Top_Heavy's World

The headache from the scope bite was finally reduced to a dullness and my right eye finally quit watering, after hours of discomfort. The cut, a half moon shape, is still very visible in the pictures! Allan talked me into viewing the night animals of Zimbabwe. We traveled slowly in the open truck and shined a pair of spotlights into the bush. Night animals everywhere have large eyes, but I have never seen a set of eyes as big or bright as the set looking at me. Large as half dollars, these eyes were as bright as the headlights of the truck. I am used to deer, racoons and cats having green or red eyes, and the pupil is sort of visible. This set of eyes looking at me were pure gold, bright yellow orbs with no pupil or variation at all. I would have guessed them to be reflectors on a childs bike, or on the side of the interstate. The eyes of this animal just sat, unblinking, staring at the light. "That is a springhare, a fantastic rabbit like animal. The blacks can catch them really easily." Allan explained. First it was strange to refer to people by class based on skin color, second, how would anyone "catch" one of these. "Hold the light very steady" was the advice given to me. Allan spoke to the tracker and the assistant in Afrikonce as I held the light. They split up and came at the statue still creature from both sides. It wasn't any big deal, they walked right up to it, reached out and picked it up by the back. It was carried to the truck and I got to examine it closely. The light kept it calm and I got to pet the thin soft hair. The feet, more like a kangaroo than any rabbit I have ever seen, were amazing. I still can't believe the long cat like tail. I must admit, I have never seen such a strange animal in all of my days. I had to try to catch the next one, it looked so easy. I wanted to have a picture of a live springhare that I caught, to show people when I talked about my safari. We found a medium sized hare and I was told the technique. I slowly moved in, reached out... those little buggers are quick! It tried to bite me and missed by mere fractions of an inch, and it bolted away and found the safety of it's burrow before I could even pull away! The guys in the truck were laughing like crazy! The next hare acted about the same as my first. I moved in, it moved away, I tried harder, it ran faster. The tracker got out and caught the next one in about 10 seconds, it didn't even squirm as he picked it up! The next hare didn't give me the chance to start my stalk. I hit the ground and he started running. I was now the laughing stock of the camp. My nick name was used again. I don't have a clue how to spell it, Afrikonce wasn't available in my high school, but it translated into Rhino. I was very proud of this name, given to me by my tracker. I believed at the time it was due to my strength, size, and fearlessness, looking back, it was probably due to me being blind, noisy and dumb! The final hare of the evening was in grave danger. I was getting that hare no matter what! I slipped from the truck, gracefully now, step by step I lightly set my boots into the dust. I moved into the darkness past the beam holding it in a trance. I got position, leaned forward and... "BANG". I shot the dam thing with a 22 hornet! Allan had the gun in the truck and I slipped it out with out them seeing. They all jumped as the little rodent kicked a few times. I was laughing now! The whole gang joined in my jovial mood and got pictures of my hare! Not the biggest or best trophy in Africa, but it sure was fun.

Spot lighting rabbits is one of my favorite things to do any where in the world and now I have done it on 2 continents, an accomplishment no other aquaintences can compare! We saw mongoose, night babies, cerval, snakes, scrub hares, honey badgers, and springhares, plus all of the big game animals we saw in the daylight. I have to admit, I really love the animals of the night time in Africa