Hakuna Matata

Hakuna Matata,,, 

After a couple days rest with Thomas’s family in Bolga, then on to Tamale, I got to experience something imaginable.  I went to the Mole National Park in Damongo, two hours from Tamale. It was a drive where we left at 5am and once there I got to see beauty. Mole National Park is almost 1800 square miles of preserved land for wildlife. 

We met our armed guard/ guide, Sedu, who too us further into the park to see wildlife of warthogs, baboons, antelope, elephants, etc.  The only rule was, don’t approach the animals, feed them, or litter. It was amazing from the beginning because I saw warthogs roaming near the visitor center. I thought of my colleagues, Jen and Cheryl, the musical theater directors who’d break out into Hakuna Matata. 

As I made the journey in, Thomas drove, a very unpaved road and we would stop when we saw wildlife to take pictures. At first all I saw were the occasional baboons and then antelope either close by or off in the distance. It brought memories of a wild park visit in Hawaii, my parents have fond memories of. However, we stopped and then proceeded on foot to watering holes hoping to see elephants. None appeared at first,  but our guide radioed other guides and low and behold elephants appeared. A pack of 10 all walking. All we had to do was stay 50m from them. But I snapped picture after picture. Sedu, the guide said about 10 years ago there was 600 elephants in the park. And as of a few years ago, they counted 800. It was just amazing to watch them move and interact. A few males got mad at each other when feeding. He said it’s close to mating season as well. No I didn’t see any elephant hanky panky.  But we drove and saw them as well as antelopes just frolicking about the day. 

We even went to another watering hole and saw two elephants in the water bathing, as water cools their tough shin. They also cover themselves in mid to protect them from elements and bugs. Off in the distance I saw a croc keeping is distance. Our guide said that even though crocs are predators, they won’t go near elephants due to size. 

I kept asking about natural predators elephants had and he said honestly there aren’t any. Not even a lion. A lion is the king of a jungle, but an elephant would be emperor. Their size, thick skin, and speed, lion would have a tough time to kill its prey, hence it’s easier to prey on antelope, gazelles, etc. 

There are other predatory animals inside the park, lions and hyenas, but they’re mostly nocturnal. 

This was just amazing to see nature in the wild. This park has inns even inside the park overlooking everything so once can watch it all from a distance. Who knows maybe I might stay there sometime. 

What a nice final full day of my Ghanaian adventure. Tomorrow, Saturday, it’s time to say goodbye and head up to London.