose, L., Bearder, S.K., Dixson, A.F. and Pullen, S. (2000) Intraspecific variation in the vocalizations and hand pad morphology of southern lesser bushbabies (Galago moholi). International Journal of Primatology, 21(3):537-555. <br />Butynski, T. & Members of the Primate Specialist Group 2000. Galago moholi. In: IUCN 2006. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. www.iucnredlist.org. Downloaded on 16 July 2006. <br />Nekaris, K.A.I. & Bearder, S. (2006) The Lorisiform Primates of Asia and Mainland Africa. In: Campbell et al. (eds.), Primates in Perspective. New York/Oxford: Oxford University Press. <br />Information supplied by:<br />Lara Mostert<br />lara@monkeyland.co.za</span></i>About the livingstone manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15047348353838788167noreply@blogger.com43tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219399735108761802.post-28527731881646470732012-09-05T09:32:00.000-07:002012-09-05T09:32:03.171-07:00Giant African Pouched Rat<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj51HjE0VH1x-mu8iiL5XfrhTOfmvrH_2h_G7JssvOHtwWGN4GXkId6-UOO3s_HMb2_NZS8UKj_Qicj_HIl5JOrFvPTV2iXSNOHywWGiMjnx1CkP_ecosWBw-6z9NViyBstLttICcTzhmew/s1600/bob1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj51HjE0VH1x-mu8iiL5XfrhTOfmvrH_2h_G7JssvOHtwWGN4GXkId6-UOO3s_HMb2_NZS8UKj_Qicj_HIl5JOrFvPTV2iXSNOHywWGiMjnx1CkP_ecosWBw-6z9NViyBstLttICcTzhmew/s1600/bob1.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The other day, one boy came to our gate selling a male giant pouched rat and 3 babies. All for $5. This was a steal as in the states they go for up to $50. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I asked where the mother of the babies were and he said he ate her yesterday. He was keeping them in a corner of his hut where he was feeding them peanuts, fish and casavah everyday. He was raising them to eat, but school fees were more of a priority, so he brought them to me.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The male, which you see above, is still not full grown. He can grow twice as big with a good diet. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I have called him Bob, and he is very playful and curious not like the regular rats we have around the farm. Here is some quick info from Wikipedia on the rodent: </span></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">The <b>Gambian pouched rat</b> (Cricetomys gambianus), also known as the <b>African giant pouched rat</b>, is a nocturnal pouched rat of the giant pouched rat genus Cricetomys. It is among the largest muroids in the world, growing up to about 0.9 metres (3 ft) long including their tail which makes up half their length. It is widespread in Sub-Saharan Africa, ranging geographically from Senegal to Kenya and from Angola to Mozambique (although it is absent from much of the DR Congo, where Emin's pouched rat is present) and in altitude from sea level to 2,000 metres (6,600 ft).</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Gambian pouched rat has very poor eyesight and so depends on its senses of smell and hearing. Its name comes from the large, hamster-like pouches in its cheeks. It is not a true rat but is part of a uniquely African branch of muroid rodents. It typically weighs between 1 and 1.4 kilograms (2.2 and 3.1 lb). In its native Africa, this pouched rat lives in colonies of up to twenty, usually in forests and thickets, but also commonly in termite mounds. It is omnivorous, feeding on vegetables,insects, crabs, snails, and other items, but apparently preferring palm fruits and palm kernels.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Unlike domestic rats, it has cheek pouches like a hamster. These cheek pouches allow it to gather up several kilograms of nuts per night for storage underground. It has been known to stuff its pouches so full of date palm nuts so as to be hardly able to squeeze through the entrance of its burrow. The burrow consists of a long passage with side alleys and several chambers, one for sleeping and the others for storage. The Gambian pouched rat reaches sexual maturity at 5–7 months of age. It has up to four litters every nine months, with up to six offspring in each litter. Males are territorial and tend to be aggressive when they encounter one another.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">In Africa, it is routinely eaten as bushmeat.</div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I will keep bob and 2 of the babies for fun. Maybe I can teach them some tricks or even bread them. The other baby will be going down to Lusaka with me by then end of the month to Munda Wanga, There he will be with other pouched rats.</span></div>About the livingstone manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15047348353838788167noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219399735108761802.post-46072524015191935242012-09-02T01:22:00.003-07:002012-09-02T01:26:13.080-07:00African Genet and our Vervet Monkey!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTBw8PL4MZkMOPUKqFPOVeMbAvLl9cZGWxIu4_K8KAbdW9c3hpBxl2znoCEP6i1JGV4xDUDImyS-oLfQkWqsnHqMnel2QaBuP5QxkXDVWczgh29hCt5zpxPCjW-ZxC0IUo_ua1QwgZsbJX/s1600/Genet1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTBw8PL4MZkMOPUKqFPOVeMbAvLl9cZGWxIu4_K8KAbdW9c3hpBxl2znoCEP6i1JGV4xDUDImyS-oLfQkWqsnHqMnel2QaBuP5QxkXDVWczgh29hCt5zpxPCjW-ZxC0IUo_ua1QwgZsbJX/s320/Genet1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>This month I saved a Genet which is like a wild cat that lives in the trees.<br />
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Some villagers were selling him for $10 so I got him. If I hadn't bought him they would have sold him to merchants or witch doctors in the village because it is believed Genets are 'good medicine'.<br />
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He was in a bad state after being carried around in a sack with both his hands and feet bound. When I cut his ropes off and put him in a large cage, he just flopped around and couldn't walk. Plus he was disoriented so much that his eyes kept looking from left to right every second like he was dizzy. This condition went on for a few days until he normalized.<br />
I gave him fresh water and a rat everyday along with some fruit and cat food. He especially enjoyed eating the rats and would leap on them with incredible speed. After a week he seemed back to himself.<br />
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I had planned on a trip to Lusaka this week with my car, so I put him in a small chicken carrier, and brought him to a place called Munda Wanga. This is a place where animals can be treated and live in a great environment. Plus after a special process they will be taken back to the wild to be free again.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht2D4LRAgtLefAYMGtZqTlmCWNV-gAYrqKcReZNeJXgaCpBeMtvIlFfYN8Vcl4uak10zpwu00luB8yanpqYmugw7YNgnjhZyHZRFG3XI2wnSk7M6uHfqc7TuMRm-xZ3XxLG0gR6U4UG2nJ/s1600/kanono1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht2D4LRAgtLefAYMGtZqTlmCWNV-gAYrqKcReZNeJXgaCpBeMtvIlFfYN8Vcl4uak10zpwu00luB8yanpqYmugw7YNgnjhZyHZRFG3XI2wnSk7M6uHfqc7TuMRm-xZ3XxLG0gR6U4UG2nJ/s320/kanono1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> While I was there, I wanted to see if my vervet monkey, Kanono was still around. I went to the monkey area and saw a bunch of monkeys on a tree and I called out "Kanono". Kanono means Small in the local language. To my surprise, one monkey jumped down from the tree and galloped over to the fence and yes, it was my friend Kanono.<br />
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I could have cried. It was a beautiful experience that I cannot describe. All the memories came back when I used to lay in my hammock in his habitat and he would come over and groom my head and arms then lie down and take a nap with me.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ5fwB_Kxm5pFqkJLU2w8DyXI3W1KVQC0eihTvgwhMcIPlmhhovKTItEjC9YozDs7NPA8oywj-T9RrOYJpj8Ff9gc5_F6HVu9j31OrMmSbwBNxbN_G5DKmEFQd9s_20ZzGkrExua0vsBpL/s1600/Kanono2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ5fwB_Kxm5pFqkJLU2w8DyXI3W1KVQC0eihTvgwhMcIPlmhhovKTItEjC9YozDs7NPA8oywj-T9RrOYJpj8Ff9gc5_F6HVu9j31OrMmSbwBNxbN_G5DKmEFQd9s_20ZzGkrExua0vsBpL/s320/Kanono2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>After I let him groom my hair, he pressed his body to the fence signalling to me that it was his turn. Here in the picture on the right you can see him doing so.<br />
