South Africa 2013, part 1

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Kevin Messenger
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Joined: June 7th, 2010, 3:00 pm
Location: Nanjing, China
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South Africa 2013, part 1

Post by Kevin Messenger »

FHF South Africa 2013
Sorry it’s taken so long to do this. Massive writing and other responsibilities these days. And in that light, I’m going to try and write this up as succinctly as possible, while still trying to provide some amount of detail that I prefer (a lot of my friends – Jen… say I “overshare” and perhaps provide too much detail). But oh well. I know some people out there like it.

Also let me start by apologizing for the heavy use of mammal and birds pics. The time of year I was there, they are just way more common. There is still plenty of herp pics, you just have to wade through the mammals and birds first. Additionally, several of the pics are not to my liking (too grainy), but it was the best I could do with what I had to work with. So I was piggy-backing on someone else's trip, and on that someone's dime. As a result, I didn't want to be an inconvenience in the slightest. So as we're driving around, bouncing on back country sand roads, I'm taking shots of animals hand held, with an 800 mm zoom that weighs 6 lbs! It's not the easy to get a crisp shot. The only option in this situation is to drive up your ISO super high (hence the graininess) such that I could achieve a shutter speed fast enough to account for A) my hand shake and the weight of a 6 lb camera, and B) the bouncing of the truck. To make matters worse, most days were ugly overcast days with very little good light. All of this just meant my ISO had to be cranked up even more. So if you kind of flinch in disgust at the quality of some of the images, I'm sorry. But that's the reasoning behind the graininess. Usually I NEVER go over 800 ISO. But under these conditions, I was routinely above it.

Anyway, there’s some backstory to go in to before the trip begins. This trip was made possible due to my friends Scott Lupien and Wu Long. I met Scott through this forum actually, posting my China posts – this lead me to herping with him in Beijing back in 2008 (see these posts: http://www.fieldherpforum.com/forum/vie ... f=2&t=8242).

With each sequential trip to China, I would always visit Scott. In 2012, while visiting Scott one afternoon, he gets a call.
“A friend of mine wants to take us out to dinner, his name’s Wu Long, he’s one of my clients, and he randomly just calls me up and offers to take me out to dinner, you’ll love him. He loves beer!”

So that night I met Wu Long. We drank lots of beer, I talked about my work in China, I gave him a link to the snake documentary I participated in back in 2011. From that night on, Wu Long and I became great friends – despite our lack of communication which is usually mediated by Scott, whom is fluent. My broken Chinese can only get me so far when I talk with Wu Long.

Anyway, with every passing year I’d always swing by Beijing to say hello to Scott and Wu Long and to do a bit of Beijing herping. In the summer of 2013 when I met up with them (here: http://www.fieldherpforum.com/forum/vie ... =2&t=18116), and while talking about standard stuff, Wu Long says I should come with him to South Africa this October. I explained to him that I’m a poor PhD student and definitely don’t have the funds for a flight, let alone a 2-week stay in South Africa, that it is WAY outside of my pay range. His response (in Chinese of course):
“Don’t worry about it, I’ll pay for your flight and cover your expenses – you just come and look for snakes and enjoy yourself”

Me: “ummm…. Okay, I’ll have to check my schedule.”

This is one of those things that you don’t really expect to happen. One of those empty promises/ situations that just simply doesn’t happen/ work out. Well come September, Scott emails me and tells me that Wu Long is ready to buy my plane ticket, just let me know from which airport and what not.

So that’s the background story of how I was able to make it to South Africa.

15 October 2013 – day 0
I arrive in Johannesburg, greeted by Scott at the airport. We jump in his friend’s van (Mark) and head off to his place in Petoria. Wu Long and another friend of Wu Long’s are not arriving until the next morning, so we’d be spending the night at Mark’s place that night. As with flights to China, the flight to South Africa was just as long, if not longer – about 15 hours….

That night we had some pizza and drank plenty of beers (Black label):
Imageblack label by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

16 October 2013 – day 1
Due to jet lag and all of that fun stuff, I ended up waking up around 4am. I walked around Mark’s place to get some morning pics, since after we pick up Wu Long, we’d be driving ~5 hours north and east to our destination where we’d be spending the next ~10 days or so – a hunt preserve (that’s Scott’s business, hunting safaris – I realize some people may have an issue with that, but if you’ve been properly educated on the benefits and are familiar with the megafauna ecosystem in South Africa, then you quickly realize the benefit that hunting has, especially with how strict South Africa is on what you can and cannot take. The legal hunters definitely are not creating a problem, the poachers on the other hand, that’s a different matter altogether, and is a major problem).
ImageMark's pups by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

GoPro stills:
ImageGOPR1771v3 by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
ImageGOPR1810v3 by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

The view from Mark’s front yard:
ImageGOPR1819v3 by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

A look back at his house:
ImageGOPR1835v3 by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

ImageIMG_3942v3 by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
ImageIMG_3943v3 by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Some masked weaver birds:
ImageIMG_3963v3 by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
ImageIMG_3973v3 by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
ImageSouthern masked weaver Ploceus velatus by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
ImageSouthern masked weaver Ploceus velatus by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
ImageSouthern masked weaver Ploceus velatus by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
ImageSouthern masked weaver Ploceus velatus by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Crested barbet:
ImageCrested barbet Trachyphonus vaillantii by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
ImageCrested barbet Trachyphonus vaillantii by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
ImageCrested barbet Trachyphonus vaillantii by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Oh, I should remind those that aren’t thinking about it – South Africa is south of the equator, so mid-October is like late Feb or early March temperature wise, so not the best time to go herping, but again, it’s an all-expense paid trip, so I’m not gonna say “sorry, I don’t like the temps that time of year.”

