Animal Sightings

I've done so many safaris I don't even remember them anymore.  In fact, I love going back through this blog and reading what I wrote because, to be honest, I don't remember some of that stuff ever happening.  And it even happened just in the past few months!

Today, the lion was not only walking around in a perfect view of both the male and female, but he also started roaring.  He actually roared right on call for me!  I mentioned that it looked like he was going to roar to my guests and told them if they were quiet, we might be able to hear him.  And then, magically enough, he really started roaring!  I've heard him roar before, but it's always exciting to hear from the animals!

The hippos also spoke to us today (that's a lot more common though... probably the most common, in fact).  And I heard the cheetahs for the first time!  It's hard to hear the cheetahs because they're so far away.  But recently I was given an idea to pay more attention to listening to the animals, or, more importantly, allowing guests to listen to the animals.  The cheetahs sounded just like a cat, actually.  They were playing with each other.

I got a little worried today as I came around the elephants.  One was laying down on the ground on it's side and not moving.  It almost looked dead, but then it started rolling in the mud and another little elephant came over and started throwing dirt onto the first one's back.  They're so cute!  One time the elephants were playing like that and they even started talking very loudly!  So awesome!


We've also been having problems with squirrels lately.  I'm not really sure if I wrote about the squirrel that attacked me a while ago.  Basically, it lunged at my face and if I hadn't have dodged it it probably would have killed me.  Okay, so that's a slight exaggeration, but you get the point.

Anyway, there's this little squirrel that apparently someone's been feeding.  Everyone keeps blaming us safari drivers.  I haven't done it, but apparently there's such a big issue that they've been threatening reprimands for feeding the squirrels.  This just made me laugh.  But seriously, they've been having a big problem with the squirrels being not afraid of humans.  One even jumped onto my manager's leg the other day.  They come right up to us humans saying (in squirrel speak of course), "Food?  Food?  You give me popcorn?  Yes?"  Super cute... but also just a tad creepy.

Ah well.  I love the animals I work with.  I love my job.  And I'm super lucky for this experience!  I'm definitely going to miss this job!