6/20/2023 0 Comments Lion growl humpIt was early morning during the cool season, and she was walking from our home to the camp (a couple of hundred meters away). My wife, Marjet, once walked into a whole pride at a concession we were running in Botswana. If it starts to move, then freeze immediately. If you have frozen and the lion is not approaching, but not leaving either, then start to back slowly away. If you have frozen and then lion is not approaching, but not leaving either, then start to back slowly away. They charge at 80 km per hour and the roaring is deafening. Believe me, this can be extremely intimidating. If you have something in your hand then throw it at the lion. If you see stalking indications, then raise your arms above your head and wave them and most importantly SHOUT YOUR HEAD OFF. It is much more serious if it is actively hunting you. If it is hunting, it will keep its tail stiff and twitch it from time to time. When a lion is angry or feeling threatened it will sweep its tail from side to side. The danger arises with lions that are more used to people. If a lion is not habituated to man, it will most likely run. Grays also may be identified by a series of bumps or "knuckles" visible along the last 3rd of the body when diving there is no dorsal fin.The first thing you do when coming across a “growling lion” is freeze and avert your eyes. The blotches are caused by barnacles adhering to the whale's body. Grays may be up to 45 feet (14 meters) long and are identified by light blotches on darker skin. When moving north females with young calves are highly visible, and may feed within or just beyond surf breakers. Their round trip migration is one of the longest of any animal in the world, totaling 12,500 miles (20,000 kilometers). Gray whales migrate along the west coast twice a year, with peak numbers in December when they are moving south to the breeding grounds in Mexico, and May when they are heading north to feeding grounds in the arctic. In Redwood National and State Parks, the most frequently seen large cetacean is the gray whale. Territorial bulls and females with very young pups, born with jet black coats and observed nursing, have been seen on rocks north of the Klamath River. It is possible that a small breeding colony of Steller sea lions resides in Redwood National and State Parks. Lastly, the Steller's vocalizations more resemble a growl or bellow, versus the typical California sea lion bark ("arr arr arr") well known from theme parks as well as in the wild. The lack of a sagittal crest gives the Steller's head a wider, dog like appearance. The head shape of Steller sea lions is also different, lacking the sagittal crest or ridge of bone that results in a noticeable bump on the forehead of California sea lions. When freshly out of the water their fur can appear blond. Steller sea lions tend to be lighter in color than California sea lions which are uniformly dark brown. Females and subadult males are not always easily differentiated from the more common California sea lion although with practice the differences between the two species become apparent. Adult males, or bulls, are massive, weighing in at 1,200 lbs (0.5 metric tons) or greater. Steller sea lions are the largest of the eared seals. They occur in small groups on near shore rocks visible from the coast in Redwood National and State Parks. Steller sea lions, also known as northern sea lions, are listed as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |