Micato Safaris

Just like moons and like suns,⁠ With the certainty of tides,⁠ Just like hopes springing high,⁠ Still I'll rise.⁠ ⁠ ~Maya Angelou

That calm surrender to the rush of day? This is it. Photo: Micato guest Carrie Carretta

Big Five Spotlight: The Cape Buffalo⁠ ⁠ 1. The Cape buffalo is the largest African bovid, found in different terrains throughout sub-Saharan Africa. From lowland plains to dry savannah, these big hulks might be the first Big Five animal you see on safari.⁠ 2. Buffalos keep it all in the family: They maintain herds ranging from 40 to 2,000 animals, consisting of highly social sub-clans.⁠ 3. Healthy buffalos can outrun lions (their only predator, aside from man) and reach speeds of 35 miles per hour.⁠ 4. Cape buffalos’ sight and hearing are poor, but they have a strong sense of smell, making them difficult to track on-foot. ⁠ 5. Buffalos make great pathfinders. No, we’re not talking about the Nissan. In each herd, a handful of designated individuals lead the group as trusted guides. And having trusted guides, is, of course, something we're like-minded about!⁠ ⁠ Read more: http://mica.to/buffalo

Hyenas are not in a state of perpetual laughter. Sometimes, they're just trying to get through the day. Photo: Hyena and baby in Amboseli by Micato guest Frank Newton

"Pardon me, sir, is that the new iPhone?"

If you join us on the Laikipia Plateau we can't promise you'll be photobombed by dozens of baboons, but we always like to leave room for the possibility.⁠

Big Five Spotlight: The African Leopard⁠ ⁠ 1. Leopards are currently found in 35 different African countries. This far-ranging distribution speaks to this feline's ability to thrive in almost any kind of habitat, from open grassland to craggy mountainsides, and from dense rainforest to parched desert. ⁠ 2. Though they’re among the smallest of the big cats, leopards are extraordinary athletes. They’re able to run at speeds up to 35 mph, bound horizontally as far as 20 feet, and swim across surging waterways.⁠ 3. Leopards are not fussy eaters. In sub-Saharan Africa alone, they’ve been recorded availing themselves of 90 different food sources, more than any other regional apex predator.⁠ 4. While they’re as cunning as lions, leopards are not nearly so bold. When they sense they’ve been spotted they will flee, more than likely shooting up the nearest tree, as they’re expert climbers. ⁠ 5. Fun fact: The leopard is one of the few big cats that purr.⁠ ⁠ ⁠To read more about leopards, click here: http://mica.to/leopards

In our peaceable kingdom, every creature’s song is heard.⁠ ⁠ Photo: Micato guest Tristan Minoux

Big Five Spotlight: The Rhino⁠ceros ⁠ 1. The rhinoceros is prized by poachers for the purported—yet scientifically unproven—medicinal properties of its horn, a quality that has brought both the black and white rhino to near extinction over the years. ⁠2. Rhinos are large—the second-largest land animal in the world, next to elephants—and weigh over a ton, but golly are they quick, nearly as fast as the leopard when charging,⁠ 3. While a rhino will indeed fight to protect its young or its (literal) stomping grounds, most rhino charges are defensive rather than offensive. The rhino’s poor eyesight also means they end up “attacking” rocks and bushes far more often than they do actual adversaries!⁠ 4. Despite their intimidating bulk and aggressive reputation, rhinos are quite shy and elusive, making your first glance at these creatures—with their leathery armoured hides, mountainous shoulders, and long horns—truly breathtaking.⁠ 5. Fun Fact: Those long horns—which can exceed four feet in length—are made of keratin, just like your fingernails and hair.⁠ ⁠ ⁠For a lovely video of rhinos in the wild, make your way here: https://lnkd.in/eA7uvVhx