Description

Kruger National Park in north-eastern South Africa was in severe drought in the summer of 2016. Grazing animals were badly affected, particularly Hippopotamus and African Buffaloes because there was virtually no green grass available for them. Many Hippos died of starvation, including this female in the drying Engelhard Dam. The Park was littered with the carcasses of dead animals, creating a boom time for scavengers such as Hyaenas and these White-backed Vultures (Gyps africanus), the most commonly seen vulture in Kruger. These vultures are quarrelsome around carcasses, threatening each other with hissing and spread wings and jumping at each other, often with one foot extended as each bird tries to get access to flesh to eat. This sequence of clips was shot over a few days after the female Hippo had died. She was swollen with gas, but her skin was too thick for the vultures to cut through, so they started with the eyes and other exposed soft parts. The dead Hippo was decomposing quickly in the hot African sun – this made its flesh softer and easier for the vultures to tear up and swallow. These White-backed Vultures were squabbling over the dead Hippo’s tongue. One vulture removed the tongue, and was immediately chased by the others, all anxious to get a bit for themselves.