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South Africa is known for its gorgeous campsites. If you check them out online, you might have a hard time deciding where to go to. Regardless of which campsite you will be going, you need to be prepared.

Aside from packing the important things you need in camping like food, water, and gadgets, you need to equip yourself with safety tools and know the signs that foul weather is approaching. You also need to know the wild animals that you might see in South Africa camping sites and what to do in case you encounter them.

Here are the 5 animals that you will see when camping in South Africa:

The Lion – The King of the Beasts

The lion is one of the most popular animals you will see in the camping sites. It is referred to as the “The King of the Beasts”. The possibility of seeing lions in the South Africa camping sites are high.

The lions are sociable animals. Female lions are usually alongside with the male lions that have won the prize in a competition with other male lions. This wild animal is usually in a group. Lions stay at grasslands, open woodlands, open savanna to desert and arid areas.

What to do if you encounter a lion?

  • If you see one or feel that one is stalking you, don’t panic.
  • You need to look big and scary predator.
  • Hold yourself upright, hold a stick and look straight at the lion’s eyes.
  • Shout, wave your arms and slowly move away.
  • Keep in mind, never turn your back to a lion.
  • Do not run, this can trigger the lion’s prey drive.

The African Elephant

This wild animal is the largest and heaviest land animal in the world. You can see them if you camp in the Kruger National Park or in private reserves. Elephants are very sociable animals and it is the female species that rule. This animal can adapt easily to its environment. You will see them in the woodlands as well as in the savannah shrub-land, and bush thickets where food is abundant and there is enough fresh water in the area.

Elephants are usually found in large areas feeding and congregate at the water. They want to be alone when drinking at pools, rivers or dams. If they see other animals near to them, they will run after them to scare them or sometimes it could lead to killing them. Elephants can run very fast and are good swimmers in spite of their size. When triggered they can run at a speed of more than 45 km per hour. It is known to be the most intelligent animals on earth.

What to do if you encounter an elephant?

  • Do not move, remain stationary.
  • Do not try to chase it away or approach it.
  • If you happened to be in a close encounter with the elephant, stand still for a few minutes then slowly move away.
  • Keep calm, if they see you harmless and not a threat they will ignore you.

The Buffalos

African buffalo is considered as the most dangerous animal in South Africa that you might encounter while camping. This wild animal is moody and mean, particularly if you are on foot.

Just like the lions, buffalo are sociable animals they move around in big herds, and chomping long grass together. If you see a cloud of dust while camping during the dry season, it’s an indication that a herd is approaching.

Buffalos drink water every day usually in the early morning or in the late afternoon. They are usually noisy. The male buffalos are darker in color and bigger in size. They also have huge and powerful horns. The female buffalos have a clashing and crashing noise. They are smaller and more reddish-brown and have much narrower horns.

What to do if you encounter a buffalo?

  • If you see them, freeze, be quiet and observe their movement
  • Do not panic. Keep calm, do not start taking photos and do not talk or make any movement that the buffalo might think you will do something to him.
  • If the buffalo starts to walk, slowly walk away make sure that the animal will not notice that you are moving.

The Rhino

The rhino is the second largest land mammal in the world. This animal weighs around 2500 kg and may live up to 40 years of age. Since it eats thick and tough grass, they need to drink lots of water to help them digest the food. There are cases where you will see a rhino eating soil or mud, it provides them the needed dietary mineral supplement.

They are using their horn to fight and defend themselves. You normally see a white rhino in the shade or in the mud wallowing if the weather is too hot. The dried mud serves as a sunscreen, helps evict parasites and a cooling agent.

This wild animal has poor eyesight but has a fantastic sense of smell and hearing. Observe the rhino’s ears they rotate in all directions continuously to check what is going on around them. Just like the elephant, it can run fast in spite of its size.

What to do if you encounter a rhino?

If you scare or surprise a rhino, their reaction would run away either towards you or in the opposite direction. In case the rhino run straight towards you, it does not mean they will attack you. They are just scared and are confused and they wanted to be left alone. But if in case they are running towards you here are the things you can do:

  • Dive out of its way.
  • Distract his attention by throwing a large object like a huge piece of dead wood or clothing on his path. This will frighten them and change their direction.

The Leopard

Lots of people want to see this dramatic, charismatic and beautiful animal. But this animal is the most elusive among the many animals in the wild. It is a solitary animal and it defends its own hunting territory against other leopards.

This animal is known to be a master stalker. If you are lucky, you may see one at night drive stalking its prey and silently getting near on the prey and then launches itself a surprise attack. Once they got hold of their prey, they would drag it along the trees so no other wild animals like lions and hyenas would pirate it.

You can find them in areas where there are thick overhanging branches of big old trees either snoozing in the hot part of the day or eat its prey.

What to do if you encounter a leopard?

  • If you see a leopard do not get too close to them, particularly if you see cubs, alone or with their mother.
  • If you are camping with your kids, keep them secure at night.
  • If the leopard charges, clap your hands, wave your hands, and shout to make you look bigger.

Always remember that you are only a guest in the animal’s territory. Respect the animals and their land and they will do the same thing to you. Do not party and drink too much as this might disturb them.

You need to equip yourself with the right tools such as a boot knife. The best way to stay safe all the time is to be properly armed. Learn how to wear a boot knife and how to use it in case of emergency. This is only one of the safety measures that you can use in case your encounter with the wild animals turns out bad.