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He is still on the list to be taken to the wild with his new group that he has accepted as his family. But in the meantime, he is in a very large enclosure with food and water, so I am very pleased with his care.<br />
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I will check on his welfare again next month when I go down to Lusaka for more business. He is due to be released in October.<br />
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About the livingstone manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15047348353838788167noreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219399735108761802.post-66779130070824678602012-07-22T05:39:00.000-07:002012-07-22T05:39:04.836-07:00The Agriculture and livestock show<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_u0A38dEm851ilb9kV3X3iNRIKujrSwiANeO_wsgDKGdOUpz14AJQq96_9_qvcHOiP3lvNOzrPlCnkly71BulwQpEjdcuoMq0cT7sHrngCm1TfJq_cT0YMvlEyYFwH51G-yt4Oi3wvpBO/s1600/zawae1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_u0A38dEm851ilb9kV3X3iNRIKujrSwiANeO_wsgDKGdOUpz14AJQq96_9_qvcHOiP3lvNOzrPlCnkly71BulwQpEjdcuoMq0cT7sHrngCm1TfJq_cT0YMvlEyYFwH51G-yt4Oi3wvpBO/s1600/zawae1.jpg" /></a></div><br />
This week I was contacted by Zawa to attend the Agriculture and livestock show in Mansa. They desperately needed me for my animals that I keep. Mainly my snakes! So I spent a few days constructing 2 cages that would hold my 4 Gaboon Vipers and 3 Savanna Monitor lizards that I would obtain for the show.<br />
I had to make it strong enough to withstand the sharp claws of the lizards along with their whipping tail.<br />
After I finished I managed to load them up in my car and travel 2 hours away to the town of Mansa. There, I got a hotel for 3 days for the duration of the show.<br />
On friday, I unloaded the cages and other things and placed them at a perfect viewing height.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj45HAOsbQPDNJj8NUXOohlptWVoxpZW6RzmCjBWKEv4ZLr0tJPmccGpJ1qi31tl8NQivZOga9gzZmhk81M7bnNEwU6YzlKVzRt6SBHj-pOOvtVc7oZIMXcfHFoazp8ZmFqBtk6z8AEUStz/s1600/zawae7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj45HAOsbQPDNJj8NUXOohlptWVoxpZW6RzmCjBWKEv4ZLr0tJPmccGpJ1qi31tl8NQivZOga9gzZmhk81M7bnNEwU6YzlKVzRt6SBHj-pOOvtVc7oZIMXcfHFoazp8ZmFqBtk6z8AEUStz/s1600/zawae7.jpg" /></a></div><br />
This made our booth very interesting for all those who would pass by.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs0JPdHBnlLJpHD9oAoFxjecDWeU55w6Bl6JIvr3oAcEn6xh3ogr147IswrPM_XyYU3fiO-OYTXwWxc86lgPH7-6NwsRfUK253qf-v-bC0xMlKYZ0wQ0Y94snuAj-5dVzCy-u_t40KAgvw/s1600/zawae6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs0JPdHBnlLJpHD9oAoFxjecDWeU55w6Bl6JIvr3oAcEn6xh3ogr147IswrPM_XyYU3fiO-OYTXwWxc86lgPH7-6NwsRfUK253qf-v-bC0xMlKYZ0wQ0Y94snuAj-5dVzCy-u_t40KAgvw/s1600/zawae6.jpg" /></a></div><br />
On top of the cages I placed my collection of preserved snakes with their identification both in Latin and English.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrRKBgkbvNpIs-1khqkQxereoEkUxCqtdavA8VD2YMgg8nC8Z19Y9RqhvCnhT4CDd-ve2yEOJ4qDatACxL0TPLTxvTRQi-kilDuWfHiIWKnnACLafknYxkxwB0Y03y3mRtKX6bQYW1yswS/s1600/Zawae5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrRKBgkbvNpIs-1khqkQxereoEkUxCqtdavA8VD2YMgg8nC8Z19Y9RqhvCnhT4CDd-ve2yEOJ4qDatACxL0TPLTxvTRQi-kilDuWfHiIWKnnACLafknYxkxwB0Y03y3mRtKX6bQYW1yswS/s1600/Zawae5.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Only after a few minutes of putting everything up, we had scores of people crowding our booth. All pointing at the snakes and lizards. Most of these kids have never seen such animals and were amazed as there is no zoo in the province.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSnzm2LSUu2IuPVjOeGN_pIt9NDtLvvnPuwg53eFSF1OdYltAvsr-lPuZQwPrlRGNGxTxMjTYrz_L7-Ffv66CByqmfedITfhvbkZ28yoAYnYOvEHdgiQlT9043Rp-wXA8gGT-U1RXOh6ir/s1600/Zawae2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSnzm2LSUu2IuPVjOeGN_pIt9NDtLvvnPuwg53eFSF1OdYltAvsr-lPuZQwPrlRGNGxTxMjTYrz_L7-Ffv66CByqmfedITfhvbkZ28yoAYnYOvEHdgiQlT9043Rp-wXA8gGT-U1RXOh6ir/s1600/Zawae2.jpg" /></a></div> <br />
For the next 3 days, I stood out front of our booth explaining to all the people the answers to their questions.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrfl3WmlTenUREnlVE3vmJE3VcmGDyhbzOfFq7_pyKfJnkkh_xpuEHENZleM8iREpxbHeMqBruAriQh7vE_mbkpsUwMaT9h53m9196Uu3prya_5sc_80Yra772qiTiSptVmPpXfGRtZfua/s1600/Zawae3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrfl3WmlTenUREnlVE3vmJE3VcmGDyhbzOfFq7_pyKfJnkkh_xpuEHENZleM8iREpxbHeMqBruAriQh7vE_mbkpsUwMaT9h53m9196Uu3prya_5sc_80Yra772qiTiSptVmPpXfGRtZfua/s1600/Zawae3.jpg" /></a></div><br />
The highlight of the show is when the guest of honor, (the provincial minister) came to view our booth and to learn what we have to say. He was very impressed with our knowledge and thanked us for our efforts in educating the public.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHI16FbTLAJZZq4C8NHdWaJxgU2WNFSEBeE6N0_VZUXxpshkOHZX9Jmet_AtoNBYI_t3ylEBdxD8rxi8JoURIWL9jVVvucUE2VrJ1wcDQ-rcp081-cPyIgGSW6ncZWam9bqZCfLlol7XOF/s1600/Zawae4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHI16FbTLAJZZq4C8NHdWaJxgU2WNFSEBeE6N0_VZUXxpshkOHZX9Jmet_AtoNBYI_t3ylEBdxD8rxi8JoURIWL9jVVvucUE2VrJ1wcDQ-rcp081-cPyIgGSW6ncZWam9bqZCfLlol7XOF/s1600/Zawae4.jpg" /></a></div><br />
At the end of the show, 6 judges went around with clipboards filling out questions about the booths. And we won first prize in the category of law-enforcement. A certificate was awarded with zk.500,000 ($100)<br />
To me this was a very beneficial 3 days spent educating the public. About the livingstone manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15047348353838788167noreply@blogger.com44tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219399735108761802.post-21743865363036592122012-03-18T14:51:00.000-07:002012-03-18T14:51:09.839-07:00How to trim Saanen goat hoovesToday it was time to give our goats a pedicure, or hoof trimming. This is needed as many problems can occur due to untrimmed hooves. These hooves grow very fast and need trimming each month. Just think of it as your own finger nails and how they need tending to, and the job will be much easier.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiOr_m_AYLJTW5cifivNSEeM_VC4wmD96CHjiOONtBWh99HZwEllhtjfjVVVHwCPask7M0d8VKmZqw7MPA3uxnYuVzY0B2zxN3c-LmBwCTpuDnPT972TZnKAUrM4I_Mo1tnq1dw3sGn0nP/s1600/Hoofe1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiOr_m_AYLJTW5cifivNSEeM_VC4wmD96CHjiOONtBWh99HZwEllhtjfjVVVHwCPask7M0d8VKmZqw7MPA3uxnYuVzY0B2zxN3c-LmBwCTpuDnPT972TZnKAUrM4I_Mo1tnq1dw3sGn0nP/s400/Hoofe1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
You first have to tie her up to a post or some place her in the milking station, I just use her feeder that way she can feed while I do my duty.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR0hbJUwkcW94R53axAtns0Iy5i1XLhNjcnS9Jta7GrDwtx_fS1FMEYMr-G9MnLZ9-yNwhcNhHFm6pefxeG_S8LgoxcSW3tCxf-Ynk-htf8c3J9of47qeGE72LmLaoS_XsU9wHJyKdknOy/s1600/Hoof3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR0hbJUwkcW94R53axAtns0Iy5i1XLhNjcnS9Jta7GrDwtx_fS1FMEYMr-G9MnLZ9-yNwhcNhHFm6pefxeG_S8LgoxcSW3tCxf-Ynk-htf8c3J9of47qeGE72LmLaoS_XsU9wHJyKdknOy/s400/Hoof3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>You should inspect all hooves to check for damage, conditions and concerns like foot rot caused by infections.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvYA0ahTqHm62QfMtsAM6Auc9Eh5qq3EiYIDAsSV9BCkRTICztPCyik5q6wU4VsKPlfNg9rEvcin89VWgVBtm9CvOpqm_tiFouluyLkE2K0XcBM_M6EEovxmpqd-M1MGuVeDpkp8trxixB/s1600/Hoof2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvYA0ahTqHm62QfMtsAM6Auc9Eh5qq3EiYIDAsSV9BCkRTICztPCyik5q6wU4VsKPlfNg9rEvcin89VWgVBtm9CvOpqm_tiFouluyLkE2K0XcBM_M6EEovxmpqd-M1MGuVeDpkp8trxixB/s400/Hoof2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
