Spiti Valley - Part II

During my first visit to Spiti, I had walked along the snow-covered track between Dhankar and Kibber. There are no hotels in all of Spiti and accommodation can be found only at the government rest houses. I had stayed at the homes of villagers whose warmth and hospitality never ceases to amaze me. They were mostly farmers who worked hard during the brief summer months to raise their crops of barley and peas. Sitting around the family hearth - a wood-burning stove in the middle of the kitchen - and sharing a simple meal with them, one felt the outside world to be unimaginably remote.

Returning to Spiti now, after many years, I saw a greatly expanded Kaza. I was dreading and preparing my self for the worst but was relieved to find, despite the inevitable signs of progress, that the old town still retained some of its medieval charm, with its traditional mud houses and narrow alleys. The bazaar was packed with shops and stalls and there were even the ubiquitous STD telephone booths, which made long distance calls readily possible.

The barking of Rab woke me. I peeped out of my tent but could see nothing in the morning light. The sun was still behind the ridge in the direction Rab was facing. Giles, the schoolteacher, looked through his binoculars. 'It's an ibex... one ... two ... three...oh, there is a herd of them,' he shouted.

The view was magnificent. Tall crags leapt from the slope where the ibex grazed; wisps of cloud swirled high among the cliffs, weaving a soft mantle against the now blue sky. The animals' fawny-brown coats were camouflaged against brown rocks. Their short dark tails wagged. Enormous horns rose above their tiny heads, ending in sharp points. We thanked Rab for letting us see those magnificent creatures and offered him a special helping of food.

We were now in the remote Pin Valley of Spiti. White-washed villages appeared periodically, surrounded by patchworks of fragile fields. Harsh, rocky Mountains rose above them in singular walls. There were no trees or bushes, just stark ruggedness that formed its own beauty.

After eight days' trekking from Kibber we were convinced that we are ready for an assault on Bhaba Pass. Tashi made breakfast a little earlier and before the morning sun had time to get too hot, we started our long march. In three hours we could have made half a day's march but Bhaba was an altogether tougher and slower proposition.

The path was fairly flat for the first hour, turning into a climb about halfway up. And the further we climbed, the tighter the angle to the summit became. Almost four hours to the minute after we had set out, we hauled ourselves over the last boulders, high above the glacier, and found ourselves faced with one of the most supreme views on earth.

A cold wind was blowing on the pass and I was feeling heady owing to the altitude. The journey down the southern rim of Bhaba with deep snow was even more exhausting and precarious. I kept losing my footing on the loose surface, and when we finally reached the bottom, the waterfall down the mountain refreshed our sights. There was green everywhere, the monsoon clouds brought wisps of rain, the spray on our bodies glittering in the late afternoon sun. We followed a long, winding path through forests and across meadows of wild flowers, camping next to a stream. Later that day, while our tea and crispy pakoras were being prepared, we sat outside in the sun watching lammergeyers and imperial eagles circle overhead.

Suddenly Stephanie noticed that Rab was nowhere to be seen. The porters said that he may have died of cold. But I think Rab was too intelligent to go on. He may simply have turned back and headed for the last camp. There, having rested, he would have found his way back to the last village or other human habitation. This was the way in which Himalayan dogs exist: they hunt for themselves, find their own water, travel from village to village and master to master, earning their keep by playing watchdog.

Nevertheless, the sense of achievement was overwhelming and that night we built a bonfire and sat outside singing songs. I raised my mug of tea in a toast to my absent friends - much too weary to move and too smitten ever to leave.

Harish Kohli is a mountaineer, winner of the lifetime achievement Award for National Adventure and a travel author. His book ‘Across the Frozen Himalayas’ is based on a real life incident of having survived – 48 Degrees Celsius temperatures on the summit of the Karakoram Pass for over 26 hours.

Training Your Pet Bird

If the only animal training you have done in the past has been with a dog then you need to stop right now and rethink everything you know about animal training! Dogs have been domesticated for thousands of years. Most birds have never been "domesticated" Dogs are always looking to the leader of the pack, following his or her lead and trying to please them. Parrots on the other hand see themselves as your equal. Their greatest pleasure is not to do exactly what you say when you say it in hopes of pleasing their "pack leader". They are constantly trying to figure out ways to control YOU, through their behaviours and actions. Unlike dogs they don't work to please you, they work to please themselves. SO in order to teach your bird a few desirable behaviours you need to work at being smarted than he is and convincing him that it was his idea in the first place!

Bird trainers use food as a reward, which is one of the things birds care about most. Because of this you should probably schedule training sessions before feeding your feathered friend. That way he will be extra motivated to receive the treat or reward that you give him.

Assuming you are starting out with a handfed bird that is already reasonably tame, how can you teach your bird a few tricks? Positive reinforcement is the trick. So long as you are careful never to teach the bird something that could jeopardize his health, tricks can only increase your enjoyment of your bird and the amount of time you spend together.

