I'm taking the Fuji, and I'm probably never going to buy (or buy-then-sell) a Nikon or Canon DSLR, as long as they're like they are now. I've used them, and they're NOT my thing. The animal shots are a small part of what I want to capture, albeit an important enough one to ask these questions. If I come back with 5 interesting shots of animals and 95 shots of us / the locals / the scenery / landscapes, I'll be thrilled. I can't take better shots of animals than the 14,000 other pros who go every year have already taken, and I'm only mildly interested in trying. The XC zoom will give me a fighting chance of filling more of the frame with "animal," and it won't mean the kind of lifestyle change that a DSLR rig would mean. With us (wife, and friends we travel with) the camera is background, not central. Being very "present" and experiencing it is key, and my role has evolved over the years into stealthily documenting it all. I need to be small, light, and sneaky. We never make decisions about "where" or "what" based on the camera. The camera and all the lenses I bring need to fit into one tiny green Domke bag, and sit there quietly until I snatch them out / rattle off a few shots / stash them again.
Just my thoughts. I'm VERY grateful for all the advice, and I mean ALL of it.