In southern Africa there is the Abdim’s Stork, the White Stork, the Yellow-Billed Stork, the Saddle Bill Stork, the African Openbill Stork, the Woolly-necked Stork and the Marabou Stork. This is the biggest and ugliest of them all. But he is useful like everyone else.

When we drove into the Etosha Park at the van Lindequist gate on January 7th, 2021, we were amazed at how different the landscape looked. Where a month ago withered grass could still be seen and the landscape was mostly brown, it now shone in a rich green. Unbelievable what a few heavy rains can make.

First we circled the Fisherman Pan, which is a mostly dry salt pan. But it was now filled with rainwater. Sometimes we had the impression of driving along a sea shore. As far as the eye could see only water. Marabou storks stood in it. Not a few, but dozens. Like the flamingos that we later encountered, they were attracted by the rain. At the moment the Etosha pan is their home.

PS. When the marabous strut gracefully and slowly through shallow water, then they too look almost beautiful. But they have no chance against the elegant, pink flamingos!