#493 In the field: Africa . . . Elephant, con't . . .

Please start this series of posts with #477

The African elephant is the largest living land mammal in existence and is endangered due to ivory poaching.
While in Africa recently, I experienced herds of the giants, roaming the savannah and scrub
wooded habitat in the Serengeti and Tarangire.  Significant  elephant populations
are confined to protected areas such as these parks and preserves.

Below, is an image of the first elephant - a giant bull - I ever saw in the wild.
This picture was taken the day after our arrival in Tanzania in the Ngorongoro Crater.
It was a life-changing event and has set the course for the rest of my life.

Below,  is a photo of a herd of African elephants in the Serengeti:
This was the first herd of the magnificent creatures I experienced  in their natural habitat . . .
I was thrilled at being able to safely get so close to the animals in the Land Rover.
Our guide explained that they, like most of the animals, had grown to understand the
vehicles in the parks and preserves were safe and were not threatened by our presence.
We relied on our knowledgable guide, however, to keep us informed by interpreting their body language.




Below, are recent photos taken at Tarangire in Tanzania.

Below, is a drawing from my Tanzania sketchbook.

Elephants are intelligent and socially complex.  The females live within a structured
group and work together to protect and raise each others' young.

The family unit is made up of several related females - sisters or daughters - and their offspring.
The oldest grandmother typically heads the group and is the matriarch . . .  
the herd relies on her experience as they move about together.  
If there is danger, the matriarch usually faces it while the 
others cluster around the young and shield them from harm.

The mature bulls live alone and wander between temporary bachelor herds . . .
they are only allowed into the female herd when it's time to breed.

Below, is an image of a big tusker in Tarangire.

For anatomy reference, go to posts #563, #616, and #655,     Blog, text, photos, drawings, and sculpture . . . © Sandy Scott and Trish Smith

#488 In the field: Africa . . . Hippopotamus

Please start this series of posts with #477

The focus of this post is the Hippopotamus.  Before my recent trip to Tanzania, this animal was not on the short-list of species to be included in my African portfolio.  I completely changed my mind after experiencing the hippo in the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, and in Tarangire.

Below, are photos taken in Tanzania.

Hippos can always be found around water.

The hippo - its name is taken from ancient Greek for "river horse" -  is more closely related to whales and porpoises despite their physical resemblance to pigs.  Whales and hippos split in the evolutionary process around
60 million years ago.  A group of hippos is called a pod.

Hippos are well adapted to their mostly aquatic lifestyle and typically spend most of the day in or around water.
The large quadruped is aggressive and dangerous on land.  They stay cool in water during the day - like pigs, they are nearly hairless - and emerge at dusk to forage on grasses.

Hippo shapes are an obvious delight for the sculptor:  Barrel-shaped with short, stubby legs; enormous, cavernous mouth with long, large teeth; tiny ears, a unique shaped head and huge snout . . . present a plethora of outstanding shapes and forms for the sculptor to assemble and design with.  

Below, is a hippo sculpture - in progress - started a few days ago.  The two animals modeled are depicted in a pool and are the "supporting cast" for a third hippo which will be created with it's mouth open while yawning.  The dramatic creature will be included as a species in my African portfolio.

Below, are drawings of a yawning hippo . . . the precursor to the modeling and final design.
I learned from our guide in Africa that the Swahili name for Hippopotamus is kiboko. . .
The Maasai name is olmakau.

for anatomy reference, go to posts #563, #616, and #655.
Blog, text, photos, drawings, and sculpture . . . © Sandy Scott

#486 In the field: Africa . . . Ostrich

Please start this series of posts with #477

This post focuses on another species I experienced on my recent trip to Tanzania. . . the OSTRICH.

The ostrich is another subject that will be included in my portfolio of sculpture - in progress - depicting African animals.  Below are photos taken in the Serengeti, Ngorogoro, and Tarangire. several weeks ago.
The larger male has distinctive black feathers;  the females' are grayish brown.

Below, the male and female look after their brood.

Below, The big bird often follows animals such as zebras and other
hooved animals that kick up insects and other edibles.

The ostrich is the largest bird as well as the largest two-legged creature on earth . . .
it can be over 9 feet in height.
Below is a drawing from my sketchbook.

