Fish. Inhabitants of a world that is completely alien to us land-lubbers, even for those individuals that have spent a lifetime studying this water world. But especially for those of us coming from land-locked places (see July blog post, Being Tourists Pt. 1). Here is a group of animals that has the ability to breath underwater, extracting oxygen from water through gills! In general, fish are covered in scales, have fins and are "cold blooded" (meaning their body temperature is influenced by the outside environment), although there are exceptions to these generalizations. With over 31,500 species fish exhibit the greatest species of diversity among vertebrates, ranging from the tiny (a stout infantfish reaches 8mm in length when full grown) to the huge (the whale shark can reach 16m). The coral reefs around the Watamu and Malindi area are rich in fish and other aquatic species.
I caught this little guy in the surf on the beach. I don't know what species, or if its an adult or young. But its freakin' see through!! |
The reptile most seen at Mwamba is the common house gecko. These nocturnal geckos can be found crawling all over the walls and roofs of buildings. They are especially fond of hanging out near lights since their insect prey are attracted by the hundreds. Sometimes up to ten geckos can be seen near a light source snapping up all sorts of insects.
Young geckos are quite small. |
Like all other geckos they have the remarkable ability to cling to any surface through their unique toe pads. This species also has the ability to lose its tail to an attacking predator. Unfortunately for the gecko, its tail cannot grow back, so its a once in a lifetime opportunity.
Fairly easy to catch if they could be cornered. |
This gecko got squished between the door and the frame. It survived but has some battle scars. |
A White-throated Savannah Monitor Lizard |
Our friendly neighbourhood Speckled Mouth Skink |
Snakes are another fairly common but not seen reptile. Kenya has 127 species, with many found on the coast. Snakes love the coast for the same reasons that people do: its warm, there is lots of sun and the food is pretty good too (especially with Italian pizza and gelatto thrown in). Snakes have a poor reputation in Kenya because some species can and do, injure/kill people. Yet all snakes, especially the poisonous species, provide the invaluable and free service of pest control. Farmers scratch their heads in confusion after the local mambas and cobras are killed and rats begin eating through the maize crops because they don't understand this connection. If you want to learn more about snakes (especially the deadly ones) visit http://www.bio-ken.com/, we have visited Bio-Ken Snake Farm and found it quite interesting. During our time at Mwamba we saw a number of different species:
Stripe-bellied Sand Snake:
A fast moving snake, this is a member of the back-fanged snakes. Species of this family have varying degrees of toxicity but this particular species is not deadly to humans but can give a good bite (which it promptly did when caught by William, the local handyman/snake handler).
The Spotted Bush Snake:
A very beautifully coloured snake that is very thin and sleek. It is harmless to human beings but deadly to frogs and lizards.
And the definite highlight, a Green Mamba:
Other reptiles to be found include turtles and tortoises.
Interesting fact: The vertebrae of a tortoise is fused to the top of its shell! |
The Mangrove Kingfisher...
...and the Pygmy Kingfisher.
Such inquisitive eyes. |
A little back scratch. |
The discovery of the trampoline! |