So we drove ~4 hours north to Tzaneen where we switched from Mark’s van to two 4x4 safari trucks. From here we drove another hour to Hoedspruit. Along the drive, we saw a large herd of bull elephants, called a bachelor herd:
ImageAfrican bush elephant (Loxodonta africana) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
ImageAfrican bush elephant (Loxodonta africana) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
ImageAfrican bush elephant (Loxodonta africana) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
ImageAfrican bush elephant (Loxodonta africana) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
ImageAfrican bush elephant (Loxodonta africana) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
ImageAfrican bush elephant (Loxodonta africana) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
ImageAfrican bush elephant (Loxodonta africana) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
ImageAfrican bush elephant (Loxodonta africana) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Once we got to Hoedspruit, we had to pick up a ton of groceries. The hunt reserve we were heading to, Timbavarti game reserve, is quite primitive. No electricity, cell reception, anything of the like – and you also have to pack in all of your groceries that you plan on cooking while there (unless you plan on just eating game the entire time – but you should still bring supplies in the event that you aren’t successful). So we loaded both trucks to the brim with beer and water and liquor and wine and tons of meats and veggies.

We arrived at the gated entrance to the hunt reserve around 9pm or so. The drive in looked like an excellent road to road cruise. Once we got through the gates, it was another ~45 mins on back country sand roads to finally get to our campsite.

I had no idea what to expect when Scott told me we’d be sleeping in the bush, no electricity or anything of the sort, and that we’d be staying in tents as well. To add to the interestingness, this game reserve contains some of the more dangerous animals that have been known to cause human fatalities (hippos, rhinos, elephants, lions, buffalo, and crocs – when I say “animals” of course I’m referring to game animals, because obviously there’s plenty of snake species that would be added to this list). As I was told several times by the PH’s that were with us. Oh, and a PH = professional hunter; essentially a hunt guide that helps people find whatever game species they are looking for. As some may guess (or maybe not), hunting is quite a profession in Africa. I would say a PH is akin to a naturalist in the US, they are extremely knowledgeable on the animal, its habits, ecology, et cetera, basically, you name it, they know about it (game species that is). This was quite comforting as my PhD is in conservation biology and so I was very curious about this whole hunting scene in Africa. I knew it was big, but I, like most people from the US, didn’t know the details. I know SOME details of hunting in the US. I know how beneficial it is toward land management, and therefore indirectly benefitting the herps that I love through protection of land, but I had no idea about how South Africa manages game animals in their country. So, for example, I’m fine with hunting ungulates (deer-like animals), but I’ve always thought to myself “there’s no way I could ever shoot a big cat.” Growing up with a father who is a vet, and having worked in emergency vet hospitals since I was 15, the concept of shooting a big cat is just beyond me. And for me personally, it still is. But that isn’t to say I can’t understand the need/ benefit if it’s adequately explained to me. So I asked: “how can people still hunt lions? With the pressure they are facing? How are they not protected? Basically, could you give me the run down on lions?”

The PH’s (Jean Claude and Paul) explained:
First, you have to be in a territory where the population is either stable or over populated. Since Africa is now full of towns and “civilization” – the megafauna are no longer allowed to roam the countryside and just go wherever they please, like they did back in the day. Because they are no longer allowed to roam, the megafauna is mostly restricted to being behind fences (either a national park, or hunt land). The fences prevent the animals (lions/ elephants, what have you) from just waltzing into town, where obviously they’d be killed by people freaking out – or farmers killing them for eating their gardens or live stock. So first you find an area that has the proper population size and allows hunting (so usually this is a private individual that has bought acres and acres of land specifically for the purposes of hunting – that person protects the land and does what they can to keep all of the animals in it in equilibrium with one another. If the ungulates are getting too low due to too many big-cats, then you thin the big-cat population. Once that is lower, the ungulate population grows, and you hold back on the cats and go back to the ungulates, and so forth. It’s not all that different from the US actually. For example, in the US, Fish and Game will stock rivers with trout so people can go fishing – well along the same lines, game reserve owners will buy game from other places in order to stock their own properties. Later in the trip, I met an owner that had just bought two baby giraffes, which will grow to adulthood, hopefully breed, and keep on breeding until someone decides to buy one to hunt (or buy one to transplant to another game reserve). So in the same way the US has livestock auctions, where they sell breeders (or meat animals), the same goes on in South Africa.

So once you have the location with the right amount of animals (sustainable), in the case of lions, a person can only hunt a 6-year old or older. For those unaware, the average life-span of a wild lion is about 12 years old, if all conditions are perfect. At around 6 to 7 is when the younger males start to challenge the dominate male, and is usually the age at which the dominate gets kicked out of the pride. Once ousted from a pride, male lions rarely survive more than 1-2 years on their own. Additionally, he is no longer contributing to the reproductive success of the species. These solo males are also some of the biggest predators of young rhinos. So if a property has both rhinos and lions, they want the rhinos to prosper, then one means of doing that is by keeping the lion population low. It’s all very interesting in my opinion, the amount of “juggling” that is taken into account, and the amount of ecological knowledge about the species that is also taken into account. Before I would have had a problem with killing a lion. But after learning the stipulations: A) only where populations are stable or over populated, B) only old males that past their prime, only have a year or two left, and are no longer contributing genetically toward their species, I don’t really see an issue. So long as the kill is humane, which of course is what every hunter aims for. Just imagine in the US, if people were only allowed to kill male eastern diamondbacks that were a minimum of 6 ft. All the reproducing and spreading of genes they would be doing in their younger years, they would be guaranteed protection (up until they reach that size, and only from people willing to obey the law) – whatever the case, the population would be WAY better off than it is now.

Oh, and the last thing that helped ease my mind, was the amount of money that goes towards conserving land. So these land owners that bought all of these acres of land, in order to keep that land natural (and not have it turned in to Wal-marts or neighborhoods), they require enough money to manage it. They need to be able to continue to pay taxes on it, and if necessary improve it, or re-stock it with more of Species A in order to keep interest in it. So when it’s all said and done, anything that benefits the land (which is where my herps live), AND doesn’t contribute to the decline of a species (which under their tight regulations does not seem to be the case, especially when you consider how much of the ecology of the animal they are taking in), is perfectly fine with me. The biggest problem in Africa are the poachers, and no one likes them. The game managers, the PH’s, everyone hates them because they don’t hunt with sustainable methods and are far from ethical in their kills.

So that should do it for my soap-box on the subject. I figured some people might be curious, and I’d rather explain up-front. Back in the day I used to be 100% anti-hunting. But then I learned that essentially without hunters, nearly all of the land that I enjoy in the US for herping would not exist. It would be Walmarts and shopping centers or neighborhoods full of more people, who are just killing snakes left and right. Once I realized the amount of life that hunters save (even if only it’s indirectly) was enough to justify the sport. I personally have yet to actually hunt, but I would love to start (because it’s also WAY healthier to eat “organic, naturally fed” than all of the genetic, processed, anti-biotic pumped crap we eat nowadays). The caveat being, the animal can’t be endangered – and if it’s endangered, they don’t offer hunt licenses for it. Remember, “every animal is endangered somewhere” (usually on the fringes of its distribution). And just because the populations might be ultra-low in Namibia, does not mean they cannot be over populated a few hundred miles east.

Alright, back on track on the story. I don’t think there will be any more “side bars.” When we arrived at our camp, Jean Claude, Paul, and Paul’s son started setting up the fire. Dinner would be chicken and ribs.

Imagearound camp by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
Imagearound camp by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Shot of the camp at night:
Imagearound camp by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Bats in our tent:
ImageIMG_4149v3 by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
ImageIMG_4150v3 by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Wu Long and Li Fei were housed in a tent together. Li Fei has an incredibly irrational fear of snakes. And after I mentioned finding bats in our tent, he asked me to come with him to his tent to look it over. The staff at the reserve place rubber snakes in the tents and bathrooms to scare monkeys from raiding the place. For those that don’t know – usually primates are deathly afraid of snakes. Well Li Fei was also deathly afraid of the rubber snakes, and asked me to remove them from his tent….. yes really…. While looking around his tent, I also found some Southern Foam Nest frogs in his bathroom, just hanging out:
Imagesouthern foam-nest tree frog (Chiromantis xerampelina) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
Imagesouthern foam-nest tree frog (Chiromantis xerampelina) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
Imagesouthern foam-nest tree frog (Chiromantis xerampelina) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
Imagesouthern foam-nest tree frog (Chiromantis xerampelina) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

They were also lucky enough to have geckos in their tent:
ImagePondo flat gecko Afroedura pondolia by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
ImagePondo flat gecko Afroedura pondolia by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
ImagePondo flat gecko Afroedura pondolia by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
ImagePondo flat gecko Afroedura pondolia by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
ImagePondo flat gecko Afroedura pondolia by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
ImagePondo flat gecko Afroedura pondolia by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr


The group around the campfire:
Imagearound camp by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
Imagearound camp by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Setting up the BBQ:
Imagearound camp by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
Imagearound camp by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
Imagearound camp by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Ribs and chicken:
Imagearound camp by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

The dinner table (note the lighting and the fact that I mentioned the place doesn’t have electricity – the few lights around the place all run on solar power):
Imagearound camp by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
Imagearound camp by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
Imagearound camp by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
Imagearound camp by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

17 October 2013 – day 2
Around camp the next morning:
Imagearound camp by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
Imagearound camp by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
Imagearound camp by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
Imagearound camp by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
Imagearound camp by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Imagearound camp, our "tent" by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Imagearound camp, our "tent" by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Imagearound camp, our "tent" by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Imagearound camp, our "tent" by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Imagearound camp, our "tent" by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Imagearound camp, our "tent" by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Imagearound camp, our "tent" by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Imagearound camp, our "tent" by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Imagearound camp by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

The out-house:
Imagearound camp by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Imagearound camp by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

View from the toilet:
Imagearound camp, view from the toilet by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Imagearound camp by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr



Our trucks:
ImageGOPR1868v3 by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
ImageGOPR1878v3 by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Our tent:
ImageIMG_4249v3 by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
Imagearound camp by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

So I know the setup looks quite nice for a "tent!" And it was. The bed, for example, was probably THE most comfortable bed I've ever slept in. The mattress was magical. Well what was kinda/ semi/ slightly nervous yet at the same time, pretty cool. One night while Scott and I were sleeping, about 100 yards away, just on the other side of the dried riverbed that surrounded the campsite, was a pride of lions roaring for a good portion of the night. As long as you think to yourself "I'm perfectly safe in this tent" - then the whole thing was quite awesome. Listening to them roar in the distance was just very surreal. The likelihood of one actually coming in to camp and causing a ruckus was extremely unlikely. But still, it's crazy to think that it's just a layer of canvas between us and them.

Dried river bed surrounding our campsite:
ImageIMG_4223v3 by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
ImageIMG_1597 SX50v3 by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
ImageIMG_1598 SX50v3 by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr


As I mentioned all the dangers at night, for the most part it was the same way during the day. No one was allowed to walk alone without someone with a rifle. Everything was buddy system. It was semi-frustrating, but I understood it.

ImageIMG_4235v3 by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr


Typically, I almost never use my Sigma 50-500mm in the US. The benefit just doesn’t outweigh the cost of lugging it around. But on this trip, since I’d be photographing a lot of large mammals, it was pretty much my walk-about lens. Even still, it was hard to get the shots I wanted – not crisp enough. And nearly every pic still required me to crop fairly significantly in order to get “close enough” to the subject matter. Either a longer lens is needed, or a full sensor camera. Wu Long has a 5D Mark III that he barely uses. Had I known that, I definitely would have requested he bring it and see if I could borrow it during the trip. Oh well, there’s always next time! So, the point is, most of the time I would walk around with the sigma on, and therefore try to shoot whatever I could to take advantage of having that lens on. As a result, I ended up taking a lot of bird pics too.

Natal Francolin:
ImageNatal francolin by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

ImageIMG_4232v3 by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Arrow-marked babbler:
ImageArrow marked babbler by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

ImageIMG_4255v3 by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Cape starling:
ImageCape starling by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Our driveway:
ImageIMG_1580 SX50v3 by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

After walking around the camp for a bit, we decided to go on a drive and see what wildlife we could find. Large mammals were everywhere, it was quite impressive.

Within about 10 mins of leaving camp, we came across a large herd of elephants.
ImageAfrican bush elephant (Loxodonta africana) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
ImageAfrican elephant Loxodonta africana by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
ImageAfrican bush elephant (Loxodonta africana) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

We were able to get VERY close to the elephants. As long as you stay in the truck, there’s usually not an issue. I also learned that elephants are not necessarily the nicest. The PH’s said that as long as you stay in the truck and don’t break the profile of the truck, we are seen as just another large animal of about the same size. Elephant vision is extremely poor. But if you were to get out, and break that profile, and be seen as a smaller animal, they would likely charge and kill you. They said the most dangerous part is the trunk. I had always figured it was the tusks. They told me that earlier that year an elephant was starting to walk into a camp with a bunch of kids (like a scout camp), and the leader of the camp got a bunch of pots and pans and started pounding them together, trying to scare the elephant off. The elephant grabbed the lady by the feet, pulled her away, put one foot on her torso, and started pulling her limbs off and then finally her head! Kobus, our cook, also had a close call with an elephant. He said he was sitting in his truck and a female charged the truck head on, the tusks impaled the vehicle, one tusk going through the windshield, the other tusk going through the firewall and stopping just a little bit beyond the key. It bent the ignition switch, that’s how close it got to him. So the moral of the story was that one needs to treat these animals with extreme respect and don’t necessarily think that they are going to be friendly and/or tame, because they most likely will not be.

As I was just saying prior to all of that, as long as we stayed in the back of the truck, we were able to get extremely close:
ImageAfrican bush elephant (Loxodonta africana) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
Imageclose up of African elephant skin by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
Imageclose up of African elephant skin by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
Imageclose up of African elephant skin by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
Imageclose up of African elephant skin by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
Imageclose up of African elephant skin by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
Imageclose up of African elephant skin by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
ImageAfrican elephant Loxodonta africana by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
I was quite excited to see these guys. We usually saw ~10 each day:
ImageWhite rhino by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Morning collared dove:
Imagemourning collared dove by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

White breasted cormorant:
Imagewhite breasted cormorant by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Swainson’s spurfowl:
ImageSwainson's spurfowl by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

The roads we were driving every day for several days:
ImageIMG_4334v3 by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
ImageIMG_4335v3 by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

What’s crazy is that these two pics, could just as easily been taken in the Sandhills region of the Carolinas. The sand roads look very similar.

