Biodiversity is a word used to describe the vast diversification of life on Earth. It precisely makes reference to all of the species in one ecosystem. Biodiversity calls attention to every living thing, which incorporates plants, bacteria, animals, and humans. It is crucial for the actions that support all life on Earth, including human beings and all animals. If the earth did not have a wide range of animals, plants and microorganisms, we could not have the thriving ecosystems that we rely on to furnish us with nourishment and air to breathe. The Maasai Mara National Reserve has a large variety of animals, plants, fungi, and even microorganisms like bacteria that make up its natural environment. Everyone of its species and organisms work together in ecosystems, like an intricate web, to nurture balance and support life. Biodiversity plays a major role in maintaining the balance of the earth. All things rely upon the biological diversity of different plants and animals. It helps us to recognise the variations among species and also how life originated on earth. Its investigation helps us to appreciate the inter-relationship between numerous structures of life and their adjustment to different conditions. This is not a biology lesson but interwoven stories from the plains of Africa of how animals, plants and even bacteria live together in a unique balance. These are true stories from the wild; laugh out loud funny, sometimes tragic and macabre but always real. An insight into how one of the last strongholds of the true wild is fighting to protect our planet and why we must connect with nature to ensure we have a planet that can sustain future generations.
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The elusive secretive Leopard enjoys its own company, known for being solitary it is like a ghost exploring its large territory. It growls when it is angry and purrs when it is content, it is astoundingly strong, being able to run 36mph and can leap 6m horizontally and 3m vertically. Loving the riverine forests it can cross the Mara River effortlessly as it is also a strong swimmer. Light in colour its body is covered with distinctive black rosettes like hollowed out spots filled with bronze. The image of the Leopard is commonly used as an emblem sport for its power and speed. This Panthera pardus mark their territory with urine and leave claw marks on trees as a sign to other Leopards that the territory is taken, when territories overlap they have a rasping cough to announce their presence. But much has changed over the years, the Leopard has emerged from the shadows after years of concerted conservation. Figs sub adult cub Figlet casually drapes his body over the thick branch of an olive tree. He is almost fully grown now and spends much of his time away from his mother. He sits in plain sight on the end branch affording him a clear view of the plains, his mother has taught him to hunt and he looks for suitable prey. His green eyes are the same colour of the rich green leaves surrounding him and they are sharp and alert. He is an ambush hunter and will wait patiently for the prey to draw near to the shade of the tree.
Not far away Fig his mother, the stunning female Leopard whose territory this is, cools herself down by laying in the shade of the ravine. Her stomach is turgid, not from food although she is an accomplished hunter, but from pregnancy. Her sub adult cub is almost independent of her and it is time for her to bring another into the world. Leopards thrive on these plains, of course there is still threats such as fights with scavengers and other predators and the human wildlife conflict but the number of Leopards are increasing. Leopards often have two or three cubs per gestation and she will stay in this territory now until she gives birth. She will hide the cubs for eight weeks to protect them from scavengers and other predators and they will suckle from her for three months. This will be a very challenging time for her as she will still need to hunt and feed herself to stay strong for the cubs and produce milk to feed them. She yawns widely baring her sharp canines, her tools for bringing down and opening up prey. Her pink raspy tongue juts out, covered in barbs it is used to open up prey and licking her body, cleaning off ticks and dirt. Like all cats she is very fastidious. She cat stretches, gets up and walks down the ravine, it is hot and she is very thirsty, she will seek out water.
The male Leopard is still however very elusive, they only tolerate intrusion for mating, male and female territories tend to overlap. The males are significantly larger than the females weighing up to 90kg and tend to be not as attractive as the females. Apart from size and genitals it is easy to tell a male from a female by just looking at its face. The males have many fights over territory and fight with the females when mating, so their faces are littered with scars. Often you will see a male Leopard with only one good eye, battered ears and split noses. They are warriors going into battle on an almost daily basis. This males territory overlaps with Fig and he has picked up her scent, he does not know she is already pregnant and follows her to see if she is in oestrus. His main purpose is to mate, he wants cubs to carry his genes and create a lasting legacy. The males after mating have no involvement with the raising of its cubs. If they come across cubs in their territory they will use their Jacobson gland or vomeronasal organ which is located inside the nasal cavity and opens into the roof of the mouth right behind the upper incisors to detect whether it sired it. If the male decides it did it will dismiss the cub and carry on its way, if it decides it is not it will kill it to bring its mother back into oestrus so he can mate with her and she will give birth to his cub. When he discovers Fig is pregnant she may well have to fight with him as she will not be receptive to mating.
Is there nothing as pretty as a baby Giraffe? Long limbed with exceptionally long eyelashes fluttering over its large round innocent eyes, it is so beautiful. The baby sits with its gangly legs curled underneath it in the long grasses whilst it’s family graze contentedly on the tops of the bushes nearby. At this age is it very vulnerable to predator attack but quite self-sufficient however its mother is close by and the predators fear the strong kick of a Giraffe, its feet are the size of dinner plates. Just like human fingerprints no two giraffes have the same coat pattern. Giraffes are born with their horns or ossicones which lie flat to prevent injury at birth but they fuse to the skull later on. It is famed for its bluish-purple exceptionally long tongue which can be up to 20 inches long and is tough so it can eat thorny acacia. Its stunning eyelashes do have a function and that is to protect its eyes whilst eating the sharp thorns. The baby Giraffe ruminates, it’s mouth chewing round and round and is oblivious to the Hyaena on the prowl. Fortunately for the Giraffe the Hyena is alone and it will not be able to hunt it with the rest of the tower of Giraffes nearby.
The plains are teaming with prey, there has been plenty of unseasonal rain so the grass is green and rich, resident Wildebeest, Topi, Impala and Eland graze safely together, protecting one another. Mutualism is a type of symbiotic relationship where all species involved benefit from their interactions. Oxpeckers ride on the backs of the prey feeding off of their ticks and mites, the prey tolerates this intrusion as the Oxpeckers with their keen eyesight will warn of predators approaching. A family of Warthog or Pumba (Swahili for stupid) as they are affectionately known join them, they forage by kneeling down, shuffling along. They are very skittish and will run at top speed when spooked with their tails in the air indicating for their piglets to follow. Locally it is known as the Safari express! These plains are a Billashaka a place of certainty as it is alive with abundant wildlife. A herd of Elephants march past lead by the matriarch, she leads them to the most luscious grasses and water. Elephants need to consume up to 300 pounds of food in a day so they are constantly on the march with little sleep. Another herd lead by matriarchs is the Cape Buffalo. They are a bovine and live in mixed herds of up to two thousand as they are very sociable. A Buffalo horns are a very good indication of age and gender, the females and young males do not have the hard shielding that protects the base of the skull in large adult males. It is a dangerous animal to both human and other animals, once a buffalo begins to charge it is impossible to stop, it is focused on killing its target. This target is often its mortal enemy, the Lion.
Even though it is early afternoon and the sun is beating down the Topi pride Lionesses out in the open looking to hunt. Lions are usually nocturnal hunters but as less than twenty percent of hunts end in success they will hunt at any given opportunity. They are stalking through the long grasses, the dry golden stems brushing soundlessly against their bronze fur camouflaging them. They are focused and organised, the dominant female leads the hunt, using the white dot at the back of her ear to indicate to her sisters where she wants them to go. A family of Pumbas graze out in the open they have not seen the Lionesses, it seems like an easy kill. The dominant female gives chase with the other females spreading out in a v formation. The plan is to attack from all sides. The Pumbas however disperse in all directions confusing the Lionesses who struggle to focus on just one to bring down. The Pumbas strategy wins, they outrun and outwit the Lions and regroup as a family. The Lionesses return to the long grasses to rest, they are built for strength not speed and need to regain their energy. Fortunately for the Lionesses they know Pumba have short memories and will forget the Lionesses are there giving them a second chance to hunt them later. A pair of DikDik, the Maasai Mara’s smallest antelope looks on from the relative safety of the bushes. They mate for life so are very skittish, their large doe eyes are alert, they stay away from this mighty predator.
A pod of Hippos are blowing water in the river. Known literally as river horses they are fast in the water and slow on land. They are the third largest mammal species on earth and considered the most dangerous. Hippos are at their most active at night when they leave the water to graze on the plains. They are notoriously bad tempered, fights constantly break out in the pod between males, resulting in serious injuries. You can smell and hear a pod in the Mara River before you see it, the stench of faeces and loud iconic laugh travels a long way. Hippos are of course herbivores, they are completely fuelled by plants, at night they consume up to eighty pounds. The gasses account for their bloated stomachs. Whilst people think of Hippos as grey, they are very pink, they have adapted to the strong African sunlight by producing a red oily liquid which acts as a sunblock. Together with bathing in the grey dust which covers their skin, they protect themselves against burning. So what role does the Hippo play in this ecosystem? It’s very bulk alone creates a microhabitat for smaller organisms. Hippos do travel, so by walking from one water source to another, they facilitate habitats for fish populations. The fish stay close to the Hippos as they feed off of their flesh wounds from fighting which can cause the Hippos considerable pain. Hippos, considering their bulk still have many predators. Whilst out of the water at night they can be chased down and killed by Lions. The young are particularly vulnerable, a float of Crocodiles further down the river are feeding on a small Hippo. They cannot chew so they clamp their jaws onto the carcass and twist and tear off flesh. They are in a frenzy of feeding, the water cascades around them as they fight to take their share.
Late afternoon brings a gentle breeze, the Topi pride, ten Lionesses and fourteen cubs are eating a Buffalo kill. The Lionesses would have ambushed it earlier bringing it down. One of the Lionesses has fresh deep scars on her face from fighting with one of the other Lionesses, even though Lionesses tend to stay together for life, disputes do occur. She eats away from the others who are devouring the soft flesh of the body, she settles by the Buffalos head and start eating the face. It is macabre but they must eat to survive, the number of Lions left in the wild has fallen dramatically to less than twenty thousand. With so many mouths to feed, the body cavity is hollowed out quickly becoming the perfect size for the cubs to enter. The cubs go right inside the carcass and get covered in blood and guts. Their faces are smeared but they look content and sated. Once their bellies are turgid and fit to burst they lay next to each other and start to lick the blood from each other’s faces. This is bonding time, the young female cubs will stay together for life whereas the young males will one day leave the pride together and form a coalition and one day have their own pride. As young they are protected by the pride, they are taught to hunt and be self-sufficient. Even at this young age hierarchies will be established and dominance exerted. One of the Lionesses heads off to drink after the salty meal, she heads to a small pool of rainwater already muddy and squats to drink. Her strong shoulder muscles flex forward as she laps up the water. She is soon joined by the cubs who follow her lead, they copy her actions, learning from her.
The rains have been unseasonably heavy creating vast pools in the marsh area. The Lion cubs hot from the heat of the day are running and playing in the shallow marsh waters, splashing and pouncing, getting completely covered in mud. Lions are not known for their love of water but the cubs need to cool down and what better way than to enjoy playing in it. The marsh grass is long creating the perfect playground to hide and pounce on each other. As they run their tails trail in the water, they flick them up creating arcs of water. With their mothers watching on they are safe to play. Play is bonding time and a show of strength and dominance. It is easy to see who will be the future leaders as they lead the assault. Ears are chewed and tails are bitten in this game of hunter and prey. They use the technique they see their mothers use when hunting prey to ambush each other and mock strangle to subdue each other into submission. Faces become thick with mud as they land face down in the muddy waters. They are typical cubs, full of boisterous energy. They are siblings and cousins of close ages, Lionesses give birth around the same time so they can protect and suckle each other’s cubs. The cub is just as likely to suckle from its aunty as it is from its mother. The strength of the pride comes from the bond of the Lionesses, nurturing, protecting and teaching the next generations.