The first step in teaching any kind of trick is to notice a natural behaviour that can be modified easily into a trick. You may notice that your bird loves to push his food around in his dish before he eats it. If so then your bird has already started doing a fun little trick, it is just up to you to teach him to modify it a bit, and make it more elaborate. You can buy a little wooden parrot wagon (often available at larger pet stores that carry a good selection of bird toys) or you can use a little die-cast hot wheels type car, and teach him to transfer the pushing habit onto the toy by loading it down with a little bit of food. You can offer him a reward or treat, when he gets the behaviour you want right. And don't forget to name the trick . For example say "Push the wagon (car)" every time he does it. Soon he will learn to do this on command. Remember that treats such as sunflower seeds work great as training rewards but can be very fattening so they should not constitute the basis of your birds diet! After a time your bird will begin to push without the benefit of the wagon or car having any food on it.

In the beginning it might take a while for you and your bird to really learn to communicate. But once your bird learns that acting a certain way both makes brings a reward and gives him extra attention from you, his flock mate, he will get much faster at learning new tricks. Learning to preform tricks can also help chronic pluckers. Sometimes birds that pluck are just plain bored! They often become the best performers, and the plucking is alleviated as a by-product of having something new to do.

Teaching "Stick 'em up" is also quite easy. When you first take your bird out of its cage they will often stretch their wings straight up over their heads. When he does this point your finger at him (like a gun) and say "Stick 'em up" or "Put 'em up". After a week or two of doing this every time you see the bird stretch he will start to do it on command. If you find it helps you can offer a reward, but for a trick this easy to learn it is often not necessary.

Some other tricks that are easy modifications of normal parrot behaviour include:

• Offering a foot to shake hands
• Hopping (dancing or pretending to be wind-up toy)
• Bobbing its head(Answering yes)
• Raising its crest
• Flapping its wings (soaring like eagle, escaping the police, etc.)
• Swinging head side to side (saying no)
• Stomping feet (dancing)
• Hanging from feet or beak from its perch or your hands. (acrobatics, or swinging upside down)
• Lying on its back (play dead, or roll over)

This is not a comprehensive list of tricks that your pet parrot could learn, the sky (and your patience) is the limit. Playing with his natural tendencies and coordinating them with your verbal commands, you can find a virtually limitless repertoire within your bird's natural behaviour. We have all seen macaws dunking basketballs, and cockatoos roller-skating. Be sure to be on the look out, the next time you go shopping for parrot toys, for things to use as props in making your parrot's performance "Star Quality" And don't forget to make it fun! Keep your lessons short 10 to 30 minutes. You can have more than one training session per day, if you would like to reinforce the day's lesson and progress faster. Most importantly always end each session on a positive note. End with a behaviour that your parrot can do well and will earn your praise and a reward.

Rachel is a professional bird breeder and parrot behaviour consultant with over 20 years experience working with these amazingly complex animals. She shares her home with 12 different species of parrots (whose numbers vary with the breeding seasons) several salt and freshwater aquariums, snakes, dogs, and cats. And a very understanding and supportive family! You can find more articles by Rachel and meet a few of her birds here: http://talkingboutbirds.blogspot.com/

The Primates of East Africa

Primates are a category of mammals that include humans, apes, lemurs and monkeys. Covering over 185 species, they range from lemurs -with hardly any resemblance to humans- to chimpanzees, which are clearly our own kin. In size, they range from the tiny 60 g bush baby to the huge 200 kg gorilla. Primates are characterized by a complex brain, good binocular vision and means of grasping. In addition, they experience long periods in the womb, followed by slow maturation and elongated lifespan.

Africa has the privilege of hosting 51 primate species in habitats varying from forests to savannah woodlands. And new primate species are still being discovered. One of the latest additions is the highland mangabey monkey, whose domicile is the Udzungwa Mountains of southern Tanzania.

Scientists were delighted, but nevertheless puzzled when they reported the finding in May 2005; "This exciting discovery demonstrates once again how little we know about our closest living relatives, the nonhuman primates. A large, striking monkey in a country of considerable wildlife research over the last century has been hidden right under our noses," said Russell Mittermeier of the IUCN-The World Conservation Union's Species Survival Commission.

Sensing our fascination with nonhuman primates, artists have in response created fictional characters that have turned out to be immensely popular. The most successful of this genre is the story of "Tarzan of the Apes". This romance features an orphaned English lord who was adopted by a female ape and brought up in the African jungle. The writer Edgar Rice Burroughs brought Tarzan-one of the best-known literary characters, to life in 1921.

Tarzan, an ape-man character has over the years generated over 40 movies, and numerous radio shows, television programmes and comic books. Primate characters reflect mans complex nature more closely than other animal characters in fiction and mythology. Come to think of it: in this respect, the naughty tree-swinging monkey is more deserving of our respect than haughty king lion.