  Before approaching the sculpture stand, each species must be researched to perceive behavior, gesture,  pose, individual shapes and form, and proportion.  Below is a drawing of a running ostrich. . . 

this is a pose that is frequently seen in the field and is typical body movement and locomotion.

The ostrich is a unique bird with a bizarre appearance and communicates many distinctive shapes
for the sculptor's use.  The comical-looking creature has a huge rounded body; a long, skinny neck;
an unusually small head with big eyes, long eye-lashes, and a broad, flat beak;
spindly legs with enormous calf muscles; and only two toes.  The combination of
shapes and form presents a bonanza for the sculptor while creating and designing.
Below, is a drawing of the bird's unique head.

It is shapes and the arrangement of shapes and form that make sculpture and sculpting any species is the process of assembling shapes and forms that are unique to the subject.  The sculptor must develop sound technique and be under the influence of their subject. . . I always ask myself: "What was my initial impression of this animal when I first saw and experienced it?"  In this manner, I attempt to leave my imprint upon my creation and retain clarity and purpose.

        

For anatomy reference, go to posts #563, #616, and #655

Blog, text, photos, drawings, and sculpture . . . © Sandy Scott and Trish Smith

#482 In the field: Africa . . . the big cats: Lion, part 1

Please start this series of posts with #477

This post spotlights the LION.

Unlike the Cheetah and Leopard - see post # 479, 480, and 481 - Lions live in a family
group called a pride.  A pride can be as small as 4 lions or contain as many as 30 or more.

Below, is a pride of lions photographed in the Serengeti.

The females in a pride usually do the hunting . . . but once a kill is made, the male typically will drive the females away and eats his fill first . . .  afterwards the females and cubs eat the rest.

Lions typically work together when they hunt, which increases their chances of catching prey.  They usually hunt at dusk and the female does most of the work.  Lions kill only when hungry and their immense physical strength places them at the top of the savannah food chain.

While in Tanzania a few weeks ago, we spotted many lions in the Serengeti, Ngororgoro Crater, 

and Tarangire . . .  including the pair below, on their "honeymoon."

Blog, text, photos, drawings, and sculpture . . . © Sandy Scott

#481 In the field: Africa . . . the big cats: Leopard, part 2

Please start this series of posts with #477

Due to the proficiency and experience of our excellent guides, we had successful sightings of Leopards in both
the Serengeti and Tarangire.  The guides coached us to look in trees for the hanging tail of the elusive animal.

Below, the Leopard's tail hangs below a branch in the Tarangire.

Below, even though we knew to look for the cat's tail hanging vertical from a branch,
the guide always spotted the beautiful creature first!

Leopards have been ranked among the least visible and the most difficult to spot due to their hide and stalk hunting technique . . . typically in low-light conditions; and their camouflage; especially in sun-dappled trees.


When hunting, approximately one in four attacks is successful.  When a kill is made and as soon as the Leopard has satisfied its appetite, it drags its prey up a tree, out of the reach of scavengers.

Of all of the big cats, Leopards are the best at stalking prey.  They are silent,  move with stealth  and can get
within a few feet of their intended prey.  Below, is a drawing from my sketchbook.

Below, are more images of one of my favorite African species:  The Leopard!

Below, Leopard at ease on a termite mound.

Below, Leopard descending a termite mound.

Below, are drawings from my sketchbook.

Blog, text, photos, drawings, and sculpture . . . © Sandy Scott

#480 In the field: Africa . . . the big cats: Leopard, part 1

Please start this series of posts with #477

This post and the next, spotlights the LEOPARD . . .
one of three big cats experienced "in the field" on a recent trip to Tanzania, Africa.

Please note, the previous post was about the CHEETAH and after two posts about the LEOPARD, I focus on the LION.

Unlike the Cheetah and Lion, Leopards are known for their ability to climb trees and are routinely seen dragging 

their kill up trees, hanging and securing them on branches, and returning to feed, again and again.      

Below, is a photo of a magnificent Leopard surveying its territory in the Serengeti.