Zanesville: 48 exotic animals killed, including 18 Bengal tigers and 17 lions.

 

Ohio police are investigating the possibility that Terry Thompson, the owner of the Zanesville reserve where 48 wild animals escaped from, may have opened their cages and then committed suicide.

Terry Thompson, owner of Muskingum County Animal Farm in Zanesville was found dead by authorities having his body surrounded by a number of aggressive animals.

It was reported that almost 30 wild animals have been shot and killed until now and the residents were warned to stay indoors.

Ohio police are investigating the possibility that Terry Thompson, the owner of the Zanesville reserve where 48 wild animals escaped from, may have opened their cages and then committed suicide

Ohio police are investigating the possibility that Terry Thompson, the owner of the Zanesville reserve where 48 wild animals escaped from, may have opened their cages and then committed suicide

 

48 tigers, lions, wolves, giraffes, camels, cheetahs and bears bolted after their cages were left open in the reservation.

Sheriff Matt Lutz said: “We are not ruling out any possibility right now about who let the animals out of the cages and what happened to Mr Thompson. We are waiting on the results of the preliminary autopsy to establish cause of death.”

It was also reported that Terry Thompson, 62, who lived at the Muskingum County Animal Farm, had chimps in cages in his home but these were still locked up.

Jack Hanna, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium director emeritus told FOX News Channel: “The animals are hunkered down in trees right now, like you would be if it were raining.

“That’s good and bad, because the weather would reduce the danger for local residents but make the recovery of the animals more difficult.

“I’m hoping that by tonight we can account for most of these creatures.”

Authorities in Zanesville, Ohio, urged nearby residents to stay in their houses as wild animals were spotted wandering up and down highways in the area

Authorities in Zanesville, Ohio, urged nearby residents to stay in their houses as wild animals were spotted wandering up and down highways in the area

 

Authorities in Zanesville urged nearby residents to stay in their houses as animals were spotted wandering up and down highways in the area.

Terry Thompson was released from prison three weeks ago after serving a one-year term for weapons offences.

According to the New York Post, Terry Thompson was convicted of cruelty to animals and placed under house arrest for six months in 2005.

A Zanesville veterinarian who inspected some of Terry Thompson’s animals described him as “an animal collector”, although Thompson claimed he was operating an animal shelter.

Terry Thompson was also said to be involved in fashion photography, and once provided lion cubs for use in a photo shoot with model Heidi Klum in 2007.

Police refused to give details of all the animals that had been shot but said bears and wolves were among the 30 animals killed.

Sheriff Matt Lutz said: “These are wild animals that you would see on TV in Africa.”

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Zanesville: 48 exotic animals killed, including 18 Bengal tigers and 17 lions.

 

Zanesville latest news. Terry Thompson may have opened animal cages and then committed suicide.

 

At least 48 exotic animals have escaped or been set loose from the Muskingham County Animal Farm in Zanesville, Ohio.

Some of the wild animals have been shot and killed by police after they escaped from an enclosure where their owner was later found dead.

The wild animals bolted after their cages were left open in a reservation which housed exotic animals including tigers, lions, wolves, giraffes, camels and bears.

Terry Thompson, the owner of the reserve was found dead by police at the farm.

Terry Thompson’s body was discovered on the ground and all the animal cage doors were open.

At least 48 exotic animals have escaped or been set loose from the Muskingham County Animal Farm in Zanesville, Ohio

At least 48 exotic animals have escaped or been set loose from the Muskingham County Animal Farm in Zanesville, Ohio

 

Ohio police did not reveal the cause of Terry Thompson’s death but said several aggressive animals were near his body when officers arrived and had to be shot.

The reserve owner, who lived on the property, had chimps in cages in his home but these were still locked up.

Authorities urged nearby residents to stay indoors as wild animals were spotted wandering up and down highways in the area.

Police refused to give details of all the animals that had been shot but said bears and wolves were among the 25 animals killed.

“These are wild animals that you would see on TV in Africa,” said Sheriff Matt Lutz.

The sheriff described the escaped animals as “mature, very big, aggressive” but a keeper at the park had told them the reserve’s 48 animals had been fed on Monday.

Sheriff Matt Lutz added that police officers were patrolling the 40-acre farm and the surrounding areas in cars, not on foot, and were concerned about big cats and bears hiding in woodland.

Until now, there are no reports of injuries from residents.

It was reported an increasing number of phone calls made by locals who saw wild animals on local roads.

Caretakers from Columbus Zoo Ohio were at the scene in the hope of tranquillizing and capturing the rest of the animals so no more have to be killed.

Meanwhile, at least four school districts in the area have cancelled classes until the animals are rounded up.

According to Sheriff Matt Lutz, the authorities main concern is protecting the public.

“Any kind of cat species or bear species is what we are concerned about. We don’t know how much of a head start these animals have on us.”

Laura Jones, a spokesman for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, which usually deals with native wildlife like deer, said wildlife officers were helping the sheriff’s office to cope.

According to statistics, the state of Ohio has some of the nation’s weakest restrictions on exotic pets and among the highest number of injuries and deaths caused by them.

Ohio requires permits for bears but doesn’t regulate the ownership of animals like lions and tigers.

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