Hakuna Matata, there’s still time to make it happen, and Kenya’s where it’s at.
1. So, the closest you’ve been to wildlife is your local zoo. No big deal.
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If you think you’ve had a close
encounter with African animals when you saw them behind bars, just wait
until you get to regions like Samburu National Reserve and the Maasai
Mara Ecosystem. There’s nothing like observing species in their natural
habitat.
2. You’ve seen leopards before …
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The Big Five game are some of the
most popularly known species including the African lion, African
elephant, Cape buffalo, African leopard, and rhinoceros. In Kenya, you
can spot each of these in the wild.
3. But have you seen a leopard eating its prey up in a tree?
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While on safari, the biggest thrill
is the diversity of the experience. Each time you go on a game drive,
you never know what you’ll see. Plus, you wont have to deal with overly
charismatic animal handlers, or crying children as you would while
witnessing wild life in captivity. Instead, you get to watch the sun go
down over the Acacia trees with the gentle sound of birds chirping and
bones crunching in the background. It doesn’t get any more real than
that.
4. How about some bragging rights?
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Not everyone can say they’ve gotten this close to an elephant, and not everyone will. According to the Great Elephant Census,
elephant populations around the world are declining by 8 percent per
year, mostly because of poaching. The Kenyan government and local
communities are doing a lot to preserve species, but you should still
see them while you can.
5. You’ll also see other rare species, like Grevy’s Zebras.
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According to the African Wildlife Foundation,
there are approximately 2,000 Grevy’s Zebras left in the wild. While
their populations used to span several countries in Africa, today they
are confined to Northern Kenya and Southern Ethiopia.
6. And the Samburu “Special Five.”
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In addition to Grevy’s Zebra, species
unique to Kenya’s Samburu region include the Reticulated Giraffe, the
Long-Necked Gerenuk, the Somali Ostrich, and the Beisa Oryx.
7. And the “Small Five.”
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A coy reference to the Big Five
species, the small five includes the Buffalo Weaver (featured), the
Leopard Tortoise, the Rhino Beatle, the Elephant Shrew, and Antlions. If
you don’t know what the heck Antlions are, you’ll have to go to Kenya
to find out.
8. Let’s get real, it’s basically an animal party out there.
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In the Maasai Mara Ecosystem in
southern Kenya, animal silhouettes dot the horizon line in all
directions. It’s truly a once-in-a-lifetime spectacle.
10. When ferocious animals look this cute …
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… like this lioness and her cubs.
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