Information Interlude – Making LOTS of BUCKS

We will take a short interval in our process of making Lots of Bucks, in order to provide what I feel to be pertinent information.

This photo has no purpose other than to give you something to look at.
OK – it’s actually so you can compare the Black, versus standard, Springbok.

As a fairly well established Non-Photographer, I take no responsibility for the shocking quality of the images below.  It is, however, the best I managed of a Springbok doing its’ Pronk (in Afrikaans this means to Boast or Show Off).  This is an extreme leap upwards, as high as 4m (13 ft) into the air, with an arched back, legs stiff and pointed downwards.  On landing, they immediately Pronk again (kind of looks like an Antelope on a trampoline – if you can get your imagination going that far.  In large herds, as one starts to Pronk, so do others, until you have the equivalent of a Springbok Mexican Wave.

                        THE SPRINGBOK PRONK – Photo, shocking.  Ability, incredible! (and this one’s still a baby!)

As we now all know, the locals thought me somewhat barmy.  Maybe they were right, considering that it eluded my mini-mind to bestow upon you the following:

Firstly, this all happened quite a few years ago.  Under no circumstances should anyone attempting to make either Big or Lots of Bucks, expect the process to be as quick as the previous blogs may have suggested.  As Misty Shores Chesapeakes, one of my wonderful readers put it, we are seeing this all in something of a “time warp”. 

Secondly, it might be fairly useful if you knew what, in the universe, these animals actually are.  Well, I did say they were Springbok but, being a slight genetic variant, they are black, which is extremely unusual.  It might be easier if you saw one in its’ standard, everyday wear, with normal colouring.

SPRINGBOK – courtesy of Thomas Schoch off Wikimedia Commons site. (lets hope I don’t get sued for anything here – it wouldn’t really be worth it though, as I have nothing left for them to take).

The name Springbok comes from Dutch and Afrikaans with Spring = Jump and Bok = Antelope.

Thirdly, I figured it might be to my advantage, to give you a little insight into Caracal, before a group of quizzical-faced readers confront me.

CARACAL KITTEN – needed a baby picture somewhere for the Awww Factor.  Picture courtesy of Kristian Thy, off Wikimedia Commens (same addendum as previous photo re: sueing.  Basically, please don’t!  Thank you)

So, this adorable little thing becomes my Baby Thaba’s demise – hard to like it because of that but equally hard not to fall in love with it at the same time.

THE STUNNING FACE OF A CARACAL.
Courtesy of : {{Information |Description= Caracal or desert lynx (”Caracal caracal”). |Source=[http://www.flickr.com/photos/23566085@N00/216164029/ Caracal] |Date=August 15, 2006 at 11:19 |Author=[http://www.flickr.com/people/23566085@N00 € Van 3000] from belgium b

Notice the tufts of hair on the ears that I, rather cleverly for me, remembered to tell you about in my previous post.  I must be getting better at giving descriptions – this is good.  I am pleased.

THE FULL SIZE STRENGTH OF A CARACAL
This photo was taken in January 2007 by Nick and Melissa Baker in the Serengeti. Thanks go to Alex, our guide, and Green Footprint Adventures. See http://www.flickr.com/photos/nickandmel/419801669/

Now you can see the incredible strength of the Caracal.  Somehow, it becomes easier to understand how a cat managed to catch an antelope.  The males can weigh as much as 19kg (42lb).