Tanzania report is up!

Just returned from a short trip to Tanzania and will post a report of it. However on top of herp photos, I've got a lot of mammal and bird photos. May I post non-herp photos as well, or just stick with herps and provide a Flickr link to the others? Photos posted here will undoubtedly get more attention than a Flickr link, so I'd like to post a few mammals if it's ok.

What does the admin think?

Agama mwanzae, Serengeti np.

I'm looking forward to see pictures of all interesting animals, plants, landscapes....and so do all members i think.
Don't hesitate to post an entire travel report.
I love the first picture, please more......

Here we go.
I spent 16 days in Tanzania visiting my ladypartner who’s working in Dar es Salaam for a few months. We wanted to fit as much activity into the relatively short time rather than lazying around. We moved around all the time and spent two consecutive nights in the same place only once. The route was as follows: Dar es Salaam – daytrips to a couple of cities – Moshi – Visit to a Maasai vilage – Karatu – Serengeti – Ngorongoro crater – Lake Manyara np. – Dar es Salaam – Zanzibar island for three days – Dar. Fairly intensive chedule, especially as distances are long and public transport pretty slow (Dar – Moshi bus ride takes over ten hours – nearly the whole daylight of the day and going around when dark may be risky). The trip was pretty amazing and the safari just surreal a lot of the time. We got lucky as the southern migration in Serengeti had just started and the extent of biomass was just inconceivable. Got the big five, including one of the 12 black rhino that exist in Tanzania, and so much more.


Here’s just a selection of photos. You can find much more on my Flickr account: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pahakyy/sets/72157632066406860/


Amietophrynus gutturalis


Phrynomantis bifasciatus


Hemidactylus mabouia


Kilimanjaro




Baobab tree.


Maasai-kids.


Rift valley – the origin of hominids.







Cloud forest on the southern slopes of Ngorongoro crater.


Stunning views into Serengeti off the edge of the Ngorongoro crater.


The edge of Serengeti.


The edge of Serengeti.




Agama mwanzae –male.


Agama mwanzae -male.


Agama mwanzae -female.


Grant’s gazelles.


Some painted horse.


Lioness with one of her three cubs.


Hartebeest.


Nile croc.


Leopard.


Cheeta.


Chubby vultures.


Impala-male.


Hippos.




Black-faced vervet monkeys.


Kirk’s dikdik.


Young impala-males trying each other out.


Ostrich.


Impala-females.


Wilderbeest. Lots of wilderbeest. All the time. All day.


Black-backed jackal.


Thomson’s gazelles.


Smellefants.


Giraffes.


Marabou storks.


Topi antelope.


Lions copulating. Got the whole thing on continuous 8fps.


Spotted hyena.


Ngorongoro crater.


Pumba.


Ngorongoro crater.


Flamingoes.


Ngorongoro and a big cat.


One of the 12 black rhinos in Tanzania.


Golden jackal.




Cercopithecus mitis


Nile monitor (Varanus niloticus) .


Olive baboon mating season.


Black-faced vervets. Note the characteristic, blue balls.


Pelomedusa subrufa.


A huge male. As for scale: the road is as wide as two and a half LandCruisers.


Trachylepis striata.


Stigmochelys pardalis.


Stigmochelys pardalis.


Amietophrynus gutturalis.



And off to Zanzibar.



Trachylepis maculilabris.


Matemwe village in north-east Zanzibar.


Seaweed farm.


A very interesting crab.


Fiddler crab.


Harvesting seaweed.


Lygodactylus luteopictoratus.


Lygodactylus luteopictoratus.


Hemidactylus maboyia.




Trachylepis varia.


Trachylepis striata.


Konyagi. The spirit of the nation.

First - whoever gave the first post a thumbs down has motives that I certainly can´t figure out. Since the photo is simply stunning!

Absolutely massive post with nothing short of amazing shots. I rarely feel the envy I, honestly, feel now. To many delicious species to even comment them all. Seeing Leopard in real life must be something special. But what´s up with those baboon-buts, really, they are just too weird.

Thanks!

Seeing a leopard sure was a bit special. Especially as it's rare to see them on the ground. It was the olive baboon mating season and the females behinds overgo a rather spectacular tranformation.

Quote :

It was the olive baboon mating season and the females behinds overgo a rather spectacular tranformation.

Indeed - evolution having a laugh I guess.

Well well - great post.

Hello Matti,

thank you, just beautiful, I enjoyed it a lot.
I wish you more such trips in the future,

Rainer

Hi,
thank you for sharing your great pictures.

regards
Markus

Simply stunning!

I can't imagine how beautiful this must've been!

Simply stunning photography!

Very very nice Martti,

and a lot of beautiful pictures for a 16 day trip. I´ll like a lot ,,Pumba´´ for a pig a stunning shape. I was never in central or southern Africa, but I like to see such nice shots - specialy in this winter days!

thanks for posting, not much luck on the snake front?

Cheers,
Scott

Spectacular photos, Martti! Thank you very much for sharing... The leopard is incredible

Fantastic series of photographs, Mr. Niskanen. I like the image of the wild niloticus. Thanks for posting this here. Sincerely, Jon Davidson .

Absolutely stunning scenery! What a dream excursion into the heart of Africa. Thank you for letting your fellow herpers see through your eyes.