Dangerous Animals and Their Behaviour
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Warning Signals
The most important fact to remember when walking toward any wild animal is that all wild animals are potentially dangerous.
Remember that once an animal is faced with your presence, it will be left with the choice of deciding to try and get away from you or to attack you (flight or fight response). Always try and leave the animal as many alternatives of escape as possible. Escape will be the most likely course of action taken by the animal.
Because an animal is found in a tolerant mood one day, this does not necessarily mean that it will be in this frame of mind the following day. Moods may change from day to day and, along with this, so may the animal’s warning signals. This once again highlights the fact that ethology is a dynamic disciple with our perceived understand of animal behaviour changing continuously. Never rely on having one experience repeated.
The individual species accounts that follow below are merely guides of what one may reasonably expect from each species when encountered.
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LION
When approached on foot, lions do one of two things. Either they growl indicating their presence and warning you that you are too close or they turn and flee. If you ignore the initial warning, the animal may exhibit the following signs:
* Crouch very low
* Ears laid flat backwards
* Tail thrashing from side to side
* Baring teeth, growling and snarling
* Lowering the head and hunching the shoulders
If a lion thinks that it has not been seen, it will crouch very low, flatten its ears and remain completely silent. Should you ignore or fail to notice the animals secondary warning signals, you may risk an attack. If you are not in range, a lion is very unlikely to begin a charge. This means any attack will come from close quarters at great speed.
A mock charge is usually given by males and is often indicated by a stiff-legged run accompanied by growling. Lionesses are less likely to mock charge and are generally more dangerous than male lions. A lioness with cubs is a fearsome animal and confrontation with them should be avoided at all costs.
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LEOPARD
These are very shy animals and will seldom represent any sort of threat. In fact to see a leopard when on a bush-walk is something of a rarity.
When one is out deliberately tracking leopard, however, the picture changes somewhat. Leopard are very stealthy, are masters of camouflage and are very athletic. This adds up to a very dangerous animal. Unlike lion, a leopard will usually give no warning prior to charging. When the charge comes, it is from very close quarters and is only then announced by coughing, spitting or growling sound.
If you get a sighting of the animal, and it runs off for a distance and then crouches down in the vegetation, be very alert. Do not approach any closer as this will almost certainly result in a serious charge.
Signs to watch for include:
* Head Crouching and flattening of the ears.
* Head held up with ears held forwards.
* Teeth-baring and snarling.
* Staring fixedly.
* Head lowered and standing side-on to you.
* A leopard that takes a few quick steps towards you or your vehicle and then halts abruptly, is telling you that you are too close.
A leopard will use bursting surprise and sound in order to stall your movements, which will give it time to escape.
It is interesting to note that a leopard will charge you numerous times, each time from a differant direction.
It is important to note that when dealing with lion and leopard, if they do charge the vehicle, you should try to back the vehicle up as fast as possible to a distance that will satisfy the animal. If the animal continues to show aggression, then it is best to leave the area completely.
If you are on foot, never turn your back and run from the animal as the animal will more than likely respond instinctively and attack you.
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BUFFALO
Buffalo are among the most dangerous and unpredictable animals. In a herd situation buffalo are generally skittish and behave much like a herd of cattle. They will generally move off if approached on foot or in a vehicle. If they are accustomed to vehicles they are generally very placid
If buffalo are being harassed by lion, be careful, as the herd can sometimes display serious re-directed aggression towards a group on foot or their vehicle. Keep a good distance in this type of situation. Do not get into a position where you may be in danger if the herd stampedes. Ensure you can get away if you have to.
A wounded buffalo must be treated with extreme respect and caution.
Bachelor groups and single males must also be treated with respect as they do not often like company or attention. One must take extreme caution when walking in reed beds in river systems, as old buffalo bulls may often be found in this type of habitat. They charge if they have no other means of escape.
Warning signs to look for with buffalo:
* Watch out for ears pushed forward and the head held high. This is normally a sign that the animal is trying to get your scent.
* Be very wary if the animal starts snorting, stamping or pawing the ground with its hooves.
*Thrashing of shrubs with its horns (boss) often indicates some form of heightened aggression. Be careful in these situations.
Once again be very wary of mothers with calves. More than a few groups of clients on foot have found themselves climbing trees in a hurry to avoid an angry mother. Assess each situation carefully, approach with caution and have a contingency plan.
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ELEPHANT
Warning signs to look for with elephant:
* The ears are held forward and the head is held high.
* If an elephant is skittish, rather leave it be, as elephants in this state of mind can turn on you very easily without much provocation.