I then pull her leg up while she balance's on her other three legs. Her head also can rest on your shoulder or arm. watch out as the dam can bite your buttons off. Also be aware that she will resist a bit but if you stay with her and hold her tight, she will relax.<br />
While trimming the back hooves, I just find it easier to mount the goat reversed. This way I can control the goat from moving too much.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtigLOhiiNXJTQDqEuTAXcrjE3Swu590aNbV-tFnRcg6UFQp6S7R9RxKQY-Ciqna8bcNMMt_lfFbtxdZttjffYo2RflDpBgBSg8abjC0GB8Q0V01tLPAO5XRHKzEqJ7OjQrKZ6xaWieo3G/s1600/Hoof4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtigLOhiiNXJTQDqEuTAXcrjE3Swu590aNbV-tFnRcg6UFQp6S7R9RxKQY-Ciqna8bcNMMt_lfFbtxdZttjffYo2RflDpBgBSg8abjC0GB8Q0V01tLPAO5XRHKzEqJ7OjQrKZ6xaWieo3G/s400/Hoof4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Here you can see the hoof curling inward trapping bacteria, feces and possible twigs. Also the hoof cracks, and has the potential to split up into the sensitive area that might make the dam to walk on it awkwardly which could lead the goat to be crippled.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Ii8DBSoni_Uqq58WRIINxKZb-17oq0-Q9xsTqSlRRMykbQMUKu2Uw44n-RPcREfqtnYBbITnRIaEfP4nNhnvxEAJ1HiXdNFo8lrWKZ5fIQg5wrwHGQSy6KZ6xSLVzXXV-Hib_uAlkJZK/s1600/Hoof5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Ii8DBSoni_Uqq58WRIINxKZb-17oq0-Q9xsTqSlRRMykbQMUKu2Uw44n-RPcREfqtnYBbITnRIaEfP4nNhnvxEAJ1HiXdNFo8lrWKZ5fIQg5wrwHGQSy6KZ6xSLVzXXV-Hib_uAlkJZK/s400/Hoof5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <br />
With a sharp knife I trim a small portion at a time until I get down to the pad. Some use special sheers or hoof trimmers, but here in the bush this knife will due. As you get down to the pad, if you are not careful, you might take too much off causing a bit of bleeding. Don't worry, it will grow back. But another indicator will be that the hoof will turn a bit pinkish showing you are getting to the blood area.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_E4n1_3mjmBqgdhNYDiE1raaNBOLuZ7uJhZjSkSybqlYhmtd5MEDRWXiXpQYZSWj4DX4-BEJMOdbqh3jAwsFrq2j45X4CbhzwUf4tRBbDczje_wqKjcGCd5tPdKRBG5V0AfpcPECi-sbm/s1600/Hoof6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_E4n1_3mjmBqgdhNYDiE1raaNBOLuZ7uJhZjSkSybqlYhmtd5MEDRWXiXpQYZSWj4DX4-BEJMOdbqh3jAwsFrq2j45X4CbhzwUf4tRBbDczje_wqKjcGCd5tPdKRBG5V0AfpcPECi-sbm/s400/Hoof6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Here is one hoof trimmed for the first time in her life. As it grows out properly, I will trim it further down. I just wanted the inside hoof to grow a bit more as it was in bad shape.<br />
Over all it is an intense job which takes about 20 min per goat. If you go too fast or are in a hurry, you run the risk of cutting too much off. About the livingstone manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15047348353838788167noreply@blogger.com47tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219399735108761802.post-43304562384711267802012-02-25T04:06:00.000-08:002012-02-25T04:06:17.192-08:00Saanen Goats--CAE and Pelt Tanning<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvJTFItacjHbt9P7132uTl2JUm6lQEovjG-ofEyFhCHiToGVarca6taHrmWttxVrSIY8i4D9t-QfYQWLAqVdER-ABZ2e2DUDXRbwXdJ_LhA6_SmM2KEYMcHTJehelK_pxCSwn-nGRXzCuE/s1600/goathead.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvJTFItacjHbt9P7132uTl2JUm6lQEovjG-ofEyFhCHiToGVarca6taHrmWttxVrSIY8i4D9t-QfYQWLAqVdER-ABZ2e2DUDXRbwXdJ_LhA6_SmM2KEYMcHTJehelK_pxCSwn-nGRXzCuE/s400/goathead.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br />
</div>A few weeks ago I noticed that one of my Saanen goats, one that is pregnant, started to have problems in keeping her balance. She would sway from side to side and over half the day just sit in the shade. I thought was normal in her state, but just to be on the safe side, I did an examination and found that there was swelling in both of her front legs, the knees had become the size of tennis balls. There were no other problems on the rest of her body, no cuts and no broken bones. She finally got to the point where she couldn't get up at all and her front joints were even larger and painful to the touch. <div><br />
</div><div>There is no qualified vet in the area so I turned to my great source--the internet. After doing research on the issue for many days, I found out that it was very possible that my goat has C.A.E. or Carpel Arthritis Encephalitis. There is no vaccine or cure for the virus. It is transmitted from the fluids of the mother to the kid after giving birth. This can be confirmed by a blood sample but as I live in the bush that way is not an option. </div><div><br />
</div><div>This was a big blow to me as I was so happy that we finally got our dairy goats which were donated by Grey and Esther from Germany. A goat house was even constructed. So what should I do? </div><div><br />
</div><div>There is a way to save the baby and that is to duct tape both of the teats on the doe right before birthing and then immediately after she gives birth, remove the kid from the mother and feed the kid with bottles. You can't even let her lick or clean the kid as her saliva could infect the kid. Then the dam (a female goat who has given birth) should be put down as she will only deteriorate in time. Also you don't want that virus to continue on. </div><div><br />
</div><div>At one time, 90% of all dairy goats in the US were infected with the virus, only by separating the kids from their mothers has the virus in dairy goats now come down to 40%. In the States you can go to good closed farms (meaning they don't bring in new goats) and purchase a virus clear goat with no problems, but here in Zambia, its a gamble.</div><div><br />
</div><div> So what decision should I make? There is also a chance the doe might infect the rest of the goats. I would need to isolate the doe and feed her until birthing and then deal with her kid--feeding her expensive purchased milk. So after talking with my wife, we decided that at this time we don't have the time, manpower or funds to keep the doe, Although I did consider it since it was a big deal to bring the goats here from over 1000 kilometers away. I finally had to make the decision to butcher the goat as she was eating feed which is costing us funds.</div><div><br />
<div> After much time delaying, I finally did it. I decided to keep the pelt and give the meat to the staff (CAE is not transmittable to humans).</div><div><br />
</div><div><i>The following images may be disturbing to some viewers.</i></div><div><i><br />
</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ9wn2j6uXU9mqftY4IDcv7dtFwLGCpL9GP6ofTILySQhaTJ-hNczcJKQjGLPNJL6cIHGlHJiHX-D0QTmg0GfGsdExIYwuNU_7Z6LKyM9gcN-05qcEhvvs475XAOyKD_-gfsp_hhrFM1sf/s1600/goatskin2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ9wn2j6uXU9mqftY4IDcv7dtFwLGCpL9GP6ofTILySQhaTJ-hNczcJKQjGLPNJL6cIHGlHJiHX-D0QTmg0GfGsdExIYwuNU_7Z6LKyM9gcN-05qcEhvvs475XAOyKD_-gfsp_hhrFM1sf/s400/goatskin2.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><div> </div><div> We bled the goat out, much like you do a chicken, then after draining I hung the body upside down and put a bamboo through its tenons. This place has the strength to hold the goat. Then very carefully I cut only the skin off.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHRiUmchp6Je2M2vx3JtlsKSc8hMGtErpJAVNJ7suK49mFo9K2lVxNyI3bX6hteHKYFWlvyXAEUp2f7bk-uQ70uOH02CdL4QvpWpJO9ShBVSZmqv4537p8AFBZ_pyLr9gO844iIuW2Xv1a/s1600/goatskin3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHRiUmchp6Je2M2vx3JtlsKSc8hMGtErpJAVNJ7suK49mFo9K2lVxNyI3bX6hteHKYFWlvyXAEUp2f7bk-uQ70uOH02CdL4QvpWpJO9ShBVSZmqv4537p8AFBZ_pyLr9gO844iIuW2Xv1a/s400/goatskin3.jpg" width="181" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>The skin was not too difficult to peel off the meat, a bit more difficult than a rabbit pelt but in the process I did manage to make a small hole in the center of the body. But hey, nobody's perfect.</div><div><br />