The LEOPARD is smaller than the Cheetah and Lion but due to their massive skull and jaw muscles, 

they are able to take large prey such as impala, Thomsons gazelle, bushbuck,  warthogs, primates, 

and even young giraffe as well as smaller prey such as rodents, birds, and reptiles.  

They silently stalk their prey, pounce, and strangle the throat with strong teeth and jaws or bites 

on the back of their neck and typically, drag them up a tree, safe from other predators, to feed.

Below, are studies of the Leopard from my sketchbook.

Below, while in the Serengeti, we saw this Leopard with a kill in a fig tree.  We watched the cat move the kill to a different branch and after it had eaten its fill, descend and - according to our guide -  probably went to a nearby waterhole.  I'll never forget the profound drama of this encounter with hyenas circling the tree!  We spotted this incident  at a kopjes, which is a rock outcropping on the savannah plains.  Kopjes is the Dutch work for "head." 

Several hyenas were under the tree, waiting for dropped morsels of meat.  Although Lions are occasionally successful in climbing trees and stealing Leopard kills, hyenas can only take a kill away from a Leopard on the ground . . . 

if the cat is unable to move the kill to a tree.

Below, a hyena waits under the fig tree for the leopard to drop morsels of meat. 

Blog, text, photos, drawings, and sculpture . . . © Sandy Scott and Trish Smith

#478 In the field: Africa . . . con't

Please start this series of posts with post #477.

Before meeting the artist group in Arusha and traveling to Tarangire, Trish and I arrived in Africa early and spent a week in Ngorogoro Crater and the Serengeti.  The name Serengeti means 'endless plains' and is derived from the Maasai language.

Below, a cheetah finds shade under an acacia tree in the beautiful Serengeti.

We had an excellent guide - named Bariki - who, like our guides in Tarangire, was extremely knowledgable about animals, plants, ecosystem, history, and every aspect of the African experience.   To my delight, he was an avid birder and could spot, identify, and discuss the many species we encountered.  Simply put:  He was a walking encyclopedia and we learned much from him.

Shown below is our guide, Bariki with Trish.  His tribe is located southeast of the Ngorogoro Crater . . . he spoke excellent English and traveling with him as a private guide was a profound learning experience.

Also pictured, is his favorite bird:  The Lilac-breasted Roller.  More than 500 species of birds have been recorded in the Serengeti . . . some of them Eurasian migrants which are present from October to April.

While in the Serengeti, we stayed in the bush in a tented camp.  The spacious, comfortable tent had a floor, bathroom, shower and exceeded all our safari expectations.  Shown below, is our tent, the interior, and a view of the dining tent from our porch.

We had lion and hyena in camp after dark and the Maasai kept a fire going and patrolled throughout the night.  

I'll never forget the sounds the animals made . . . they will remain with me for the rest of my life. 

A full moon added to the drama, and after the first restless night, 

an unfamiliar peace came over me and I accepted the situation in dreamy, sound sleep.

Below, the evening glow of kerosene lanterns added to the charm and ambiance in camp.

Our routine in the Serengeti began with an early breakfast and a game drive to nearby waterholes to experience the spectacular concentration of plains animals.  We returned to camp every day at noon for lunch as both we and the animals sought shade in the intense heat.  We stayed in camp for about 4 hours before returning to the field until sunset.  Below, a picture of zebras at a water hole and lunch with a welcome cold refreshment at camp.

Africa produces great beer; we enjoyed Safari, Tusker, and Kilimanjaro.

I used the 4-hour downtime during the heat of the day to work with my field guides, and, thanks to the immediacy of digital photography, draw in my sketchbook.  Trish and I each took over 10,000 pictures during our 3 weeks in Africa. The daily game drives were full of action and I did not spend my time sketching in the field with so much activity. 

Below, photographing from the open top of the Land Rover.  

  

We saw lots of different quadruped and bird species but when I think of the Serengeti, I think of the cats:  we saw many lion, leopard, and cheetah.  Although we saw elephants and we were ever mindful of our anti poaching purpose for being in Tanzania, Bariki reminded me that the upcoming trip to Tarangari was the best place to experience elephants.

Below, one of many lion photographs.

More about Africa in next Wednesday's post.

Blog, text, photos, drawings, and sculpture . . . © Sandy Scott and Trish Smith