For a large part of this mornings drive I watched lions mating. Ordinarily they are found sleeping and not much fun to photograph. As mating continues for about three days every 15 minutes or so the actual act lasts for only a few seconds.
Much more exciting was the dead hippo in the shallow waters of the Luangwa . A hundred crocodiles or so were feeding off it tearing chunks from the underbelly where the flesh is softest. The crocodiles cannot eat under water and so have to flip their meat morsel up in the air in order to swallow it.
Nile crocodiles can reach over 20' in length and to see such a sight was fascinating. Many hippos will die during this very dry season as they have to scratch the earth for the roots of the grasses. The soil from the roots contains anthrax which kills them. Animals which feed off the dead bodies can also die but not so the crocodile.