</div><div>The innards were thrown away and the brain was put in a plastic bag and put in the fridge for use in the tanning process.</div><div><br />
</div><div> Then I salted both sides of the pelt and nailed it on a door out of the sun. This was left for 3 days. Then I found the skin completely stiff, so I started to scrape off the salt and extra fat that still remained on the skin. That took a good 2 hours. I then took the pelt and rinsed it in a basin for an hour until all the salt was gone.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Then I took the brains that I kept in the fridge and blended them up with a few cups of warm water. Getting a paint brush I painted on the brain liquid (which contains lecithin) on both sides of the pelt doing it over and over until all was gone. A fire was made on a braizer and bark and grass put on it to make smoke. This seals the brain liquid in the leather. The smoking was done for about 3 hours. Then the long process of breaking started. That is when the stretching and pulling and twisting goes on to make the fibers in the leather soft and pliable. This was done for two days.</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvEfEZ9tRiIBByEl-BUpHATjAisbbv_9eev9IVQsAzQLNBm82TQCe5ovgntMskbkJFp-318PGp8AcRYPvCtmzxue1ac2GJd0xlBekRa13EHuGYFj8Pke8vOOgD4wD67JOARoHahuWOQyjg/s1600/goatskin1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvEfEZ9tRiIBByEl-BUpHATjAisbbv_9eev9IVQsAzQLNBm82TQCe5ovgntMskbkJFp-318PGp8AcRYPvCtmzxue1ac2GJd0xlBekRa13EHuGYFj8Pke8vOOgD4wD67JOARoHahuWOQyjg/s400/goatskin1.jpg" width="316" /></a></div><div> </div><div> The end result is a great goat pelt ready for a chair backing or a floor mat or even something to put on a wall. It still feels a bit gummy from the brains and the smell of smoke is present. I'm researching to see if I should throw it in the washing machine..... </div><div> </div></div>About the livingstone manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15047348353838788167noreply@blogger.com50tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219399735108761802.post-90681342019536226502012-02-11T09:00:00.000-08:002012-02-11T09:00:09.879-08:00A beautiful Owl<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicGBF38T2HNBy_fdEYPOxMNKN0-_G0GOiVqLOOURNcjVG5695QqpL6jhXIiD2de0YNHBnbv0HHnMyXhkcbrmCRTdUXQquDq45luizpm4uIdJlz8TlWsihBEgoUOo9_KHev-HPIqS0mRfbS/s1600/owl1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicGBF38T2HNBy_fdEYPOxMNKN0-_G0GOiVqLOOURNcjVG5695QqpL6jhXIiD2de0YNHBnbv0HHnMyXhkcbrmCRTdUXQquDq45luizpm4uIdJlz8TlWsihBEgoUOo9_KHev-HPIqS0mRfbS/s400/owl1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Today we got a visit from this masked owl. He is a great bird with soft feathers. Again, the villagers threw rocks at it in the trees until they damaged one of the wings and then chased it down.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqumwGUOXEDWSXpfFeNGUryme4NnH-lPnQpAbjrbHRiBCFEafcvYnMjzgpBbVozPr91wn2dEu7KaYfbdvqK4RZIkZGg3MFjmo2oQUGIWigaiNQTtCYSgiZXo1noeGi4T2tWMDH_Bz5kYLh/s1600/owl2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqumwGUOXEDWSXpfFeNGUryme4NnH-lPnQpAbjrbHRiBCFEafcvYnMjzgpBbVozPr91wn2dEu7KaYfbdvqK4RZIkZGg3MFjmo2oQUGIWigaiNQTtCYSgiZXo1noeGi4T2tWMDH_Bz5kYLh/s640/owl2.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>I think this bread is called an Australia masked owl. Because of the colors of his feathers. Or maybe a Tasmania masked owl.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJKZoGc6Fx5dDJ1E0XWu3ZwuMQF7QWBFw_njyDCtJC_pUN5WLnfaAtziet_a8TP50dvzKMP-T8IJxAcd5x-bI5lKe-SGLxgbWkekCxw2GlNSdYOAVB5KTqe7DxoNzS0xwyyuuKfH2xneQb/s1600/owl3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJKZoGc6Fx5dDJ1E0XWu3ZwuMQF7QWBFw_njyDCtJC_pUN5WLnfaAtziet_a8TP50dvzKMP-T8IJxAcd5x-bI5lKe-SGLxgbWkekCxw2GlNSdYOAVB5KTqe7DxoNzS0xwyyuuKfH2xneQb/s400/owl3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> His condition was in bad shape. Besides the injured wing, toxins were already in his blood stream which caused his talons to be paralyzed. I tried in vain to let him fly away, but he just flew about 20 yards then flopped back down to earth.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiol58Y_MsGX4LDVVy9Ny5nQ0brKzdLKt9ecNLfmsc-AWo1Xl4HaJZkEsFb4QEEGenOwnCrM7ym10TCUj4sBSALR2GKJVaJdJJjL2BSIc-sXjCJ_bz2G1aslD3li3TsRQGicYjJzIhaPIug/s1600/owl4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="335" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiol58Y_MsGX4LDVVy9Ny5nQ0brKzdLKt9ecNLfmsc-AWo1Xl4HaJZkEsFb4QEEGenOwnCrM7ym10TCUj4sBSALR2GKJVaJdJJjL2BSIc-sXjCJ_bz2G1aslD3li3TsRQGicYjJzIhaPIug/s400/owl4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>I don't expect him to last the night. So I just placed him in a secure place where he can pass in peace.About the livingstone manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15047348353838788167noreply@blogger.com47tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219399735108761802.post-56754343426152951792012-01-04T08:28:00.000-08:002012-01-04T08:28:11.129-08:00After exotic Animals are gone, Go Domestic!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLHPT149lZ6Y7ahNizGRD4TMvk_vasedXg50st4Uat27onD_ETBN0CwiAUVOit2Hc6iMqiiya2-3y8QXHfLY4GUqCJyAdBXmEITD0bEX6TlEzb4AAtIcGLCyyZMB34Qj61bP0UG6ivST1I/s1600/Cat1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLHPT149lZ6Y7ahNizGRD4TMvk_vasedXg50st4Uat27onD_ETBN0CwiAUVOit2Hc6iMqiiya2-3y8QXHfLY4GUqCJyAdBXmEITD0bEX6TlEzb4AAtIcGLCyyZMB34Qj61bP0UG6ivST1I/s400/Cat1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I love cats, they are fun to play with and they keep the mice and rat population down. Our cat chie, does just that. She moves around hunting like a lion deep in our garden at times. But she mainly stays in the house or in our bathroom storage area. She was bought for $1 from a villager when she was just a little thing. Now she is all grown up and a little bulgy. Am I over feeding her or is she pregnant? Hmmm. I felt her underside but didn't feal a thing. I guess I'll wait.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> Today I heard a lot of noises coming from the back of the orphanage. A mixture of dogs barking and young teens. So I quickly rushed over to the edge of our fence line and yelled out to the people what was happening. They then replied that they were hunting, but now have meat to eat. Hmmmm. Meat hmm. What kind of meat? I told them to bring it to me. Four teens and three dogs came out of the brush holding a black and white animal. I didn't have my glasses on so it looked like a large rabbit as I keep them in this area and in the past, a few escaped which I never recovered. But as they neared, I saw that it was a black and white cat! A large one at that. They had speared it through its neck and blood was gushing everywhere. As they showed me the cat, he was still quivering. Maybe it was the nerves. But I felt sad and ashamed that man has come down to this. They have killed so many of the natural exotic animals in this area, that all is left is a few domestic animals. I got a sick feeling in my stomach. I had to turn away. They mentioned that they caught another cat a few days ago in the same place and it tasted good. I said that they should be careful what they eat as they could carry diseases like rabies etc. But they didn't care. <b><u>It was for free! </u></b> </div>About the livingstone manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15047348353838788167noreply@blogger.com40tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219399735108761802.post-15053443793148399722011-12-28T01:29:00.000-08:002011-12-28T01:29:41.025-08:00Nile monitor<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQh6lzBSsX2HnJ1JxquTiMf5f6qEKBbHJsNeYZcBNnuy-ukckVQC6Z9opDjHsx0VDWeds8X0K2L-31jrHS3qBPcJmvVK95D4uLzyRM_5h7id3btJpYZh9CiGwP7aU5mabahGxbinW2NJe9/s1600/nilelizard1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQh6lzBSsX2HnJ1JxquTiMf5f6qEKBbHJsNeYZcBNnuy-ukckVQC6Z9opDjHsx0VDWeds8X0K2L-31jrHS3qBPcJmvVK95D4uLzyRM_5h7id3btJpYZh9CiGwP7aU5mabahGxbinW2NJe9/s640/nilelizard1.jpg" width="472" /></a></div><span style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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<span style="text-align: justify;">Today a few villagers came to the gate with a Nile monitor lizard that had been caught in their hooks down at the </span><span style="text-align: justify;">lagoon</span><span style="text-align: justify;">. Instead of releasing it back in the water, they tied a small rope to its leg and beat it to keep it from fighting. By the time they gave it to me, the lizard was almost dead. I gave another lecture to the villagers that if it happens again, to just let it go and not try to sell it in the markets. Sadly, he passed away after a few hours.