Snapshot Serengeti Talk

Goodbye from a moderator

  • davidbygott by davidbygott moderator

    Hi all,

    I have so enjoyed serving here as a moderator over the last few weeks, helping you all ID your sightings and trying to teach a little as you pursue your virtual safari through Serengeti. I also learn a lot. I learn how to recognize animals from small portions of their anatomy - a situation I don't meet in the field, where I can usually see the whole animal. In the bigger picture, I get a sense of how many different animals use a certain area, and at what times of day. For the most part it is a peaceful coexistence or a timeshare. TV and movies emphasize the dramatic, the hunts and kills, the stampedes, the fights. So many of you, seeing eyeshine in the background beyond a 'prey' animal, imagine that murder and mayhem are about to happen - but in real life, hunts are uncommon events and the 'glowing eyes' are usually members of the same herd.

    I also enjoy the awe and wonder I see here, and that you choose to share, not just the photos you can't ID, but also spectacular light effects or compositions, or animals doing something weird, or just posing for world-class portraits.

    This week, virtual becomes real for me, as I travel back to Tanzania to lead six National Geographic Expeditions. I will make four journeys through Serengeti, and I can almost guarantee that we will not see aardvark, porcupine, aardwolf, white-tailed mongoose or civet, because they are nocturnal and tourists have to be strictly diurnal - night driving is not allowed. We may see cheetahs and leopards, but even they are not a certainty. So, you in front of your computer are getting a far better sample of the diversity of Serengeti than any tourist on an expensive safari.

    What's the point of going then? To see the vastness of the landscape, to hear the roar of a hundred thousand wildebeest massed around you, to sense the power of a lion as it strides past almost within touching distance, to marvel at the varied and brightly colored birds that are everywhere, to walk on the soil that covers humanity's roots, and to enjoy the genuine warmth and hospitality of today's Tanzanians. Lots of good reasons! Go if you can, while it's still there.

    I may check in occasionally while in the field, but won't usually have the bandwidth to be active online. I hope those of you who have become experienced at classification will continue to help out the newbies, and each other. So, happy hunting, and be assured that what you do on this site is an important contribution to understanding the beautiful Serengeti, and thus, to helping protect it.

    Oh, and did you notice that recently Biology magazine voted Snapshot Serengeti as one of the top 10 citizen science projects online? Well done everyone!

    David

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  • areinders by areinders moderator

    David,
    Thank you so much for all the help you have given on this site! I always check to see what you commented on because I always feel that I can learn something new. I am really enjoying this site and looking forward to all the surprises that wait at the click of my mouse.
    Save travels!
    Anke

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  • wildebeesty by wildebeesty

    David, I hope you have a good time and Iยดm sure you will see lots of wildebeests and zebras ๐Ÿ˜ƒ

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  • mistyfriday by mistyfriday

    David, I'm pretty quiet here in this area, but view, and hopefully correctly classify lots of pics. I always check in to see your and other's ideas/advice on the pics. I want to thank you so much for your patient instruction,and encouragement in teaching about the inhabitants of the Serengeti. I learn a few new things each day and don't have to spend near as long reading through the descriptions on more complicated IDs! Again thank you for your time and have a good, safe time traveling and guiding others in their "close encounters".

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  • AowlanCrystal by AowlanCrystal moderator

    Wishing you all the best David in your National Geographic Expeditions. I don't know about being one of the top ten, it ought to be number 1 top CSP!! I think its a great way to learn things about the animals, and also after a while how little sometimes you need to id an animal, getting to learn the posture and form (and sometimes how much more would have been useful to have seen of the animal to say if the bit of distorted fur is a Grants,Tommy, Impala, Hartebeest or Lion for example). I might have classified lots since season 1, but I am still learning new things everytime i come on here
    Enjoy your trip and let us know how you doing, if you get a chance to update us a few of times at least. I'm sure you'll find yourself counting the animals a few times too.... LOL I know when there is a wildlife program on about the african wldlife, I comment on whats there and my hubbies says, 'your not classifying now you know!!' hehe!!
    Thanks for all help and futher knowledge about the animals too, your comments have been very helpful
    have a safe and enjoyable trip..

