THOUSANDS OF ANIMALS BUT ONE ELEPHANT
By Bob Van Leer

  (LAKE MANYARA NATIONAL PARK, TANZANIA, EAST AFRICA - Nov. 1, 1993) - From our room at the Lake Manyara Lodge we can look out the window and see baboons in the flower beds and way down below on the plain around the lake wild animals abound. The hotel is on the edge of the escarpment looking over the Rift Valley 1000 feet below. The valley marks where the African continent is in the process of tearing apart. The easternmost portion is separating from the bulk of the African land mass. The valley floor is so far below it is difficult to identify some of the animals even with binoculars, but I can identify a dozen giraffes.

  The open, grassy plains are covered with hundreds, maybe thousands, of grazing animals. The road from Arusha was paved for the first 80 km. But then it was a poorly-maintained gravel road another 70 km. to the lodge. This is Masai country and along the way we passed many of them. They are herdsmen and have mostly rejected the white man's form of dress and continue to dress in traditional clothing. They seem to favor bright colors, reds and purple are two favorites. After lunch at the lodge we gathered at 3 p.m. for a game viewing drive. We have three mini-vans that have tops that open for stand-up viewing. Our caravan descended to the valley floor and through the lone entrance gate to the park.

  This is a small park, only 125 square miles, of which more than two thirds is water. But the flat along the west side of the lake abounds in game and the lake is alive with birds. Pink flamingos on the lake must total, literally, in the millions. There were more of the crested cranes, guineas and more exotic birds such as ground hornbills, a rather grotesque, turkey-sized bird. In the park we drove first through the only jungle we have seen in this part of Africa. Baboons were common on and off the one-lane dirt road. In the trees and on the ground were blue monkeys. The first large animals we saw were giraffes, which were common all through the park. They are stately creatures to watch. Impalas were also common through the park. They are a light brown antelope about the size of a deer and the males have corkscrew antlers. We were allowed to leave our vehicles only in designated areas for protection of both the wildlife and ourselves. By the lake we saw two male lions who had killed a buffalo and were having their lunch. Other animals seen were water bucks, a lot of buffalo, many zebras and hundreds of wildebeest (gnu to crossword puzzle fans). It was getting late and time to return to the lodge. We saw a lone dik dik, a tiny antelope perhaps 18 inches high at the shoulders. We hadn't seen an elephant and this was keeping the day from being complete. But on the way out of the park we came across a lone bull that stopped long enough for us all to get pictures and crossed the road about six feet in front of one of our vans. Tomorrow we will proceed west to the Serengeti. This will be the farthest point on this trip.