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7IkrbUB0-bfk9yp-5P1Dbx67YMIK6U5tojA1djidnJGmjpfZRI2IEsU8Bg3YOWRXRIKxIibvC67SGlLJF_WoTSHAvYI5gymBf6IaETaeqRV2iigIZol8G3gSYWA5vjrl18OsD6Gu5ZnTS/s1600/nilelizard2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7IkrbUB0-bfk9yp-5P1Dbx67YMIK6U5tojA1djidnJGmjpfZRI2IEsU8Bg3YOWRXRIKxIibvC67SGlLJF_WoTSHAvYI5gymBf6IaETaeqRV2iigIZol8G3gSYWA5vjrl18OsD6Gu5ZnTS/s400/nilelizard2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">This is a great picture of his claw hand with a powerful gripping claw. When eating, he uses his claws to rip open his prey.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMpkke52n5hOqkQ_3_2jMqB9mRcKIN79FIcFkWJtl4az78wdeYFkDWS6wwVjSiEcxW89EbTKz-JLRfDshAkkMikUgNgwfz5l9toUv1Mci0YBPtNhYeLPRKlydD7PHx66tnDEZotRTX-vEo/s1600/nilelizard3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMpkke52n5hOqkQ_3_2jMqB9mRcKIN79FIcFkWJtl4az78wdeYFkDWS6wwVjSiEcxW89EbTKz-JLRfDshAkkMikUgNgwfz5l9toUv1Mci0YBPtNhYeLPRKlydD7PHx66tnDEZotRTX-vEo/s400/nilelizard3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Another picture of his front claws, reminds me of the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4dUxnfjeAFFJcWKFTqcS40I38OVHYpg6Le7S2NBRZzxOV3oSbHg70PLgpi4kKbbW-MimNyFb01p9yjK8ZY4w3EJqmiPXgkAqa5DHlaAzz-ojNiI0L6zHVBxzLxbujwzIr67C-iRqHlYOC/s1600/nilelizard4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4dUxnfjeAFFJcWKFTqcS40I38OVHYpg6Le7S2NBRZzxOV3oSbHg70PLgpi4kKbbW-MimNyFb01p9yjK8ZY4w3EJqmiPXgkAqa5DHlaAzz-ojNiI0L6zHVBxzLxbujwzIr67C-iRqHlYOC/s400/nilelizard4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> Nile Monitors can grow to about 9 ft (2.7 m) in length. They have muscular bodies, strong legs and powerful jaws. The teeth are sharp and pointed in juvenile animals and become blunt and peg-like in adults. They also possess sharp claws used for climbing, digging, defense, or tearing at their prey. Like all monitors they have a forked tongue, with highly developed olfactory properties.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> Their nostrils are placed high on the snout, indicating that these animals are highly aquatic, but are also excellent climbers and quick runners on land. Nile Monitors feed on fish, snails, frogs, crocodile eggs and young, snakes, birds, small mammals, large insects, and carrion.(Wikipedia)</div>About the livingstone manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15047348353838788167noreply@blogger.com38tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219399735108761802.post-56350512536506510882011-12-20T06:41:00.000-08:002011-12-20T06:41:16.567-08:00Goat House Project<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQy1sasS2OuVETaj9dX10ouvQKH5dB3FiN41Ps49XHQfsOzlkB52QifaIbikLSe2vm6T04XzVlR50jYnxFOT14e9qfuyob3GKMVeYieID8WvaPPJQUt9R3I9IYN4b_E-dgVVeY8oGPDZox/s1600/foundation-goat-barn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQy1sasS2OuVETaj9dX10ouvQKH5dB3FiN41Ps49XHQfsOzlkB52QifaIbikLSe2vm6T04XzVlR50jYnxFOT14e9qfuyob3GKMVeYieID8WvaPPJQUt9R3I9IYN4b_E-dgVVeY8oGPDZox/s320/foundation-goat-barn.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Here are my simple plans for making a goat barn.<br />
First we stacked and cemented 3 cinder blocks for the foundation. Then with the local wood called teak, we wired them secure. This was done because of the infestation of termites. Teak wood is so hard that termites leave it alone.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAxSA-veF_EaeWoYflB1i569ebVWIpMcnh3ldfICqAH5E9obUGOXOdYNGiZHYLZyBpRKs0w2dpZi1-i8GuKafCZKx8KlIp64jYAy0XRlAzNZZA8YJQb-kRaQAwbdQ8J7nZk0Se_40vfLCF/s1600/goat-wall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAxSA-veF_EaeWoYflB1i569ebVWIpMcnh3ldfICqAH5E9obUGOXOdYNGiZHYLZyBpRKs0w2dpZi1-i8GuKafCZKx8KlIp64jYAy0XRlAzNZZA8YJQb-kRaQAwbdQ8J7nZk0Se_40vfLCF/s640/goat-wall.jpg" width="393" /></a></div> Then we got pine 1 X 6 and planked the deck. Then with 2 X 4 made all the walls.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3YEhHenoAD6aDZVJzyUFoZaNiMmo0H-QN7hSLXfEiy9umBtHOTZnOrlMNYbqAAwzZjudTAIDPXe3t5HNItZ6aTbkGo79lpNuGfBDuDpn8ASLBNPgGsZWxgF9Rbk1e6xatLMTO6sKNo8Yt/s1600/outsidewallhalfdone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3YEhHenoAD6aDZVJzyUFoZaNiMmo0H-QN7hSLXfEiy9umBtHOTZnOrlMNYbqAAwzZjudTAIDPXe3t5HNItZ6aTbkGo79lpNuGfBDuDpn8ASLBNPgGsZWxgF9Rbk1e6xatLMTO6sKNo8Yt/s400/outsidewallhalfdone.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Here you can see me with the outside frame almost done. Note: the roof has not been done yet due to time restriction. But since we are in the rainy season, I had to temporarily put some off cuts and plastic up to prevent the rain from getting on the goats as they must be dry at all times.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI9DDabuNmZkjUMoyU1DA5tOCBKFIo_GtlkTzBYsB49taQGbka9O7lWbpE09EEFw_mdS9O3nRqXY3TZC6Didm2ANn_ESrUA43u6jmKQ6t5_yPlus5B3QAWgJhdKYpUphWmKmk2F2y3ejl7/s1600/insideundone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI9DDabuNmZkjUMoyU1DA5tOCBKFIo_GtlkTzBYsB49taQGbka9O7lWbpE09EEFw_mdS9O3nRqXY3TZC6Didm2ANn_ESrUA43u6jmKQ6t5_yPlus5B3QAWgJhdKYpUphWmKmk2F2y3ejl7/s400/insideundone.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>You can see a canoe on the right which I use for a feeder.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_23dA0eLh4Vd8Am_mndIUPWcs6jQCbKIPbJ5tXUPs6vQXnHaQgmxfkYizK_EJeMJmQhTv_R2Rlu8MX6pLD0qyP0xQLCwOdT83U_JMGKU9vHC6wDumy54LnzgRnSzU6wCyI5trrAQDRKBq/s1600/frontgoat1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_23dA0eLh4Vd8Am_mndIUPWcs6jQCbKIPbJ5tXUPs6vQXnHaQgmxfkYizK_EJeMJmQhTv_R2Rlu8MX6pLD0qyP0xQLCwOdT83U_JMGKU9vHC6wDumy54LnzgRnSzU6wCyI5trrAQDRKBq/s320/frontgoat1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I finally got some iron sheets and tacked them on the 2 X 4s. This was easy and fast. In the summer time we will stuff the sections between the 2 X 4s with straw.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzYDoN9YLJZ-YvxYrB4KiGk9ELRtHpqFVAs-Z4y8e3N3Xgr9mAAkls-p6kwp7bFA0TScCWw_cpwpN6YYjsPcLPn9FCRJgJYuWZLLnsYt_gBmd8sxCXtQIlA1-3Cxt38KL7wPtMUFZ9oiUL/s1600/sidegoat1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzYDoN9YLJZ-YvxYrB4KiGk9ELRtHpqFVAs-Z4y8e3N3Xgr9mAAkls-p6kwp7bFA0TScCWw_cpwpN6YYjsPcLPn9FCRJgJYuWZLLnsYt_gBmd8sxCXtQIlA1-3Cxt38KL7wPtMUFZ9oiUL/s320/sidegoat1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>The side wall was more of a challenge as it is on a slope and I had to cut the iron sheets with a grinder.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO4JKiTL4yVnXzRcorLgzW7HnURoUoYPn9XZTnPiltO9fS6IcgaDCg76lvBcVWbXz25qINrHB5O21VvlrsRbBIvIndMfg5ASQYXxJ9XY_u306fB2YrJwXrTFcZ6ARu3WSf0ED1YBJVuorG/s1600/insidegoatdone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO4JKiTL4yVnXzRcorLgzW7HnURoUoYPn9XZTnPiltO9fS6IcgaDCg76lvBcVWbXz25qINrHB5O21VvlrsRbBIvIndMfg5ASQYXxJ9XY_u306fB2YrJwXrTFcZ6ARu3WSf0ED1YBJVuorG/s320/insidegoatdone.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Here is a shot of the finished inside. I took a 55 gallon drum and cut it in half and welded some re-bars on the sides for a stand. This was made for a drinker.<br />
A short wall was constructed in the center to separate the two different types of goats we have.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYtdbJDwPqJglnEnfsb86HGiVqKXw0HK0bhDFsk_bFCJwl9OqzkLmE5GITGs7dLqlfpjQD9ciwlQLGeYtjkRvHEFbRShdFleRlhy1RpeM2686Wm1nXaB-7foUoIHBOsT_4CRrNDn1odYwo/s1600/goathead.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYtdbJDwPqJglnEnfsb86HGiVqKXw0HK0bhDFsk_bFCJwl9OqzkLmE5GITGs7dLqlfpjQD9ciwlQLGeYtjkRvHEFbRShdFleRlhy1RpeM2686Wm1nXaB-7foUoIHBOsT_4CRrNDn1odYwo/s320/goathead.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>We put straps with bells around the goats neck to let us know when and where they are at all times.<br />