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  • davidbygott by davidbygott moderator

    Thanks Crystal, you seem to be one of the most knowledgeable players here, hope you stick around and help those who need it.

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  • Jinx by Jinx

    David,
    Thank you for all of your help in identifying the difficult ones and answering our questions. I've enjoyed seeing some of your funny comments too! Enjoy your real life safaris!

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  • hayvel by hayvel

    Thank you David ! I want to say many things but I'm not very good with english so .. thank you again !

    ...but we need a new moderator, some pictures are very difficult like ASG000pkyl

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  • Coma_Comer by Coma_Comer

    Thanks David for all your help,it has been greatly appreciated !

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  • Ran-chan by Ran-chan

    What a neat project this is, to be a part of too, -that gives us regular citizens (of all ages) a chance to feel like we can do something to help. -For example, my animal-loving, 8-year old daughter asked me twice tonight if she could help me classify. And even promptly left a video game she was playing when I first told her what I was doing.
    -So thanks for all you've put into this project, and for looking after these beautiful African creatures. Best wishes, and happy trails! ๐Ÿ˜ƒ

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  • davidbygott by davidbygott moderator

    Hello again!
    I've been in Serengeti 2 days - dry season, some fires burning in the west-central woodlands where I'm staying. Today we saw thousands of tommies, hundreds of elephants, buffalo, impala and Grants, fair numbers of giraffe, hippo, zebra, waterbuck, lion, eland, even some cheetahs and a serval, and one wildebeest. It's great to be back! The famous Dr Packer himself came to give a lion talk to my group. Sounds like the project may continue longer, if funding can be found.

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  • ahorner58 by ahorner58

    Sounds like a wonderful time. Is Dr. Packer from the Serengeti Lion Project? What is your project?

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  • Envirogirl667 by Envirogirl667

    I find it strange that you have only seen one wildebeest and the cameras have so many. Where are you in the Serengeti? Maybe the cameras are near wildebeest - friendly habitat with food and good shelter, and you may be in territory of elephants or something else

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  • davidbygott by davidbygott moderator

    Well, I was in central Serengeti and the migratory gnus are all on their way to the north or already there. My gnu looked definitely lost. In 10 days or so, I should be going where the big herds are.

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  • AowlanCrystal by AowlanCrystal moderator

    Sounds like your having a good time already and seen a good few animals, must be something to see hundreds of Elephants and a Serval in the wild, as well as the more common species, love to have been at the lion talk, although Leopards n Servals are my favourite Serengeti cats, I do like the lions too, as they are different to most Cat species not being solitary, well suppose you get the odd outcast female and odd males or couple of brothers roaming looking for a pride to take over...
    I hope funding can be found, so the project can continue.
    Have you found yourself counting the animals and thinking what your'd be classifying them doing? ๐Ÿ˜‰
    Its great to hear from you. Hope you can pop in now and again, and keep us updated with things and sightings, you might be lucky n get to see something a bit rarer.

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  • wildebeesty by wildebeesty in response to davidbygott's comment.

    how long are you going to be in the Serengeti ?

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  • davidbygott by davidbygott moderator in response to wildebeesty's comment.

    3 more visits up till mid-Aug, though only 2-3 days at a time, our tours take in Lake Manyara NP and Ngorongoro Crater as well. I'll be going up to the north of Serengeti on these 3 trips, (hopefully) to catch the migrating gnus as they arrive there.

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  • davidbygott by davidbygott moderator in response to ahorner58's comment.

    I meant the Snapshot Serengeti project. I don't have a project, I'm just a tour guide. Yes, Craig Packer has been in charge of the lion project since '78 when I left it.

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  • Envirogirl667 by Envirogirl667

    Question for davidbygott: Are you a wildlife biologist.?

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  • ahorner58 by ahorner58

    davidbygott....Just a tour guide?? I would love to be just a tour guide!!

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