The African Elephants & The Ambulatory Ants

Dive Into a Magical Safari: Where Dreams, Adventure, & African Elephants Collide!
Do you recall those bedtime stories that transported you to magical lands, infused with wonder, & knowledge? Dive into the Curious Cousins & the 'African Elephant Expedition’ where young readers embark on an adventure that spans dreams & the vast landscapes of South Africa. Emilia, Isla, & Audrey, have a secret: within their dreams, there's no adventure too grand, no question too big! Their current mission? To unravel a mystery as old as the African savannah: Are mighty elephants scared of tiny ants?
Special thanks to sound engineer Liam Wilkinson.

Transcript

The African Elephants and the Ambulatory Ants Book One in the series The Dreamlife Adventures of the Curious Cousins Written and narrated by the author Deborah Ford The Most Famous Explorers in the Whole of Africa In a land far, Far away in a time long, Long ago, Almost the Dark Ages if you think about it, The dads of the Curious Cousins were two young boys. Joel and Adam were brothers who lived with their mom Deborah and their dad John in Johannesburg, South Africa. The highlight of the boys' day was after dinner and bath time when Daddy came home from work. The boys escaped into Dad's stories about Joel and Adam the most famous explorers in the whole of Africa. Now those explorers could go anywhere, Be anything, And do anything in their African stories. They met a wandering hippopotamus called Huberta who walked over 1600 kilometers from Zululand to King Williamstown on her own for no good reason. The Zulus regarded her as the spirit of their famous Zulu chief, Shauka, And she was one special hippo and when she was showing off she could open her mouth twice as wide as her head. They visited the famous elephant herd at the Tulutulu Game Reserve in Zululand. The herd's wise leader was the oldest female elephant called Nana. She guided the herd and Nana even gave the boys some wonderful advice on how to be great dads when they got older and had their own children and Nana was famous for being the world's best mother. They also observed Hairy Belly and Ginger, Two male lions who ruled over the Manuleti Game Reserve and were the kings of their domain. They even watched the Drogensburg Mountain fireflies light up the night sky. And who would have known that just over 30 years later, Joel's princesses Amelia Rose and Isla Mae would join up with Adam's angel Audrey Jane in their dream life to continue exploring Africa as the cool curious cousins. Wazzah! Let's go! Chapter 1 Amelia Rose, Isla Mae and Audrey Jane were in the kitchen baking cookies with their moms Shirley and Kelsey. It was a cold and snowy windy winter's day and they were warm and toasty inside getting ready for Christmas. Each of the cousins was helping make their favorite cookies, Measuring, Mixing, Arranging them on a baking tray. It was difficult to wait for the cookies to bake, The house smelled wonderful. Amelia Rose said, Why don't we watch our favorite nature show while we wait? Their show was all about elephants on a game reserve in South Africa. How exotic it seemed to look at these incredible creatures in the wild in the African heat while they were cooped up inside on an Alberta snow day. You know what we could do, Said Amelia Rose, Get a closer look and go and meet the elephants in our dreams tonight. Yes, Said Isla Mae, Let's go and see for ourselves. I wonder what they smell like. I'd love to visit the elephants. I wonder if they're friendly, Agreed Audrey Jane. Now, These curious cousins know that they can go anywhere they want to in their dreams. They can meet up after they've gone to sleep and in their dream life explore and experience the world together. They can go just about anywhere, Be just about anything. It was as simple as choosing to be together in their dream life, Deciding what they wanted to explore and then magically they were there. At bedtime that evening, Amelia Rose and Isla Mae had their bath time, Brushed their teeth and cuddled up in their warm pajamas. Daddy read them their story, Switched on their sparkly nighttime light and together they did their bedtime chant. Good night, Sleep tight, Love you, Bye. Daddy smiled, Gently closed the bedroom door. The girls settled down, Their tired eyes closing. Amelia Rose smiled at Isla Mae and said, See you in our dreams. At her home, Their cousin Audrey Jane was telling her daddy that she was going to visit the elephants tonight. Well, That's fun, He said. Will your cousins be going with you? Yes, We want to visit some elephants in Africa. You cousins and your dream adventures, Have fun and sleep tight, My love. I'm looking forward to hearing all about it tomorrow. He smiled, Closing her door quietly. Audrey Jane was awfully keen to go to sleep this particular night. There you are, Said Audrey Jane. The curious cousins were all dressed in their adventure clothes, Ready for their elephant