Non-human primates are confined to the tropics, where 80% of them live in rain forests as the dominant mammals. East Africa has few patches of tropical forests where you find the great apes, but the entire region supports many other primate species. Only a few species are not dependent on trees and can survive in savannah and sub desert areas. These include baboons, vervet monkeys and chimpanzees. Not surprisingly, travellers to east Africa are most likely to come across these three species.

But most primates still depend on trees or cliffs for security. Only the two most intriguing primate species sleep on the ground-man and gorilla. We shall not discuss these two species in this article and shall cover them in separate features. For now, we shall only able to look at the four most common primates found in East Africa; bush babies, monkeys, baboons and chimpanzees.

Primates have complex social organizations and the majority live in female-bonded groups. Scientists speculate that this works as an alliance against aggressive males. Females stay on in their natal group even after maturity, while males exit the group. Feminist fundamentalists may perhaps take a hint in this arrangement? Chimpanzees make an exception to this rule. Very much like humans, female chimps seek an alliance with a male protector, which is recognised and respected by other males.

A common feature among primates is evolution of the "primate hand."This is a prehensile hand that is used for climbing and eating, and tool making in the case of apes. Some primates- especially baboons and apes, have such well-developed dexterity of the hand that the tips of the thumb and forefinger meet at right angles. In apes, the dexterity of the hands is very close that of humans -and chimps are a good example.

Primates, just like humans, use social grooming as a form of contact communication. Travellers will witness this practice among baboons and vervet monkeys. Grooming is useful for social bonding and is effected by use of the mouth and hands. At a more practical level, it is also used to clean the body of parasites, such as ticks. Grooming underlines hierarchies; a junior member of a group will happily groom its betters.

Reproduction in primates is quite varied, but there is much in common with humans. Monkeys and apes, for example, actually do menstruate. A key difference however, is that many primates have distinct breeding seasons. The young are dependent on the mother, but less so than human infants. They enjoy the protection of a fur coat and are able to climb and reach the mothers' teats and cling to her while being transported. Males generally play a marginal role in parental care.

Bush babies are a big group of primates, comprising about 18 species found Africa, and of which 11 species live in East Africa. This is one of the smallest but most successful of the primates. There are two main types: the lesser bush baby and the greater bush baby. Both are widely distributed and found in the forested national parks of East Africa. During the day, they hide to avoid harm from eagles and large snakes.

In lodges located close to dense forest, such as Shimba Hills in Kenya, bush babies are at night attracted to the dining rooms by sugar and sugary products. They otherwise feed mainly on tree gum and insects. Their technique of catching insects is either by leaping and grabbing or by creeping to within grabbing distance. They have distinct vocal sounds and the name bush baby originated from the piercing baby-like cries or advertising calls of the greater bush baby. Adult males advertise the most, especially in the mating season.

Bush babies are easy to like-perhaps on account of their baby-like cries and small innocent looking faces. They are active only after sundown. Extremely agile and sprightly, they use their elongated hind limbs to execute spectacular leaps between trees. Distended finger and toe pads enable them to cling unerringly, leap after leap, to even the most slippery branches.

The other small primates like bush babies are pottos. Being small and nocturnal, you will hardly ever see them. Only one species is found in East Africa -in south and west Uganda, far northwest Tanzania and western Kenya in the Mount Elgon and Kakamega forests. Pottos wear a woolly brown jacket and have large protuberant eyes, small rounded naked ears, short muzzles and short stubby tails. They weigh between 0.8 - 1.6kg.

Monkeys are a category of dog-shaped primates. They stand and move horizontally on four legs, with head directed forwards and downwards. Consequently, the form and movement is also doglike, particularly for the more terrestrial ones like baboons. Their bottoms are padded with bare "scars" that may appear like wounds. These are called callosities, and their colouration varies with the reproductive season. The phenomenon is most prominent among baboons and is quite puzzling to many travellers.

There is a clear distinction in form and structure of the genders in monkeys. This is especially so among baboons, in which females are clearly smaller in body size - by as much as 50% compared males. The posture and movement of monkeys is often a reflection of their social status. The confident monkey appears relaxed and walks with its limbs extended and back level. It surveys its realm casually and is at ease while resting. On the other hand, subordinates walk with back hunched, limbs rather bent and tail low or curved downwards.

Dominant males are known to exaggerate their status by walking with a swagger and squatting with obvious ostentation. This behaviour is the subject of many metaphors in African folklore. Monkeys are generally social, though they exhibit occasional rivalry. When attempting to intimidate a rival, a monkey stands at its tallest, with the effect that it looks bigger than it really is-, which of course is precisely the point. "Filling yourself like a male monkey" is a common teenage statement in Africa, and originates from this practice.

Many travellers will have noticed that adult male monkeys like exposing their genitals to impress or maybe intimidate other males. Baboons are especially notorious for this rather unwholesome exhibitionist behaviour. Do not be offended when you find a dominant male, sitting apart on high vantage point, facing away from the troop as he scans the surrounding with legs spread apart to expose the penis. This is a particularly noticeable thing about baboons, or perhaps it is what humans cannot avoid noticing- being so well trained to look down
upon such immodest displays. Among the monkeys species found in East Africa are the blue or syke monkey, the vervet monkey and the colobus monkey.

