Notty the Zebra
We’re at the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Nairobi for a brief visit. We’ve stopped off on our way to our volunteering assignment in schools around Wamunyu to experience the Elephants that Sheldrick have rescued. Firstly, though, it’s Tytan the Rhino and Notty the Zebra. Both were rescued at almost the same time and have an entertaining inter-species bond.
Sheldrick Wildlife Trust are only open for an hour a day and respect their animals’ rehabilitation enough to manage their contact with people the rest of the time. There’s a small audience which is close but a respectful distance.
Notty is still being hand-fed milk from a large bottle. It’s no substitute for a mother. She drinks it eagerly.
There are three distinct species of Zebra. The most common in Kenya is the Plains Zebra. That’s what Notty is.
There are leaves for her to browse as well as the milk. I love the sensitive hairs on her chin and lips.
And there are funny faces to pull, which show just how closely related to horses and donkeys the zebras are.
I wonder how many of the classic Zebra sounds Notty will be able to make, given her separation from her mother? As we say goodbye to Notty, I’m hopeful that bray, whinny, neigh, snort, and squeal will all be part of her vocabulary.
Now we are promised Elephants. Inside I’m squealing.
More adventures in Kenya
A Saddle-Billed Stork and its dangling wattles The Saddle-Billed Stork or Saddlebill, Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis, is a truly huge bird. It's 4' 9" to 4' 11" tall. That's taller than my… read more
A Yellow-Throated Longclaw There are many yellow birds here in Kenya. It's a brighter world. Red, orange and yellow pigments are ones which… read more
A fluffy young Zebra Seeing Zebras at a watering hole in the Masai Mara is a pleasure. It's dry work munching the parched vegetation… read more
A Striped Skink I expected to see many more reptiles in Africa. I thought there would be snakes and reptiles with four legs… read more
Common Drongos Today's another chance for me to appreciate Common Drongos. They have distinctive forked tails and intense red eyes set in… read more
Lilac-Breasted Roller attack Sometimes there's such an extraordinary moment and it seems impossible that you could have captured it. There's a dispute between… read more
Grey Crowned Crane It's one metre tall and has a two metre wingspan. It has a ridiculous crown. It has an inflatable red… read more
Can you kneel on your wrists? Common Warthogs are fabulous creatures. Just look at that hairy face! I love this one's blonde moustache and perky tail.… read more
The street performer – a Bateleur Eagle with a rat We spotted a Bateleur Eagle as soon as we arrived in the Masai Mara. It was distant. All I could… read more
Black-Headed Heron There's a Black-Headed Heron with what looks like a snake. I know they eat fish and amphibians, but I didn't… read more
A male Pied Kingfisher There's a perched male Pied Kingfisher on a branch nearby here in the Masai Mara. They are large, impressive birds.… read more
Cattle Egret portrait I've seen Cattle Egrets in Devon, but never been as close as I am now to this Cattle Egret in… read more