expedition. You know the best part about dream exploring was that they could magically appear anywhere they wanted to go at any time. The world was their playground. Going to visit the elephants was as easy as could be. It was just a matter of choosing to be there. Wazza, Said Amelia Rose, And in a flash the curious cousins landed smack bang under a fever tree in southern Africa. It was a really beautiful tree with smooth bark that was an odd greenish yellowish color and it was very, Very tall. The shimmer around the tree looked a bit funny, Almost as if the air was moving, And the girls realized that it was because Africa is a very dusty place. What's that noise? Asked Audrey Jane. The sound of birds chirping, Talking and singing was deafening and there was also a funny buzzing sound in the background. Little did they know that these were the normal sounds of Africa. They were about to discover that everything was louder. The birds, The insects, The animals, The singing, Everything. They put their hands over their ears while they took in their exotic new surroundings. Friendly Fever Chapter Two Who are you? Asked a really deep vibrating voice. The curious cousins looked around to find out who was asking. One of their greatest joys while traveling in their dream life was that they could communicate with everything. Plants, Insects, Animals. Amelia Rose looked at her cousins. Who's asking? Could it be this tall tree? Hello! She shouted. Who's talking? Sawbona! I am a fever tree and you can call me Fever. Who are you and why are you here? I've not seen you before. We are visiting from Calgary, Canada said Isla Mae. In our dreams we can go anywhere we want. We've come to meet elephants. Oh you just missed them said Fever. They were here yesterday. An elephant calf has just been born and they brought him here to feed on my young branches and my leaves. I love meeting the babies especially giving them healthy snacks so they can grow up big and strong. Because I'm a fever tree, Fever continued, I provide lots of food for the animals here. I get to know them quite well. My pods and leaves are eaten by giraffes and elephants and monkeys and my beautiful scented flowers are for the birds, The bees and the butterflies. Are there people nearby? What about them? Asked Audrey Jane. Do you help them too? I do said Fever. The local healers make a powder from my lime green bark and my roots and it's used to treat malaria. Malaria is not nice. It's carried around by African mosquitoes and you can get it when you get a mosquito bite. Malaria gives people a dreadful headache and a fever. That's how I got my name. Wised Up Weaver, Chapter 3 What is that cacophony of sound? Asked Audrey Jane. Audrey Jane just loved words like cacophony. All of that noise is coming from a flock of weaver birds, Said Fever. Do you see the weaver nests hanging like fruit from the ends of my branches? There are lots of them because the weavers build together to stay safe. The curious cousins looked up and saw the most beautiful bright yellow birds, About the size of sparrows, Flitting around the branches between the nests. Those brilliant ones are the dads, Said Fever. It's their job to build the nests for their families. They spend all day collecting reeds from the river and building nests ready for the eggs and the chicks. The curious cousins looked up at all the busy birds flitting among Fever's branches. Who are the pale yellow and grey ones? Asked Amelia Rose. Those are the moms, Said Fever. It's their job to do the quality control. If she doesn't like the nest during her final inspection, She twitters and complains. That's the noise that you can hear. And did you know that once the nest has been built, Said Fever, The mom picks at the support knot that ties the nest to the branch? If she can break it and the nest falls to the ground, She knows it's not safe for her babies. And that's why there's so many empty nests lying around. They've been rejected by the mom, And Daddy has to do it all again until she is happy. Those are bossy mommy birds, Said Isla Mae. Yes, Agreed Fever, That's true. But what makes the dad a wised-up weaver is that he is the only bird in the whole world who can tie a knot with his beak. And the moms do need to be bossy, Explained Fever. A nest that passes her quality control is a safe nest, Won't fill up with water in an African rainstorm, Or get blown down when the hot winds blow. The chicks will get time to grow up and then start their own families. It's so good to meet you, Fever. What a lot of help you provide the animals, The birds, The insects, And people, Said Amelia Rose. We're going to look for the elephants now. What would be the best way to go? Well, Walk 10 minutes north, Said Fever, And then turn east. Go past the anthill, Taking great care not to wake Puffy. Walk through the village, Make a u-turn, And take the narrow path into the grasslands. At this time of the day, The elephants will be feeding or playing and swimming in the water. Thank you, Said the curious cousins. Humbergoshly, Said Fever. Ambulatory Ants Chapter 4 The curious cousins were all feeling a bit confused by the complicated directions that Fever had given them, But they decided to just start walking. There's the anthill, Shouted Isla Mae. Wow, It's huge! They hurried towards it, And it was big enough for them all to stand on it together. This is a grandstand view, Said Amelia Rose. They put their hands up to shield their eyes from the bright African sun, And peering into the distance were able to make out a small village with a few mud huts. Okay, That's the way, Said Audrey Jane. I wonder who Puffy is, Asked Isla Mae, And why we shouldn't wake him up? Just as they were about to jump off the anthill, The curious cousins noticed a long line of ants marching off in the direction that they were planning to go. One of the ants looked up at them and said, Puffy is a puff adder snake. He's very grumpy and lazy. March along with us, We'll show you how to avoid him. Wasa, Come! The curious cousins looked at each other unsure before the ant continued saying, Come right now! The curious cousins hurried along. We've never met a puff adder, Said Amelia Rose. You probably don't want to, Said the ant, At the same time marching, Marching, Marching with all his friends. Puff adders are so lazy and they won't move out of your way no matter how close you get to them. They're a dull yellow, Brown and black color and are quite difficult to see because they blend in. Puffy has a very thick body and although he's only about three feet or one meter long, He's very quick. If he wanted to, He could bite you faster than you could jump out of the way. Thankfully, Most of the time he's just too lazy to do that. Thank goodness we met you, Said Isla Mae. We certainly don't want to wake this grumpy snake called Puffy. Yabba yabba, Agreed the ant. He had it all worked out, How to avoid Puffy the snake, And he was very kind. He didn't mind helping Audrey Jane, Isla Mae and Amelia Rose on their way. The curious cousins chatted away with the ants, Marching along with them just as they did when they marched to bed each night. We're ambulatory too, Smiled Audrey Jane. Marching, Ambling, Tramping along. And before they knew it, The curious cousins were on the outskirts of the village that Fever had mentioned. Swuffy's Secretary Chapter 5 The curious cousins could hear happy shouts coming from the village, But they couldn't see anyone yet. They walked into the village and saw clustered around the village square were round huts that they'd never seen before. There were beautiful designs on the huts, And standing nearby was a rather large, Almost four feet or over one meter high, Grey and black bird with scruffy feathers. The bird, Which had red and orange on its face, Cleared its throat noisily and said to the cousins, Ahem, Who are you? What are you doing in our village? The secretary bird had a strangely deep rumbling voice, Looked very messy, And sounded really irritable. We're visiting in our dream life, Said Amelia Rose. We have come to meet the elephants. Ahem, Grunted the secretary bird again. Those elephants always get all the attention. The curious cousins looked at each other. Goodness, This was one irritable bird, Although his deep rumbling voice likely made him seem more irritable than most. These round huts are wonderful, Said Audrey Jane, Trying to cheer up Secretary Bird by showing an interest in his village. Grrr, Said the bird again, Thinking that these curious cousins knew nothing about anything. They're called rondovles, And as you can see each one has a thatch roof. The locals build them using mud for the walls, Reeds from the river for the roof, And branches from the fever tree to hold up the reeds. Inside they have a shiny and hard floor made from mud and elephant dung. The huts are mainly used for sleeping and for shelter from the rain, As most of the meals are cooked in the village square and enjoyed outside together. The curious cousins watched a young mom with a baby tied to her back, Who had just returned from bringing a heavy load of water from the river. Who can believe it? She balanced that big can of water on her head, Said Isla Mae, And the baby on her back. Grrr, Said Secretary Bird. Of course all the village girls can do that. All of them. They bring home big piles of firewood on their heads too, Thinking secretly to himself, I can't see these girls doing anything like that. In the shade of one of the huts, The curious cousins saw a grandma sitting on a tree stump. She had a wooden walking stick and was thumping it onto the ground. Grrr, The birds saw where they were looking and cleared his throat noisily again. That's the village go-go. This go-go seemed to be starting a dance, As they could hear singing and clapping coming from behind the huts. With smiles on their faces, The curious cousins watched as mums and children danced into the village square, Drumming and stamping their feet to the rhythm of go-go's walking stick. Is it a birthday? Asked Isla Mae. Cake, I hope they have cake, Said Emilia Rose. Oh no, Not that infernal singing noise. Not the drum again. I can't stand it. It's a brouhaha. The secretary bird stretched out his wings, Ruffled his scruffy feathers irritably, And stomped off in a huff to find something to eat. A nice juicy snake for lunch would probably cheer him up. Audrey Jane smiled to herself. Brouhaha was definitely on her list of favourite words. I think we need to keep going, If we're going to meet the elephants before it gets dark, Said Emilia Rose. They left the celebration behind and found their way to the narrow path that led out into the grasslands. Brawny Beetle Chapter Six It just went on and on and on, Miles and acres of grassland. This was going to be like finding a needle in a haystack. Well, Actually, Like finding a needle in the African bush. Which way should they go? That way, The curious cousins all said at once, Pointing in the same direction, Started off towards the mountains that they could see in the far distance. They knew they were going in the right direction when they came upon the U-turn that Fever had told them about. They were walking along, Keeping the mountains in sight so that they didn't go the wrong way when they heard a beautiful soft singing voice coming up from the ground. I heard that you're looking for elephants, It sang. Follow me. The curious cousins looked down and all they could see was a shiny black dung beetle. Do you think that's where the lovely singing is coming from, Asked Isla Mae? Yes, It's me, Sang the dung beetle. I've been watching you throughout your expedition. I can help because it's awfully easy to get lost in the grassland, You know, Every path looks the same. But I'm going to the elephants too. Why would such a small beetle be going to the elephants? Wondered the curious cousins. Elephant dung is what my family eats. We dig into the fresh elephant poop, Make it into balls and roll it away to bury it. Sometimes the balls are much bigger than me, But it's no problem, I'm very strong. In fact, I'm the world's strongest insect, Bragged the dung beetle. I bury the dung balls underground, They help my babies to hatch. Did you know dung beetle babies are called larvae and they love to eat elephant poop? Yeah, So do I. These dung balls give me a stash of food that is so delicious and so yummy, Can last a whole week. I help fertilize the ground when I bury the elephant dung balls and that's a very important job in these grasslands, Sang the dung beetle proudly. The elephants are in the river, She sang, Amanzi, Amanzi. The curious cousins could now hear the sound of splashing in the river. Elephants have taken a break from feeding on the grasses and are having a wallow and a swim, Said the dung beetle. That makes my job easier, Much easier, To get to the fresh poop without huge elephant feet in the way. She hurried off to get to work, Singing at the top of her voice. Now that they were close to the elephants, The curious cousins were feeling a little bit nervous. Just one last thing, Shouted Isla Mae as the dung beetle moved away. We've never met elephants before. Are they grumpy like Puffy or irritable like the secretary bird? And will they be perturbed about the new baby, Trying to protect it and unhappy that we are here, Chimed in Audrey Jane, Happy to have the opportunity to use another favorite word, Perturbed. Oh, Not to worry. The dung beetle sang her voice fading into the distance. The girl strained to hear what she was saying, But she was just too far away. Speedy Shongololo, Chapter 7 GINORMOUS, MAGNIFICENT, BEAUTIFUL, Whispered Emilia Rose as they got their first look for real at the largest land mammals on Earth in their natural home. Even the word ginormous sounds really big, Thought Audrey Jane. Quietly, They crouched down behind an aloe plant that gave them a clear sight of the elephants in the water. Aloes have bright red, Orange and yellow flowers and provide a home and food for many insects. Just then, Isla Mae saw a Shongololo, A red and black African millipede, Hurrying towards the aloe. Hey, Look at this, She pointed. Have you ever seen so many legs that move so perfectly together? These legs look like a wave. I've never seen anything like this. Hmm, Thought Emilia Rose. Mr. Shongololo comes from around here. I wonder if he has any tips on watching the elephants. They're so huge. I'm just not sure if they're fierce too. Nothing to be afraid of, Said Mr. Shongololo. He talked as fast as his legs moved and was in a bit of a hurry. His delicious dinner of dead and dying leaves was waiting for him and he was very hungry. Did you know that elephants are right or left-tusked? Just like you are right or left-handed, Said the Shongololo. They use their tusks for digging for water, Lifting logs, Stripping bark from trees for their lunch. Definitely not for giving little people a fright. Don't be silly, He rushed on. Elephants are very calm and unlike me, They are never in a hurry. Sit here for a while until they get used to your energy. Once they know you, They will never forget you as elephants have the best memories. It all came out in such a rush without taking a breath as Mr. Shongololo sped by. The curious cousins understood that they needed to be quiet so they settled down to sit still just like they did when they were eating their dinner and watched the gentle giants. Elephant moms are very confident and simply the very best moms, Taking their job of making sure their children grow up healthy and strong very seriously. Umama is a baby elephant's favorite word. Moms get lots of help from the aunts in the group. Baby elephants are beloved and bossed around by them all. Today, They were teaching the new baby how to have fun and also be safe in the water. Silly Spider Chapter 8 The curious cousins settled down to wait until the elephants got used to them. Hey, Watch out, Eh? Said an upset voice with a fake Canadian drawl. Right next to their feet in an abandoned meerkat burrow, The curious cousins saw a spider web bouncing around like crazy with a weird-looking spider gyrating in the middle. What the? Thought Audrey Jane, Moving her feet out of the way. What are you? At the same time thinking, Gyrating, Wriggly, Twisting, Crazy thing? I'm a daddy long-legged spider. I thought you were going to break up my web and ruin my dinner. This spider had a condescending know-it-all tone of voice and a bogus accent. The curious cousins weren't sure they liked him at all. They were just sitting down quietly, Hoping to connect with the elephants. This is the best time of the day for catching insects in my web. I don't want to be disturbed. I'm hungry, Daddy Long Legs said. Looking at his web that covered the hole in the ground, The curious cousins agreed it was probably the messiest, Most irregular spider web they'd ever seen. It probably won't catch anything anyway, Huffed Amelia Rose. And why is he copying our accent? It's rude. They turned their attention back to the elephants, Away from Mr. Cranky Long Legs. The curious cousins could hear strange rambling sounds coming from the herd. Deep, Echoing noises coming from the tummies of all of the elephants. I wonder if they're going to fart, Asked Isla Mae, Holding back a laugh. The curious cousins weren't sure why, But farts were so funny. Sometimes Papa farted and said, And it made everyone giggle. Based on these deep tummy sounds, These elephant farts were going to be spectacular. Cranky Legs, This is what the curious cousins had nicknamed the Daddy Long Legs spider, Piped up. Tummy rambling is how elephants communicate with each other. It only happens when they feel calm, Happy that the herd is together and know that the babies are safe. This was a really good sign. It meant they were getting used to the curious cousins. Cranky Legs was feeling a bit bad for being mildly insane earlier. Did you know, He said, That when the Ndlovu first started coming down to this area near the river, It was a thick forest. It was so dense that you could hardly see the river from the grasslands. It was really difficult for most of the animals to get to the water. The job for Ndlovu was to push through the trees and bushes, Eating as they went, Uprooting tree trunks, Breaking branches, And clearing the way for the other smaller animals to get to the water. Dazzling Dragonfly, Chapter 9 Africa Time Today is what matters. Tomorrow is another day. The elephants were completely in tune with nature, Finding their food, Having enough water, Focusing on their family community. They're happy, Contented, Gentle creatures. Humans, Unlike elephants, Seem to spend too much time thinking about the past, Worrying about the future, And not enjoying every day. Africa Time Hey, Look at that, Said Amelia Rose. Perched on a reed near the edge of the river was the biggest dragonfly the curious cousins had ever seen. Ooh, That's a sign of good luck, Said Isla Mae. Let's all make a wish. The curious cousins closed their eyes and made their wishes. What did you wish for? Asked Audrey Jane. She was still too little to understand that wishes need to be kept secret if they are to come true. Well, Are you gonna just continue admiring my dazzling rainbow wings? Or are you gonna talk to me? Asked the dragonfly. I haven't had much conversation today. The elephants haven't been very chatty. Would you like me to tell you more about them? This dragonfly was very gracious, And the curious cousins happily settled down to listen to the glittering creature with the sound of the slow-moving, Lazy river as the perfect backdrop. Hmm, Where should I begin? The dragonfly ruffled its wings and moved to a more comfortable spot on the reed. I know, Babies. Elephants are big babies. Human babies stay in their mom's tummies for nine months or 270 days. Elephant babies stay in their mommy's tummy longer than any other land creature for 660 days. That's almost two years. An elephant baby can weigh up to 260 pounds or 118 kilograms. You know, That's slightly heavier than your big, Tall daddies. And here's a fun fact, Said the dragonfly. Elephants hate ants. Even though they are so big and the ants are so small they could easily stomp on them, Elephants usually move away when they see ants because ants can get up their trunks and really tickle them. The curious cousins giggled, Imagining the biggest animal on Earth being scared by one of the smallest. Although, From what they had seen and meeting the ants while marching with them to find the village, African ants were quite a bit bigger than the ones they were used to in Canada. The dragonfly was in full voice now and continued without taking a breath. Elephants use their trunks as a nose to breathe. They also use them as an arm to get to their food. Their trunks are so sensitive that they can pick up a small blade of grass and so strong that they can break off a huge branch. But that's not all. And lovu trunks suck up water when they're thirsty. They use them to dust themselves with dirt and mud to prevent sunburn. That's quite fantastic, Said Isla Mae. What about swimming? Elephants seem to love being in the river. This dragonfly was really loving the teacher role and said, Well, Elephants are natural-born swimmers. They can swim for hours without stopping. Their massive bodies cause them to float. It's nearly impossible for them to drown. And they go underwater and use their trunk as a built-in snorkel. Audrey Jane sniggered. Snorkel was a word really close to snort and snout. It was fun to say and definitely going on her word list. Can babies swim right when they are born? Asked Amelia Rose. The dragonfly shocked her head. Baby elephants only learn to swim when they're a little bit older. You can see how this mummy elephant is standing really close to her baby, Making sure it doesn't go where the water is too deep. Baby elephants do love to play in the water though, And this helps them learn how to use their trunks. The dragonfly looked across the water and said, Well, I should get going. Mosquitoes are my favourite dinner, And I see them flying around now. One last thing I did want to share with you before I go. Elephants are very intelligent, And it's true that they don't forget. They're so smart that they are one of the only mammals that can recognise their reflection in a mirror or in still water, Just like dolphins, Apes and humans can. And when it doesn't rain in a drought, They can remember a distant watering hole from long, Long ago. When an elephant says, I remember when, You better believe them. The elephant started to move out of the river, Returning to their clump of trees in the grassland for the night. They sleep standing up, You know, Leaning against a tree. These elephants are looking forward to their favourite comfortable spots. Did you know they get their best sleep between midnight and six in the morning, Just like mummies and daddies do? The Jigamanzi flew off skimming the slow-moving river while yelling, I thought today was going to be really boring, But thanks to you, It ended well. You know, In case you're wondering, Dragonflies are ancient insects. They haven't changed much in 300 million years. That's why we know so much. Understanding Ubuntu, Chapter 10 Their exciting day visiting South Africa and the elephants, Meeting all the creatures, Was coming to an end. The sunset was just beginning. It was time for the curious cousins to return to their beds. The wind had cooled. The African bush was whispering, Yabonga! Thank you for this day. This African sunset was more spectacular than anything the curious cousins were used to because of the amount of dust in the air. It was like looking at a huge bright campfire as the changing light painted the sky brilliant orange, Yellow, Pink and red. All the daytime animals were going to bed and the bush would soon be alive with the nocturnal animals. At dusk, The animals that live in the sun go to sleep. Out come the animals and creatures of the night. Under the light of the African stars, Warthogs give way to bush pigs, Eagles give way to owls, And birds give way to bats. That will be our next African adventure, Sighed Emilia Rose visiting the nocturnal animals. Audrey Jane was almost too tired to notice the word nocturnal, But not quite. This was going to be a new word on her favorite list. The cool curious cousins were sleepy and ready to go home to their mommies and daddies and their favorite stuffy toys. Isla definitely wanted Bar and Bun, Her two lovies. The curious cousins joined hands feeling tickled pink. They closed their eyes, Thought about their comfy beds and landed gently back in their bedrooms. Good night, They sighed sleepily. Visiting the African elephants, The curious cousins learned about Ubuntu. Ubuntu shows that we don't exist on our own and that we are never