Destination North Circuit

This bird… hunts by turning itself into an umbrella.

In the shallow wetlands of Africa, the Black Heron wades slowly through calm water with deliberate steps. But when it spots prey, it performs a remarkable trick — spreading its wings over its head to create a shaded canopy. This “umbrella” reduces glare and attracts curious fish into the shadow, making them easier to catch. What makes it extraordinary is this clever strategy — using its own body to reshape the environment in its favor. A dark silhouette on still water, yet a master of inventive hunting.

Black Heron

Be ever vigilant!
Amazing Truly 🔥

Today's post is about osteophagia. Osteophagia simply means 'feeding on bone' and it's something that some animals do, even animals that don't feed on meat. It's something that you don't see often, but you could come across an herbivore chewing on a bone

Online I found that osteophagia is done by giraffe, kudu, red deer, camels, wildebeest, tortoises, grizzly bears and cattle.
I can add another one to the list from personal experience as spotted an Nyala (antelope) chewing on a bone!
Animals mentioned in the comments: impala

The above mentioned animals don't get enough nutrients in their diet, they become nutritionally stressed. When this happens they will eat/chew bone to get the calcium and phosphorus their bodies needs.

The animals feel when they are lacking nutritions and they will look for a bone to chew on. While they chew on the bone little parts come loose which they swallow. They will not eat the entire bone, they'll chew on it for a while and drop it on the ground again.
Isn't it amazing that animals can feel what their body is lacking?

Here are some photos of animals chewing on bones.

DID YOU KNOW

During the Great Migration across Serengeti -Mara ecosystem, is driven by rain and food availability.
Zebras act as pioneers, eating top grass, Wildebeest follow for shorter grass and have a superior sense of smell, while predators maintain ecosystem balance by culling the weak. Nile crocodiles dominate the river crossing, targeting the massive herds as they cross.

Topi, Eland, Impalas, Gazelles frequently accompany the main herds, adding to the diversity of the grazing animals.

The movement of these herds provides natural fertilization for the plains and sustains the predator population, playing a vital role in ecosystem's balance.

The secretary bird (Sagittarius serpentarius) is a large bird of prey native to sub-Saharan Africa. It feeds on large insects, small mammals, and even venomous snakes, which it kills with kicks from its long legs (with five times the force of its own body weight!). The bird is now classified as "vulnerable" by the IUCN. In West Africa, it appears to be virtually extinct.