Sykes are dark, stoutly built and have round facial disk and no beard. They weigh up to 12kg, with males larger and heavier than females. The body is covered by thick long fur with a brown patch of bristling hair. Sykes are quite widespread in East Africa and can generally be sighted in all forested national parks. But as they as not aware of park boundaries, you will also see them in thick forests and forest reserves outside the parks. They are however slowly being confined to national parks due continuing degradation of protected forests. Sykes mostly feed on fruits and leaves and occasionally insects and flowers.

The vervet monkey is light coloured with a black face; males have a pale blue scrotum. This monkey weighs between 5 and 9kg. The vervet is adapted to practically all woodland habitats, outside equatorial rain forests. It does not venture very far from the safety of trees, on which it also depends for food. You will commonly find it on forest edges and is typically associated with riverine vegetation and acacia trees. These monkeys are very friendly to people and almost serve as de facto receptionists in most national parks.

When a vertet hops onto your car as you arrive at park gate, it is looking after its own interests. Humans like to feed monkeys and it hopes to save the lots of energy and the risk involved in natural foraging in the bush. However, it is illegal to feed monkeys or any wildlife in all parks in East Africa. Also be warned- these monkeys can bite if scared. Their teeth and claws can inflict serious injuries and you should therefore avoid close bodily contact.

Vervet monkeys are omnivorous and consume a wide range of plant materials like fruits, seeds, sap, and flowers. They also feed on invertebrates and have sometimes balance the vegetarian fare with vertebrates such as lizards and nestling birds and their eggs. They are often found in the same areas as baboons with which they share many foods, water holes and sleeping trees. The baboon is however not good company for vervets; it is without mercy for its smaller relative. When they compete for food, vervets are supplanted and baboons will occasionally feed on young vervets.

Vervet monkeys are territorial and live in troops of between 8-50 members. Their troops are organized in a hierarchy of families whose members sleep, forage and rest together. Males move out as they reach maturity at about the age of 5 years, while females remain in a female-bonded society. They pass on hereditary privileges: a mother's rank predetermines that of the daughter.

The baboon is the other very common primate in the savannahs of East Africa. It is a large, terrestrial monkey with a dog like head. Indeed its scientific name is, papio cynocephalus -here cynocephalus means "dog-headed." They weigh up to 50 kg, with males reaching up to twice the weight of females. Their limbs are sturdy, nearly equal in length while hands and feet are short and wide with stubby digits. The females have very prominent sexual swellings.

Baboons in East Africa appear in two common species - olive and yellow baboons. Next to humans, baboons are the best adapted of the terrestrial primates. For this reason, they are the most widespread African primate- to be found from savannah to arid habitats, so long as there is water and trees or just cliffs. Most travellers will see baboons on the highways, in many places across the region. They live well enough outside protected areas, such as national parks. They are serious crop pests and are even classified as vermin -not wildlife- but in parts of Kenya.

A baboons' menu include grasses, flowers, fruits, seeds and shoots. In the dry season, they uproot grasses and feed on the underground stems, a niche they share with no other mammal except warthogs. Beware that baboons are fierce fighters and with group work can confront and scare off a sharp predator such as leopard. Because of their well-developed taste for fruits and other foods humans are partial to, baboons tend to stalk visitors in national parks. In some cases they supplement their diet with vertebrate prey: fish, lizards and young of ground nesting birds, and bird or crocodile eggs.

Baboons live in troops ranging from 8 to over 200 animals, but typically average about 40. Troops tend to avoid one another but may occasionally share resources. Their social organization is highly complex and variable; they are able to display emotion and can communicate motivation. Females remain in the troop, with a reproductive strategy grounded on male supremacy.

The colobus monkey is another common primate that is the subject of many parables in Africa. The black and white colobus are especially priced for their beautiful coat, which has traditionally been used as ceremonial attire. The colobus is found only in Africa and has a long tail and hairs. The body weight reaches up to 23 kg. Both the black and white species are well adapted and have inherited many kinds of forest woodlands throughout East Africa. They live up at the trees and rarely descend to the ground. This rather shy animal is not easily sighted in the open and you are more likely to see or hear them in thick woodlands and forested parks.

The apes are a category of primates represented in Africa by gorilla, chimpanzees and bonobo. Genetically, they are the closest primates to man. The apes have very advanced social and communication systems. They come close to humans in the use of facial expressions and body language; using both arms and hands. Apart from mother-infant contact, apes groom each other in the usual primate fashion- rank determines who grooms whom.

Apes are particularly adept at tactile communications; that is use of touch. They seek and give reassurance by touching each other - just like we do -on the most sensitive areas like hands, face and genitals. Apes are slow to mature, with the young reaching adolescence at about the age of 8 years. Females bring
forth their first fruits in their early teens, much earlier than males who rarely start procreating before reaching 15 years. All apes build nests- in this case, a platform on which to sleep securely at night: chimps up the trees and gorillas on the ground.

Generally all the apes are endangered and vulnerable. The problem is that they occur naturally in very small densities and face immediate threat of habitat loss throughout their ranges. The situation is further compounded by the fact that they perpetuate themselves at a rather slow pace. The other risk is the bush meat trade that goes on in some parts of Africa, which takes them out in large numbers every year. The situation deteriorated after the 1980's, when many previously inaccessible tracts of rainforest were opened up for logging.

Although apes are not known to eat humans, there are reports of their killing human babies in western Uganda - especially in Bwindi and Kibale forests. This phenomenon is as yet unexplained and is very puzzling to primate researchers

Chimpanzees are large, hairy and tailless; females weigh between 30-40 kg, while males can reach 180 kg. They have big heads, flattened face with a small nose and forward facing eyes. They have same number and type of teeth as man. The chimp is indeed our closet living relative, sharing 98% of our genes and much of our behaviour. The chimp and mountain gorilla are the only great apes found naturally is East Africa. Seeing chimps in the wild is an exhilarating experience. And Uganda is the best country in the world to view chimps in their natural habitat.

In Uganda, you encounter chimps at Queen Elizabeth National Park and Kibale and Budingo forest. In Tanzania, you see them at Gombe National Park, to the north west of the country. Kenya has no naturally occurring chimps population, but at Nanyuki in the central region, there is a sanctuary for chimps rescued from the illegal trade going on in parts of central and West Africa.

Chimps are mainly found in rainforest and wet savannah. They are less robustly built than gorillas; their arms are shorter, reaching just below the knees and the hands and fingers are long with short thumbs. The feet are adapted for grasping, with long, stout opposable big toe. Chimpanzees feed mainly on fruits mostly gathered from trees and the young leaves of plants. They also feed on flowers, pith, and bark and also derive additional nutrients from insects and some meat too- young antelopes, goats, and other primates such as young baboons and colobus monkeys.

Chimps are articulate tool users- a clear sign of a hard working brain. They can pick up small objects between thumbs and side of the index finger. They possess the acumen to prepare and use grass stems and sticks to fish for insects. A female on heat may mate with several males. It gives birth to a single off spring, which is independent after about 4 years.

The chimps are individualistic and do not live in cohesive groups like gorillas or monkeys. They live in communities, with up to 100 animals sharing a common home range. But they never assemble in a single troop. Jane Goodall, in her book "The Chimpanzees of Gombe", has shown that chimps, in common with humans, engage in some very disagreeable behaviour. Males occasionally rape females and engage in internecine warfare. Dr. Goodall has reported that from early 1974, a brutal four-year war raged in Gombe between two chimp groups that resulted in the decimation of one group.

The best way to see the primates of East Africa is by taking a combined Kenya and Uganda safari. On such as safari, you will of course see the other wildlife East Africa is famed for, but be sure that the locations where primates are found are covered. On safari, wear light cottons and linen. But also pack some warmer clothing, as the evenings and early mornings can be quite chilly. Some rainwear is advisable between March and June and October and December. You should bring along a decent pair of sunglasses and a pair of binoculars. They are very useful for spotting animals and you will be the envy of your less knowledgeable traveling companions

Copyright © Africa Point

Andrew Muigai is the editor of AfricaPoint Insider online newsletter. It is part of AfricaPoint.com - the Africa travel website that has helped thousands of travelers discover Africa. You can view more info on Kenya safari and tours at the website.

Colorado Critters

Prong Horn Antelope grace the Eastern Plains of Colorado. With their distinctive brown and white markings and upward pointing antlers, they are beautiful to see. About the size of a deer, these agile animals can be seen grazing everywhere on the plains. But if they sense danger, just watch them bound away so quickly that if you blink you'll miss them.

Coyotes can be spotted all over the country, but more so out west. Colorado has an abundance of this dog-like animal. They are grey or brown in color and mostly hunt at night. Coyotes travel in packs and communicate with each other by yips and howls, called singing. Some of their "songs" can make your hair stand on end, especially in the middle of the night.

As you travel further west and upward in altitude, mule deer become more numerous. What makes this species of deer so unique is their large ears, hence the name "Mule Deer". Their coats turn grey in winter and tan in summer to blend in with their surroundings in the mountains and forests.

Elk are another variety of wildlife you will see on your travels into the mountains. You can't miss these large, stately animals with their two toned black and brown coats. The males, called bulls, are very impressive with large racks of antlers. The females, or cows, are a little smaller than the bulls but equally impressive even though they do not have antlers.

Timberline and above on top of rock outcroppings, look closely. You may spot a Big Horn Sheep, the state animal of Colorado. The majestic rams with their huge, curled horns are a site to see. You can't mistake them for any other animal. The females, or ewes, do not have horns and you will usually see "the girls" in groups or herds.