* Be very careful of cows with their calves. The females are normally the more aggressive of the sexes, and are extremely protective of their calves.
* Take note of an elephant that is standing very still.
* Be careful of an elephant that thrashes the bush and then turns to look at you with ears forward.
* Trunk is raised to get your scent.
* The shaking of its head is normally a sign of annoyance but can be meaningless. This is not a hard and fast rule.
* There is trumpeting and lowering of the head several times in succession and in your direction.
* The animal lowers the head with the trunk curled up the side of the face, growling and/or squealing. If an elephant starts to charge in this fashion one must anticipate a very serious charge.
There will be times when a female will give no warning at all that she intends to charge. The bulls will generally give a mock charge and make an exhibition of the charge, but seldom carry it through. On some occasions, however, they will charge. A cow on the other hand will more than likely carry through on the charge. Cows have been known to charge vehicles for a couple of kilometres.
Be especially wary of a mature male in musth. This is a state of heightened
sexuality with the animal searching for a mate, and younger outcompeted males will become increasingly frustrated and hostile. Glands just in front of the animal’s ears will be exuding fluid and the animal will be dribbling urine constantly.
AVOID AN ELEPHANT IN THIS STATE.
Specifically when dealing with elephant, avoiding a dangerous situation is far preferable to dealing with a potentially fatal encounter.
Not only can you NOT outrun these immensely intelligent pachyderms, but getting into a vehicle or climbing a tree may not extract you from danger.
There are several accounts of exceedingly aggravated elephant turning vehicles and pushing them into dams. People have also been shaken out of trees or had the trees they were in knocked down from under them.
These cases are extremely rare but do occur when encounters are handled extremely badly.
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RHINO
Black rhinos are renowned for being the more aggressive of the two species. It is advisable to be very wary of them at all times. White rhino are often considered to be far more relaxed and passive than the
black rhino. This sometimes results in people becoming complacent. here are very few warning signs given by these animals indicating an imminent charge.
Look for the following warning signs:
* Cows with calves may be dangerous. Cows are usually very nervous, especially if the calves are very young.
* Watch for the ears held forwards with the head raised high.
* The rhino will bounce around if agitated, lowering and raising its head if unsure of the situation.
* Rhinos make snorting and puffing sounds when upset.
* Watch for pawing of the ground with the head lowered facing in your direction.
* Be very careful not to get too close to bull rhinos that are having an altercation.
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HIPPO
These are very underestimated animals, but are actually among the most dangerous species in the bush. More people are killed each year by hippo on the African continent than any other species of dangerous game, including snakes.
It is unlikely (but not impossible) that you will encounter one far from the water during the day. However, when walking near rivers, stream or dams. where hippo are known to occur, be very wary of them basking on the banks.
Never get between a hippo and the water, and always avoid walking on hippo paths.
Since they are nocturnal and have a preference for very short grasses, they are frequently found on lawns at lodges or on their golf courses and other maintained grass areas. If you are fortunate enough to see them out of water, under these conditions, do not attempt to approach them as they represent a very serious threat indeed.
Hippos are not generally considered aggressive animals, but they can outrun you when otherwise annoyed or threatened.
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CROCODILE
This is the only species of terrestrial predator that considers man to be part of its normal diet.
With other dangerous game the threat usually comes stems from:
* Aggression
* Lack of space
* Lack of a suitable direction in which to take flight
* Their specific defensive strategy or behaviour.
While these factors certainly do apply to crocodile, the added danger of being actively ambushed is quite real. Crocodile mainly hunt by ambush. They swim as close to the bank of a body as water as possible without being seen. They are very adept at this due to their camouflaged skin and the fact that they only leave the tips of their nostrils exposed above the water. From this position they wait patiently until any form of prey wanders close enough for them to make an explosive rush out of the water and grab their victim.
Therefore:
* Never get into a situation where you are on foot and closer than 3 m [10 ft.] to the edge of any body of water where crocodiles could be living.
* Do not rely on local knowledge regarding the whereabouts of crocodiles - they have the habit of turning up in the most unexpected places.
* When on land, however, you should easily be able to outrun these reptiles or climb 3 ft. [1 meter] up to a tree to safety.
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HYENA
These animals do not represent any threat to people who are alert. The only instance where they do present a real danger is when they encounter someone who is asleep in an unsecured shelter. Always make sure that your camp area is secured, or that you have someone on guard at all times. Hyenas are generally cowardly in nature and will only attack under circumstances of great stress.
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These descriptions of dangerous game only show some aspects of their behaviour and ecology.
Be aware that these are only guidelines regarding the behaviour of dangerous animals. Each scenario will probably be totally different from the last.