As the sun begins to set Fig alights from the bushes, she is scanning the plains for hunting opportunities. Her beautiful green eyes glint with the reflection of the sun. The golden light perfectly picks up the bronze of her rosettes, she glows with health in her pregnant state. She walks to a mound and settles on top of it, the dark emerald of the grass matching her eyes. She looks wistful and ethereal, like she is contemplating the birth of her cubs. She has a faraway look, the wind quietens down as the sun begins to set, peace settles across the plains as the birds start to roost. She has been the queen of this territory for over nine years successfully raising many cubs to adulthood. She of course has lost many too to Lions and Hyaenas, but overall she has created a lasting dynasty. Life for the big cats here is tough, but they are living wild and free in their natural habitat. From birth to death, they experience what all big cats should, the right to be free. She will give birth any day, she will be thinking about where to safely create her den to give birth. She is an experienced mother and knows where is safe, but as she will raise the cub alone she must be sure it is away from other predators. She is a strong, independent Leopard, confident in her ability. She eventually rises and looks across the plains, it is time to hunt. As she walks away the sun sets below the horizon, the beams stretch like fingers providing the last warmth until morning. She is backlit with the deep orange light, a true beauty of the plains.
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The rising sun casts a dark orange hue across the early morning sky. Golden fingers of sunlight spreads across the plains heating everything it touches. As it rises it brings the excitement of a new dawn, the nocturnal animals blink at the light and scurry back to their dens and burrows, diurnal animals stretch their cold limbs after a long night and warm up in the rays preparing themselves for the day ahead. Scrub hares with their long ears to pick up any sound twitch their pink noses and scurry out of sight. The plains become alive with activity and beautiful sounds. The dawn chorus heralds the rising of the sun, each bird seems to know when it is its time to sing. The melodic sound breathes life into the sky, the collective twittering’s and chirps of the wild songbirds is like the opening soundtrack of a film, it announces the drama and action the day will bring. Birds themselves chirp to announce their territory. The also sing to attract potential mates, their full rich whistles catching the attention of the opposite sex. It is mating season as the grasses are rich and there is plenty of food. The energy in the air is electric, there is an excitement as the herds of mammoth Elephants down to the small Elephant Shrew enjoy this green season of plenty. This also means the predators are also active, it is a good time to hunt and raise new cubs as they will thrive at this time.
The Topi pride, fourteen cubs, ten Lionesses and the three Salis males are all together on the plains after a night of successful hunting. The all have full rotund bellies, sated and happy with blood smeared faces. The pride is relaxed, even the males, giving the cubs the opportunity to play with their usually intolerant fathers. There are three ages of cubs, they are all exuberant and feisty. They are not afraid of the large males, cubs are fearless, they launch themselves at their fathers, pouncing on their tails, chewing their ears and climbing their backs. The males grimace and growl but tolerate their antics as they are their legacy and carry their genes. One of the males gets up and walks over to a Lioness to check if she is in oestrus and receptive to mating, he gingerly sniffs her but she turns around and swipes her claws at him, clearly not, he jumps back and returns to her cubs. The whole pride is relaxed and enjoying the heat of the sun, the night was cool and they need to warm up before they sleep for the day. The golden light of dawn lights up their bronze fur making it look burnished. The reds and golds of the Lions fur really looks spectacular in this light. The Lionesses start to yawn, poking their barbed pink tongues through their sharp canines. They cat stretch forward, the muscles on their shoulders taut and strong. They growl to their cubs indicating it is time to move to the bushes to sleep. One of the Salis males stretches and gets up to, he is the dominant male and leads his pride to the bushes. The whole pride follows in a line behind him, he stops to flehmen response, scent sucking through the roof of his mouth analysing a new scent. He needs to see if any new nomadic males have entered his territory. The whole pride stops behind him whilst he checks their territory is safe for their cubs. At the brow of the hill he stops again and scent marks his territory by squirting urine onto the bushes. He stands tall, his body at an angle showing off his muscular frame, his mane around his powerful face full and majestic. He looks like the king he is with his pride stood below him. He leads the pride into the bushes, he will stay with them protecting them. The other males follow the pride perfectly backlit by the sun, their manes on fire with sunlight. They are ensuring no other males are following their Lionesses, each Lion has an important role to play in protecting the pride. The Lions success rests in the strength of the pride.
A Malachite Kingfisher sits on a dead tree branch over the river looking for fish to swoop down and catch. Malachite is actually the name of a beautiful green mineral stone but these Kingfisher are actually predominantly blue. However even though Malachite’s might not look green, on top of their head they have the most beautiful blend of blue, green, and black feathers which glisten in the sun quite like the precious mineral. They are stunning birds, very small and difficult to spot. They are solitary and fiercely territorial unless it is breeding season. If another Kingfisher flies into the territory of another these tiny birds can enter into vicious battles, starting with threat displays and leading to bill-grappling, flying attacks, and aerial chases. When breeding along with their mate they will burrow deep into the sandy banks to create a nest. The burrows usually go up an incline until you reach their nesting chamber. Kingfishers always build their nests conveniently next to their food source. Malachite kingfishers have great eyesight enabling them to spot tiny fish, frogs, and even water insects. There is also a special kingfisher adaptation that these birds use to catch their prey, they can adjust for light refraction allowing them to tell exactly how deep a fish is before even starting to fly. It is fascinating watching a malachite kingfisher hunt. This tiny bird sits low over the water, waiting for prey to catch their eye and in an instant, they dart off their perch and dive into the water. In a flash the kingfisher returns to its spot on the branch with prey in its mouth.
Across the river Jackals are playing chase through the long grasses, they would have followed the Lion prides in the night to scavenge the remnants of the kills and after demolishing a good meal it is time to play. These small Alsatian-like dogs are very beautiful with their tan and black coats. They were immortalised by the Egyptians as the god Anubis protector of the dead, which is appropriate given they play an important role in the eco system here keeping the plains free of disease by cleaning up the carcasses. Jackal pairs do everything together, including eating and sleeping. They are also very territorial and defend their territory as a team, interestingly jackal pairs who hunt together are three times more likely to get a successful kill than a single jackal, for they are excellent hunters in their own right. Jackals have a unique yipping sound which they use to communicate to other members of their family as well as growls and high-pitched howls. They are loyal like all members of the canine family and display great affection to each other. It is fascinating watching the interaction between family members. Jackals are monogamous, meaning they mate for life. The female Jackal has a gestation period of around two months after which a litter of two to four pups are born. The pups are born in a hidden underground den or even rock crevices. Because of predation the female will change the location of the den every two weeks to prevent predators from locating her cubs. The pups are suckled and fed regurgitated food until they are about two months. By three months the parents will move the pups from the den, and the pups will start to follow their parents, gingerly learning the territory and observing their parents’ hunting behaviour. By six months the pups can be hunting on their own. Jackals are very good parents and will continue to feed, groom and play with their pups. It is wonderful to see them out in the open enjoying this relaxed family time.
A large troupe of Yellow Baboons are eating white tissue flowers brought on by the rains. Baboons are interesting, a member of the old-world monkeys they are very muscular with dark olive hairy coats, dog like faces and large sharp canines. The species epithet means “dog-head” in Greek. A large male will grow a thick mane of hair which like the Lion protects its face when fighting. A male can grown up to 2 foot in height and weigh up to 100lb. So it is quite formidable and intimidating. Baboons have excellent eyesight and can distinguish colours. They are very vocal and endlessly squabble and fight. You can often hear them barking and squealing at each other. When they see a predator such a Lion or Leopard they will climb up the nearest tree and give a loud barking alarm call. They seem to favour Acacia woodlands and riverine forests. Baboons like most monkeys are diurnal and very gregarious, they live in large troupes’ of anywhere up to 200 individuals. They will move to where food is plentiful depending on the season. Within the troupe there are smaller family groups made up of related females and their babies. There is very much a dominance hierarchy within the troupe. Within the family group it is the mother who dominates. They form alliances through bonding rather than aggression, grooming is an important part of this. The males do not lead the troupe their role is more for protection. Baboons are very much opportunistic omnivores, they mainly feed on grass, seeds, roots and fruit but they will scavenge meat. They have even been known to steal a newly born antelope to eat, they eat it alive, tearing off the flesh. Not a sight particularly enjoyable to watch. They themselves are preyed upon by all the large predators but their defence mechanism is to mob a predator. Nearby a family of Pumba are on their knees foraging also in the grass for food. They enjoy feeding near the Baboons as they have poor eyesight and rely on the early warning calls of the Baboons.
There is no doubt the big cats are the icons of the plains, they are synonymous with Africa, it is what you first think of when you imagine the wild. However, it is important to stop and observe all of the animal and bird life. A pair of Grey Crowned Cranes are stalking through the plains. Usual behaviour until you realise this a mating pair and like most birds have the most fascinating, exaggerated mating ritual. Grey crowned cranes are as beautiful and majestic as their name indicates. They are long-legged birds with grey bodies, white wings with brown and gold feathers, white cheeks, and bright red gular sacs underneath their chins. As their name suggests they have a striking spray of stiff golden feathers forms a crown around their heads. Grey Crowned Cranes are the most ancient of the cranes, predating their relatives by tens of millions of years. The grey crowned crane is the national bird of Uganda and has two subspecies, the eastern African grey crowned crane and southern African grey crowned crane. Once they meet their mates’, grey crowned cranes are monogamous. Couples dance together and preen one another’s necks, which helps strengthen their bond. The male dances around the female leaping in the air behind her, she succumbs to his advances and synchronises her dance with his. Their bodies move in perfect unison and synchronicity. It is the most beautiful display of love, affection and bonding. Grey Crowned Cranes are also highly territorial during the breeding season, which usually takes place in the rainy months when wetlands are less accessible to predators, so now is the perfect time to make their nest.
Half tail one of the dominant male Lions of the Marsh pride and the alpha Lioness little red are mating in the intense heat of the day right out on the open plains. He is fiercely protective of her; he keeps her close as he does not want his brother mating with her when she is in oestrus. She seems very ambivalent and laid back, she knows she must mate to strengthen the pride, but it is an obligation rather than a pleasure, the whole experience is very tiring and painful for both of them. He is very aggressive when mating with her, biting her neck and the top of her head but she is submissive and just rolls over when his seconds of thrusting are over. They have only just started mating and so they are copulating every fifteen minutes for mere seconds. The male’s penis is barbed to stimulate ovulation and they will mate until they feel she is impregnated, this can last three to five days in which time they will not hunt, all of their energy will be used to procreate. Male courtship behaviour usually includes much head rubbing with the female, urine spraying, licking his genitals and patiently following her. It is usually the female who decides when they mate, she I will get up, walk away from the male so he has to follow before crouching before him so he can mount her. It can be quite comical to watch as the male groans often as he is tired but cannot disappoint his Lioness, after all this is his main role in the pride. Plus, he knows if he grows too tired she will go off and mate with the other pride male to ensure she is impregnated.