Road sign:
ImageIMG_4342v3 by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

We stopped at a local’s place. Finally got a chance to walk around.
Variable skink (Trachylepis varia)
ImageVariable skink Trachylepis varia by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
ImageVariable skink Trachylepis varia by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Burchell’s zebra were all over the place. Love these guys:
ImageBurchell's zebra (Equus quagga burchellii) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Steenbock:
Imagesteenbock (Raphicerus campestris) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Impala were probably THE most common mammal. The PH’s said they call them the local McDonalds, because they are “fast food.” Also because they are cheap and everywhere.

Imageimpala (Aepyceros melampus) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Giraffe were quite common as well:
ImageGiraffe by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Blacksmith lapwing:
Imageblacksmith lapwing / blacksmith plover Vanellus armatus by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
Imageblacksmith lapwing / blacksmith plover Vanellus armatus by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Backside of an Egyptian goose:
ImageEgyptian goose (Alopochen aegyptiaca) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Termite mound:
ImageIMG_4437v3 by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

ImageIMG_4440v3 by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Another:
ImageWhite rhino by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Then a pair:
ImageWhite rhino by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Imagesouthern red-billed hornbill Tockus rufirostris by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Imageimpala (Aepyceros melampus) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Imagesouthern red-billed hornbill Tockus rufirostris by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

ImageBurchell's zebra (Equus quagga burchellii) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Imagegreater kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Imagegreater kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Imagegreater kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

ImageBurchell's zebra (Equus quagga burchellii) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

ImageBurchell's zebra (Equus quagga burchellii) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

ImageBurchell's zebra (Equus quagga burchellii) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Came back for lunch:
Imagearound camp by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Imageblacksmith lapwing / blacksmith plover Vanellus armatus by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Waterbuck:
Imagewaterbuck (Kobus ellipsiprymnus) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Females:
Imagewaterbuck (Kobus ellipsiprymnus) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Imagewaterbuck (Kobus ellipsiprymnus) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

ImageRüppell's griffon vulture Gyps rueppelli by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

ImageLilac-breasted roller by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Imagewaterbuck (Kobus ellipsiprymnus) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

ImageEgyptian goose (Alopochen aegyptiaca) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

A group of young males:
ImageLion by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

As we were driving along, Scott spotted a large lizard on a tree. At the moment he saw it, it’s head was a much brighter blue. After we stopped, and as I approached it, it gradually got darker:
ImageSouthern tree agama (Acanthocercus atricollis) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
ImageSouthern tree agama (Acanthocercus atricollis) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
ImageSouthern tree agama (Acanthocercus atricollis) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
ImageSouthern tree agama (Acanthocercus atricollis) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

ImageWahlberg's eagle by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Nile croc and some hippos! We had seen some other niles earlier that day, but they were all pansies and disappeared into the water pretty quick. I could barely get a decent photograph with the sigma lens (it was too short. This shot above was taken with the SX-50 at 1200mm.

Imageyellow billed stork (left) and African spoonbill (right) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Imageostrich by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

That night, after dinner I walked around in the dried river bed (which had a little bit of water). I only took the SX-50, so the shots kinda suck:

ImageAfrican clawed frog Xenopus laevis by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

ImageAnchieta's ridged frog Ptychadena anchietae by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

ImageAnchieta's ridged frog Ptychadena anchietae by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr


18 October 2013 – day 3
Imagewhite headed vulture by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

ImageIMG_4688v3 by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

ImageIMG_4688v3 by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

ImageSouthern tree agama (Acanthocercus atricollis) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

ImageAfrican bush elephant (Loxodonta africana) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr



ImageBurchell's zebra (Equus quagga burchellii) and giraffe by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Lunch:
Imagearound camp by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

ImageIMG_4702v3 by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

ImageAfrican scops owl Otus senegalensis by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
ImageAfrican scops owl Otus senegalensis by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
ImageAfrican scops owl Otus senegalensis by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

ImageMeye's Parrot, or Brown-headed parrot by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Chasing a savannah monitor up a tree:
ImageWhite-throated monitor (Varanus albigularis) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

ImageWhite-throated monitor (Varanus albigularis) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

ImageWhite-throated monitor (Varanus albigularis) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

ImageWhite-throated monitor (Varanus albigularis) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

ImageWhite-throated monitor (Varanus albigularis) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

ImageWhite-throated monitor (Varanus albigularis) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

ImageWhite-throated monitor (Varanus albigularis) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

ImageWhite-throated monitor (Varanus albigularis) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Imagephotographing a White-throated monitor (Varanus albigularis) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Scott taking pics:
ImageWhite-throated monitor (Varanus albigularis) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

ImageWhite-throated monitor (Varanus albigularis) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

ImageIMG_4979v3 by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

ImageSouthern Ground Hornbill (critically endangered in South Africa) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

ImageSouthern Ground Hornbill (critically endangered in South Africa) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Dinner! Kobus is an awesome cook. The stew is ostrich neck:
Imagearound camp by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Imageostrich neck stew by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Imagecarrots, zuchini, cheese, and potatoes by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Imagearound camp by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

After dinner, I went down to the stream bed again, and brought my real camera this time.

