265 : Crowned Hornbill

 Crowned Hornbill - Tockus Albertoterminatus

Another Hornbill for the collection - please do type in Hornbill in search. I am not sure why these are crowned - perhaps the white feathers on the nape ?

I thought I'd combine my scenery with my mammal today with a fine shot or a yellow baboon on a palm. At dinner in camp one night Pietro the lead guide was holding court as per usual with the boys quizing him about dangerous animals, what to do when you see a lion etc. He gave the boys a nice lecture about predators explaining that most things in Africa are more afraid of men than anything else. It is hard wired into them that we are the super predator and it has been that way for a good 100,000 years. Lions will usually run and elephants will retreat if given a chance.

So why do baboons run up a tree when they see a lion to escape but down a tree when they see a man ?    Its true  - they shin down those palms and scurry off as soon as they see  safari vehicles.  For thousands of years we would cut down the tree or stone them or fire arrows at them. A tree is no safe haven for a baboon when they see a man and they know it deep down in their genes. 

It all makes for a very scenic picture though.

Crowned Hornbill, Tockus Albertoterminatus
Ruaha National Park, Tanzania
29 June - 5 July 2013