Tuesday morning we drove about 60 km outside of Niamey, picked up a tour guide, and went in search of giraffes. Our guide has been at his job for 20ish years and knows the land well. He stood in the back of the pick-up with a long stick, and hanging it over the front windshield, used it to point Dad in the right direction.
Here Kyle is mimicking the guide.
Erika and I decided if we would have been in charge, we would have been completely lost in the Savannah, as we bumped our way around thorny bushes, over sandy trails, across dried-out millet fields, and through remote villages. We sometimes wondered if our guide knew where he was going when he led us "off the beaten path" and across the rugged terrain, but he always managed to find another little trail.
After an hour of cross-country driving, they were spotted.
Giraffes!
They are graceful. beautiful. wild. free.
The first group we saw were just adults.
The second group was comprised of three moms and three babies.
Our guide said that several decades ago there were fewer than 100 giraffes in this area and last year they counted 366! Since it's dry season, you will only see a handful of giraffes in one place, but in the rainy season you can see between 30 and 40 in one group!!!
Here's our guide--the one on the right. (By mid-morning it was only in the upper 80's, so he had on a big jacket and stocking cap! Not to mention, when you're riding in the back of the pick-up with such low temps it can get really cold!)
These are some of the last free-roaming giraffes in the world. All other giraffes are restricted either by fences or by habitat. In other words, these giraffes in Niger live in the same area as people, goats, cows, etc. I find that incredible! Giraffes don't eat millet, so the farmers' fields are safe. How cool to have a giraffe as a neighbor!
It might be kind of hard to see, but these giraffes were right next to a herd of cows that a couple of boys were in charge of.
Again, I am awed at our Creator and His beauty, creativity, and power reflected in His creation.
I think you guys had the same guide as us. I'm sure he was really happy to see you guys and your truck as opposed to us in the school van. I got us stuck 3 times and he had to dig us out each time. :) Go me! You got some awesome shots of the babies!
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