The plains seem to be teaming with large families of Ostrich and mating Ostriches. The early rains have brought on the need to breed. A male and female Ostrich is sat in the grasses with another male and female stood behind them. When a male wants to mate his legs take on a dark pink hue from the increased blood flow. In a single season, males will mate with multiple females, and females will mate with multiple males. Though the other females in the group will also mate with the male, he only forms a life-long mating pair with one “dominant” female. When a female wants to mate, she crouches down in front telling the male she is receptive. He approaches her with a rapid footwork dance and then mounts her while crouching with one foot on the ground and the other on her back. While mating, the male groans and the female snaps her beak and shakes her head. It is a beautifully synchronised dance, joyful to observe. Also observing them hidden in the long grasses are some of the sub adult lion cubs from the Marsh pride. They are far too young to hunt Ostrich, a deadly kick could kill a full-grown Lion, but they are fascinated by these large birds. The Lionesses have gone off to hunt leaving the sub adults to defend themselves. The sub adults have great survival instincts and know how to disappear in the long grasses away from the threat of scavengers and marauding herds of Buffalo.
The male Cheetah Ochore is only around two years old and still has a small mantle of hair running down his neck. He has left his mother’s protection and is hunting for himself. He has spent the last two years learning to hunt from her and how to protect himself from the other big cats. Cheetahs are the most successful hunters of the big cats but also lose most of their kills to other cats and scavengers. His amber eyes scan the plains for threats first before setting out to find prey to hunt. As a lone Cheetah he will focus on smaller prey such as young antelope. He is fortunate the Marsh area is a Billashaka a place of certainty for prey. Not his prey of course, a large herd of Elephants are also enjoying the fruits of this marshy area. Elephants greet and bond by wrapping their trunks around each other. They are heading down to the BBC crossing where the water is deep and the river is wide. This area attracts a lot of wildlife as the water hole is open and it is easier to spot predators. Baboons sit on the sandy banks enjoying the sun and mating. In front of them Hippos wallow on their pods, honking and laughing. Which is in stark contrast to the drama unfolding down river. A Hippo has died and nine Crocodiles have their jaws clamped on the carcass, twisting and swallowing mounds of flesh as they cannot chew. The frantic twisting action of the Crocodiles causes the water to splash dramatically around them in waves. A younger Crocodile basks on the bank observing the action, right next to it is a beautiful Yellow Ibis not in the least bit disturbed by the frantic scene. Even in the heat of the day the plains are alive with action, the wild has amazing contrasts.
Ochore is still out hunting in the intense heat of the early afternoon. He wants to hunt whilst the Marsh pride Lions sleep. He spots a herd of Impala across the marsh, they may have young with them which would be a relatively easy kill for him. He crouches low his back straight and he starts to stalk them, soundlessly and undetected. But suddenly he turns tail and runs in the opposite direction for he encounters a troupe of baboons who start to chase him, they fear him and want him away. The large Baboon males are strong with large canines, they can deliver a fateful bite. He is unperturbed though as he knows he can outrun them, he only has to jog away as the Baboons are not fast. The dominant male Baboon is the last to stop and sits on a termite mound looking satisfied he chased off the threat. The males do not lead the troupe but are like most males there for protection and mating. Ochore glances behind him knowing the Baboons will not follow him far and heads off in the opposite direction, there are plenty of hunting opportunities. He finds a large termite mound and sits down on top, his long lithe athletic body built for speed and endurance elegantly folds down in a casual pose. The black tear marks running from his eyes down to his mouth deflect the sun rays enabling him to focus on the plains. His amber eyes picks up any small movement. Cheetahs sleep and rest very little, they have far too many threats to stay still in one place for long.
A Monitor Lizard is thermoregulating in the late afternoon intense sun. Thermoregulation is the process cold-blooded lizards use to maintain their body temperature. Lizards warm themselves using insolation and conduction. Insolation is the absorption of the sun’s rays and conduction is absorbing heat from the ground. They are beautiful invertebrates, covered in scales that can range from green to tan, grey, or brown in colour. They have large bodies, with long necks and powerful tails. Their limbs are well-developed and they have strong claws. Monitor lizards have long tongues that are forked, like that of snakes. They also have unblinking eyes and superb vision. They can determine if an object in the sky at a great distance is threatening or nonthreatening. This lizard is however of little interest to a Cheetah. Wonga the male Cheetah who is around three years old is stalking through the long grasses, he too needs to hunt before sunset. The large herds of Impala, Thompson Gazelle and Topi could easily be hiding their babies in the long grasses. Whilst the adults could easily outmanoeuvre him the young cannot and this is exactly what he is hoping for. He walks slowly his eyes sharp looking for the smallest movement in the grass, even a scrub hare would be a good snack for him to give him energy whilst he hunts larger prey. The big cats main focus is hunting and mating. The males’ instincts are driven by both.
Down by the river crossing Jackals are hunting for themselves. The rocks are grey and honed with minerals, they shine as the setting sun reflects off of them. The tan and black of the Jackals coats are stunning against the grey rocky outcrop. They are wanting to cross the river to see if there is prey on the other side to hunt. The experienced adults leap across the river splashing as their feet catch the water. The younger Jackal are more cautious whilst they are not afraid of water they fear what lies beneath. Floats of Crocodiles can lurk beneath the surface ready to snatch at young legs. The young Jackals yip after their parents but the parents carry on encouraging the youngsters to follow. The young jackals head further down river to a narrower crossing and leap over. They then run to catch up with their parents, joyful at being reunited with them. The Jackals may well follow the pride of Lions when they wake for their nightly hunt or they may hunt for themselves depending on what opportunities arise. For scavengers are opportunistic. The pups are protected by their parents and will learn how to hunt and survive from them.
A lone Hyaena has picked up the scent of a big cat, for where there is a big cat there is often food. Fortunately, one Hyaena poses no threat to this beautiful cat, for Fig the female Leopard is used to such intrusions. Her stunning green eyes gives the Hyaena a look of distain before she walks away from it and climbs a termite mound. She does not want any confrontations for she is heavily pregnant and about to give birth. She stretches out her legs and sits down on the mound, her eyes stare out into the distance. She looks like she is in quiet contemplation, thinking about the upcoming birth of her unborn cub. Where will she make her den to give birth, will it be safe, will she be able to hunt whilst protecting it? Leopards are incredible mothers, they bring up the cub alone, nurturing, feeding and teaching it. She is a vision of beauty as the setting sun lights up the bronze and black rosettes covering her body. She yawns widely her pink tongue poking out, it is time to hunt, she must feed as she needs to keep her strength up for when she gives birth she will spend several days with the new cub before she can hunt again. She may be small in size but she is powerful and quick. She stares across the plains, a herd of Topi catches her attention, they are beautifully backlit by the sun, their reddish-brown coats are burnished and bright, one would feed her for several days. She makes a long cat stretch to warm up her muscles and heads out over the plains. She is a vision of elegance, power and beauty on these wild untamed plains. She disappears as the red rays of the sun give way to the cool tones of the moon.
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The Tano Bora coalition of male Cheetahs are resting at sunrise under small croton bushes. One has its head rested on the bottom of the other. Once a coalition of five, the Tano Bora, after five years together are now only four having lost one of their brothers in the last year due to predation. They are still successful hunters bringing down large prey such as Impala, Hartebeest and Topi. Cheetahs’ incredible speed is due to the evolution of their body. They have a flexible spine that allows them to stretch and cover a large area of ground on each stride. Their elongated legs enable them to race fast and cover great distances. The Cheetah also has a muscular, flat tail that works like a boat’s rudder, assisting them in staying balanced and to change direction rapidly. Their semi-retractable claws act like cleats, helping them to gain traction when running, and their hard paw pads function like rubber on a tire. They have larger than average nostrils to increase the flow of oxygen, and their large lungs and heart circulate blood very effectively through their body. Cheetahs have spotted coats for camouflage enabling them to blend in with their environment. This assists them when trying to hide when they are stalking prey, but it also keeps them safe from predators. Interestingly their spots are not just on their fur but their skin has black spots. The affection between the coalition enables bonding, for they hunt together, fight together and even mate together. Cheetahs mainly hunt during the day hence the black tear marks running down their eyes to deflect the sun. The boys will rest to gain energy to start the days hunting.
A Pin-tailed Whydah is noisily flying after a female wanting to mate, his long tail like a beautiful streamer is flying behind him. It is a small, gregarious bird found in open habitats. The stunning adult male is unmistakable with its long tail and bright reddish bill. In nonbreeding plumage, both male and female have streaks on the sides of the upper chest, a boldly striped head, an orange-pink bill, and dark legs. In breeding plumage, the bill of female is dusky. What is interesting is its vocalisations which include “zhweet, “chee-chee-chee-chee…” and a plaintive down-slurred “seeeeoooo” as well as various squeaky and buzzy twitters. He is certainly trying to get her attention. It is breeding season for birds with the long grasses and rains. A male and female Ostrich with eleven young chicks is walking through the plains, it is a glorious and unusual sight. However, the male possibly stole eggs in the incubation stage to boost his numbers, the males for known for being good fathers. He is also one of the rare species of birds that will incubate and care for his young. You will often see the males and females walking together, when it is hot the parents will spread their wings like umbrellas to protect their young from the heat.
Fig has caught a Thompson Gazelle and dragged it up a tree that had incongruously grown horizontally across the Laga. The scent of the blood has attracted a small clan of Hyaenas. They stand on the banks of the river at the base of the tree and sniff the air enthusiastically drawing in the scent of blood. They have blood lust and are desperate to climb the tree to steal the kill but Hyena’s like dogs have non retractable claws so cannot climb which drives them mad! They look up at Fig who is ferociously guarding her kill and snarling at them. Even though she is outnumbered she knows she is safe but she warns them to stand down this is her food. She is heavily pregnant and to hunt is very hard for her as the additional weight she carries slows her down so every kill is precious and she will not give it up easily. The Hyaenas are very vocal, these high-pitched giggle or laughter like sounds are made when they are frustrated. Fig settles down on the branch staring at them, she is content now she is safe and they cannot reach her. After a while they move off as they can see their attempts are in vain. Once she is assured of their defeat she gets up, stretches and walks to the gazelle and starts to eat. She licks the flesh, first to taste, second to draw blood and the third to break open the skin, her barbed tongue was made for opening up this type of flesh. She devours the moist flesh, she is eating for two and needs to keep her strength up. Any pieces of flesh that drop to the ground will be eaten by the Hyaena later.
One of the four Tano Bora (one died a few weeks ago) has a puncture wound, possibly from swimming across the Talek River earlier and encountering a Crocodile, it is not deep but causing it to walk slowly. Time and rest will heal it, cats have high pain thresholds and heal quickly. His brothers do not show much concern but stay with him. However, it soon becomes clear he needs help and the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust come and sedate him and stitch his wounds. Two of his brothers that were with him walk away and sit in the nearby bushes, watching and waiting. Once awake from his anaesthetic he groggily gets to his feet, he needs to walk and re-join his brothers for protection. He slowly reaches them and even though he smells of anaesthetic and human contact the brothers do not react negatively to him, they allow him to re-join them. Cats can be very harsh, they do not like weakness and can reject a sick member as it would slow them down. They have a tight bond from many years of their coalition and instead protect him. It is a difficult subject, when why or should you intervene to save injured wildlife, especially out on the open plains where they are living wild. There are less than seven thousand Cheetahs left in the wild so they are now protected so the short answer has to be yes when they have a chance of survival. Unfortunately, he did not survive, less than twenty-four hours later he died. The Tano Bora a once great coalition of five Cheetah has lost two members due to predation within a few weeks, it will be interesting to see how the new Tatu Bora survive.