ImageAnchieta's ridged frog Ptychadena anchietae by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

ImageAnchieta's ridged frog Ptychadena anchietae by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

ImageAnchieta's ridged frog Ptychadena anchietae by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

I love taking night shots during full moons, here are some shots of the camp:
ImageIMG_5013v3 by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
ImageIMG_5016v3 by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

19 October 2013 – day 4
ImageCape Buffalo by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

ImageCape Buffalo by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
ImageCape Buffalo by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
ImageCape Buffalo by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

ImageCape Buffalo by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Another small group of young males:
Image3 brothers by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
ImageLion by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

More rhinos – these guys were always a treat to see. We only saw white rhinos, but we did find the dung of black rhinos.
ImageWhite rhino by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

We stopped by another local’s house, Scott and I started flipping logs. Scott flipped this little guy under a log:
Imageleopard tortoise Stigmochelys pardalis by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
Imageleopard tortoise Stigmochelys pardalis by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
Imageleopard tortoise Stigmochelys pardalis by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
ImageIMG_5176v3 by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

ImageIMG_1764 SX50v3 by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Driving around town, we found another leopard tortoise:
Imageleopard tortoise Stigmochelys pardalis by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Imageleopard tortoise Stigmochelys pardalis by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Imageleopard tortoise Stigmochelys pardalis by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Imageleopard tortoise Stigmochelys pardalis by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Imagebushbuck (Tragelaphus sylvaticus) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Imagebushbuck (Tragelaphus sylvaticus) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Imagebushbuck (Tragelaphus sylvaticus) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Imagebushbuck (Tragelaphus sylvaticus) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Imagebushbuck (Tragelaphus sylvaticus) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Another herd:
ImageAfrican bush elephant (Loxodonta africana) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

ImageAfrican bush elephant (Loxodonta africana) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

ImageAfrican bush elephant (Loxodonta africana) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Campfire pics:
Imagearound camp by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Imagearound camp by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Imagearound camp by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Imagearound camp by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Imagearound camp by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

It started raining that night, so we moved indoors:
Imagearound camp by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Wu Long:
Imagearound camp by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr


20 October 2013 – day 5
These little diurnal geckos were all over the place. It took awhile to get some decent shots of one.
ImageCape dwarf gecko (Lygodactylus capensis) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

ImageCape dwarf gecko (Lygodactylus capensis) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

ImageIMG_5441v3 by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Ok, so while flipping logs, I finally found my FIRST African snake. Imagine my intense joy finding a species that is not only tiny, but looks nearly identical to Tantilla back in the US…..
Imageblack headed centipede eater (Aparallactus capensis) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
Imageblack headed centipede eater (Aparallactus capensis) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
Imageblack headed centipede eater (Aparallactus capensis) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
Imageblack headed centipede eater (Aparallactus capensis) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Shortly after though, I flipped this really cool skink:
ImageSundevall's writhing lizard (Lygosoma sundevalli) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
ImageSundevall's writhing lizard (Lygosoma sundevalli) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
ImageSundevall's writhing lizard (Lygosoma sundevalli) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

ImageTwo-striped skink (Trachylepis striata) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
ImageTwo-striped skink (Trachylepis striata) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

ImageCrested Francolin by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

ImageEgyptian goose (Alopochen aegyptiaca) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Flipping yet more rocks revealed this awesome centipede:
ImageIMG_5629v3 by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
ImageIMG_5632v3 by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
ImageIMG_5640v3 by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr
ImageIMG_5644v3 by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Imagehippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

ImageTwo-striped skink (Trachylepis striata) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Lunch:
Imagearound camp by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Imagearound camp by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Imagearound camp by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

ImageTwo-striped skink (Trachylepis striata) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Paul and Kobus:
Imagearound camp by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Imagearound camp by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

After lunch, we went driving around as usual:
ImageAfrican fish eagle (Haliaeetus vocifer) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

ImageCape vulture by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

ImageCape vulture by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

ImageBurchell's zebra (Equus quagga burchellii) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

These guys are endangered:
ImageSouthern Ground Hornbill by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Spotted hyena sleeping on carcass:
Imagespotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Imagespotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

These guys have awesome courtship displays. The males fly way up in the air and dive bomb the ground.
Imageblack bellied bustard by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

One of the cooler geckos we found:
ImageTurner's tubercled gecko (Chondrodactylus turneri) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

ImageTurner's tubercled gecko (Chondrodactylus turneri) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

ImageTurner's tubercled gecko (Chondrodactylus turneri) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

ImageTurner's tubercled gecko (Chondrodactylus turneri) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

ImageTurner's tubercled gecko (Chondrodactylus turneri) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Horrible shot, very low light, so super high ISO, plus cropping. But it’s a weird looking vulture:
ImageIMG_5837v3 by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