Mountain goats gaze down on you from their perches at precarious angles along rocky ridges. Their white coats make them stand out in summer, but you have to look very carefully for them when mountain snows start to fly.

Speaking of fly, you will see some of the most spectacular avian varieties when you visit the Rocky Mountains. Eagles, hawks, falcons soar the skies. Some birds are unlike any you have seen elsewhere in the country. Large Stellar Jays with their dark blue and turquoise feathers, magpies that have black and white plumage and wild canaries stand out in yellow and brown. Robins, sparrows and wrens sing happily from dawn to dusk.

There are many small mammals living in the plains and mountains. Prairie dogs are numerous everywhere, as well as squirrels, chipmunks, pikas and many varieties of mice. One particular species of squirrel I couldn't identify when I first moved to the Colorado Mountains was the Abert Squirrel. This cute guy is the size of a house cat and has large, upward pointing ears with tufts of hair at the ends. Black in color, you will find them frequenting bird feeders and hanging upside down from tree limbs to get at the goodies.

Snowshoe rabbits, beaver, fox, and numerous other critters all reside here in the state.

You will probably never see two of the largest examples of Colorado wildlife, as they only come out at night.

Bears are everywhere in the mountains and forests of the state. Black or brown in color, they forage for food during the summer to hold them over for the winter hibernation. Their search for food has led them into populated areas, going through trash cans or breaking into homes. Bears are normally not dangerous to humans, with the exception being a mother bear with cubs. NEVER go near them. Yes, the cubs are cute, but if you see them, momma is close by and she is dangerous. Turn and walk slowly away.

The mountain lion is also elusive. Almost never having anything to do with humans, they avoid contact with us. It is very rare that a lion will attack a person. The cats hunt at night and any wild or domestic animal is fair game. During the summer months, there is no mistaking their cry (like a house cat growl but magnified 1,000 times). A very scary sound.

So there you have it. Wildlife is everywhere you look when you visit Colorado. Keep your eyes peeled. You never know what you might see.

I have been interested in the old west since I was a kid in the 1950's. When my husband told me we were moving to Colorado, I couldn't believe it.

The state has so much history. I found a wealth of information, lost civilizations, legends, ghost stories, unknown explorers, settlers, ghost towns, etc.

I love living here. History, wildlife and the old west. I'm in heaven.

If you enjoyed this article, please take a look at my website, http://www.explore-old-west-colorado.com. There's more history to discover.

A Luxury Safari Story

It's hard to believe, as the small plane touches down at Sabi Sabi's airstrip, that we are just an easy hour's flight from Johannesburg. It's another world here - quiet, undisturbed, unhurried.

Elliot, who will be our guide for the duration of our trip, meets us off the plane. His ready smile, incredible bush knowledge and quiet confidence will be a hallmark of our visit; one of the things that make us long to go back. After a quick refreshment and cooling lemon towels we are ready to leave for our lodge.

A brief orientation brings us back down to earth. We are in the heart of the Sabi Sand Wildtuin, home to Africa's big game, Elliot explains, and there are no fences between our reserve, the Kruger National Park and Mozambique. Big game? No fences? Open vehicles? The bush is deceptively quiet for a city dweller, concealing hundreds of creatures big and small. One of the other guides tells us that just the day before a pride of lions had brought down a zebra right next to the landing strip. Our safari has begun.

A luxurious African Safari Experience

Our visit to Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve came with the choice of four lodges: Bush Lodge, Little Bush Camp, Selati Camp and Earth Lodge. We opted to spend two nights at the redesigned Bush Lodge and then two at Earth Lodge, which is a popular option available to visitors. Having been told that Bush Lodge had recently undergone a total redesign and remodelling project, I was expecting to see a new-looking lodge. However, on arrival, it was difficult to imagine that Bush Lodge hadn't been there for years, so warm and inviting is the whole atmosphere - not to mention the staff. The lodge entrance manages to be incredibly luxurious while conveying the feeling that you are visiting a close friend's home. Sabi Sabi operations director, Rod Wyndham, who together with wife Lauren run Bush Lodge, explained that the philosophy behind Bush Lodge's redesign centred around a providing a haven in the bush while reflecting the many African influences behind the design. Everywhere there are artefacts from all over the continent - a mix of colonial and ethnic - brought together by rich fabrics and textures and a design that looks out across the bush over a waterhole. After a brief introduction from Rod we were shown to our beautiful suite and invited to return for late afternoon tea followed by an evening safari. For those who have never experienced an African game lodge, it difficult to convey the luxury that exists in such close proximity to totally unspoilt wildlife. We were so taken with our suite we considered missing the evening drive, but eventually decided to give it a go - a very good decision in the end.