alone. Because we are part of a bigger connected world of all living things. In life, Us is more meaningful than me. And the curious cousins had felt the universal bond that connects all who live on Earth. The End Our African Heroes Here are more interesting facts about our African heroes. African Elephants Elephants are very calm and live a life that is contented. They're never in a hurry and because they're so smart, They don't forget anything. There are two types of African elephants, Savannah elephants and forest elephants. Savannah elephants are bigger and live in the grasslands and they are the heroes of our story. Forest elephants are smaller and live in the forests of Central Africa. Elephants live in 37 African countries. Elephants are herbivores, Which means they only eat grass, Leaves, Shrubs, Roots and fruit. They're constantly eating and can eat up to 300 pounds of food or 136 kilos each day. They spend up to three quarters of their day looking for food. Elephants live up to 70 years. They gather in matriarchal herds. The leader of the pack is usually the oldest and the biggest female. When they're born, Elephant babies are very big, Weighing 260 pounds or 118 kilos. They gestate for 660 days and that's almost two years. Elephants are very confident mothers, Get lots of help from the aunts in the herd with raising the babies. Elephant trunks are very useful. They use it as a nose, An arm to forage and reach for food, To drink water, To spray mud and dust to help with sunburn and as a snorkel for swimming. Although elephants do love to swim and have fun in the water, Babies only learn to swim when they're a little bit older. Elephants help clear vegetation for other animals, Making it easier for them to access food and water. Elephants sleep standing up, Leaning against a tree. They have rumbling, Echoing noises that come from their tummies and are a sophisticated way of communicating with each other. Elephants are endangered and protected. African Aloe There are over 360 types of aloes in Africa. The aloe is a healing plant and the juice from the leaves is used in skincare products. It has beautiful tall red, Orange and yellow flowers. Fire Ants A typical anthill contains an egg-laying queen and adult ants which look after the eggs. Up to 250, 000 ants live together in an anthill and nest and queen ants can lay up to 1, 500 eggs each day. The tall anthill above the ground is actually just the top of a huge underground nest, Just like the tip of an iceberg. Ants are very busy. They only rest for around 8 minutes in a 12-hour period. Daddy Long-Legged Spider A Daddy Long-Legged Spider has a small, Greyish-looking body and long, Thin legs. Daddy Long-Legged Spiders eat insects, They eat other spiders, Mites, Snails and rotting vegetables. They don't bite people and are as gentle as ladybugs. The species is 400 million years old. They build very imprecise and scruffy-looking webs anywhere that's convenient, Including over abandoned holes and burrows in the ground. They have a bouncing walk that helps propel them forward and they gyrate and bounce their web to scare off predators. Dragonfly The scientific name for Dragonfly is Odonata and it means Toothed One. Dragonflies have very strong jaws and they eat any insect that they can catch and especially love mosquitoes. There are 159 species of dragonflies in South Africa. Some adult dragonflies live for only a few weeks and some can live up to a year. Dragonflies are expert flyers. They can fly straight up and straight down and they can even hover. Almost their entire head is made up of eyes. They have incredible vision and can see in all directions. Except directly behind them. Dragonflies are thought to be magical and they symbolize change and rebirth, Understanding the deeper meaning of life, Making wishes and good luck. Dung beetle Dung beetles live in grasslands, Deserts, Forests or farmlands. They just don't like the cold. Dung beetles only eat animal dung. They have a great sense of smell and use this to discover the best. And dung beetles don't eat anything else and they don't drink anything at all. Some smaller dung beetles actually attach to larger animals waiting for the dung to fall. A male dung beetle can pull a dung ball that is so big it will be the same as a person pulling six double-decker buses full of people. Dung beetles bury rolls of dung underground and this helps aerate and reseed the soil in the grasslands. Female dung beetles lay their eggs in fresh dung balls. Dung beetles are not very community-minded as they like to steal dung balls from each other. The fever tree Fever trees are very tall and love hot, Humid conditions with plenty of access to water. The green bark is smooth and flaking and covered in a yellow sulphur powder and this is what gives the tree its lime green look. Fever trees provide food for many animals. Giraffes, Elephants and monkeys eat the young branches, The leaves and the seed pods. The birds, The bees