ImageCape vulture by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

ImageCape vulture by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

ImageHooded Vulture (Vulnerable) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

ImageIMG_5860v3 by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Imagespotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Female spotted hyena (with radio collar) checking out an elephant carcass:
Imagespotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Imagespotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

Imagespotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta) by Kevin Messenger, on Flickr

To be continued in part 2: http://www.fieldherpforum.com/forum/vie ... =2&t=20502
Jacob
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Re: South Africa 2013

Post by Jacob »

Great stuff! Really brings back some memories from when I was there. Loved the owl shots
Tamara D. McConnell
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Re: South Africa 2013

Post by Tamara D. McConnell »

What an amazing post! Fascinating, from start to finish. I particularly appreciate the explanation of lion hunting.

My students are studying Africa this semester. This post will be a great treat for them, up on the Smartboard. Thank you so much!
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LouB747
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Re: South Africa 2013, part 1

Post by LouB747 »

The ratio of food pics to snake pics is pretty high. I'm now hungry and wanting to see snakes.

Great post. Looks like an awesome trip.
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Kevin Messenger
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Re: South Africa 2013

Post by Kevin Messenger »

Tamara D. McConnell wrote:What an amazing post! Fascinating, from start to finish. I particularly appreciate the explanation of lion hunting.

My students are studying Africa this semester. This post will be a great treat for them, up on the Smartboard. Thank you so much!
Thanks, and happy you enjoyed it. It was very eye-opening for me. Things are so much different when you're actually AT the place, rather than what you just hear from media or on FB... when you are getting the facts first hand. It makes a difference
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Kevin Messenger
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Re: South Africa 2013

Post by Kevin Messenger »

Jacob wrote:Great stuff! Really brings back some memories from when I was there. Loved the owl shots
man... I just took a look at one of your posts. Looks like you had a blast. Wish I could have experience more than just 12 days. And wish it could have been during the proper time of year for herps.
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Stohlgren
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Re: South Africa 2013, part 1

Post by Stohlgren »

Certainly an envy worthy post, Kevin. And being an veggie-hating, meat and potatoes kind of guy, the chicken and ribs had me drooling. Can't say the same about your vegetable filled China posts.
Kevin Messenger wrote:Typically, I almost never use my Sigma 50-500mm in the US. The benefit just doesn’t outweigh the cost of lugging it around. But on this trip, since I’d be photographing a lot of large mammals, it was pretty much my walk-about lens. Even still, it was hard to get the shots I wanted – not crisp enough. And nearly every pic still required me to crop fairly significantly in order to get “close enough” to the subject matter. Either a longer lens is needed, or a full sensor camera.
A full frame sensor is not the answer to your problems, here. In fact, it will make your subject seem further away (compared to your crop sensor), increasing the need to crop or get closer to the subject (obviously not easy to do in Africa). Some wildlife photographers stay away from full frame sensors for just that reason. If you are having problems getting crisp shots, your lens or your technique are to blame. I've never used that lens, so I am not sure how sharp it is.
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Kevin Messenger
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Re: South Africa 2013, part 1

Post by Kevin Messenger »

Stohlgren wrote:A full frame sensor is not the answer to your problems, here. In fact, it will make your subject seem further away (compared to your crop sensor), increasing the need to crop or get closer to the subject (obviously not easy to do in Africa). Some wildlife photographers stay away from full frame sensors for just that reason. If you are having problems getting crisp shots, your lens or your technique are to blame. I've never used that lens, so I am not sure how sharp it is.
I know what you're saying here, and in many ways I agree for sure. Ideally I'd like to have a crop sensor for telephoto and macro shots and just have a full frame camera for wide angles (and maybe some macros). I should have clarified at the beginning of the post, one of the reasons so many of the pics are as grainy as they are is obviously because I was using a high ISO. The reason I was using a high ISO, is because I'm hand holding a 800mm zoom in the back of a moving truck... I need my shutter speed to be high enough to reduce as much blur as possible. To make matters worse, nearly every day was that ugly overcast sort of day, so additionally there wasn't a lot of light to work with. But, if we had sunlight, and IF we stopped to photograph every mammal and bird and cater toward my needs, then I'm sure a lot of these would have turned out better. But I was piggy-backing on Wu Long's dime, it was his trip, so obviously I was going to try and be the least inconvenience possible.

The reason I mentioned a full-frame is because I know full frames allow for excellent high ISO use. Several friends of mine say they shoot with 12,000 ISO and it looks better than 800 ISO on their old 7D. They also mention they are able to crop MUCH more on the subject matter while still remaining crisp. I realize if I transferred to a full frame, I'd be back down to 50-500mm. Perhaps if I go again, I'll borrow Wu Long's 5DMIII and ask him if he has any 500 or greater telephotos lenses just laying around.
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KevinS
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Location: West Virginia

Post by KevinS »

Dang, that's a heck of a trip and some really great pictures! I thought Afroedura were strictly rock crevice dwellers-wouldn't have expected them to turn up in a tent, but that's a cool find regardless. How do you distinguish Lygosoma sundevalli from L. afrum? It just so happens I was trying to identify some recent imports and I believe I have them narrowed down to one of the aforementioned species (or a few of each?). Any pointers for a positive ID?
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PatrickV
Posts: 53
Joined: June 8th, 2010, 7:19 pm
Location: Seattle, WA

Re: South Africa 2013, part 1

Post by PatrickV »

Damn you. You have committed 2 evilnesses

1- I have already been suffering from Africa trip withdrawal and now it is flaring up again.

