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38FOCUS-FEBRUARY2015Namibia-wherewildlifeaboundsLastmonthsTravelondealtwitharecenttriptoNamibiawhichismostlyadesertcountryhoweverthearticleonlycoveredasmallportionofthisgreatWestAfricancountryandIdidnotwanttomissanop-portunitytotalkaboutthewildlifewhichissoplentifulespeciallyintheNorthernregion.TheenormousnationalreserveinNamibiaiscalledEtoshaandislargerthanLakeOntario.Itishometonumerousspeciesofwildlifeincludingelephantsrhinocerosleopardsantelopesaswellas40percentoftheworldscheetahpopulation.Thereareseverallodgesintheparkandquiteafewontheoutskirts.Ihadthepleasureofspendingfourdaysthereexploringdifferentareaseachtime.ThenorthisabitdangerousasitbordersonAngolaacountrywherecrimerunsrampant.Theroadsaremostlygravel.Howeverduetothewildlifedrivingmorethan40km.anhourisnotdone.MyLandRoverwasgearedfortheterrainandhandledtheroughroadsdustysandandhottemperatureswithnoproblem.AvastpartofEtoshaisalakewhichonlyhaswaterinitseveralweeksayearmostlyinFebru-ary.Thetemperaturesgetintothemid-thirtiesanditisextremelydry.DuringmyveryrsttrekintothereserveIcameuponawateringholewithwellover40elephants.Itwasabsolutelyunbelievable.Onceyoubecomeac-customedtotheelephantsyoubegintorealizetherearehundredsofotheranimalsinthevicinitywaitingtheirturnforadrink.Thereseemstobeapeckingordermostlygovernedbysize.Therewerewildebeestsgnusandkudushundredsofspringbokandmanyoryx.Theoryxareinterestingbecausetheyonlydrinktwoorthreetimesayear.Theygettheirmoisturefromwhatlittleplantlifethereisbutlikeacamelstoreitforusewhentheyneedit.EarlythenextmorningIwasontheprowlforpreda-torycatsandafterhavingseenanumberofcheetahsIsuddenlysawaleopardjumpinfrontofthecarandstandbesideitstaringinquisitively.Istoppedimmediatelyrolleddownthewindowandbegantakingphotographs.Theleopardsatforawhilewalkedbackandforthalittlesatsomemoreandcrouchedseveraltimesasifitwasgoingtolunge.Itstayedforagoodhalf-hourwhichmadeforanincredibleexperience.ThebeautyoftheanimalmadeyouwanttoreachoutandtouchithoweverIrefrained.Thenextdaywewenttoanareawidespreadwithzebrasasfarastheeyecouldsee.Therewereliterallyhundredsandhundredsofthestripedanimalswander-ingeverywhereandcomingwithinameterortwoofmyvehicle.Ifounditinterestingthatthezebrashaveverylargestomachsmakingmethinktheywerepregnant.MyguideexplainedthatthefoodtheyeatcausesthemtodeveloplargeamountsofgassomethingwhichwasevidentassoonasIrolleddownthewindow.IvebeentoAfricaanumberoftimesbutnevergettiredofwatchingtheabundanceofwildanimalsintheirnaturalhabitat.Theercenessofthehy-enasandthestealthoftheravenouscatsissomethingIcanwatchforhours.YouhavetobeoutoftheparkbysundownwhichisprobablyagoodthingbecauseImsureIlooklikedinnertoalotoftheanimalsIsaw.Iwasdisappointedafter312daysatonlyseeingonerhinoandhewaslyingunderatreeasleep.IdrovetotheareawhererhinoshadbeenspottedasdusksetuponusandasIwasabouttoleavetworhinossuddenlycameoutofthebushesaboutfourmetresfromthecar.ApparentlyIwasdownwindandtheireyesightisverybadorsoIwasassuredbymyguideafterIhadaskediftheywouldchargeusIwasalittleapprehen-