human CHRONICLES 36 Once you go on an African safari even the best stocked zoo will turn you off. A trip to the African wilderness is a once in a lifetime opportunity. The dream of every ardent safarigoer is to see the BIG 5. Elephant, lion, wild buffalo, rhino, and the reclusive leopard. The images depicted here are raw and real. rubbed firmly. Nelli had her leg up in the air from the time she settled down. I could hear her purr like a cat. Built like a tank Thirty years ago, there were 7,500 rhinos in Zambia. When we visited the game park there were just five! A dedicated group of forest rangers guard them with their lives. The guide who accompanied us took us to an outpost in the Mosi-Oa-Tunya game park. Another forest ranger hopped into our jeep and we drove for a couple of miles. The rhinos’ whereabouts are kept a secret. Wherever the rhinos fancy to wander the guards follow. They have shoot-at-sight orders in case of poachers. We left the jeep and travelled on foot for about five minutes. Under a tree we came upon the rhinos - the male, and a female with its calf (previous pages). A trip to the African wilderness is a once in a lifetime opportunity. The dream of every ardent safarigoer is to see the BIG 5. Elephant, lion, wild buffalo, rhino, and the reclusive leopard. Luckily we saw all of them. The leopard, just a glimpse. I’m not sure if I actually saw the leopard. Or, was my intense wish playing tricks? My wife and son claim they saw it. As Peter Zulu, our guide, said, one has to always leave behind a wish so one can come back to fulfil it.
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