It is nearing sunset and Fig comes down to the river to drink after her salty meal. She hisses at the rustling bushes, she is still skittish after the Hyena confrontation earlier. She scans the bushes but it is just DikDik trying not to be spotted by the predator. This would usually be her prey but she has a kill and decides not to pursue this pair. Which is fortunate for them as DikDik mate for life and when one dies the other will ultimately follow suit. She slowly mounts the bank, her thirst has been quenched and she is sated, it is time to sleep and rest. The Thompson Gazelle kill is still up the tree hanging, it is macabre but fascinating, its head lolling lifelessly over the branch. This meal will last her several days which will give her a rest from hunting. The scent of rain is heavy in the air, a loud crack of thunder can be heard overhead, dark thunder clouds roll in darkening the sky. The sun is overshadowed by the darkness, thin strips of dark red of the sunset can be seen through the moody thunder grey clouds. The air becomes electric and exciting, the energy is powerful. The prey bow their heads waiting for the onslaught of the rains. Then with another crack of thunder and a striking bolt of lightning which illuminates the whole sky the heavy rain starts to fall. Thick, large drops pelt the dry earth, quickly absorbed and turning the dust to thick black mud. There is nothing more electrifyingly powerful and exciting than a thunderstorm.
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After a heavy night of thunderous rain, the dawn breaks calm and clear. There are wispy clouds in the air which is perfect for a stunning sunrise. As the sun rises the sky is streaked with brushstrokes of vibrant colour, red, orange and yellow. The Topi pride Lionesses have brought their cubs out onto the rocks next to the bushes. The rocks absorb the heat of the morning sun which helps them warm up. The older cubs are intensely watching a herd of Topi, no doubt they are imagining hunting them when they are older or hoping the Lionesses will catch one for their meal today. The younger cubs are only interested in playing. Their mothers are very tolerant and indulgent and play with the cubs. The Lionesses bodies become the perfect playground. The cubs climb on their backs and slide down their bodies. Their mothers’ tails are fun to pounce on, bite and chew. The young cubs, run and tumble playing predator and prey games. It is an idyllic scene of pride life. However, this is the wild and very unpredictable. A large herd of Buffalo walk nearby this peaceful family scene and pick up the scent of the Lions and as they are a threat to them the Buffalos change direction to try and stamp out their enemy. The Lionesses stalk through the bushes with the cubs as they have seen the Buffalo have spotted them, but the Buffalo are relentless when it comes to Lions. The Buffalo charges the bushes and the Lionesses quickly lead the cubs to the safety of the other side. If alone the Lionesses would have confronted the Buffalo but they stand down as they are concerned the Buffalo will storm through the bushes and trample the cubs. A herd of Impala turn to the bushes and start to give a warning call, they too have now seen the Lions and warn all the prey that predators are afoot. Fortunately the Buffalo with their poor eyesight cannot see the Lions on the other side and give up their charge. The Lionesses and cubs can finally relax again, safe in the support of the pride.
When Lionesses go to hunt they have no choice but to leave their cubs, it is too dangerous to take them. Four of the Rekero pride cubs have been safely hidden in the long grasses eagerly awaiting the return of their mothers, they are only around four months old. Their bodies are still covered in rosettes to camouflage them. They huddle together finding comfort and support being together. They have been taught from a young age to stay low and stay safe. Their curious golden eyes peak through the grasses ever mindful there may be predators or scavengers around who may hurt them. They are so innocent and beautiful, their blonde fur unscarred and gleaming in the sunlight. Cats do not see in colour as they have evolved to blend into their environment hence why their coats are golden like the grasses and sandy soil. The cubs seem perfectly happy just gently playing with each other and enjoying bonding time, they love to cuddle up together sharing warmth and the feeling of protection. The strength of the pride comes from the bonds the lions make right from birth, the females will most likely always stay together and with the pride. Females hunt together, give birth together and fight together when needed. When the time comes the males will leave the pride and form a coalition and create a new pride. Even at this young age you can see which will be the dominant Lions.
The Serval is a very unique cat, it is sleek, long and elegant like the ancient Egyptian Goddess Bastet. It is only 1ft 10 – 2ft in height but 2ft 2 – 3ft 2 in length. It has a long, lean, lithe body golden in colour with black spots across the body and black spots and streaks across its shoulders and neck. What makes it also beautifully unique is its long legs and huge bat like ears. It is mainly nocturnal, but it is often seen in the early mornings high stepping through the long grasses looking for scrub hares and mice. Long grass areas are their preferred habitat. Servals are solitary cats and mark their territory by secreting urine onto bushes. Also like all cats they rub secretions from the corners of their mouths onto grass stems. Their large ears serve to detect movement in the long grasses, when detected they leap into the air and pounce on the unsuspecting rodent or bird. They will also leap into the air and stretch their long forearm to grab a bird by its wing. When sitting in the long grasses they are almost undetectable as they curl their long limbs under them and their coat is camouflaged against the grasses. The Servals gestation is around 2 months they only give birth once a year and the cubs will stay with them for a year. The Serval can live up to 10 years old, its main threat is the large cats and Hyaena. It is not surprising then that mid-morning it can only be spotted bedded down in the long grasses, camouflaging itself.
Eyes can be too big for the belly; it is all very well catching a large prey but what do you do with it then?! One of the Topi pride Lioness has discovered just that. She has successfully hunted and suffocated a large male Pumba, no easy feat and she now needs to carry it back to her cubs so they can eat. The Lioness clamps her jaws around its large thick neck and drags the heavy body between her front two legs. The Pumbas body drags along the ground making it really difficult to pull along. The Lioness walks awkwardly over the stony ground and through the thick grasses, each being such an obstacle. She frequently needs to drop the body to the ground so she can rest. The midday sun beats down relentlessly, she pants heavily to regulate her temperature. She had powerful muscles in her shoulders, evolved for hunting and carrying heavy weights but still in this heat it is a challenge for her. What keeps her motivated is the fact she had young cubs to feed that are completely dependent on her. The Pumba will feed all of them and sustain them for many days. She looks around cautiously making sure she is not being followed by clans of Hyaenas who would steal her kill. She bends her weary head and once again sinks her teeth into the hard flesh and half carries and half drags the body. She has far to go but she is a hunter and will not abandon her hard-fought dinner.
It is very hot, the early afternoon sun is intense, the earth is becoming scorched and cracks appearing in the soil where it is dry from the lack of water. Hyaenas know how to cool off, they are bathing in mud baths gathered along the tracks. They are lethargic and the mud protects them from sun and cools them down. Predation for Hyaenas are the big cats who do not like their presence as they are a threat to their cubs. But while they are just relaxing, they pose no threat for the Topi pride are hunting not far away. Lions are generally nocturnal hunters as they have good night vision, and it is easier to stalk prey. However as less than twenty percent of hunts ends in success they have to hunt whenever the opportunity presents itself or they are very hungry. The Lionesses are hungry and they have many mouths to feed. One of the Lionesses ascends a termite mound to give her a better view of the plains, she lays down and rolls over to clear her fur of ticks and completely falls off! Like all cats she rights herself and pretends she meant to do that! She stalks off across the plains, herds of Topi and Thompson Gazelle watch her go, they snort a warning call. Her sharp eyes see a family of Pumba ahead and she chases them but they are too fast and outrun her. She is quite a young Lioness, her fur is light blonde and she is unscarred from fighting or mating. Her fur gleams in the sunlight, she is absolutely stunning.
Fig the beautiful female Leopard is lounging on the end of one of the thick branches of the tree growing over the river. The kill is still macabrely hanging lifelessly over a branch in the middle of the tree under a canopy of leaves. It is nearly eaten, it will sustain her for three to four days. Her pregnant belly hangs down over the branch, she is lethargic and needs to rest. This is the perfect spot for her as there is plenty of game to hunt and a source of water. She is conscious of the fact she will give birth soon so she needs to keep healthy. Across the river a Fish Eagle is also perched on a branch it eyes her then focuses its attention on the water. It too is looking to hunt. The African fish eagle feeds mainly on fish, which it swoops down upon from a perch in a tree, snatching the prey from the water with its large, clawed talons. The eagle then flies back to its perch to eat its catch. Like other sea eagles, the African fish eagle has structures on its toes called spiracles that allow it to grasp fish and other slippery prey. It is a beautiful bird it has a very distinctive appearance with a mostly brown body with a white head like the bald eagle and large, powerful, black wings. The head, breast, and tail of African fish eagles are snow white, with the exception of the featherless face, which is yellow. The eyes are dark brown in colour. Movement under the water catches its attention and it gracefully flies off of the branch and swoops down and skims the water, it’s talons stretch out and it snatches a fish up and returns to the branch to tear it apart with its sharp beak.
Three of the Cheetahs of the Tano Bora, now the Tatu Bora are resting in the late afternoon sun. There is a light breeze and the plains are starting to feel cooler. The one Cheetah with the wound is alone under a croton bush, cats prefer to be alone when they are injured. The others are nearby watching over him, they are concerned and will not leave him on his own. Sadly later he dies, his wounds were just too great. It is the natural order, life and death. It is the end of an era of six years of this incredible coalition of five Cheetah, only two are related the rest just bonded with them. Together they were strong, able to hunt larger prey and share what they killed. They were able to fend off Hyena and even lone Lions, Cheetahs on their own will lose they kill but these males had the strength in numbers to fight. It is thought that, like other big cats, coalitions can maintain control over their territories for longer than can lone cheetahs. And more females are observed in territories controlled by coalitions, thus increasing the possibility of reproduction for each male. The Tano Bora certainly mated with most of the known females in their territories including the beautiful female Cheetah Nashipae. They have created a dynasty, their genes, their legacy will live on for generations. Even now as the Tatu Bora, the three remaining males will still mate, hunt and defend their large territory.
A Zebra mother and foal find time to relax together. Zebra are grazers and spend their days grazing on the luscious grasses, green from the recent rains. Zebras are black with white stripes, you can see that from their bellies. In Zebras chemical messengers determine which melanocytes deliver pigment to which section of fur, thus creating the Zebra’s black and white pattern. What is important about zebras is that their white fur represents an absence of melanin; white is not its own pigment. It is thought the black and white stripes are to confuse predators as from a distance the colours merge into one. Zebra spend all day out in hot sun without shade. Thermoregulation has long been suggested by scientists also as the function of zebra stripes. The theory is that black stripes would absorb heat in the morning and warm up zebras, whereas white stripes reflect light more and could thus help cool zebras as they graze for hours in the blazing sun. Zebras are gregarious animals and live in family units within the herd. Predation is a problem for them, they are hunted daily by the big cats so safety in numbers is important. They protect one another by staying alert and making snorting noises or braying when a predator is spotted. They also stand when resting like the mother and calf, side by side, one looking one way and the other another with their heads resting on each other’s backs. They are bonding but protecting each other.
The Monika pride has several sub adult males, one of them has a larger mane due to a higher level of testosterone but they all have beautiful scarless faces. They have yet to mate or fight for territory but it will not be long before they are ejected from their pride and be forced to fend for themselves. Already the bonded males are independent of the pride and are out on the open plains trying to hunt. It is a myth males do not hunt, for when they are nomads they must. Many older Lions even though they are the head of many prides will hunt as a coalition and bring down large prey such as Hippo. Cubs are quite proficient at hunting from two years old, they learn the skill from the Lionesses. Hunting takes up a lot of energy so Lion cubs spend up to 20 hours of the day sleeping or resting. Lions are the sleepiest of the big cats. They can be found lying on their backs with their feet up or taking a snooze in the shade. While lazing around, they are very affectionate towards one another, rubbing heads and grooming. Bonding is such an important part of cat development, it establishes hierarchies.
