MY CONFESSION

Last week, I told my colleagues that one of my dreams is to pet a cheetah, dolphin and an elephant.

They looked at me like I was from Wakanda.

In another world, I would definitely pet them.

Of course, they laughed and one of them asked, 'why?'

I figured that I should dedicate a blog on why I thought like that. To be honest, my love for animals compelled me to have such thoughts.

1. Cheetah

Cheetah

When it comes to animals, cats are my first love. I've had 8 cats in my life so far. The last 4 were a family. 

The first 4 died and I gave the last 4 cats out for adoption during COVID. 

Growing up, my dad was and still an avid fan of Nat Geo (National Geographic) and Londolozi documentaries. Anything wild animals being in the wild, fascinated him. Perhaps that's where the thoughts of being with cheetahs fascinates me.

Compared to the rest of big cats, cheetahs are the only wild cats that doesn't roar. They meow and purr like house cats.

You know what fascinates me the most? Their eyes. 

They have beautiful eyes. Those tear-marks always makes me want to snuggle with them. 

Their eyes are inbuilt sunglasses, meaning their eyes helps them against the sun. Unlike their cousins-Lions, they are not nocturnal- they hunt during the day.

2. Dolphins

When I learned that dolphins can notice when a human is drowning and will not hesitate to save them, it melted my cold soul. Get it! Melt and cold soul. Anyway , that's a lame joke.

In another world, I'd have a dolphin in my swimming pool, inside my future home.

Yes, in Kenya, we have dolphins. 

Apart from Maasai Mara, my favorite place is Kisite Marine National park.

Kisite Marine National park, is the second most famous marine park in the world, after the Australian Marine Park. Explore 30 kilometers, bearreeffs, coral reefs and different types of marine fishes. 

3. An Elephant

I confess that I started to have a fantasy on elephants last month.

Growing up, I never thought of elephants as cute or warm. I always had a negative image of them.

It is when I started to educate myself on elephants ,that I realized that they are very much misunderstood.

There's an old saying that says,' Elephants never forgets'.

Turns out, there's truth in that adage.

                    Elephants having a walk in Amboseli National Park

Elephants never forgets and their ability works both as an advantage and a disadvantage.  

One of the disadvantage is that they can get PTSD (Post-traumatic stress disorder) . That crushed me. 

Humans aren't the only ones that can be traumatized. Their emotional intelligence is enough to make them traumatized. I know!---that's sad. 

Apart from humans, elephants are the only animals that understands death, in the sense that they'd hold a burial 'service'. In some instances, they even drag an elephant's bones along with them.

Believe it  or not, elephants sees humans the same way we see puppies. Cute and adorable! 

So, why do they attack humans?-You might ask yourself.

Remember how we've talked about elephants never forgetting? Elephants gets killed by poachers for their tusks. Elephants that are in the wild are aware of this and if  an elephants have been shot by a human once, they'll be aggressive when they see humans around them.

So, my conclusion?

Animals being animals and not humans, doesn't really mean that they are less deserving of love, affection and respect.

In another world, in my imagination, I have time traveled into the future and I live with a cheetah, dolphin and an elephant. 

That doesn't mean that you should jump out of your vehicle and want to snuggle a leopard or buffalo. Please don't do that. I repeat, do not get out of your vehicle in the middle of a forest. 

Have you ever been to any game reserve? I'd recommend Maasai Mara National Reserve, for the first-time safari. There's a reason why wild animals gets documented in Maasai Mara. more than any other park or reserve globally.

Yeah-sure, there are other reserves and parks as well, but Mara!  Whew!-That place is the definition of  ,'Animal Kingdom'. 

You know what! I can write a novel and have written about my visit to Mara in one of my blog posts:

 https://adventurewithbenciaafrica.blogspot.com/2022/07/my-travel-diary-to-maasai-mara-part1.html

I've been to Maasai Mara countless times and it always leaves me breathless on every single visit. 

Words won't do any justice,you have to experience it.  

At Bencia Africa Adventure And Safaris, we  can make it happen,,both safaris in the wild and Mombasa (Marine).