In Touch with Nature – Highly endangered African painted wild dogs #Africanwildlife #Africanwilddogs

Posted: April 24, 2024 | Author: robertawrites235681907 | Filed under: Africa, Animals, In Touch With Nature, Nature, Wildlife | Tags: African Wild Dogs, In Touch With Nature, Nature, Robbie Cheadle, Wildlife, Writing to be Read | 76 Comments

A landscape with the words: In Touch With Nature, "The Earth is a fine place and worth fighting for." Ernest Hemmingway

The African wild dog, also called the hunting dog or African painted dog, is currently listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List. According to the African Wildlife Foundation, only 6,600 African wild dogs remain in the wild across the entire African continent. The main reason for their endangerment is habitat fragmentation (the most common reason for wildlife endangerment) which causes conflict between these predators and humans. Throughout Africa, wild dogs have been shot and poisoned by farmers for loss of livestock, even though these losses are frequently due to other predators including hyenas and leopards. In addition, African wild dogs also suffer from endemic disease outbreaks.

African wild dogs have a mottled coat comprising of yellow, black and white patches. They have long legs with flat, broad heads, a short black muzzle, and large round ears.

Wild dogs have strong social bonds and live in packs of two to twenty-seven adults and yearling pups.

Wild dogs are excellent hunters. They hunt in packs of six to twenty individuals and catch their prey by chasing them to exhaustion. Wild dogs can run at speeds of up to 66 km/h (41 mph) for between 10 to 60 continuous minutes. They have an 80 percent kill success rate with is higher than bigger predators like lions and leopards.

Observers have noticed that prior to setting out to hunt, the wild dogs’ populations in the Okavango Delta of Botswana rally to determine whether they should depart. Departure is more likely when more individual dogs sneeze, a short sharp exhale through the nostrils. If a dominant dog initiates by sneezing, around three additional sneezes guarantee departure.

Sighting a pack of African wild dogs in the wild has been on my bucket list for a long time. I was lucky enough to see a pack of wild dogs at the Bthongo Rhino & Lion Nature Reserve but they live inside a relatively small enclosure and are fed.

Picture caption: Wild dogs at the Bthongo Rhino & Lion Nature Reserve

Obviously, seeing wild dogs in captivity is not quite the same as seeing them in a national park or game reserve. I was, therefore, delighted when we saw wild dogs at Madikwe Game Reserve not once, but two days in a row. We were fortunate enough to observe, the hunt (chase), devouring of a kill, and wild dogs relaxing and having fun.

Picture caption: Wild dog in the road. A pause before the chase began.

Picture caption: Wild dog getting into his running stride.

Picture caption: After feeding, this wild dog is sated.

Picture caption above and below: Two wild dogs picking over the remaining carcass.

The poem below, Dog Vote, is extracted from my poetry book, Lion Scream.

Dog Vote

They yelp and growl at play
Then sleep in a mass
Of black fur, overlapped with yellow and white
They are invisible
Among the shadows
***
Having strong social bonds
Wild dogs live in packs
Dominated by a single breeding pair
But they all have a say
Conveyed as a vote
***
Before leaving to hunt
The adults rally
Sneezing to express a preference to hunt
The majority rules
All members comply

This is my YT video of African wild dogs playing:

My YT video of a juvenile African wild dogs rolling:

African wild dogs in a gathering:

Wild dogs fighting over a kill:

With their numbers continuing to drop, I may never see wild dogs in the bush again.

About Roberta Eaton Cheadle

Award-winning, bestselling author, Roberta Eaton Cheadle, is a South African writer and poet specialising in historical, paranormal, and horror novels and short stories. She is an avid reader in these genres and her writing has been influenced by famous authors including Bram Stoker, Edgar Allan Poe, Amor Towles, Stephen Crane, Enrich Maria Remarque, George Orwell, Stephen King, and Colleen McCullough.

Roberta has two published novels and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories included in several anthologies. She is also a contributor to the Ask the Authors 2022 (WordCrafter Writing Reference series).

Roberta also has thirteen children’s books and two poetry books published under the name of Robbie Cheadle, and has poems and short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.

Roberta’s blog features discussions about classic books, book reviews, poetry, and photography. https://roberta-writes.com/.

Find Roberta Eaton Cheadle

Blog: https://wordpress.com/view/robertawrites235681907.wordpress.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RobertaEaton17

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robertawrites

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Roberta-Eaton-Cheadle/e/B08RSNJQZ5

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In Touch With Nature – The vulnerable life of male lions #wildlife #lions

Posted: February 28, 2024 | Author: robertawrites235681907 | Filed under: Animals, In Touch With Nature, Poetry, Wildlife | Tags: Animals, In Touch With Nature, Lions, Robbie Cheadle, South Africa, Wildlife, Writing to be Read | 74 Comments

Lions live in groups called prides. Each pride is comprised of related lionesses and one or more adult male lions will also be present with the dominant male being the pride leader. Female lionesses are loyal to their pride and not to their family members, and this often means that they don’t keep related males in their pride.