Southern Ground Hornbill are undoubtedly extremely striking. It is about the size of a turkey and the largest species of hornbill on Earth. It can fly up to 18 miles an hour and has an impressive wingspan that reaches about four feet across and do not migrate. The Southern Ground Hornbill is unmistakable with its jet-black feathers, yellow eyes, and bright red throat. They live in groups of 5 to 10 individuals including adults and juveniles. These groups occupy and defend large territories against neighbouring groups and often chase each other in aerial pursuits. Southern ground hornbills are active during the day and at night roost in trees. They omnivores and peck at the ground. There is a commotion one catches a tiny baby rabbit and starts tearing at the flesh and slapping it on the ground as they cannot chew but swallow whole. It runs off with it as it does not want to share its prize. Ground hornbills are reluctant flyers as they are heavy but it flies off with it. Two Hyena pick up the scent of blood and start chasing the hornbill who once again flies frantically vertically up in the air. It flies off and settles back on the ground and swallows the rabbit whole!
Monika pride sub adult males are still sleeping, the sun is about to set and they are enjoying the last vestiges of heat. They look so young, blonde and innocent, each in turn looks up curiously their bronze eyes bright in the golden light. They are curled up together, as one rolls over it does so almost on top of another. This bachelor group are enjoying bonding time, it is likely they will live their lives together. As the sun sets, the fingers of heat and red-light splay across the horizon, beckoning the Lions to rouse themselves for the nightly hunt. At around three years old they are old enough to hunt for themselves or they may wait to hear the roar of their pride and join them. As the sun disappears giving way to the light of the moon bright against the inky starlit sky the sounds of the night fills the air. Hyaena cackle and whoop excited the Lions will wake soon to hunt, this may mean feasting time for them as they hang back waiting their turn to gorge on the remains of the carcass. Baboons bark, it is time for the troupe to make their nests in the tops of the trees and bed down for the night safely away from predators and scavengers. Birds fly overhead, it is time for the nocturnal hunters such as the Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl to swoop over the plains looking for prey to hunt. The nocturnal prey leave their dens, their eyes and hearing adapted to the night, they scurry around wary of the night hunters. Then the deepest, thrilling sound is heard, the roar of a Lion, calling the pride to hunt.
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The sun rises bright and clear, there are no clouds in the sky. The whole sky is awash with deep moody orange light, the beautiful bronzed Topi Gazelle are perfectly silhouetted against the sky, the curve of their horns and hunch of their shoulders unmistakable. The Topi pride have just settled on the plains after a successful night hunting. Both predator and scavengers were well fed. The whole pride including the three Salis pride males, Okitoko, Olepoloso and Osapoko are sated and relaxing on the grass. The Lionesses are being quite affectionate with the males seeing as they are new to the pride, except when they snarl at the cubs who try and play with them, the Lionesses then snarl at the males to tell them off. The males are not patient fathers, they are tired after being active all night and now just need to sleep. The males sit together they do not want to be bothered by the over exuberant cubs. The Lionesses lead the cubs over the plains as the sun rises, one Lioness hangs back with a male, he sniffs her and scents she is in oestrus and they mate. The whole pride stop at the sound and watch, including the cubs. The cubs become playful as they walk across the plains into the bushes. The males let the Lionesses lead, the Lionesses keep an eye on the males, and they look bashful when the Lionesses admonish them for being too rough with the cubs.
Banded mongooses are standing on a termite mound looking for threats. The pack live on the open plains as a tight family group in dens or termite mounds. They live off of insects and invertebrates, they spend their days scurrying from one den to another to avoid birds of prey. They have a high pitch call to warn the rest of their family members of any threats. They are quite nomadic little creatures, move around from place to place often to ensure there is enough food supply. They never spend more than three or four days in any one place. On occasions when they cannot find shelter they form into a tight group with all their heads facing outwards to protect each other. Mongooses are known for their audacious attacks on highly venomous snakes such as adders and cobras. This is due to their speed and agility, they are not immune to the venomous bite of a snake but they have built up a good immunity that can help them survive an attack. They can often be seen but very briefly they move too quick to really appreciate how incredible this tenacious animal is. The Superb Starling is however the opposite, they are quite opportunistic and cheeky, they use their charm and merry singing to come close to enjoy crumbs. They are gregarious and friendly and enjoy interacting including balancing on a mirror or camera lens as they are naturally friendly. They keep an eye on the Mongoose as they do not want their eggs stolen but otherwise they ignore their flurry of activity and enjoy being sociable.
In contrast to such captivating beauty this is the wild after all, there is always the macabre and downright pungent. A clan of Hyaenas are eating a dead Hippo in the river. The stench of the rotting carcass is over whelming and stomach churning. The Hippo has been clearly been dead a few days from natural causes and the body had become bloated from the gases that build up after death then exploded. Scavengers and carnivores have lower pH in their stomachs, which means the concentration of hydrochloric acid is much higher. Higher gastric acidity destroys potentially pathogenic bacteria ingested with the carcass, thereby not giving it much of a chance to reach the intestines and cause an imbalance in the commensal gut flora, also called gut microbiome. They digest their food so completely that their faeces tend to consist of hair, hooves, and white powder made from broken-down bones. They also have a poor sense of smell so the stench does not bother them. Hyaenas have one of the strongest bites in the animal kingdom, over 1100 PSI so ripping into the very touch flesh of a Hippo and crunching on its bones is any easy task for them. But even though it is a large meal for the whole clan, they cackle and fight over it.
After such ghoulish servings the wild once again brings serenity and beauty. A stunning slender and long-limbed Servile cat is joyously leaping through the long grasses, it is shy but focused on the hunt. Servals are considered one of the best hunters, while other wild cats are successful in just one of every five or six attempts to kill prey, servals make a kill in about half of all tries. Patience pays is the serval’s main hunting strategy, they will stand stock still and use their large bat-like ears to listen for movement in the grass. Serval cats are strong, speedy and have an incredible capacity for jumping. On the plains, servals will leap high into the air to catch flying birds and can slap fish hard enough to stun them. They communicate with others by marking their territory with urine. Even though it is mid-morning this unassuming cat is very peaceful enjoying it own company. Like most cats, the Serval purrs especially when relaxing in the grass after successful hunting. Also, like domesticated cats it also has a high-pitched chirp, and can hiss, cackle, growl, grunt and meow. It is a harsh environment for such a small cat, its main predation is that large cats which see it as competition for food even though they do not hunt the same prey. That is why the Serval hunts in the long grasses, graceful but quiet like the mouse it hunts.
Hyaenas are once again wallowing in the shallow cool muddy pools. Their faces a picture of contentment as they escape the heat of the intense midday sun. A Monitor Lizard has the same idea is it basking on the rocks next to the Mara River. Interestingly the Monitor Lizard is considered to be the most intelligent of all the reptiles. They are skilled quick hunters with a fast metabolism, their bite is fatal to small animals. They do not blink but can be observed closely taking in their environment including planes in the sky. They are undoubtedly very beautiful, covered in grey and brown scales. They have large bodies, with long necks and powerful tails. Their limbs are well-developed, and they have strong claws. Monitor lizards have long tongues that are forked, like that of snakes. A close cousin, Crocodiles are thermoregulating on the green banks of the river, they have their mouths open and bask in the intense heat. One is laid right on the edge of the river, it’s body perfectly reflected in the water. This prehistoric reptile certainly has many fascinating attributes but I believe the most beguiling is its reptilian eyes. They have bright emerald green eyes with a pupil similar to a cats. How often do people look close at them and see how incredibly beautiful they are, as mysterious as a cat and just as enchanting.
One of the Rekero pride Lionesses is stalking through the grass looking to hunt, her blonde fur glows in the mid-afternoon sun. The Lionesses mainly hunt together but as Lions are opportunistic hunters they sometimes head out alone if they are hungry to see what they can find. Gazelle will often hide their young in the long grasses when they are newly born so the Lioness may get lucky. Another eight of the Rekero Lionesses are laying out in the sun in the middle of the plains legs akimbo. They are too hot and tired to hunt and will sleep until sunset when it is cooler. You can hear their tired groans, they scratch their bellies and swot flies away. The females are very affectionate with each other, tired limbs are thrown over bodies, heads rested on backs and bottoms. They are an entangled heap of bodies. The heat certainly does not bother the Hyaenas the clan is still not far away in the river eating the rotting Hippo carcass. A lone female from another clan tries to join them, the smell was too inviting. The clan are not tolerant of another joining them and surround the female, in turn they leap forward and try and nip at her. They could kill her, what saves her is the fact she is pregnant and they back off. The lone female gingerly approaches the carcass and starts to eat away from the rest. The Hyaenas go back to squabbling amongst themselves. The carcass will feed them for several days, however soon another scavenger, Vultures will descend and start cleaning the remains until there is nothing left.
The cloudless blue sky has meant intense heat all day but now it gives way to the most stunning deep orange sunset. The sky is awash with intense colour it is almost bronze it is so vibrant. It is the perfect foil for the savannahs most revered ugly beautiful bird the Vulture. A skeleton tree, appropriate for this raptor looks like a macabre christmas tree, its ornaments dozens of Vultures silhouetted against the sky, they are waiting to clean the Hippo carcass. They sit some with their wings outstretched on the branches enjoying the heat. The do not have any song to serenade the suns descent but instead they cackle like witches in the growing dark. It is most stunning scene of the most iconic bird. It is so easy to focus on the predators but it is more than beauty and size that is fascinating. Invertebrates and arachnids are also often overlooked in favour of the “big five”. However, Africa boosts some of the deadliest and most stunning in the world. A beautiful mating pair of golden silk orb-weaver spiders are sprawled across their web, it is the most dazzling black spider with spun gold legs and red and gold body. The last vestiges of the sun’s embers light the striking colours, it is quite breath-taking.
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The dawn heralds a new day, the Lions roar can be heard throughout the plans, it is still cold so as he exhales condensation hangs in the air, tiny droplets form in a cloud. The Moniko pride male is walking by the bushes, his bronze mane backlit by the sun. He has eaten with his pride in the early hours so now it is time for him to mark his territory. Male Lions spray urine onto bushes and trees indicating to other males that this is his territory, his pride to defend. He will sleep up to twenty hours a day in the dense cover of the bushes but he knows his role, first he needs to make sure his pride is safe. His dark bronze eyes gaze across the plains, he surveys his territory and is satisfied there is no scent of any other males around. He shakes his mane free of dust, it stands like a halo around his strong face and heads into the bushes. He brushes his body through the croton bushes, covering himself in its insect repellent properties. He sighs, the sound rumbles in his chest and throat it is so deep. He collapses tired on the ground, he rolls over flies gather on his chest and he uses his large paw to brush them away. With his legs akimbo he props one up against the bush, he enjoys the cool air on his body. He rolls his head back and closes his eyes, he will not resurface now until sunset when it is time to hunt again. There is nothing more beautiful and peaceful than watching a cat sleep.
Two crocodiles are laying out on the banks thermoregulating. Crocodiles increase cutaneous thermal conductance by increasing blood flow to the skin (and subdermal musculature) during warming. Crocodiles have developed behaviours to control their body thermostat, they bask in the sun when cool and seek shade or water when hot. The night has been cold so they need the heat of the rising sun to warm and energise themselves. What is interesting about the scene is crocodiles are literally cold-blooded creatures but these two have their heads affectionately resting on the back of the other, thermoregulating together. There is an affection between them which is rarely seen between reptiles. What is also striking is their emerald green eyes with the cat like pupils, their eyes match the green the grass perfectly, it is the colour of nature. They are so perfectly in tune with their environment, over millions of years these incredible armoured reptiles have evolved to perfectly camouflage themselves. They survived when thousands of animals became extinct. They bask and with few threats look relaxed and content whilst the river next to them is torrid and almost bursting. Even the Hippos have to stay to the side of the river as the current is very strong, creating waves.