and the butterflies love the flowers and the green bark and roots is used to treat the disease malaria. The roots of the fever tree add nitrogen to the soil, Fertilising it and making it very favourable for other plants growing nearby. Other plants and bushes love growing beneath a fever tree. The leaves of the fever tree are made up of very fine leaflets and they close at night. They have long, Straight white thorns that are arranged in pairs and protect the birds who nest in their branches from predators such as snakes. Puff adder Puff adders are the most common poisonous snake in Africa and they can live up to 20 years. They're short and fat and lazy with chevron markings on their back and a recognisable triangular head. Puff adders are too lazy to hunt but rather ambush small reptiles, Birds and rodents that cross their path. They do help maintain balance in the ecosystem because without puff adders Africa would be overrun with rats and mice and they also help control the mosquito population. Puff adders move in a straight line like a caterpillar rather than slithering from side to side like most other snakes. They're out and about during the day or the night and when threatened they inflate their upper body and hiss. They puff up and that's how they got their name. Most reptiles lay eggs but puff adder's eggs hatch inside the female and they give birth to between 20 and 80 live baby snakes at a time. Secretary Bird The secretary bird has the body of an eagle but the legs of a crane and this makes them very big and very tall. It has red and orange markings on its bare face, A crest of feathers on the back of its head and grey feathers on its body. Two long black-tipped tail feathers. The secretary bird uses its long legs to stomp on its prey and its wings to distract it. Although it's famous for eating snakes the secretary bird also likes hunting insects and small animals. Snakes try to bite the flapping wings but have no impact because they're only biting feathers. Secretary birds hunt in pairs and they mate for life The two birds defend their territory of up to 50 kilometres. They move around on foot for most of their life but lay their eggs in big nests at the top of tall trees like the fever tree. They lay two to three bluish green eggs that take 45 days to hatch. They live for 10 to 15 years and are on the endangered list. Shongololo The Zulu people of South Africa call the millipede shongololo. It's derived from the Zulu word ukushonga which means to roll up. Shongololos roll up in a tight ball when they are threatened to protect their soft underparts. They also release a really bad smell when they're frightened. Millipedes were the first animals to live on land. They were the first animals to breathe air and a fossil found in Scotland dates back 450 million years. Millipedes are terrific recyclers. They eat dead plants and animals and recycle the nutrients back into the soil. Weaver birds Weaver birds are hard-working and intelligent and very noisy. The males are bright yellow. The females are a yellowish-gray in colour. They hunt together as a flock and eat seeds, Insects and plants. They're very social birds. They live together in large colonies. The males build the nests hanging from the end of branches and the females do the quality control. Male weavers are the only birds in the world who can tie a knot with their beaks. Their nests have roofs with complex woven chambers for the eggs and a bottom tube-like entrance which deters predators. Nests are made of strips of grass, Reeds, Leaves, Twigs and roots. Weaver birds live up to 15 years and they sing beautifully. Usually in a duet in which they sing their songs. Zulu Glossary Tula is a Zulu word that means to be quiet, To be peaceful, To be still. And Tula is part of a famous lullaby song sung by Zulu mothers to their little babies. Tula Tula Tula Baba Tula Tula Tula Sana Hush Hush-a-bye Baby Hush Hush-a-bye Baby And Manyaledi is a Zulu word that means I'm sorry. Woza is a Zulu word that means come with me. Saubona is a Zulu word that is a greeting used instead of hello, Good day, Good morning, Good afternoon, Good evening. Saubona actually means I see you. Hambakashli is a Zulu phrase that means go well, Walk slowly, But go quickly. Yebo is a Zulu word that means yes. Gogo is the Zulu name for grandma or grandmother. Amanzi is the Zulu word for water. Umama is the Zulu word for my mother. And Lovu is the Zulu word for elephant. And it's a name sometimes given to a person who is very important and deeply respected like a king or a chief. Jigamanzi is the Zulu word for dragonfly and it means water dancer. Yabonga is a Zulu word that means thank you and be thankful. Ubuntu is a Zulu word that means I am who I am only because of who we are together. The End

Reviews

I really enjoyed this story while falling asleep. The story along with presenters accent brought forward warm memories of my gran reading to me as I fell asleep as a child. Thank you