Male lion cubs are frequent victims of snake bits, hunting hyenas, and male lions that aren’t their father or uncle. One in two male lion cubs will die in their first year of life. The greatest single cause of male lion mortality in the first year of life is infanticide by unrelated male lions.

*Picture caption: Lion cubs at Ukutula Lodge & Game Reserve*

At approximately three years of age, male lions are pushed out of their pride by their fathers. Alternatively, they may be forced to leave the pride when a new coalition of male lions takes over the pride. For a period of two or three years after leaving their prides, young male lions wander on their own, trying to avoid confrontation with older, stronger male lions. Frequently, single males find other males of a similar age and join them to form a coalition. Coalitions typically comprise of two to four male lions and are often made up of brothers or cousins although some include unrelated males. The main purpose for male lions forming coalitions is to compete with other male lions for mates.

When the males in a coalition reach four to five years of age, they will challenge other male coalitions for access to a pride of lionesses. When a new coalition takes over a pride, the new males seek out and kill the cubs of other males or drive them away. The purpose of the killing of cubs is to accelerate the return of the lionesses to a reproductive state thereby allowing the new males to raise their own cubs. The dominant male or pride leader generally gets first mating rights but lionesses do mate with other pride males. The lesser males usually get their opportunity when several females are in heat at the same time and if the dominant male losses interest while the lionesses are still in heat.

The dominant male is usually the largest, strongest male lion. Dominant males usually only retain that position for a few years and then they are challenged by a younger male or an outside coalition. During their time as pride leader, the male is responsible for defending the females and their cubs from predators such as hyenas.

When a battle for leadership takes place within an existing pride, the battle is usually fierce but not deadly. If an outside coalition challenges the leader, the battle will be to the death.

Brothers, a 99-sylable Double Ennead poem by Robbie Cheadle

*Picture capt*ion: Two lion brothers resting in the shade

Dry, yellow grass stretches
To the horizon
Just there, under a scrub tree, lie two brothers
Within slumbers embrace
They soak up the sun
***
The colour of ripe wheat
They blend with the bush
Male lions resting peacefully
Enjoying blissful dreams
Concerning fat buck
***
One starts gently stirring
Rolls over and sighs
His underbelly unintimidating
But then he yawns widely
Showing great long teeth

This poem is included in Lion Scream, Syllabic Poetry About Southern African Wildlife

Lion brothers walking on the road:

About Roberta Eaton Cheadle

Roberta also has thirteen children’s books and two poetry books published under the name of Robbie Cheadle, and has poems and short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.

Roberta’s blog features discussions about classic books, book reviews, poetry, and photography. https://roberta-writes.com/.

Find Roberta Eaton Cheadle

Blog: https://wordpress.com/view/robertawrites235681907.wordpress.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RobertaEaton17

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robertawrites

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Roberta-Eaton-Cheadle/e/B08RSNJQZ5

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Book Review: Neema the Misfit Giraffe

Posted: January 26, 2024 | Author: kayelynnebooth | Filed under: Animals, Book Review, Books, Children's Books, Fiction, Review, Wildlife | Tags: Animals, Book Review, Girraffes, Neema the Misfit Giraffe, Robbie and Michael Cheadle, Southern African Safari Adventures, Wildlife, Writing to be Read | 24 Comments

About the Book

Neema is different from her fellow giraffes. Their lack of understanding make her feel unwelcome. Neema sets off on a journey to find a new friends.

Includes illustrations, photographs, and links to video footage of giraffes, as well as fun giraffe facts.

Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/Misfit-Giraffe-Southern-African-Adventures-ebook/dp/B0CMCZ7G93

My Review

I requested an ARC of the latest children’s book by Robbie and Michael Cheadle. I’ve followed this mother son writing team for several years, and truly enjoyed many of thier Sir Chocolate book series for young children. (I’ve reviewed many of those and will direct you to them at the end, if you’re interested.)

Neema the Misfit Giraffe is the first book in their new Southern African Safari Adventure series, and I wanted to see how their talents have developed as they’ve grown together as authors. As in the Sir Chocolate series, Robbie has designed the cover and illustrations herself, but this series features, not fondant art, but a cover done in gorgeous water colors and breathtaking photographs of live animals in the South African bush illustrate the pages. Also like the Sir Chocolate series, the book’s message is delivered in delightful verse.