2- Now I feel an obligation to go finish putting together my southern Africa trip photos and sharing too and that will be tedious. We share a fondness for thoroughness. Love your post and photos.
Jimi
Posts: 1955
Joined: December 3rd, 2010, 12:06 pm

Re: South Africa 2013, part 1

Post by Jimi »

I needs me a Chinese sugar daddy! Ha ha. Dude sounds look a really generous guy. That's great.

I appreciated your soap box introducing the African business model of wildlife management to FHF. It's easy to throw rocks. It's hard to manage wildlife, particularly in the context of human society (i.e., not in an abstract cerebral state, but "for real"). The African model is pretty different from the North American one, but it works for them. None are perfect, both seek to be adequate in a constantly changing environment.

The "sandhills parallel" you mentioned - absolutely. Those shots look like a lot of fall-line old fields.

Someone mentioned food, and brought up your usual fare (Asia trips). I like the Asian food stuff you share, just as much as the food in this one! Maybe more.

Thanks,
Jimi
joeysgreen
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Location: Edmonton, Alberta

Re: South Africa 2013, part 1

Post by joeysgreen »

Kevin, thanks for sharing. A fabulous post that really expressed the entire experience. Of all the fantastic photographs and species, I am most impressed by the detailed shots of the elephant skin. How did you get so darned close; did you ask the elephant to hold still while you zoomed in? :)

Were you worried about predators when you were herping at night (or during the day for that matter)?

Ian
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Kevin Messenger
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Re: South Africa 2013, part 1

Post by Kevin Messenger »

Those were some of my favorite shots as well. There were several opportunities where we could have touched the elephants as they passed us by, so within arms reach. Quite scary at the same time, especially when they would flap their ears in threat display/ cautiousness

yes, I was basically not allowed to walk around during the daytime or night due to predators. Thankfully I never had that "I think we're being watched...." feeling. The closest to that was the night the lions were roaring just beyond the dried river bed from our tent.

So in the daytime, the threat is usually from elephant and buffalo. Buffalo like to hide in dense vegetation/ grass (lay down), and Jean-Claude said if you hear a grunt coming from some shrubbery, then it's usually too late. They don't really give you a heads up warning, that grunt is the charging grunt. First they try to get you with their horns, and then they try to pin your body to the ground and run forward, scraping your body against the ground until nothing is left (well not literally nothing.... but you get the idea). And as for elephants in the daytime, I've already described how incredibly dangerous they are to smaller organisms and how they see most things smaller than them as a threat - well they blend surprisingly well in and amongst the trees. Sometimes they will point one out, and it takes a second to see it.

At night, obviously the only predators would be leopards and lions. Hippos get out of the water at night and move around, and they are the biggest human killers in Africa as I'm sure you've heard. Buffalo are sleeping, so if you spook them - you're screwed. Elephants also move at night, so if they smell you, you're screwed (their vision is horrible, which is why we could remain in the truck with moderate safety, but their smell is very keen). And so yeah, I think that's it.

Obviously I wanted to walk around at night tremendously!! It was quite frustrating to actually be in a place where you're not the top. I always considered Australia to be one of the more dangerous countries (from a habitat perspective and wildlife perspective) - I no longer feel that way, South Africa is way more dangerous.

All of this is why I was so happy once we got to Bushriver, where I was allowed to walk around without fear of "the big five."
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Hans Breuer (twoton)
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Re: South Africa 2013, part 1

Post by Hans Breuer (twoton) »

Kevin Messenger wrote:(a lot of my friends … say I “overshare” and perhaps provide too much detail
Bollocks. We're not here for technical information - we can find that on scholarly sites - no, we're here for the thrill of the hunt, the excitement of the catch, the sensations of the journey. We're here for adventure, man. Yes, we all like our visuals, but we're just as much - if not more! - here for the tales that accompany them, and it's the details that bring a good tale to life. Sure, Tolkien could have compressed onto one page all the bare-bones information needed to tell his story. "Small, hairy-footed humanoid finds magic ring. Old pointy-hatted geezer tells him to toss it into a volcano. Hairy Foot goes and does it, and narrowly escapes death about eleventy times in the process." There. All you need to know about LotR in three sentences.

But that's not why we're here, is it? Cold, naked information? No sir. I want to curl up in my favorite arm chair, light my favorite pipe, draw a nice pint of bitter, and slowly lower myself into those adventures, like I would into a hot bubble bath. So unleash the details, as you always have, and hopefully always will. Vicariously, we all live fuller lives through them!

PS: All my hats are off to Wu Long. What a guy!
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