Biohazard

A Black Mamba inside a glass enclosure at the zoo.

It was late afternoon and started getting dark during a photographic safari in Africa. While driving on a narrow road in a game reserve I saw this big elephant walking towards me. I pulled over and watch him for a while but he keeps on walking straight to my vehicle. Scared of the situation, I decided to maneuver quickly and drive away from him.

This video was recorded during one of my wildlife photographic safari in South Africa. During the entire safari we have sighted several Giraffes, Zebras, Kudu, Hippopotamus, Gemsbok, Impala, Wildebeest,Springbok, several different birds and other animals.

The Reed Dance Ceremony (Umhlanga) is where thousands of Swazi maidens gather reeds, wear traditional clothes, journey to Royal Kraal and perform to pay tribute to the Queen Mother. The only Swazi maidens who are allowed to join the ceremony are those who are childless and unwed. The ceremony usually happens late August or early September. This is the time when shifting of seasons happen and reeds are maturing, making it a perfect time for harvesting; it lasts around eight days. The days of the Umhlanga Reed Dance are chosen based on the cycle of the moon. It cannot be specifically chosen based on the calendar. Once the moon cycle has been assessed, the exact dates for the ceremony are then broadcasted through public radio, which is done by the maidens’ captain (indvuna yetintfombi). She is selected through Royal Appointment based on her expertise of the dance and her knowledge of the national royal protocol. The indvuna yetintfombi will be the one to guide the other maidens along with one princess as they begin on day one of the ceremony. The ceremony has three main goals. First, uphold a woman’s virginity. It’s a way to encourage Swazi Maidens to abstain from any intimate relations until they are in the rightful age for marriage. Second is to honor the Queen Mother. The gathered and cut reeds by the Swazi Maidens will be brought to the Royal Residence used as windbreakers. Lastly, this ceremony becomes an opportunity for these women to form stronger bonds and unity amongst them.

Chobe National Park is Botswana's first national park. Located in the north of the country, it is Botswana's third largest park and has one of the greatest concentrations of game in all of Africa. The original inhabitants of this area were the San bushmen, also known as the Basarwa people in Botswana. They were nomadic hunter-gatherers who were constantly moving from place to place to find food sources. The park is widely known for its spectacular elephant population. It contains an estimated 50,000 elephants, perhaps the highest elephant concentration of Africa.

Nesting masked Weaver birds. The southern masked weaver or African masked weaver (Ploceus velatus) is a resident breeding bird species common throughout southern Africa. This weaver is very widespread and found in a wide range of habitats, including shrubland, savanna, grassland, open woodland, inland wetlands and semi-desert areas. It also occurs in suburban gardens and parks.

Swaziland is a landlocked country in the southern part of Africa, eastern flank of South Africa, where it adjoins Mozambique.The administrative centre is Mbabane, the former capital of the British colonial administration. The national capital is the seat of King Mswati III and his mother, the Ndlovukati, some 11 miles from Mbabane, at Phondvo in the vicinity of Lobamba, where the houses of parliament and other national institutions are situated. In April 2018 the king announced that he was changing the official name of the country from the Kingdom of Swaziland to the Kingdom of eSwatini.

My two months old Maltese puppies. Cute and very playful.

Birds of Africa recorded in the wilds of Africa.

Air show of light planes recorded in Africa.

Reed Dance Ceremony The Reed Dance Ceremony is a cultural event in the Kingdom of Swaziland that takes place late August or early September of the year. Maidens from every area of the kingdom participate to honor and pay homage to the Queen mother. The day of the Reed Dance begins with bathing and grooming prior to appearing before the king and queen mother. The girls wear short beaded skirts decorated with fringes and buttons, together with anklets, bracelets and necklaces and colorful sashes. The Royal Family Princesses wear red feathers in their hair and lead the maidens to perform before their majesties. The Reed Dance attracts young maidens and young men from across the Kingdom and fosters the unity of the clans which characterizes modern Swaziland and devoid of tribal differences.

Giraffe feeding on leaves of trees. The giraffe (Giraffa) is a genus of African even-toed ungulate mammals, the tallest living terrestrial animals and the largest ruminants. The giraffe's chief distinguishing characteristics are its extremely long neck and legs, its horn-like ossicones, and its distinctive coat patterns. It is classified under the family Giraffidae, along with its closest extant relative, the okapi. Its scattered range extends from Chad in the north to South Africa in the south, and from Niger in the west to Somalia in the east. Giraffes usually inhabit savannahs and woodlands. Their food source is leaves, fruits and flowers of woody plants, primarily acacia species, which they browse at heights most other herbivores cannot reach. -source: Wikipedia