The tempestuous river is too much for some of the Hippos who leave the water and lay out on the bank, their pink bodies mottled with grey earth. A young baby leaves the water and sniffs the chaotic pile of bodies until it finds its mother and lays its head on her mighty rump. Another Hippo stands but rests his head on the back of another. Hippos are also very iconic, lazing around in pods all day, blowing water through their nostrils, yawning widely showing off their impressive rows of teeth and of course laughing very loudly. They are incredibly complex interesting animals. Hippos spend most of their days in the water to protect their sensitive pink skin from the harsh African sun. They only come out of the water to graze or roll in the dust to create a sun block for their skin, giving the illusion they are grey. In water they actually cannot swim they actually due to their heavy bulk run under water. While they do spend a lot of their time submerged in water, hippos do need to resurface every five minutes to breathe. The honking and grunting sounds is to mark their territory as they are very territorial. They fight often over mating rights, the yawn is really a sign of aggression. The water is a safe place for them away from predators such as prides of Lions who can hunt them down, they both mate and give birth in water. Hippos are not big eaters they forage for food at night when it is cool, they only actually consume one to two percent of their body weight each day, grass is very gassy giving them the bloated appearance like many grazers.
In the heat of midday sun whilst the big cats are sleeping in the shade a pair of DikDik forage in the bushes. DikDik are tiny, very cute looking antelopes native to the savannahs of eastern Africa. It is easy to tell the sex of each animal, females are larger than the males and the males have short horns. The male DikDik horns only grow to about 3 inches long, slant backwards, and are grooved. The name DikDik comes from an onomatopoeia of the repetitive dik sound female dik-diks whistle through their long, tubular snouts when they feel threatened. They are fascinating to watch, their large doe eyes like all prey are in the side of their head to maximise peripheral vision are constantly alert looking around. Because they have so many predators they can run up to 26mph. They are one of the rare monogamous mammals, they live in pairs not herds, the females give birth just one a year and the parents bring the young up together. DikDik have prehensile noses that are capable of gasping, their noses help in managing with the heat. As herbivores they rarely drink as they obtain most moisture from the plants they eat, they chew their cud. DikDik like all even-toed ungulates have four-chambered stomachs and use rumination, or chewing their cud, to break down partially digested food. But what about the black spot in the corner of their eye? The bare black spot below the inside corner of each eye contains a preorbital gland, it produces a dark, sticky secretion. DikDik poke their eyes in grass stems and twigs to spread the secretion, scent-marking their territories. So fascinating animals, the smallest antelope but with such a big personality.
Another fascinating creature is the Secretary bird, it is impossible to pass one without stopping to watch it. Its scientific name is archer of snakes. One of the fascinating facts about this bird is, it only flies when necessary, which includes flying to reach their nest in the trees and of course courtship displays. The secretary bird is distinguishable by its elongated legs and a dramatic black crest of feathers on the back of its head. Its body is covered in whitish-grey feathers, with two long, black-tipped tail feathers. Most birds and mammals are depicted in folklore, this powerful birds’ legs are therefore depicted as a spear and knobkierie which serve it well in its hunt for snakes, symbolising protection of the nation against its enemies. It is a messenger of the heavens and conducts its grace upon the earth, in this sense it is a symbol of divine majesty. There is no doubt when you stop and observe this graceful bird, you are struck by its regal countenance. There are different theories about the origins of the secretary bird’s name. One holds that the feathers behind the bird’s head reminded 19th-century Europeans of the quill pens that secretaries tucked behind their ears. It is more likely, however, that the name derives from the Arabic saqr-et-tair or ‘hunter bird’. There is no doubt that it is the striking beauty of the bird which captures the attention first but watching it hunt is equally intriguing. Snakes form only a small part of the secretary bird’s diet, which also includes insects, small mammals, birds’ eggs, crabs and other reptiles. Secretary birds use the thickened soles of their feet to stamp on their prey, stunning it and then swallowing it whole.
As the late afternoon starts to cool four of the male sub adult cubs of the Moniko pride are walking through the plains on their own, they are still only around three years old and still dependent on the pride for protection and food but they are growing in confidence. The smallest male is absolutely beautiful with light blonde fur and deep bronze soulful eyes. As the smallest male he has to compete with his bigger brothers for food which can be quite dangerous. When a pride eats together the alpha males have the first choice then the younger males, tempers will flare as each wants the biggest portion. The young male has two deep bite wounds on him, one on the side of his face and the other on his back, not doubt from fighting with his siblings. Cats have very high pain thresholds so they seem to be healing and not causing him any problems. He may be starting to look like an adult male with his small mohican mane but he is very cub like and mischievous. He pounces on anything that moves in the tall grasses. He can now hunt small prey himself, rodents, scrub hare and birds are easy targets. They are good practice for when he starts to hunt larger prey. He stops and sits down, he has an itch, the grasses are full of ticks and insects. He raises his back leg and starts to scratch himself and as he itches he pokes his tongue out enjoying the relief. He then curls his tongue in mischievous delight.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and some mammals really are ugly beautiful. The most controversial and much argued is the Hyaena. Portrayed as mangy scavengers, this mammal has been the most misunderstood. So this mother is Miss Understood, beautiful, ferociously protective and a true matriarch. The female Hyaena is the alpha, larger than the male she protects the clan and will lead the hunts. Whilst Hyaenas do scavenge most of their food comes from their own hunts, they are well organised and will hunt as a clan. The alpha queen title is passed down from mother to daughter, if a female has more than one female in a litter, the stronger will often kill the weaker to ensure she is the next queen. The relaxed mother is laying on the tracks in the late afternoon sun, she has two young pups suckling from her, they give soft moans as she shifts to a more comfortable position as they do not like their feeding disturbed. Her milk is very fatty which will help her pups to grow strong, it also contains nutrients to help them build good immunity. She is very content, she will fiercely protect her pups, every now and then she looks up to look for threats, she uses her paw to pull the pups close to her. Her den will not be far away as the whole clan protects the pups from predators. As the sun begins he set, her beautiful Black and Tan mottled bristly coat is lit with golden light. The sun is reflected in her soft brown eyes, it is a beautiful moment of bonding and motherhood.
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Is there anything more breathtakingly beautiful than an African sunrise? The dark pre-dawn sky giving way to the deep oranges, reds and yellow of the suns rays as the fiery orb of the sun rises magnificently above the horizon. The fingers of sun rays splaying out across the plains, the heat warming everything it touches, shadows giving way to bright light. Grey mist rolls eerily over the savannah, ghost of water droplets giving a beautiful soft focus to the scene. The air is heavily scented with wild sage and mint, moist from the morning dew. Prey raise their faces to the sun, stunningly silhouetted against the morning light. Zebras bray and honk as they kick their hind legs kicking up dust that dance in the sunbeams. Fouls still fluffy and brown in colour sprint through the grasses on spindly legs, their mothers look on, protective but proud. The herds are the lifeblood of the plains, keeping the grasses short, fertilising the soil to encourage new growth and providing food for the predators. It is the iconic circle of life, the blades of grass up to the giant Elephants, each plant and animal has a vital role to play in this delicate eco balance.
In this beautiful golden light the Black rock pride cubs of three ages enjoy the heat of the sun after a cold night. The rocks on which they play and live are honed from millions of years of wind, rain and sun. They rise like sleeping giants, bold, grey/black from the soil. The rocks are stacked high on top of each other, natures natural phenomenon which creates perfect crevices and small caves for the cubs to play in. The Lionesses are out hunting so leave the cubs to fend for themselves, this is the wild they have to be brave and strong and able to defend themselves from an early age. They range from just a few weeks old and not yet weaned to eight months. The older cubs are boisterous and like to play roughly with their younger siblings but the very young cubs are very feisty and give as good as they get. A dozen of the cubs are sat high on the rocks playing, they chase each other around, batting each other’s bottoms and pouncing on each other. One of the very small cubs loses its balance and falls off of the rock, it tumbles down into the bushes below. Its siblings looks down after it, concerned but it is not long before the feisty little cub ascends the rocks with just a battered pride. It starts fighting again with its much larger sibling. He will certainly be a dominant Lion in future.
One of their favourite games seem to be leaping down the rocks and hiding in the crevices whilst their siblings above try and reach them with their paws to batter them. It is a game of hide and seek for the young cubs. They slip and slide on the smooth honed rocks still slick from the morning dew. They roll and tumble over, fearless and having a lot of fun. On top of one of the large rocks small bushes have managed to grow and the branches provide perfect toys for the cubs to play with. As the cubs’ leap on them the branches spring back giving them a target to leap on and chew. The smaller branches break and the cubs run around with the sticks in their mouths. They chase each other coveting this fun toy. One of the older female cubs decides she wants to practice her mothering skills on her much younger sibling. She tries to pick it up by the scruff of its neck but she is not strong enough and the cub meows angrily, she is not its mother! The young cub rolls onto its back and fights back at its older sibling. It lays prone under her all four pink paws in the air batting her face in annoyance. She of course just finds it amusing and teasingly play bites it. The smaller cubs tries to run off but she grabs its tail in her mouth so stop it going. It growls back in a high pitch squeak and manages to get away from its annoying older sister, it does not want to be babied by her! Cubs tire quickly and after all the boisterous playing they gather together on the highest part of the rock for protection to rest and await their mother’s return. Their beautiful bronze eyes are watchful but sleepy, they rest their downy golden heads on their paws and lie close to each other for comfort. The smaller cubs nestle into the larger cubs, this is the beauty and strength of pride life.
Kazuri the female Leopard is in her element in her favourite territory. Once elusive and the ghosts of the savannah, Leopards have now come into their own, being the dominant, confident cats they were always were before man’s hunting of them. Leopards tend to be more active during the day even though they are nocturnal and diurnal. They have evolved to hunt when Lions sleep in the day. She is languishing up a tree her four limbs perfectly dangling over one of the thick branches, her tail with its iconic white tip thickly hanging down. Her sea green eyes survey the plains looking for hunting opportunities. It is late morning and the plains are growing hot and the prey become lethargic, it is the perfect time for her to find food. Leopards are also known for their effortless tree climbing skills. Well no one is perfect, Kazuri starts to descend the trunk which to be fair is perfectly vertical and starts to slide, she twists were body one hundred and eighty degrees and come down very awkwardly backwards! It is only at the last moment she rights herself and lands on her feet. Like all cats she is unperturbed, she knows she is perfect! She stalks through the bushes, built for strength not stamina she needs to get close to her prey in order to perfect her surprise ambush. As her body brushes against the foliage the air is filled with the intoxicating scent of croton, this powerful natural scent will disguise her own.
