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Ruaha's own white giraffe and 

a baby zebra with polka dots!

A recently spotted baby zebra with 'polka dots' and our own white giraffe. Are there similarities?


With their striking black-and-white stripes, zebras boast one of the most iconic coats of the animal kingdom. But every now and then, a zebra is born that doesn’t fit the striped mold. At the Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya, a tour guide and photographer recently caught sight of an unusual foal, its deep black coat covered with white spots.

Here at Ruaha National Park we have our very own white giraffe. With his elongated neck and bright body, it’s hard to miss him. 

While many have been quick to label the giraffe as albino, it likely suffers from a genetic condition called leucism, which inhibits skin cells from producing pigment but allows other organs, like eyes, to be dark colored. 

The baby zebra, in fact has a genetic condition known as “pseudomelanism”, the opposite of our giraffe's genetic condition, which causes abnormalities in zebra stripe patterns. Zebras are dark skinned animals, and their stripes arise from specialized skin cells called melanocytes, which transfer melanin into some of their hairs; the hairs that have melanin appear black, and those that do not appear white. But on rare occasions, something goes awry and the melanin does not manifest as stripes.

More than half of all giraffes don’t make it past six months of age, according to the Giraffe Conservation Foundation. They’re targeted by predators such as lions and hyenas. Our guy has been lucky as he has reached the age of 2 years by now.

But the future may not be bright for this little zebra. Scientists have long debated the function of zebra stripes—camouflage, social-signalling and temperature control have been floated as possible theories—but many now think that the black-and-white pattern actually functions as a fly repellant. In Africa, flies carry a number of diseases that are fatal to zebras, and their thin coats make them especially easy to bite. Zebras’ mesmerizing stripes seem to disorient flies, making it difficult for them to stick their landing—so without the standard coat pattern, the polka dot zebra may be susceptible to dangerous bites.


But if he can withstand the flies, he might do just fine. Zebras, it seems, are accepting of difference; research suggests that animals with atypical coat patterns fit right into the herd.

The wind does not break a tree that can bend.


(African proverb)

Great news!

Mwagusi is offering Low Season rates on all new bookings of 3 days and more for stays during 1st October 2019 - 21st March 2020.

For more information contact

Wings over the Wild
(Offer closes 21st March 2020)

Manase, growing healthy and strong!

Baby Manase shows he is growing healthy to be a strong little boy on his milk formula after a most traumatic beginning when he was found by a passerby in a field still attached to his mother who had died during childbirth. We think she was trying to walk to the local remote hospital to get help. Dr Leena Pasanen, our volunteer doctor, was called and immediately went to see what she could do and she saved his life.

Discussions took place between his father and the local Village Committee where it was agreed for the little baby to come to our Children’s Village until such time he can return to the family home, which could be a few years as he has several siblings and the father now finds it very hard to manage.

A vital project the FCWCT started is the Milk Powder Programme, which provides Lifesaving milk powder, (infant formula and whole milk powder) and Lishe powder (nutritious porridge powder) to HIV positive mothers with infants and to vulnerable children and their carers. Many HIV mothers are unable to feed their babies, another step on the road to recovery for the whole community.A malnourished baby receives milk from the milk powder program which was created by the FCWCT to prevent transmission of HIV from mother to child. To address these problems, the FCWCT supported by a donor, provides milk powder to participating mothers and caregivers.

This programme is saving lives of many babies with us and those whose mothers are unable to breastfeed their babies themselves in these remote villages due to one reason or another.
 

To know more about the Milk Powder Program please visit our website.

Please support our Milk Powder Programme

Guest review

This is a fabulous safari camp located inside Ruaha National Park in Tanzania. The bandas (huts) are eco friendly and thoughtfully decorated in natural materials with a desk, plenty of seating areas, king bed and a hammock under the covered porch for afternoon naps. The bandas are placed along the Mwagusi River (dry in the dry season, intermittently flowing during the rainy season) and provide plenty of privacy. Water is from a bore hole and has been treated so can be consumed. Bottled water is also offered in the bandas. Meals are served family style with lunch in the dining/relaxing pavilion or in the library pavilion. Dinner is served under the stars at different locations in the camp. Food choices are fantastic and plentiful. My favorite parts of my 3 night stay were sitting on the porch watching animals cross the dry Mwagusi riverbed right in front of my banda, hearing animals during the night as they travel through the camp and seeing the amazing night sky, including the Milky Way and Southern Cross during a dinner. I loved this camp and hope to return someday in the future.

Kristin Certain

Say yes to dinner under the stars!
We support "PACK FOR A PURPOSE".
Please see PFAP website on how guests can use space in their suitcases to help our projects.
www.packforapurpose.org
For further information and bookings please contact:
Lynn Swift | Wings Over the Wild (GSA for Mwagusi Safari Camp)

safaris@wingsoverthewild.co.uk
Mobile: +44 (0) 75 25 17 09 40 | Land line: +44 (0) 18 22 61 57 21
Copyright © 2019 Wings Over The Wild Ltd, All rights reserved.


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