10 Things...

As it is now the 10th of September and I have been thinking in advance I have put together a list of 10 Things...

This month I decided to feature my 10 Favourite Animals (Listed in no particular order)

1.  Owls – are you surprised, I thought not.  There are so many different species of Owls I could not pick just one. So this is for all owls.

2.  Elephants – While in South Africa we watched many elephant groups, they are such a social animal, in many way mirroring the Human way of life. I could quite happily sit and watch elephants all do, the babies do make me smile especially as they don’t have full control of their trunks until they are about 1 year old.

3.  Dogs – I have never owned a dog, but that does not stop me from being a BIG dog lover.  It does not matter what size or bred I just love dogs.  As we currently look after the owls having a dog is currently not possible, and with working full time I don’t think that it would be fair to the dog… but one day I will be a dog owner.

4.  Dolphins – Dolphins are a really special animal, I just don’t know what it is about them, but they are special.  While in Florida in 2004 we swam with dolphins at Discovery Cove and it was a day I will always remember.  In 2005 we visited Australia and had the opportunity to see a pod of wild dolphins!  Knowing that they were free to go where they wanted, when they wanted made our encounter extra special.

5.  Lions – Once again in Africa we saw many Lions, some were on private game reserves others out in the wild.  The sound of the lions roar is so powerful and I find it very moving – you don’t just hear it… you feel it in your chest.  We were lucky enough to see a pride of lions while they were resting in the heat of the day, included in the group was a mum and young cub.  As we watched the group drifted away… mum called to the cub and it behaved like any normal child – it ignored her LOL.  So mum walked over to the cub and picked it up in her mouth and walked off… I think that the majority of us in the vehicle had tears in our eyes. Just to see this powerful animal holding her cub so gently was AMAZING.

6.  Gibbons – I’m not sure why but Gibbons fascinate me.  Ever since hearing one on TV ‘sing’ (that is the only way I can describe their call) I fell in love.  While at Banham Zoo near Thetford we saw the Gibbons being fed, after the feeding was over 1 of the group started to ‘sing’.  For the next 20-30minutes I just stood and watched/listened to the whole group singing – if possible it sounded even better than on TV.

7.  Butterflies – There is just something so free about Butterflies, the way in which they flutter around the sky without a care in the world.  A splash of colour in a sometimes grey world.

8.  Snow Leopard – Another animal seen at Banham Zoo, it looked like a domestic cat on steroids.  The pair at Banham also had 3 young cubs with them (born in 2010).  I loved their enclosure and although you were safe you could get up close and if the cats co-operated you could even have a photo take with them… what you may not see is the layer of thick glass between me & the cat J

9.  Koala – While in Australia we had the chance to get up close with a Koala, they really do smell of eucalyptus!!!  The look so cuddly and cute but those claws can really do damage, particularly if the Koala is in a bad mood. 

10.  Manatee – The Manatee is a strange animal also known as the ‘Sea Cow’.  After seeing them up close I am not quite sure how sailors mistook them for mermaids – maybe it had something to do with the type of liquid sailors were drinking at the time.  While in Florida last year we had the opportunity to view Manatee’s in the wild and depending on the animals we may be able to swim with them.  We were luck, we found them and also got chance to be in the water with them… they are BIG animals.  We did not get too close (especially as the one we were with had a calf) but they were amazing and it was another experience I will never forget!