Chagamba & Mika….just to refresh your memory
We love that our guides keep teaching us about all things Africa. Mika and Chagamba are so much more than drivers and animal-spotters. Here is a small—very small–sampling of interesting facts we have learned over the course of our safari travels. A couple of these I owe to my well-educated fellow travelers.
Q. Why do termites build mounds and why do the mounds have chimneys?
Different termite species use different mound and chimney designs. Is their a species named Gothic?
A. Termites create nests with chambers underground, and the mound represents the excavated dirt. But here’s where it gets interesting: termites actively farm mold for food and need a cool dark underground environment to do so. Thus their digs are, in a sense, extensive “root cellars”. The mold is very sensitive to temperature, so they build “chimneys” or vents of intricate designs for indoor climate control in their underground mold farm. There are at least 3 different termite species in E. Africa, and each species has unique chimney designs.
The inside venting of a termite mound is complex and intricate
Q. What is the longest rift in the world and how far does it extend?
A. The Great Rift, which extends from Jordan in the Middle East to Botswana in South Africa. It passes right through Tanzania.
Q. What language is spoken by more Africans than any other?
A. Swahili. But English has become the official business language of Africa.
Twitchers or Birders?
Q. If you wanted to move up from a motorcycle, what would you ask for? A. A Bajaj (it’s an Indian mfr.), the 3 wheeler seen everywhere in smaller towns near Arusha.
Q. What is a “twitcher?”
A. An Australian birder. “Twitchers” are just “birders” in Africa.
Coffee plants, cut down every 4 years so the beans can be hand-picked without a ladder. (Photo courtesy of Beth V.)
Q. What species of coffee bean is planted in Tanzania, and why does Starbucks buy it?
A. The Arabica coffee bean. Starbucks includes small quantities of it in their flagship coffee to add intensity of flavor. They might add larger quantities if it weren’t so expensive!.
Q. Why are coffee plants cut down every 4 years or so?
A. Because the root stock remains hardy and responds to stress by producing bushes with more berries. Also, it keeps the coffee bushes low, which is important since coffee is hand-picked.
Q. Group Names I: if we refer to a Kindness of Ravens and a Parliament of Owls, what is the proper term for a group of crows?
A. A “Murder of Crows!”
One of a Sounder (photo courtesy of Ellen P.)
A Pod of Hippos with an Excess of Egrets?
An alert and curious fellow (photo courtesy of Ellen P.)
Q. Group Names II: if we refer to a Pod of Hippos and a Sounder of Warthogs, what is the proper term for a group of giraffes?
A. A “Journey of Giraffes!”
Still curious as giraffes, we complete our journey. That’s it for the safari. Thanks for coming along.!
