Jon Haylett first came across mongooses when he lived in East Africa. Snakes were common visitors to his family's garden. One day, their pet dachshund cornered and killed a six-foot long green mamba. Everyone stood around waiting for Susie to die but she didn't so, to avoid risking a repeat performance, when a mongoose was seen, Jon's mother encouraged it to stay by putting out a small chicken egg each day.
The mongoose became a regular visitor and the snakes stayed away.
The mongoose became a regular visitor and the snakes stayed away.
The rifle Johnny Strowger thought he saw in the wooden case is made by Accuracy International of Southampton, England. Originally designed in the 1980s as a Precision Marksman sniper rifle for the British Army, where it was designated the L96A1, it was upgraded for use in bitterly cold conditions to fulfill an order from the Swedish Army. This was the Arctic Warfare model.
The rifle's revolutionary design is a huge improvement on the old Lee Enfield L42A1. For example, the telescopic sight is easy to remove and replace, and the rifle can be subjected
The rifle's revolutionary design is a huge improvement on the old Lee Enfield L42A1. For example, the telescopic sight is easy to remove and replace, and the rifle can be subjected
Mongooses
There are 30 different species of mongoose. Although their natural range is across Asia, Africa and southern Europe, some have been introduced to the Caribbean and Hawaii. They range in size from the 18 cm (7") long dwarf mongoose through to the 60cm (2') long Egyptian mongoose. Made famous in literature by Rudyard Kipling's Indian Rikki-tikki-tavi, they are most common in Africa.
The popular meerkats are a variety of mongoose which lives in co-operative groups, but most mongooses are solitary. They feed on insects, crabs, earthworms, lizards, snakes and rodents.
They are normally brown to grey in colour, and may have striped bodies and ringed tails. Black mongooses are rare. This lovely photo was taken by Maschinka Poiesz in the Waterberg Plateau area of Namibia. The species here is naturally black, and is very localised. The black mongoose in this book, living as it does in East Africa, is probably a genetic sport, along with the rare black leopards and white lions.
There are 30 different species of mongoose. Although their natural range is across Asia, Africa and southern Europe, some have been introduced to the Caribbean and Hawaii. They range in size from the 18 cm (7") long dwarf mongoose through to the 60cm (2') long Egyptian mongoose. Made famous in literature by Rudyard Kipling's Indian Rikki-tikki-tavi, they are most common in Africa.
The popular meerkats are a variety of mongoose which lives in co-operative groups, but most mongooses are solitary. They feed on insects, crabs, earthworms, lizards, snakes and rodents.
They are normally brown to grey in colour, and may have striped bodies and ringed tails. Black mongooses are rare. This lovely photo was taken by Maschinka Poiesz in the Waterberg Plateau area of Namibia. The species here is naturally black, and is very localised. The black mongoose in this book, living as it does in East Africa, is probably a genetic sport, along with the rare black leopards and white lions.
Royal Marine sniper using an L96A1 in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.
to considerable punishment with no loss of accuracy. Most importantly, the rifle, using a Schmidt and Bender 6x42 scope, is reliably accurate up to 800m. It saw action with the British army in Iraq and Afghanistan, and was sold to many countries, including Russia, the USA and other NATO countries.
BURIED ALIVE
Anyone sealed into a closed coffin is liable to be asphyxiated within 10 to 15 minutes. That Johnny was able to survive depended on the small holes that had been drilled along the side of the coffin and, once the coffin was buried in the grave, on the fact that Lindi made sure they weren't blocked by too much earth being piled on top of it. Johnny's training in the Marines probably helped.
Anyone sealed into a closed coffin is liable to be asphyxiated within 10 to 15 minutes. That Johnny was able to survive depended on the small holes that had been drilled along the side of the coffin and, once the coffin was buried in the grave, on the fact that Lindi made sure they weren't blocked by too much earth being piled on top of it. Johnny's training in the Marines probably helped.
MIRIAKANI
The presence of a small rivulet of water transformed Miriakani.
With much of Africa's landscape subjected to an annual dry season which, in many cases, continues for over half the year or more, places like Miriakani which are a reliable, year-round source of water are miracles in the wilderness.
A famous waterhole lies in the barren Tsavo West National Park in Kenya. Mzima Springs is home to a huge herd of hippo. Millions of litres of crystal-clear water travel underground daily from the Chyulu Hills some 25 miles away, so much that, for decades, the Springs have been the main source of water for the city of Mombasa.
The presence of a small rivulet of water transformed Miriakani.
With much of Africa's landscape subjected to an annual dry season which, in many cases, continues for over half the year or more, places like Miriakani which are a reliable, year-round source of water are miracles in the wilderness.
A famous waterhole lies in the barren Tsavo West National Park in Kenya. Mzima Springs is home to a huge herd of hippo. Millions of litres of crystal-clear water travel underground daily from the Chyulu Hills some 25 miles away, so much that, for decades, the Springs have been the main source of water for the city of Mombasa.
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PHOTOS courtesy of - Black Mongoose: Machinka Poietz ; Royal Marine: Cpl Duncan Stewart RM; Waterhole: Vicki Kotze.
L96A1