These goats are dairy goats which can produce up to 5 liters of milk per day.<br />
They must be milked twice a day.About the livingstone manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15047348353838788167noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219399735108761802.post-88936638766968057302011-12-14T01:09:00.000-08:002011-12-14T01:09:59.248-08:00The Mole Monster!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvkZG3DBRZwg5FxfmkBQ4694AZYh6mn0RBtpDEjMratcHgjDuMkV27JMH1ghEY7WpY4Tf6ySITlXJAm31rvEcUiXebkyshiF0RUGc4aXKCd9NXvVEiaHwx9g4aKhnmMP8UPbgzr7RqzJKS/s1600/mole-monster1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvkZG3DBRZwg5FxfmkBQ4694AZYh6mn0RBtpDEjMratcHgjDuMkV27JMH1ghEY7WpY4Tf6ySITlXJAm31rvEcUiXebkyshiF0RUGc4aXKCd9NXvVEiaHwx9g4aKhnmMP8UPbgzr7RqzJKS/s1600/mole-monster1.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This guy is what I call a mole monster as he is a mole that I cannot identify. It is not a mole rat because it has hair. The interesting thing on this mole is the nose or should I say snout. It is very flexible but deadly. Deadly by his lower teeth. As I held him with my super gloves, he continued to bite my protected finger over and over again and in different places, but to his dismay, I didn't release him. He was so frustrated. HA!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT6F0qdift5PuCSY1Ki83RKFv9GSxwZHtUaqJ7jUWgvBgXmzLvvwzgGfdn4L-kACcv5WXsSWuvWptRtUfWsb_wVbUFGbIJiCSF_yVg2m4qc1fORgBFJdL4RuZHRtpK6DJXKciElCzERMau/s1600/mole-monster2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT6F0qdift5PuCSY1Ki83RKFv9GSxwZHtUaqJ7jUWgvBgXmzLvvwzgGfdn4L-kACcv5WXsSWuvWptRtUfWsb_wVbUFGbIJiCSF_yVg2m4qc1fORgBFJdL4RuZHRtpK6DJXKciElCzERMau/s320/mole-monster2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>About the livingstone manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15047348353838788167noreply@blogger.com143tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219399735108761802.post-76771606820949111552011-12-13T08:58:00.000-08:002011-12-13T08:58:27.804-08:00Bush and me!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiENg9CoPOTRsWS9pv3lRV5aKnGEyGFFd_9lc_YEwN48Y1lcv6G8FA4pjH5xw4kRBsMjdcxmcVBotzxiip7DYI7z8-di9jtet2X-HAKrBEW_CsdPKc8S93QYyehyVeEQOlLlS2qSde9aIOC/s1600/Bush-and-me-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiENg9CoPOTRsWS9pv3lRV5aKnGEyGFFd_9lc_YEwN48Y1lcv6G8FA4pjH5xw4kRBsMjdcxmcVBotzxiip7DYI7z8-di9jtet2X-HAKrBEW_CsdPKc8S93QYyehyVeEQOlLlS2qSde9aIOC/s1600/Bush-and-me-3.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">What can I say about this picture? It says it all. </span></div>About the livingstone manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15047348353838788167noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219399735108761802.post-27716157659211832132011-11-22T08:52:00.000-08:002011-11-22T08:57:50.316-08:00I'm a Father!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ZB6X1zDwJP9_kSNpdqVcA8mEdohv3A7ivhQ1VE4nv7GxlbPfMELJEECagMhlohxmlxdNy7oiBthxxV0HihPwEX9hIhqJjF4nVCGREk6U6BNWRR206Sr7UtJRkAbuNtWXVJDJ4oKAyl4_/s1600/gaboon-Adder1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ZB6X1zDwJP9_kSNpdqVcA8mEdohv3A7ivhQ1VE4nv7GxlbPfMELJEECagMhlohxmlxdNy7oiBthxxV0HihPwEX9hIhqJjF4nVCGREk6U6BNWRR206Sr7UtJRkAbuNtWXVJDJ4oKAyl4_/s400/gaboon-Adder1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBCzHHBmRXqj-51tWmJpXMYJHXOJfTbjEnD_cvEd2Of-EqtrzFhxHtAcr6uV8zkUHnb-xXZIDzSgCT7iOYVpi72kWG79IAdQB2MeysQt_3m6z63J6tQfKWxNiDXfiePN5DnZLMG9ArfhSm/s1600/gaboon-Adder3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBCzHHBmRXqj-51tWmJpXMYJHXOJfTbjEnD_cvEd2Of-EqtrzFhxHtAcr6uV8zkUHnb-xXZIDzSgCT7iOYVpi72kWG79IAdQB2MeysQt_3m6z63J6tQfKWxNiDXfiePN5DnZLMG9ArfhSm/s1600/gaboon-Adder3.jpg" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">This morning I inspected my snakes to find out that one of my Gaboon Adders gave birth to over 30 baby snakes!</div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"> I did have some suspicions the other day as one of the Gaboons were acting a bit strange, moving around the cage and hanging next to the glass window.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> She did seem quite large, but I thought it was because of my over feeding.</div> <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b><u><br />
</u></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">PEEK A BOO!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I just love this photo, too bad they are poisonous.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgitZpnReoKg3s9f8P1hTETOXdg0Hd4Y8SMXgVpba53ZxMT8UhsXWSM_PTB_XxBseLsxrrgrO1por_c7AYlTc3zWvgH9XqP7ntZPqVDSSPuZpIE1t3FWYWCjGqxt_x9Ra9d5QqmftTcgGj1/s1600/gaboon-Adder4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgitZpnReoKg3s9f8P1hTETOXdg0Hd4Y8SMXgVpba53ZxMT8UhsXWSM_PTB_XxBseLsxrrgrO1por_c7AYlTc3zWvgH9XqP7ntZPqVDSSPuZpIE1t3FWYWCjGqxt_x9Ra9d5QqmftTcgGj1/s1600/gaboon-Adder4.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There are so many of them that I will not be able to keep them. So I called around and one place in Lusaka said they could take about 5 for their snake farm. So the challenge will be to get them down to the farm within a week.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> Young Gaboon Adders feed on small rodents like small frogs, etc. The good news is that one of our small baby pools are full of tad-pools, soon to be frogs.</div>About the livingstone manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15047348353838788167noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219399735108761802.post-35992382691348358562011-11-15T12:59:00.000-08:002011-11-15T12:59:10.089-08:00Predator!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihMu2WOLaTp988M3N0r-jQr1Mno5HaWKOiGuGoduCIfzJhxnC4e_G5ZomNLTC-V4D9Bzk8bh0Kux0FpEq20VQXhV6QMIr-6U-b4ymGZI8qQPADtSA5P5ngkhXkvoEiYx1O2qpGB-7bHZ31/s1600/IMG_0870.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihMu2WOLaTp988M3N0r-jQr1Mno5HaWKOiGuGoduCIfzJhxnC4e_G5ZomNLTC-V4D9Bzk8bh0Kux0FpEq20VQXhV6QMIr-6U-b4ymGZI8qQPADtSA5P5ngkhXkvoEiYx1O2qpGB-7bHZ31/s1600/IMG_0870.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Today we got in 3 young predator birds. I think they might be Hawks but might be Eagles. Difficult to tell as they are still young and the Mother is not around.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> A few kids showed up at the orphanage with these birds and was looking for a market. I gave them a long lecture about not killing animals etc. and then took the birds to raise. The boys said they threw rocks at the Mother untill she didn't return to the nest, then they found these babies and decided to sell them.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> This is a very typical situation where children are not taught about nature in school and respecting life. When they see any wild life, the first reaction is to kill it, as it is an opportunity for them to benefit from. ....SAD! </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> I am now attempting to feed them three times a day through a modified syringe. A combination mixture of blended fish, goat meat and fluid. I will continue on this diet until I get more information on nutrition.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6TyulSuDh-ogNZX5FdVGnwvL6rNXwv8UU5PZNGzubAia35ri9JISRpXGBaDFQttCP90MkyqhA1Tj-ohkQjkCoiFnj3yncVoFPU1WflSCV8hlT4dbh-JTtMj5aeDPhyphenhyphenhgts7ZA5nuIby82/s1600/IMG_0875.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6TyulSuDh-ogNZX5FdVGnwvL6rNXwv8UU5PZNGzubAia35ri9JISRpXGBaDFQttCP90MkyqhA1Tj-ohkQjkCoiFnj3yncVoFPU1WflSCV8hlT4dbh-JTtMj5aeDPhyphenhyphenhgts7ZA5nuIby82/s400/IMG_0875.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Check out the talons on this bird.