Neema the Misfit Giraffe features an eye-catching cover that is bright and colorful, beautiful illustrations and even links to video of the animals their characters are based on, and fun facts about giraffes. This series is going to be a lot of fun, but it is also very educational, and I just love it.

I give Neema the Misfit Giraffe five quills.

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Kaye Lynne Booth does honest book reviews on Writing to be Read in exchange for ARCs. Have a book you’d like reviewed? You can request a review on the Book Review tab above.

In Touch With Nature – Giraffes chew bones and lions eat grass #animalkingdom #natureconservation

Posted: January 24, 2024 | Author: robertawrites235681907 | Filed under: Animals, In Touch With Nature, Nature, Wildlife | Tags: In Touch With Nature, Predators and Prey, Robbie Cheadle, Wildlife, Writing to be Read | 107 Comments

Kaye and I are starting a new series this year entitled “In Touch With Nature”. We will be sharing information about the natural environment, and I will include some of my nature videos, artworks, and photographs.

For any writers, poets and authors who have an interest in nature conservation and our natural environment, I have joined the Society of Environmental Authors and Journalists. You can find out more about it here: Society of Environmental Authors and Journalists – Robbie Cheadle

For this first post in this series, I am discussing the topic of herbivores and carnivores.

The Oxford dictionary defines a herbivore as an animal that feeds on plants.

National Geographic expands on this to say that a herbivore is an organism that mostly feeds on plants. Herbivores range in size from tiny insects such as aphids to large, lumbering elephants. You can read more on this topic here: Herbivore (nationalgeographic.org)

Conversely, Oxford defines a carnivore as an animal that feeds on other animals.

National Geographic says: “A carnivore is an organism that eats mostly meat, or the flesh of animals. Sometimes carnivores are called predators.” You can read more here: https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/carnivore/

*Picture caption: Male kudu in the bush. Photograph by Robbie Cheadle.*

With the above in mind, did you know that many herbivores chew on bones? It’s true. Giraffes, red deer, reindeer, camels, wildebeest, kudu, gemsbok, and sable antelopes, as well as domestic cows and sheep, are not the strict vegans we think they are. They have all been observed to consume bones in a practice called osteophagy.

These animals do not actually eat the bones or break them open to eat the marrow inside, they only chew on dry bones and only when they are mineral deprived. Chewing bones provides herbivores with essential nutrients, phosphorus, and a bit of sodium.

Phosphorus is an essential mineral for all animals. This mineral plays an important role in the formation of the skeletal system and is necessary for certain biological processes including energy metabolism, protein synthesis, cell signaling, and lactation. A lack of phosphorus results in delayed growth and failure to regenerate new bone as well as problems with the reproductive system.

Another way herbivores obtain essential minerals and other elements they need is natural licks, also called salt licks. These licks can be natural but many are artificial and created by humans for the animals. You will see deer, moose, elephants, hippos, rhinos, tapirs, woodchucks, fox squirrels, mountain goats, porcupines and frugivorous bats all making use of natural or artificial licks to obtain phosphorus and biometals (sodium, calcium, iron, zinc, and other trace elements).

*Picture caption: Old male Cape Buffalo at a salt like. Photograph by Robbie Cheadle*.

A further surprise is that lions sometimes eat small amounts of grass to extract certain nutrients they need. As their digestive system is designed to digest meat, they cannot digest the grass fully and often vomit soon after eating it.

Some of the reasons a lion may eat grass are as follows:

It helps provide them with a source of water;
It helps maintain their body weight;
It helps keep them cool in hot weather;
It helps settle stomach aches; and
Its an easy way for a lion to get nutrients.

Lions are versatile. This means that if they are hunting in dry regions like the Kalahari Desert, lions may eat plants and fruits as an alternate source of water. Lions don’t drink very much.

*Picture caption: Male lion in the bush. He looks like he is chuckling. Photograph by Robbie Cheadle.*

*Picture caption: My teeth are bigger than your teeth! Male lion in the bush. Photograph by Robbie Cheadle.*

Domestic dogs and cats also sometimes eat grass for the same reasons as lions. Just like lions, they usually vomit after eating it.

Animals are adaptable and find ways to meet their dietary needs. There are few perfect examples of herbivores or carnivores in the wild.

Here are a few of my YouTube wildlife videos:

Young kudu (short taken at Madikwe Game Reserve in January 2024)

This black maned lion walked right past our vehicle:

This is a short of the old male Cape Buffalo at the salt lick.

About Roberta Eaton Cheadle

Roberta also has thirteen children’s books and two poetry books published under the name of Robbie Cheadle, and has poems and short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.

Roberta’s blog features discussions about classic books, book reviews, poetry, and photography. https://roberta-writes.com/.