We were very fortunate to see 26 mammals between us all during our month in Uganda. The smallest was a Rock Hyrax, the largest a huge bull Elephant. Interestingly, it is said that the Hyrax’s closest relative is the Elephant, which I’ve always found hard to believe – they could hardly look more different! So I have just searched the internet for an explanation, which is: “Elephants and hyraxes share many anatomical similarities. They both have flat, hoof-like nails on the tips of their toes. They also have four toes on their front feet and three toes on their rear feet. Elephants and hyraxes both develop tusks from their incisor teeth instead of their canine teeth, like most other mammals. In addition to the anatomical similarities, fossil evidence has revealed that hyraxes and elephants share a 40-million-year-old ancestor.” It was disappointing that we never saw a family of Elephants. The highlight was undoubtedly the Leopard.

Here are a few of my photos, starting with the larger mammals.

And here are some of the antelope species we saw, the smallest being the delicate little Oribi while the largest was the male Eland.

 

Now for some of the Primates we saw. I was disappointed that we didn’t see any Patas Monkeys in MFNP which are so beautiful

Inna’s short video of the Gorillas she and Patrick saw in Bwindi Forest has gone almost viral – it’s already been viewed nearly 1,400 times in the past two weeks!

And now for the “odds and ends”!

 

Just a few reptile photos – mainly Nile Crocodiles! I didn’t take any photos of the many, often colourful, lizards we saw.

 

And finally, two mammal footprints! The first is from a hippo. The second is a mystery. I photographed these prints in the mud on the edge of Lake Mutanda – and assumed they were from an Otter. But searching my books and the internet, it is almost certainly not an otter as the pattern of the pad prints is nothing like otter prints. Any ideas?!

 

Again, I have many more Uganda animal photos from previous years on Flickr.