</span></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>About the livingstone manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15047348353838788167noreply@blogger.com43tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219399735108761802.post-78404860178114102632011-11-10T08:11:00.000-08:002011-11-10T08:11:01.120-08:00Planting season<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXc24SDQksCVumkdqnh_OJYlqH6gSXssshSIgcfq_JS2G3prYyuzOO-F1xxjJL8AaHaTYHL4K2kGdUAgH_U_z6XBA8rTcpN5foYslD1EDplOW0tjVncQSDR2DDgBzilUfYCwD68JK4cZrm/s1600/tractortom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXc24SDQksCVumkdqnh_OJYlqH6gSXssshSIgcfq_JS2G3prYyuzOO-F1xxjJL8AaHaTYHL4K2kGdUAgH_U_z6XBA8rTcpN5foYslD1EDplOW0tjVncQSDR2DDgBzilUfYCwD68JK4cZrm/s320/tractortom.jpg" width="320" /></a><b></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><b>Planting season is now upon us!</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> The rains are starting up and we need to get our fields tilled. So I got out our old faithful tractor dusted it off and went away at it. Our two fields are small, so it would only take a few hours. But ohhh, those few hours were tough. My arms, hands and body still are shaking today! HA! </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">The tractor I have is called a walking tractor as you can and often walk along behind it and control it by adjusting different levers.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">But I prefer a small seat that connects to the tiller. It saves me stepping around in the soil and makes the work more enjoyable. </span></b></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibEeXfvpE4B_rapA8drHJ9kt8AUUNu19QbZFY_MQvAkBmlcdv0_BFzoQb85wREQ0JY9KkKc2TZkXpOkDKyFHp__BRQgWKEfYNK_Grv40wDj1QpC-VqoEeIFFhjHyWrZI7LS_Oe4ONnM5-D/s1600/tractor-tom1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibEeXfvpE4B_rapA8drHJ9kt8AUUNu19QbZFY_MQvAkBmlcdv0_BFzoQb85wREQ0JY9KkKc2TZkXpOkDKyFHp__BRQgWKEfYNK_Grv40wDj1QpC-VqoEeIFFhjHyWrZI7LS_Oe4ONnM5-D/s320/tractor-tom1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> There are some hazards to this though, one is that the revolving belts can brake at any time and whip you in the face, and two, when the tiller is connected, your foot can slip down to the exposed teeth where, well I don't have to be too graphic but you get the picture.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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In the end, the best feeling a farmer has is to look at his freshly tilled fields and look on it with pride and satisfaction. To me this was a great ending to the day.<br />
I do have more soy beans seeds, so I will be looking for another plot where I can sow another hector.<br />
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Oh, I forgot, The first field I planted sweet corn as this is nearly impossible to get here in Zambia.<br />
I will be planting it in a two week pattern, that way I will have fresh corn on the cob every two weeks. mmmmmmmm!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>About the livingstone manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15047348353838788167noreply@blogger.com38tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219399735108761802.post-62209492965693337732011-10-31T10:38:00.000-07:002011-10-31T10:38:45.537-07:00Strangers in the night!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYXvO_FhaLMVcZYOA4I-Zqo8TEbi4-npya5m7CvA6uGaDFck6ZfPYxFICFqfNegvxoTAT-zgcFjTnAls-jlbZu3e-YX958_gLzy6t8zMjAro2m2L3QJbkyP2l5M2JVStc3yJvSagofaK3C/s1600/croc1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYXvO_FhaLMVcZYOA4I-Zqo8TEbi4-npya5m7CvA6uGaDFck6ZfPYxFICFqfNegvxoTAT-zgcFjTnAls-jlbZu3e-YX958_gLzy6t8zMjAro2m2L3QJbkyP2l5M2JVStc3yJvSagofaK3C/s1600/croc1.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Around 6pm 3 villagers rang the door bell of the orphanage, I thought, at this time of night who could this be? Then when I opened the door I saw a bucket next to the 3 natives and knew it was some sort of animal. And sure enough it was a 2 foot crocodile. This is the second crock I have rescued here in Zambia.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> I asked the usual questions of where was it found, did you beat it, how did you handle the animal, etc. They said they were fishing with their nets and this crock got all tangled up in their nets, the only way to get it out was to cut a section of the net away. This was a problem as now they would need to re-sew the damaged net when they returned to the land. So to get money to mend their net, they decided to sell the animal in the village. Of course, they went to me first because they know I am an animal lover..HA..So I sided with them and gave them enough money to mend their nets. And off they went.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJoYF_Ty4vrvx2VpRuOwKtSxYbwvN2_XXgcfLP7WGjG8WQimbcDIw7zfyIXyS5OuP2dezY4UPqn4JOeDUWJOy_XBxeF2UpDa4kGtYz8IDtsjQlMKdPHOWbNcWQIpU0c2hRmBpE5i4JDjBK/s1600/croc2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJoYF_Ty4vrvx2VpRuOwKtSxYbwvN2_XXgcfLP7WGjG8WQimbcDIw7zfyIXyS5OuP2dezY4UPqn4JOeDUWJOy_XBxeF2UpDa4kGtYz8IDtsjQlMKdPHOWbNcWQIpU0c2hRmBpE5i4JDjBK/s320/croc2.jpg" width="320" /></a>The first thing I do when I get an animal from the wild is to do a thorough health check of the animal. No I am not a vet, but I try my best with the common sense I have, plus I use the internet for further information.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> The eyes, tail, feet and body all looked in good condition. No cuts or broken bones.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> The crock was alert and looked hungry! </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh91mj_dULc2kiyEzTAibBSxTT8hI_bVL_0Oh4Vc2VTF9vv3CgrxfIJlX_YO1DYvOPR_BMtkMh6tPTIdEEbZXwO3kPuyXx0HbtlKNYQ6wAIgqIc3bHsYKMaqhFhynFfStt71yIlIllcRiI/s1600/croc4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh91mj_dULc2kiyEzTAibBSxTT8hI_bVL_0Oh4Vc2VTF9vv3CgrxfIJlX_YO1DYvOPR_BMtkMh6tPTIdEEbZXwO3kPuyXx0HbtlKNYQ6wAIgqIc3bHsYKMaqhFhynFfStt71yIlIllcRiI/s200/croc4.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0pu8X6m691q-TwWoYfvUWaD45eY0AWlmzGeSBsLUHBzrLoYQWPIlYeZywqNCJk0bdHD5hdQ9ZYE7OdcYWJCWvgvMdvsc2cgJ0bMUbBhd886riJBa6yIyqi1ZX9YiWqOQ7GTmCuIPa72kx/s1600/croc5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0pu8X6m691q-TwWoYfvUWaD45eY0AWlmzGeSBsLUHBzrLoYQWPIlYeZywqNCJk0bdHD5hdQ9ZYE7OdcYWJCWvgvMdvsc2cgJ0bMUbBhd886riJBa6yIyqi1ZX9YiWqOQ7GTmCuIPa72kx/s320/croc5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> One experiment I tried was to see if what I heard when I was a boy, that if you turn over any reptile and stroke its stomach on a downward stroke, then the reptile would relax so much that it would fall asleep. As a boy I would do this to lizards whenever I would find them, So I finally had a chance to try it out, and guess what..IT WORKED! Ha! I dont think I would try this on a large crock, but you never know.............................................</div>About the livingstone manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15047348353838788167noreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219399735108761802.post-27730379559762687022011-10-24T13:39:00.000-07:002011-10-24T13:39:47.342-07:00Save the Ducks!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAvArUz87cvt0xI-_OLPvNVFRtH7dTBbUHrb3A2-Iuhiz5boMqc9K6da7bSAXgcQrO5LDfoHTif7f6sX-6eO29cxaJrWp2bo3QVbE3GBJJJxz6yJcq0YqJ3lTi-SR71mfOsbBl8gYkvJx9/s1600/Duck1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAvArUz87cvt0xI-_OLPvNVFRtH7dTBbUHrb3A2-Iuhiz5boMqc9K6da7bSAXgcQrO5LDfoHTif7f6sX-6eO29cxaJrWp2bo3QVbE3GBJJJxz6yJcq0YqJ3lTi-SR71mfOsbBl8gYkvJx9/s1600/Duck1.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The other day a group of guys came to the gate selling 5 ducklings from the lagoon. I got them for a few dollars a piece and put them directly into quarantine after inspecting them.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> There was no marks of abuse, and they all looked in good condition. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> I am not sure the species of duck they are, but I am sure when they get older I will be able to identify them.