Afternoon tea is taken on one of two huge decks overlooking a waterhole and furnished with huge, comfortable chairs ideal for relaxing and surveying the bushveld. Soon we were heading out again - this time on evening safari with Elliot and Phios. We hadn't driven very far when we spotted two giraffes feeding in a thicket. Given their proximity to our lodge I was very grateful they weren't lions, but didn't admit this to the party we were with - all seasoned bush goers. As our drive progressed, the heat abated, the light softened and the shadows lengthened. We saw a herd of elephants, breathtakingly close; kudu, zebra, hippo and the shy nyala before Elliot's radio announced a sighting close by of 'dogs', which caused instant excitement on our Land Rover. Suddenly it dawned on me - we were about to experience what very few people ever do - African wild dogs, one of the continent's endangered and seldom seen species. En route to the sighting, Elliot explained that while wild dogs are often on Sabi Sabi property, there hadn't been a sighting for a couple of months. He reminded us to remain seated and quiet and we set off. About five minutes away we slowed down and approached the area where Sven, another guide had spotted the dog family - five adults comprising three female and two males. I was struck by how small they are, especially when Elliot explained that they are one of the most successful hunting animals in Africa with 90% success rate. They hunt in packs, efficiently and without fuss. The family seemed to be on the move and soon we were following them. They were on a trail, every so often stopping to survey their surroundings through sight, hearing and smell.

Years of habituation have made the animals at Sabi Sabi almost oblivious of the safari vehicles and the family carried on as if we were not just a few metres away. It was awesome to see these animals behaving normally in their natural habitat. Moving off road to keep with the sighting, the dogs picked up their pace on the trail of some prey until we lost them in a thicket of thorn trees. After trying unsuccessfully to locate them further on - they had disappeared as quickly and quietly as they had appeared - Elliot suggested we stop for sundowners. While we encountered the most incredible wildlife during our stay, including lions hunting, two different leopards, hippo, buffalo and even a snake, the wild dog sighting was the highlight of our game viewing. Sundowners are served in the open bush, a refreshing break before resuming the safari in darkness. Returning to Bush Lodge we forewent the chance to freshen up for dinner in favour of adjourning to the welcoming bar to swap stories with other guests and compare notes on our experiences.

A four-course boma dinner, complete with fresh venison and an array of other dishes, was accompanied by a fine wine from an impressive collection. An early night was called for as morning wake up call was just a few hours away.

Our days at Bush Lodge followed in the same gentle rhythm, two daily safaris, delicious food and wonderful staff, mainly from the local Shangaan communities of Huntingdon, Justicia and Lilydale.

On our third day we transferred to Earth Lodge. The arrival is totally unexpected as the lodge is all but invisible from a distance, being sculpted into the earth and having been recreated to blend seamlessly with the surrounding bush. It was the first lodge of its genre to break with the colonial tradition and the effect is breathtaking. It has clean lines that look out over unspoiled bush, an unadorned cement and pigment finish and uses influences from nature in its every aspect: buck horns as legs for chairs, uprooted trees carved into elaborate furniture pieces, natural skylights, anthill roofs for the suites. Our suite is the most luxurious we have ever stayed in. Dominated by a huge carved wooden bed, it opens up to a private splash pool and the bush. An enormous bathroom with a stone bath has uninterrupted views of the bushveld, and there are indoor and outdoor showers. I indulged in an outdoor shower for the first time although they are also a feature at Bush Lodge. The main lodge has an indoor / outdoor dining area, reading lounge, Zen garden, Camelot spa and a 6000-bottle subterranean wine cellar where we enjoyed unique Earth Lodge cuisine for our last dinner at the reserve.

All too soon the visit was over and we were driving to the airstrip where we had arrived. En route, we saw and heard an African fish eagle, surely one of the most evocative sounds in the wild - and a fitting end to a wonderful experience.

This travel article was written by a guest at Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve in South Africa.

Rats and Mice - A Scavenger Like None Other

Rats and mice have earned a reputation for being among the worst scavengers within our society for good reason. They are capable of feeding on nearly anything left over from people and their waste introduces disease to other species, including humans, throughout the world. They reproduce quickly and can live within a large variety of environments, and often they are intelligent enough to avoid contact with people even when living within their homes or offices. In the wild mice and rats fall prey to a number of species including birds (particularly hawks and eagles), snakes, spiders, and all sorts of wild and domesticated cats and dogs. The solidarity and lack of predators within our buildings allows this species ample time to nurse their young, locate suitable food sources, and spread whatever infectious disease they happen to be carrying.

The largest distinction between the two species is their actual size; with mice being the smaller of the two. Both common names are used to generally classify these mammals; for example a large mouse may be incorrectly referred to as a rat. Both rats and mice prefer dark environments to nest in during daylight hours, and each species is capable of burrowing to create a proper nest. Besides human and pet food, each species has dietary needs similar to humans and will seek natural grains, meats, vegetables, and fruits. Rats and mice alike can often be witnessed taking small, nibbling bites of their food; this is due to not having the ability to vomit or burp. They are actually ensuring the meal before them is not harmful by poison or other means before consuming the entire portion.

