When I drank my morning coffee today, sweetened with fresh local honey and seated quite comfortably in the lounge tent of EcoScience Lodges, I had no idea that I would end up squatting in an anthill, watching a ranger dig through elephant scat with his bare hands in just a few short hours. We departed from the lap of luxury in Ecoscience Lodge today, and ventured over to Ngorongoro forest.
After settling in at the next lodge (outdoor pool and viewpoint and wifi, oh my!), we departed on a hike. Yes, a hike. I was ecstatic. Others were less pleased. Dr. Scott Solomon, our professor, mentor, and some might say guru, informed us that we would be hiking four hours through the Ngorongoro highland forest to see an elephant salt lick and a waterfall. Needless to say, it was WONDERFUL.
The conservation rangers for the conservation area accompanied us throughout the hike, providing tons of helpful information and wielding heavy-duty firearms as they warned us of the dangers of cape buffalo. Coming from a background of “if it’s brown, lie down; if it’s black, fight back,” the idea of lying down in the face of an aggressive bovid seemed somewhat reasonable. However, their advice to simply run whenever faced with an elephant sparked my skepticism. What if the elephants were peaceful? What if they were friendly? What if we became friends? What if I moved out into the forest to join them?
Speaking of elephants, here’s a small herd that joined us at the salt lick to indulge in rocks rich in phosphorus, calcium, and more:
According to the rangers, using the salt licks for nutrients can extend the lifespan of the elephants’ teeth by several years, cumulatively adding around a decade onto their lifespans. Wild!!
The waterfall of the Ngoro river flowing into the Ngoro falls also did not disappoint:
And my classmates were delightful, even during our steepest ascents:
Pictured: Kamden & Alex
We ended the day with the traditional drive-home nap and a few student lectures. Update: still not over my fear of large primates. It may be getting worse. At least we haven’t run into any baboons yet. If we do, I fear I may lose the fight–remember me.
Protecting my snacks at all costs,
Rose
