Owl in the Daytime with Giraffes

Owls are rarely seen during the day, as they are nighttime hunters. Walking on a path in the Serengeti, I looked up and there it was staring at me with intensity and concentration.

I said to the Owl,” What are you doing here in bright daylight?” No answer, of course, so I snap a photograph and tell it how beautiful it is. Their eyes are very large, but they don’t move, which is why their heads can turn 240 degrees.

They are difficult to see because of a camouflaged coat of feathers that are soft to muffle the sound. Their sense of hearing and keen eyesight makes these birds exceptional hunters. So these birds basically live in the dark, making them very proficient hunters, able to see and hear what others don’t. It is probably this skillful hunting ability that brings its association with death in mythology.

Another interesting anomaly of wildlife in Africa is the giraffe. If you notice in this photo collage, the giraffe are eating what appear to be thorns. They eat the leaves of the Acacia trees (very carefully) with a very tough leathery tongue. The height of the giraffe’s neck evolved, as the acacia grew taller in response to the nibbling by the giraffes. There is only so far that can go, so now once a leaf is eaten the tree develops thorns. Then as if that wasn’t enough, once a leaf is eaten the tree produces tannin that makes all of the leaves distasteful, and it sends a watch out signal downwind to the other trees. So it goes with nature, very clever protective survival skills all around.

The take away here is adaptability and flexibility as the key to surviving, no matter the species.

Words of wisdom from Albert Einstein:

“There are two ways to live your life

One is as though nothing is a miracle

And one is as though everything is a miracle.”