News From Lion Country

As usual, we started out on our daily drive through Lion Country Safari.  Each day brings new surprises that we have not seen before.  Today was a very special one.

First of all, we had to deal with an ostrich that thought it was the ticket taker.  It began by standing in the middle of the road for a long time so we could not drive past.  Then, when it finally decided to move just a little bit, it came around to the side of the car proceeded to peck in the car window.  Since it was Trish’s day to drive, I got to be the one for the intimate ostrich visit.  It was fun!

Up close with an ostrich.

We have been very impressed learning about the breeding program here at Lion Country.  We see oryxes who are pregnant and carefully isolated while waiting for delivery.  There has been a baby water Buffalo, with it parents, visible on several days.  We have been notified that there are two new lion cubs which are not yet old enough to come out in public.

Our favorite “baby of interest” has been Bash, the baby rhino who came into the world at 100 pounds on September 26.  Each day we have watched Bash and his mama through the fence of the rhino maternity pen.  But today, something wonderful happened.

Baby rhino Bash on his first free day in the big park.

When we approached the part of the park where we usually see the adult rhinos, something new was happening. In addition to four pairs of adults, there was little (about 250 pounds now) Bash, running free in the rhino meadow for the first time.  He was evidently having a ball, running all over the place with new freedom.

Bash sticks with his mama.

Lion Country had staff members standing by in two trucks watching out for him on his first day out in the big world.  We loved watching him play around all of the gigantic adult rhinos as they obviously cared closely for him.

What a great day!