LA GRANDE OUTDOORSMAN GETS CLOSEUP LOOK AT AFRICAN WILDLIFE

Dick Mason

The Observer

Evening is a time of remarkable opportunity for wildlife viewers in Namibia.

It is also a time of danger for the unsuspecting.

Mark Penninger of La Grande understands this well.

Penninger visited Namibia for about 2 1/2 weeks last summer with his wife, Teresa. He spent several evenings near a watering hole in a national park. The watering hole attracted elephants, lions, giraffes and other animals.

All are easy to see in the evening because of floodlights set up for tourists, who can watch from distances of about 50 yards without the protection of fences or barriers. The animals seem oblivious to the presence of people.

Most of the time.

Several months before Penninger's visit, a lion killed a man sleeping on a bench near the watering hole. Penninger was jolted by the news.

"I had been going (to the watering hole) by myself. After I heard about the attack I started thinking that it wasn't a good idea,'' he said.

News of the lion attack put only a slight damper on one of the most rewarding trips of Penninger's life. An avid and knowledgeable outdoorsman, he identified 30 bird species he had never seen before, along with a wide variety of mammals

"It was an unreal experience if you like wildlife,'' said Penninger, a U.S. Forest Service biologist.

Remarkable birds spotted by Penninger included the kori bustard. Weighing in at up to 35 pounds, it is one of the heaviest flying birds. Kori bustards have a large wingspan and make a lot of noise when they fly.

Another bird Penninger will never forget is the crimson-breasted shrike, known for its striking red plumage.

"It is so red. It is one of the brightest reds I've ever seen in nature.''

So bright are the bird's feathers that from a distance they look like a laser dot.

Another noteworthy bird is the sociable weaver, which builds large nest colonies in trees. The colonies are so large they seem to make a canopy.

He also saw the Burchell's sand grouse, which hides in sand depressions.

"It will lie there and then explode (into flight) when you walk by it,'' the biologist said.

The most remarkable feature of the bird is its ability to transport water to its young with its absorbent breast feathers. The sand grouse soaks the feathers at watering holes and then flies to its young to give them water.

On the other side of the wildlife spectrum are elephants, which Penninger saw frequently throughout his trip. Observing elephants in circuses and zoos is nothing like seeing them in the wild, he said.

"People almost see them as comical (in circuses) but they are breathtaking in the wild,'' Penninger said.

Just observing them drink is awe-inspiring. They suck water into their trunks and then release it into their mouths.

"It sounds like they are dropping down buckets into a trough.''

Penninger observed that elephants have a very organized social structure. Older elephants can be observed disciplining younger ones.

The biologist noted that elephants and giraffes appear to walk slowly, but this is misleading.

"They will cover a mile in a few minutes because of their long strides.''

Elephants have no real predators, although lions can kill older ones in poor health. Giraffes, though, appear to live in constant fear of lions. Penninger noted that when giraffes come to a lighted watering hole at night they will first stand in darkness outside the area for up to an hour checking to make sure a lion is not lurking nearby.

Giraffes' fear of lions at water holes is well founded. They are vulnerable when drinking because of their long necks. Lions often kill giraffes when they are drinking because they cannot get up quickly, Penninger said.

Giraffes are relatively safe to be around, but anyone who gets near a hippopotamus has a dim future.

Penninger said that next to mosquitoes, which spread malaria, nothing in nature kills more people in Namibia than hippos. A person who gets between a hippo and a body of water is in grave danger.

"It can be very nasty,'' Penninger said.

He explained that hippos look upon water as their safety zone, so anyone between the hippo and water is perceived as a threat. A hippo will attack — as a defensive action.

"They can kill someone without any effort at all,'' Penninger said.

A non-threatening creature seen frequently in Namibia is the oryx, an antelope with long, straight horns. It is synonymous with Namibia the way moose are linked to Alaska and elk are associated with Oregon.

Unlike elk and moose, the oryx can survive on little water.

"They are like camels.''

Penninger noted that at night oryx huddle together and then lick the condensation off each other's fur in the morning. The moisture they get from licking condensation is all they need to get through a day. Oryx will drink large quantities of water when it is available.

Being able to survive without much water is a major attribute in Namibia since much of that land is desert.

This is the second trip Penninger has made to Namibia. He made his first trip in 2003. Namibia is among the best places to visit in Africa because, unlike many countries on the continent, it is not plagued by political violence. Tourists are safe there but have to be wary of petty crime in urban areas.

All told, Penninger saw a total of 130 bird species during his two trips — journeys he will forever treasure.

"It was a surreal experience. It was like living a dream.''