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> 24th---So today I found 2 of them dead from an unknown reason. It is common for some of the ducks in a group to pass away because of weakness or trauma. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> The 3 that are remaining are still vibrant and moving around.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkVDo-Sfci4EiOmoEZSS1edcrj7gMuZZtY0DERBFTnEyExTyPbO9-Kh6WY0jf56_iwhI9s0UBSEN3RPVPgunBfYEQuIPm7Ep9hc4JPARdU9PlIy7nWxooQYpD3UHBTgiSLyIUhH3rUj04K/s1600/duck2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkVDo-Sfci4EiOmoEZSS1edcrj7gMuZZtY0DERBFTnEyExTyPbO9-Kh6WY0jf56_iwhI9s0UBSEN3RPVPgunBfYEQuIPm7Ep9hc4JPARdU9PlIy7nWxooQYpD3UHBTgiSLyIUhH3rUj04K/s320/duck2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The domestic ducks I have on the property right now number over 50, but those are Muscovy ducks which look very different from these, even young-lings.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> These have a dark stripe across it's eye which travels to the back and have very large web feet.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> If you can identify this bird please let me know! Hopefully, the 3 remaining will survive and fly back to the wild! </div> About the livingstone manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15047348353838788167noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219399735108761802.post-59644718153927073582011-10-13T11:37:00.000-07:002011-10-13T11:37:21.967-07:00Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!<div style="text-align: justify;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That is the sound of an African Striped Weasel.(Poecilogale albinucha) Another animal I saved from the clutches of the local witches. They say this animal is very rare, and can make very powerful JU JU's.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm8QawNBNyuFhB9chw1diIiYCY9DuJXtXn8VwsGFBuIBeZhE9itL44X4GbwVQzTd44tpSaGg_SUslnUO_SOXMbXUbHxmjXFMgtXH3kpd6DSeYht6cHyG9QPk9YexZBrq6_NwSIEeL2pPRz/s1600/Akasama1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm8QawNBNyuFhB9chw1diIiYCY9DuJXtXn8VwsGFBuIBeZhE9itL44X4GbwVQzTd44tpSaGg_SUslnUO_SOXMbXUbHxmjXFMgtXH3kpd6DSeYht6cHyG9QPk9YexZBrq6_NwSIEeL2pPRz/s320/Akasama1.jpg" width="280" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> This weasel is a very strong preditor, it can be identified by its long slender body with a white and black stripe down its back. The smell is similar to a skunk and when mad, it makes a GRRRRRRRRR sound.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> It has a sleek, black color with a white tail and four white stripes running down its back. It is 50 centimeters in length on average, including its tail of 20 centimeters.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The African striped weasel lives in forests, wetlands and grasslands. It is a nocturnal hunter of small mammals, birds, and reptiles. Mainly rats! The weasel kills its prey by whipping its own body and kicking, making use of its thin, lithe, muscular body to stun and tear the prey item. I have watched it many times killing a rat and it goes straight for the back of the neck. Once the back bone is located it simply cracks it. It sometimes stores its prey in its burrow instead of eating it immediately. Like skunks and polecats, the weasel emits a noxious fluid from its anal glands when it feels threatened. The weasel is generally solitary, but individuals have been found sharing burrows. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinGVHXwuWRg1hBrtVYw4pQLVh43F1UKzv_i3uSpgasYDFx-Wxfi4dDS0ZVCoQK_WmdWR4Jwrau6GtJJ5mCI0JX42xm1X7Fl4J9z8dG361DUYhSA1U164J85e61cmnf2yK3L1bkF8dZ_sSU/s1600/map1" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3YPrs9bfPoZXP_kLrk_l694d1Q0UPMWB511aeGZ25tF8cNy_cRut4Ee_lzIiQbJw9X6YPVSRnl0IVCGerEdsktUoXFit7h1meus1f1QQssazpXmRkIgM8YpxmCaxkPSWItPpj__ivnP9J/s1600/Akasama2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3YPrs9bfPoZXP_kLrk_l694d1Q0UPMWB511aeGZ25tF8cNy_cRut4Ee_lzIiQbJw9X6YPVSRnl0IVCGerEdsktUoXFit7h1meus1f1QQssazpXmRkIgM8YpxmCaxkPSWItPpj__ivnP9J/s320/Akasama2.jpg" width="315" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> This is the 3rd weasel that has come to the orphanage, one was caught by my dog during a rain storm, another was rescued but after a short few days it died in captivity, and now this one was caught examined for problems then after a few days it was released back to the wild. A success!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After the first day of this one being in quarantine the weasel gave off a smell that repelled all who came close to the cage. The smell last for months at a time.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> This weasel was over 2 feet long and had a beautiful coat. A full size one at that.</span></span></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One thing that I am still a great fan of is the HEXGUARD gloves that I have for handling different animals with. This weasel kept on biting and trying to rip off my fingers over and over again. I could see his frustration as he tried different angles and sides, until he just gave up. It must have been his first time to be handled instead of him handling someone else.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinGVHXwuWRg1hBrtVYw4pQLVh43F1UKzv_i3uSpgasYDFx-Wxfi4dDS0ZVCoQK_WmdWR4Jwrau6GtJJ5mCI0JX42xm1X7Fl4J9z8dG361DUYhSA1U164J85e61cmnf2yK3L1bkF8dZ_sSU/s1600/map1" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinGVHXwuWRg1hBrtVYw4pQLVh43F1UKzv_i3uSpgasYDFx-Wxfi4dDS0ZVCoQK_WmdWR4Jwrau6GtJJ5mCI0JX42xm1X7Fl4J9z8dG361DUYhSA1U164J85e61cmnf2yK3L1bkF8dZ_sSU/s1600/map1" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFDpJ5BczmS4A_c2dERbdYak2TwN52xmybJhpSr2SR4mVg3eTWGaJWiNsbVQQ4Yxgdk5SvfpGUb6m-ViZt-kGSvzaTgLhIq-RWD1w-ixGXa_RrPijfkPxp9cB0abL3RY6Yod0XnOq0bEce/s1600/Akasama3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFDpJ5BczmS4A_c2dERbdYak2TwN52xmybJhpSr2SR4mVg3eTWGaJWiNsbVQQ4Yxgdk5SvfpGUb6m-ViZt-kGSvzaTgLhIq-RWD1w-ixGXa_RrPijfkPxp9cB0abL3RY6Yod0XnOq0bEce/s200/Akasama3.jpg" width="200" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> This animal would be virtually impossible to handle without protected gear. And the teeth on this guy is razor sharp, especially made to rip!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Better luck next time you old weasel. He is now safe in the woods doing what he does. Eating rats! </span></span></div><br />
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</span></div>About the livingstone manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15047348353838788167noreply@blogger.com47tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7219399735108761802.post-16301272400614211682011-09-26T09:54:00.000-07:002011-09-26T09:54:06.777-07:00Turtle Times<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLuJz4IY7pinykOgEKKoVagKjIEWKddIXhKFwRTJHOiL63hUqTHmW4sdVV-zPrZpAls44MeREyQ96lSmK4tDC8XQfj5na7qGEYXn__MzoxcLxmbMVTekFQ_7V-O_n1agPDRXs5INs0klLp/s1600/Trurtle1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLuJz4IY7pinykOgEKKoVagKjIEWKddIXhKFwRTJHOiL63hUqTHmW4sdVV-zPrZpAls44MeREyQ96lSmK4tDC8XQfj5na7qGEYXn__MzoxcLxmbMVTekFQ_7V-O_n1agPDRXs5INs0klLp/s1600/Trurtle1.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Just got this Turtle in from a villager passing by. Paid $2 for it which I think was reasonable for the condition it was in.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> I showed the orphans the turtle and let it walk around, surprisingly it was moving quite fast and I was just about to tell them how slow they are. HA!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> I tried to look up the species but had no luck. Maybe just a mud turtle. There is not much webbing next to the claws so he might be a land turtle, but in the mean time I will put it with the Muscovy ducks I have. There he can decide if he wants to go swimming or not. With the 100 degree weather we are having I think he needs water.</div>About the livingstone manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15047348353838788167noreply@blogger.com30