Lion hunts only results in a kill less than twenty percent of the time, the wild is tough. Whilst the cubs are asleep on the rocks, six of the Black Rock Pride Lionesses are out hunting. They stalk stealthily through the grasses, they are hungry and have to eat to produce milk for their cubs. Ahead they spot a Pumba family, they are grazing on their knees upwind of them so have not detected them. The Lionesses flatten their ears and walk low through the long grasses. Then suddenly they give chase, the Pumba are startled and start to run in all directions to try and confuse them. But these Lionesses are focused, one of the Lionesses manages to leap on the rump of the Pumba bringing it down. The Pumbas neck is thick so she instead clamps her mouth over its mouth and nose to suffocate it. The Pumba tries to fight back but she is much stronger than it and uses her body weight to subdue it. The Pumbas body slumps in death and the Lioness releases it, exhausted and out of breath. One of the other Lionesses spots her opportunity and leaps in to try and take the kill away from her, but that is not going to happen! The two Lionesses now head-to-head, shoulder to shoulder, both have their teeth clamped on the Pumba, they are snarling and salivating, in complete blood lust. They both want the kill, they try to muscle each other out, wrestling on the earth. They jump up both still holding onto the kill and try to wrestle it out of the others mouth but they are equally strong and cannot outmanoeuvre the other. There is so much snarling and growling with their mouths full of Pumba but neither will let go. They move to the ground again, one on top of the other, both having hold. It is mid-afternoon, the heat is intense, they are too hot, too tired but too stubborn, neither will give up the precious food. One starts foaming at the mouth and lets go as does the other but neither notices as they are both so very tired. They both take hold again and start a small tug of war with the carcass. The heat becomes too much and one of the Lionesses gives up and walks off. The triumphant Lioness immediately jumps up with the Pumba carcass in her mouth and runs off to the relative cool of the bush with her kill. The rest of the Lionesses are already in the bushes and are unperturbed by their sisters’ stubborn antics.
Serval cats are notoriously nocturnal but like all cats in the wild they have evolved. The small cats such as the Serval are at the mercy of large cats and scavengers so have to take the opportunity to hunt when they sleep, predation is such a large threat to them. They are such elegant cats, they appear long legged due to their extended feet and have large oval ears and a dark black nose. They hunt by using their incredible sense of hearing to detect movement in the grass. Rodents, rabbits and invertebrates are always on the menu. The Serval high steps and leaps long legged and elegantly through the oat topped grasses, the heat haze making the grasses shimmer. Its golden eyes are sharp and focused on an movement and unlike the big cats it has a much higher success rate, around fifty percent of hunts result in a kill. When it leaps on a mouse it eats it quickly, it does not want to make itself vulnerable. Servals are quite unique in their markings. The coat is golden-yellow to beige, and extensively marked with black spots and stripes. Three to four black stripes run from the back of the head onto the shoulders, and then break into rows of spots. The spots show great variation in size. The white underbelly has dense and fluffy basal fur, and the soft guard hairs. The Serval stops, it’s fur glistening in the sunlight and closes its eyes, it does this to focus all of its senses on sound alone, it’s listens for the scurry of its prey.
The Tano Bora are now the Tatu Bora, the five Cheetah coalition are just three, two having now died recently from predators attacks, the wild is harsh. Even as three the Cheetah coalition are stronger together than trying to hunt alone. The three Cheetah brothers are stalking Topi sat in the grasses, it is late afternoon and the prey are more lethargic and relaxed. The Cheetah give a half-hearted chase but because they only sprint the Topi easily leap to their feet and outrun, outmanoeuvre and outsmart them. The Cheetah look unperturbed and walk in a straight line towards the wide-open canopy of a Ballanite tree. They need the shade, even though it is late afternoon the sun is still very hot. In the foreground Baboons are sitting out on the open hot plains picking tissue flowers. Beyond them a herd of Hartebeest and Impala graze, the Cheetah spot them but are concerned about walking past the Baboon as there will be a confrontation. Baboons especially in a large troupe will chase Cheetah as they are a threat to their young, large male Baboons have sharp canines and could easily injure a Cheetah. Plus, Baboons will give a warning bark to other prey that predators are near. The Cheetah sensibly circumnavigate the Baboons, they don’t want their position given away.
The Cheetah now try and hunt a Hartebeest herd which has two young calves. They stalk through the grasses, they are built for speed not stamina so need to be within striking range before they give chase. Cheetahs are of course the fastest land mammal, Cheetahs can run up to 70 miles per hour, but usually only chase their prey at about half that speed. They have non retractable claws for running and paw pads like tyre treads. The Hartebeest are unaware of the Cheetah following them, but they themselves are fast. Suddenly the Cheetah give chase at almost top speed across the plains as Hartebeest are fast, but these are the Tatu Bora the world fastest land animal and they catch not the slow calves but an adult male. One Cheetah lunges for the neck and clamps it strong jaws on the windpipe and wraps its front paws around its neck, whilst the others leap for the rump and weigh down the Hartebeest pulling it down. The Hartebeest collapses under their weight and they suffocate it, the light dies in its eyes and its head lolls to the side. The Cheetah pant heavily from the chase, they are exhausted but they know they need to eat quickly as other predators or scavengers could take their kill. They rip open the Hartebeest, internal organs spilling to the ground. They start to chew on the soft flesh underneath the thick bristly skin, their muzzles quickly drip with blood. They look up regularly looking for threats. The sun begins to set and dark thunderstorm clouds roll in. Thunder and lightning rips through the sky, dark moody blue-black clouds roll in across the bright full moon. The Cheetah now sated and wet want to find shelter and a safe place to rest for the night. Storms are the perfect hunting grounds the cats.
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The most spectacular sunrises are best seen through wispy strips of cloud. The burnt oranges reflect through the soft moisture giving the most beautiful arrays of colour, from iridescent pastel shades through to deep vibrant bursts. The brilliant colours reflected in the clouds take on the red and orange hues of the rising sun, reflecting the colours back to the ground. Everything the light touches turns to golden red. This golden light is so dramatic especially when it catches the dark russet of Topi’s fur or the golden hues of the Hartebeest. The prey graze in plains of long red oat tipped grass which sways in the soft wind, the dewdrops cling to the tips and the red light of the sun refracts in the moisture. It is a time of peace, the prey stretches their cold muscles and start to prance and frolic, they enjoy the heat of the sun, it energises them. Young stallions become frisky and jostle with each other in mock combat proving their strength. The herds graze on the moist grass enjoying the harmony of herd life. Within the large herds are smaller family groups, they protect each other. The young calves nestle next to their mothers for warmth and comfort, they are safe within the herd. It is such a tranquil time on the plains.
A Tower of Giraffes including young calves are sitting in the moist oat top grasses at sunrise, the light refracts through the individual dew drops hanging from each blade. There are several young calves in the herd their bronze and white fur burn bright in the glow of the golden sunrise, their pattern a unique jigsaw of shapes. The young calves have large very pretty round eyes fringed will long fluttering eyelashes. The eyelashes protect their eyes against the thorns of the acacias on which they love to graze. Eyelashes help the giraffes sense if they are getting too close to the thorny branches. One of the calves is perfectly positioned its legs tucked gracefully underneath it with an iconic Ballanite tree behind it. The Ballanite tree is shaped like an umbrella due to the Giraffes long necked perfect pruning of the underside of the leaves. To eat, a giraffe takes a branch in its mouth and tears off the leaves by pulling its head away. Like a cow, giraffes lack upper front teeth and instead have a “dental pad,” a lump of tough tissue against which the lower incisors pinch their food as they eat. Giraffes have a specially adapted tongue and mouth that allow them to eat thorny branches without getting poked. They also have thick sticky saliva that coats any thorns consumed to protect their mouth and digestive tract. The young Giraffe is very relaxed as it sits and masticates slowly, almost thoughtfully. A beautiful dual coloured green and gold Oxpecker flies in and positions itself on the young Giraffes neck. As well as eating ticks and other external parasites, the oxpecker acts as a watchman for the mammals on which it happens to be situated. When danger approaches, a hissing call warns its host to a potential and nearby predatory threat thus allowing the host ample opportunity to either fight or flight. The interaction between oxpecker and host is often described as mutualism; that is, both host and bird benefit from the relationship because oxpeckers obtain food and the large herbivores have fewer parasites.
The Black Rock pride male Lion Oloimina (meaning the one that went away) and one of the Lioness from the pride are out on the open plains at sunrise, they are both stunningly young, blonde and beautiful, both are around five years old. Oloimina has an exceptionally large full mane, large muscular strong face with little scarring due to his relative youth. The Lionesses’ bronze eyes are like tiger stones, they glint in the golden light, they are delightfully fringed with black lashes. They are young and seem relatively inexperienced but unusually and exceptionally loving towards each other. She affectionately rubs her head against his and he licks her in return. Her paw reaches out to place it on his and she rests her head on his strong arms, she draws comfort in his strength. He gives a deep contented sigh, he seems contented in her affection for him. The sun rises in front of them, the rich reds reflect on their fur setting it alight like burnished bronze. She gets up and does an exaggerated cat stretch, her front low and her bum up in the air, he gets up behind her and draws in her scent and playfully and affectionately pats her bum. She leads him over the plain and crouches in front of him so he can mount her and mate. The copulation is passionate and painful, they both snarl and roar, he bites her neck as he ejaculates and she snarls back. He dismounts and she rolls over to aid the flow of the sperm. Calm descends and they sit back close together, affectionately licking each other.
A female Giraffe stands quietly and patiently, she occasionally stretches her long neck around she body to check her hind quarters … for she is about to give birth. A head pushes out and she stretches round to sniff it, the body of the calf fights through covered in the placenta, fluid gushes out onto he grass and all of the sudden the calf slips out, it is a long drop to the ground. The mother quickly turns round to check the baby and licks it free of the placenta. The calf is very dark in colour and wet from birth. It is completely dependent on its mother, she licks it ensuring it is healthy and breathing. The calf is surprisingly calm and it’s instinct is to stand straight away. Its legs are long, weak and spindly but it’s very survival rests on it being strong. It pushes its legs under him and tries to stand but it is shaking too much. The mother keeps licking it, encouraging it to stand, after twenty minutes of wobbling and falling face first into the grass it stands. The mother looks proudly on at it, her calf is healthy, strong and alive. It immediately starts suckling from underneath her, its natural instincts kicking in. With her he will gain strength under her protection. The rest of the Safari of Giraffe come and greet the new addition to their family. In turn they bend to lick its head, drawing in its scent. The young calf looks up enjoying the affection. They leave as the father joins the mother and they keep the calf between them, they bend their heads in unison and lick the calf as it raises its face enveloped in their love and affection.
The female Cheetah Nora is around twelve years old now, she is a stalwart of the Mara. She has successfully raised dozens of cubs over her lifetime, which considering their dwindling numbers in the wild is a testament to her. She is laying out on the open plains in the late afternoon sun. Her rich amber eyes protected by the black teardrop lines running down to her nose. She is still a beautiful strong female. She currently does not have any cubs so is hunting for herself but no doubt she will be pursued by the resident male Cheetahs to mate. The late morning sun is beating down so she nestles down in the long grasses as it growing hot. The name cheetah comes from a Hindi word, chita, meaning ‘spotted one’, spot patterns are unique to each cat, and help to provide camouflage when hunting. With eyesight far keener than a human’s it can pick out prey from a distance. The distinctive black ‘tear marks’ running from its eyes are thought to help reflect the glare of the sun. Being active by day also reduces the risk of losing a kill to nocturnal predators, such as lions and spotted hyenas. She starts to groom herself, she uses her long pink barbed tongue to rid her fur of dust and ticks. Cheetahs have one of the loudest purrs of the big cats. Like domestic cats they put when they are relaxed and content, the sound is so melodic and relaxing.