If you spot these rodents around the outside of your home or business, the easiest way to discourage them from returning is to make the area as unappealing as possible. Even during the darkness of night these species will be hesitant to cross a wide open space if other routes are available, so cut back any high grass at least twenty to thirty feet from your home. Also, trim any trees or shrubs away from the home and remove any firewood or debris to provide as few hiding places as possible. Dumpsters and garbage cans are often considered a mother load of nutrients for these types of animals, so be sure to seal these items tightly are repair any holes that would otherwise allow access. Cats were originally domesticated for the sole purpose of spotting and eliminating these animals; and a quick trip to your local humane society would ideally serve two purposes at once by saving the feline's life and unleashing a skilled hunter around your property.

If rats or mice are present within the home it is often difficult to eradicate them. Baits and pesticides sometimes prove successful, but because of these species eating habits it is unlikely to destroy the entire pack using this method. Often a professional is required; they will distribute bait traps around your home containing favorite foods such as peanut butter or cheese. These traps will either kill the rodent or prevent its escape, effectively solving the problem either way.

Kurt Miguel is a Las Vegas pest control professional. His company specializes in Las Vegas scorpion removal. He is also an expert in bee removal.

Cruise Alaska This Summer... It's Not Too Late!

Summer is Alaskan cruise season, and despite the enormous popularity of this particular destination, there are still some bargains to be found.

Although it's known for glaciers and polar bears, going to Alaska is a bit like going on safari. This state is 65% national park, national forest, or national wildlife preserve. In fact, only one percent of this gigantic state (3.5 million lakes!) is privately owned.

The result is lots of unspoiled natural habitat for creatures ranging from the bald eagle to the black bear. You can't beat the fishing; photographers will find this place a paradise. You can see moose, elk, wolves, different types of bears, and all kinds of fish.

An Alaskan cruise is also one of the best way to see some of the world's most spectacular glaciers. Glaciers are actually moving rivers of ice. The sheer weight of them pushes them downward and outward and they move, in inches usually, over the course of years. Glaciers creak and groan as they move, providing eerie sound effects. Every now and then, you may get to witness the spectacular process of "calving," which occurs when a large chunk of ice breaks off from a glacier with a resounding crash and splash. Calving is how icebergs are born.

There was a time when most glaciers had to be observed from a distance. Most are not safe for hikers or climbers (this is the original "slippery slope") and are just plain inhospitable. That's why a cruise can allow you to drift by these magnificent creations in comfort and safety and see them as few other people in history have ever been able to observe them.

Most Alaskan cruises offer plenty of excursions and a flight-seeing tour is a great way to take in a glacier. In Alaska, flight-seeing has become enormously popular because many of the state's most specactular natural attractions are not readily accessible by land. (For example, you cannot get in your car and drive to Juneau, Alaska's capital city. No roads. Juneau is accessed by boat or plane, period.)

Alaskan culture is extremely diverse. There is a relatively large indigenous population in Alaska and cultural influences on the state range from Eskimo to Russian (the Russians owned Alaska till 1867).

Throughout history, Alaska has always been a frontier. Way back in the 1800s, Alaska was the destination of a lot of gold miners and those who came to "mine the miners". In the 20th century, there was an oil boom. Right now, Alaska is enjoying what might be called a discovery bonanza as more and more people are finding out that it is a great vacation destination.

Alaska sought to woo tourists a while ago with the creation of a railroad that connected it with the lower 48 states. (Alaska is one of only two U.S. states that does not border on another state.) These railroads brought spectacular scenery to the passengers and allowed them to get in and out of a state that is sometimes fairly inaccessible. Today, these railroads are updated and maintained.

The problem with the railroads is that once you arrive at your destination, how do you get around?

Alaskans have always relied on ferry boats to move between towns and the Alaskan Ferry is something that increasingly numbers of tourists are discovering as well. If you have a vehicle, you can drive it on board and take the ferry (with your car) to your next destination. The Alaskan Ferry (http://www.akferry.org) even offers staterooms, food courts, and some common areas so that you can spend some time moving around the country. The ferry allows campers to camp onboard, too.

But the best way for the newcomer or comfort-lover to see Alaska is by cruise ship. The cruise ship allows visitors the luxury of remaining in one stateroom as the vessel makes port here and there, giving passengers time to helicopter, flight-see, dog-mush, whale watch, shop, or go on photo safaris by day.

Alaskan cruises typically take place from July to September, which are the best months to see the state anyway.

When traveling to Alaska, do take some warm clothing, including hats, jackets, mittens or gloves, and heavy socks. Even if the air temperature is not particularly cold (it can be 40 or 50 by day), the wind onboard ship can make it seem colder than it is. But remember to pack sunscreen, sun glasses, and a hat or a visor because the sun still reflects on the water; glare is common and the unprotected can get burned.

Mandy Karlik is a freelance travel writer who specializes in covering the cruise industry. To learn more about Alaskan cruises or other cool cruise destinations, check out http://www.thecruise-shopper.com, Mandy blogs at http://www.cruiselinenews.blogspot.com