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Okavanga — Samango Alpha Male

#arboreal #forest #kzn #monkey #southafrica #wildlifephotography #samango #thonga
Published: 2018-09-16 06:41:15 +0000 UTC; Views: 408; Favourites: 31; Downloads: 3
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Description SamangoAt the start of my recent vacation in KwaZulu Natal, we stayed in the Oyster Box Hotel in Umhlanga, near Durban, before journeying on to Thonga Beach Lodge on the north-east coast of KZN overlooking the Indian Ocean. Unfortunately, within an hour of arrival I was taken viollently ill with food poisoning, almost certainly from eating a tainted oyster at the aforementioned hotel. As  a result I was more or less confined to our forest chalet for 3 days, although latterly I ventured down to the beach and managed some minor activities. The Lodge is built into a coastal forest that grows along the dunes abutting the ocean and might to some people be their idea of what an African jungle might look like. Apart from paths that have been hard won through the undergrowth the forest is impenetrable to humans with trees, bushes and scrub of all descriptions, overwhelming numbers of buzzing, crawling, flying and possibly stinging insects, and the odd snake of of potential lethality. On my last
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Comments: 21

Captain-Art-Hero [2018-11-02 20:37:28 +0000 UTC]

Good capture David.

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Okavanga In reply to Captain-Art-Hero [2018-11-03 08:21:44 +0000 UTC]

Many thanks!

David

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LindArtz [2018-09-17 22:23:33 +0000 UTC]

Odd that he wandered off away from the rest of the group... But he must have had a good reason.... Food, perhaps.
He's a big one!  And healthy looking, too.    Nicely caught! !

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Okavanga In reply to LindArtz [2018-09-18 07:00:28 +0000 UTC]

You are correct, Linda, in thinking it odd to have wandered off. But, in fact, the main group is about 100-150 meters away as the monkey travels, so actually not so far. Also, alpha males of many species will roam wider than their charges as they are looking for food or checking for intruders or possible predators. He has the pick of the females, but he also has responsibilities!

Many thanks.

David

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LindArtz In reply to Okavanga [2018-09-18 16:58:22 +0000 UTC]

... he has his "responsibilities".   That is why....  he has the  "pick of the females".  !!

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Okavanga In reply to LindArtz [2018-09-19 06:19:18 +0000 UTC]

Rights and responsibilities,Linda. Alpha males have a tough time - not that I would know personally.

David

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LindArtz In reply to Okavanga [2018-09-20 01:16:37 +0000 UTC]

You seem to know "too much", David!

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Okavanga In reply to LindArtz [2018-09-20 06:35:24 +0000 UTC]

The most important thing I know, Linda, is that I know very little.

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LindArtz In reply to Okavanga [2018-09-20 16:17:30 +0000 UTC]

In my experience, that's always been a true trait, of the most Intelligent of people. !

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Okavanga In reply to LindArtz [2018-09-21 06:11:16 +0000 UTC]

Maybe...

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seek-and-hide [2018-09-17 01:55:49 +0000 UTC]

The fur look quite silky ... maybe a good hairdresser.  

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Okavanga In reply to seek-and-hide [2018-09-17 06:41:37 +0000 UTC]

Agreed about the fur, Mayumi. The weather can be very cold along the coast and I reckon these monkeys have evolved fairly long fur for that reason.

Many Thanks

David

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LuLupoo [2018-09-16 12:30:08 +0000 UTC]

What a beautiful monkey  

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Okavanga In reply to LuLupoo [2018-09-17 06:40:13 +0000 UTC]

He is indeed, Lucy. Big guy.

Many thanks

David

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LuLupoo In reply to Okavanga [2018-09-17 12:28:42 +0000 UTC]

Awesome

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fotoponono [2018-09-16 10:01:33 +0000 UTC]

There are so many beautiful creatures out there!

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Okavanga In reply to fotoponono [2018-09-17 06:32:29 +0000 UTC]

Indeed there are, Henry. I thought this fellow was magnificent.

Many Thanks

David

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fotoponono In reply to Okavanga [2018-09-17 07:47:20 +0000 UTC]

I'd also never seen these species.  I only heard their noise in the long trees of the forest I used to visit when I was growing up  The NGOME forest was some distance away from the village and we would go there to cut ' sticks'.  Someone would tell me that the noise was that of a "Nsimangwe".  I did not know how it looked like.   Really beautiful animal.



Cheers

Henry K

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Okavanga In reply to fotoponono [2018-09-18 07:11:04 +0000 UTC]

"Nsimangwe" - I see where "samango" comes from, Henry. Agreed, these are beautiful creatures. Incidentally, the local tribe refer to themselves as Thonga Zulus and claim to be descended from an indigenous people who interbreed with Zulu "incomers" - interesting?

Many Thanks, Henry.

David

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fotoponono In reply to Okavanga [2018-09-18 10:29:10 +0000 UTC]

"Thonga Zulu"!  Very much interesting.  Zulu King Shaka was instrumental in uniting the tribes and also disintegrating them by battles and some people fled to near and far places.
Thank you for sharing your experience, David!




Cheers

Henry K

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Okavanga In reply to fotoponono [2018-09-19 06:17:01 +0000 UTC]

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