The six Lionesses of the Black Rock Pride are languishing under a Ballanite tree with two of the pride dominant males, they just have one small cub with them. It is late morning and very hot, heat haze shimmers across the plains. The male Olobor (meaning so quiet) rolls over, his legs akimbo and rests his large powerful paws on his hairy chest. He has a stunning full golden mane. The other male Oloisado (meaning the one at the back) lays up against the rough bark of the tree. The young cub joins the male and he draws in the scent of the cub checking it is his before he licks him. The cub feeling his acceptance lays down next to him, safe in his fathers’ protection. The Lionesses heavily lay down on the grass sighing, hot and hungry. They should be in the shade of the bushes which provide cooler cover and insect repellent properties but they seem to want to hunt so want the full view of the plains. A female stretches out, her armpit is covered in ticks, they do not seem to bother her. What does bother them though is Superb Starlings in the branches of the tree, they have vibrant blue iridescent feathers that shine in the sun but they chatter very noisily above them. The birds do not want this intrusion of the Lions so they protest noisily. The superb starling has a long and loud song consisting of trills and chatters. At midday it gives a softer song of repeated phrases. There are several harsh calls, the most complex of which is described as “a shrill, screeching skerrrreeee-cherrrroo-tcherreeeeeet.” The Starling even fly down to the ground to protest which piques the interest of the cub but the Lions do not move. All around the Lions, beautiful yellow and black butterflies flutter, their wings delicate and mercifully soundless.
The stunning female Leopard Kazuri is a small but strong. She is confidently walking through the long grasses, the long green stems in beautiful contrast to her bronze rosettes. In the dark early hours when her deep green cat eyes could easily pick up the form of the prey she successfully ambushed a young Waterbuck and carried it effortlessly up a tree. She dragged its weight over the branches where it’s lifeless body now lolls in a macabre relaxed pose. She has eaten some of the fleshy rump, the sun has dried out the flesh and the blood are now dried and congealed. After the exertion and salty meal she descended the tree to find water to sate her thirst. The grass and moist earth is cool under her feet as the sun beats down on her. The grass reaches the top of her head, good conditions to ambush in. She pants heavily to regulate her temperature. Her long pink tongue protrudes from her mouth, small droplets of water bead on the end of her tongue. She is contented and healthy, confident in her territory. She looks up into the tree satisfied her meal is safe from scavengers before relaxing down in the grass. The blades dance around her beautiful face as she closes her eyes to cat nap. It is moments before she decides it is time to eat and she effortlessly ascends the rough bark of the trunk. She leaps elegantly from one branch to another to reach the kill. She positions herself on the branch and starts tearing into the flesh with her sharp canines, blood and juices dribble down her chin, she is an efficient hunter.
Olobor and his Lioness are mating at sunset, they both very tired, they have been mating out on the hot open plains all day without any shade or water. Whilst they are still affectionate there is a tension between them as they want to mate but they are just too exhausted. The lioness reluctantly gets up, it is she who needs to lead the courtship, Olobor takes her lead and follows her. She crouches in front of him whilst he mounts her, seconds of thrusting, head biting and plenty of snarling it is over. They look relieved as they flop to the ground, totally spent. The Lioness rolls over, weary but satisfied. Olobor lays next to her, protective but tired. They have one goal, to ensure their prides survival through raising the next generation of strong healthy cubs. They are dependent on each other, they both have an important role to play. Thunderous battleship grey rolling clouds move in as the sun begins to set, lightning strikes against the dark moody blue sky, it is very dramatic, the air is charged with electricity. The moon is perfectly spherical round and bright, the perfect conditions for hunting. In the distance the roar of the rest of pride can be heard calling them to hunt. The night belongs to the predators and scavengers, the plains never sleep.
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After the thunderous night rains, the sky is stripped with dark teal clouds, the deep reds and oranges of the low sun rays push through giving the sky perfect slashes of deep colour. The sunrise marks the journey of the sun in the sky. In the early dawn it is like all life silently waits for the sun to rise. The light during the period from dusk to sunrise increases in intensity, it becomes bright, brilliant and dazzling. The plains however have become treacherous, vehicles aquaplane there is so much water. This is difficult conditions for the big cats and the prey, movement is very restricted. Of course the aquatic animals are joyous, Egyptian Geese revel in the marshy grasses, preening their oily waterproof feathers. In this beautiful golden light the most macabre vision appears. At the double cross river crossing which is bursting its banks a bloated dead Hippo is on its back, all four legs pointing to the sky stiff with rig amortise, Hyena are in the river wadding across to eat the carcass. There is a large hole in the abdomen where they have managed to break through the thick tough skin and eat the softer fatty flesh underneath. They try in vain to pull it out of the river but it is too heavy. Another Hippo wades in trying to save his family member but realises it is dead and his plight futile. He defecates sending a flurry of faeces behind him right into the path of the Hyaena, he uses his tail to distribute the odorous matter. The Hyaenas are completely unperturbed they are focused on their meal and have a strong constitution!
The rain does bring such glorious life especially for the flora of the plains. A beautiful female Serval cat is leaping through the plains which are a blanket of peach, purple and white delicate flowers mixed with the rich green grasses topped with purple oat tips. Green is the colour of nature, it carries the vibration of growth, new beginnings, health, renewal, harmony, hope and peace. The colour green symbolises fertility, harmony and stability. The Serval cat is nocturnal so this is its final chance to hunt for the day. Servals eat a great variety of prey, including rodents, birds, reptiles, frogs, and insects. They catch much of their prey by leaping high into the air and pouncing. They have also been seen using their long forelimbs to reach into burrows or to hook fish out of the water. Her dark golden fur reflects the deep yellows of the sunrise, the black spots on her coat are important in breaking up the pattern on their body and therefore essential for stalking prey. Servals are locally critically endangered due to predation. They can be killed by the big cats and scavengers, her kittens are also at risk from raptors. Kittens, born in litters of two to four and are difficult to observe as the mother hides them well and frequently changes their den. Because the female raises the litter alone, she has to hunt frequently to feed them. When the young are large enough to hunt, the mother drives the males out. Young females remain somewhat longer, but when they become sexually mature, they too leave to establish their territories. This female is enjoying time alone to hunt, her breath-taking beauty is a sight to behold in these early morning hours.
Logogolo the male Leopard is down by the Talek River looking to cross but the current is very strong. He is a large strong male and a good swimmer but even this torrent water would be a challenge. He is quite an old male now around twelve years old and has sired cubs with Luluka, Bahati and Kaboso, he has an extensive territory. But to be this successful does not come without its price. He has had to fight with other territorial males for mating rights, his face and body is crisscrossed with battle scars. One of his eyes is half closed and his right eye battered and askew like a pro rugby player. Most of his scars however tell a very different story, that of passion and pain. The female Leopards may be much smaller than the males but they are very fierce, strong and independent, they only need a male for mating but they want to be sure he is worthy of her and has strong genes to give her strong cubs. She will fight with the male, biting and scratching him, punishment he must be able to handle to prove to her he is a strong mate. Even when mating she will roar, bite and attack him with her lethal claws. Logogolo’s face is littered with mating scars from scratches and bites, but he endures this to ensure his legacy, his genes are passed onto the next generation. For now he is hungry, his deep-sea green eyes scan the river, he needs to cross but must consider the dangers, it is not just the current but the risk of crocodile attack. He decides on circumnavigating the river and slowly walks along the bank.
Three Lionesses and three cubs of the Fig Tree pride are languishing on the plains in the cool morning breeze. The short grasses shine with dew which cools the hot bodies of the Lions. They stretch, yawn and roll over periodically enjoying the warmth of the sun. The cubs enjoy the quality time with the Lionesses, they feel secure and safe in their protection. But safety and is not guaranteed, this is the wild. A large herd of Buffalo are also enjoying the moist grasses, they have young calves with them which these secrete in the middle of the herd for safety. The Lions can see the Buffalo but are sated from last nights kill and are not looking to hunt. However as old as time, there is a permanent vendetta between Lions and Buffalo as they kill so many of them. Buffalo have poor eyesight and are actually near-sighted or can only see things close up. However, where they lack in their sense of sight, they make up for with great sense of smell and hearing. The breeze picks up and the Buffalo catch the scent of the Lions, they snort with anger and disgust. The Buffalo turn towards the Lions and head in their direction, they quickly ascertain this is only a small part of the pride and surround the Lionesses and cubs. The cubs instinctively head to the bushes for safety whilst the Lionesses rise to their feet to confront the Buffalo, they will fiercely protect their cubs. However, they are heavily outnumbered and turn to run, the Buffalo give chase through the bushes. Through the other side the Lionesses grunt to their cubs signalling it is safe. The cubs are fretful and start meowing, the Lionesses draw them in with their mighty protective paws and encourage them to suckle. The warmth of their mother’s milk comforts and soothes them. The Buffalo move off, the confrontation will keep for another day. The Lionesses and cubs are contented and safe.
Olobor and his Lioness are still mating, there is a lot of affection between them with him rubbing up against her encouraging her to mate but she is very tired and reluctant, it is the hottest part of the day and she is hungry. She scans the plains for prey, she spots Pumba but it is too far. He is persistent and licks and nuzzles her but she snarls at him. She gets up and he follows hoping she will be receptive but she just slumps down again on the grass. He sighs and lays next to her gently grooming her. She gets tired of his advances and gets up again, he sees this as an invitation to mate and walks shoulder to shoulder with her. She is now getting really annoyed at his persistence and starts snarling at him, he starts to snarl back at her reluctance to mate. They have a face off, face to face, snarling and baring teeth, their mouths touch in what looks like a passionate kiss. There is so much passionate tension between them, they look into each other’s eyes, there is clear communication, this is a battle of wills and she wins as he wants to keep her happy. They sit down once more, she rests her weary head in her powerful paws and he lays next to her, frustrated but resigned. It is so hot she cannot rest so she gets up again, he excitedly gets to his feet and follows her but this time he will not be put off, he puts his powerful shoulder over her back and uses his arm and paw to weigh her down indicating he wants her to crouch for him, she snarls but reluctantly does so. He quickly mounts her and trusts enthusiastically, he growls and bites her head then licks her head, she is not impressed and snarls back. As he ejaculates he roars and she roars back at him. But instead of dismounting he just stays behind her almost lost in thought, she just falls to sleep beneath him. He looks around and suddenly remembers to dismount which he does and lays beside her. He seems very fond of his mate which is unusual in Lions and he licks her affectionately before closing his eyes and sleeping next to her.
Six of the Black Rock Lionesses are out with the one young cub hunting. The morning is growing hot but they are hungry, they failed to hunt in the night. A family of Pumba come into view, the grasses are quite long and they give chase. The Pumba are startled and scatter in all directions to try and confuse the Lionesses but the dominant female is focused and leaps, her claws outstretched and manages to pull one down in the long grasses. It squeals noisily as the Lioness digs her claws deeper into its tough rump. She reaches round and opens her jaws wide, she clamps her mouth over its windpipe and suffocates it. The wiggling pigs body slumps as it takes it last breath. The other Lionesses failed in the hunt but instantly sees she had been successful. As she lays panting from her exertion the other Lionesses run towards her, they want her kill. One of the Lionesses takes hold of a body part of the Pumba. There is snarling and wrestling, they are hungry and each wants a piece. They tug and it breaks apart, the cub who has been observing this fight rather cunningly and swiftly runs towards a flying body part, snatches it and runs off to eat it leaving the Lionesses to fight over the rest. One of the other Lionesses dives in and manages to pull off a large part and runs off to eat it in the long grasses. The two Lionesses are left shoulder to shoulder each with their mouth clamped over the remnants, neither will back down or give in, they snarl and jostle. Over an hour they lay prone in the grass, the relentless midday sun beating down on them. They are hot and tired, they occasionally fall to sleep but neither will relent. Until finally one of the Lionesses cannot take any more and releases her grip to find shade. Lionesses have an incredible bond so this minor conflict will soon be forgotten about as they bond and groom.
Luluka has hunted and killed an adult Impala and dragged it up a solitary Ballanite tree in the middle of the plains. She sits at the base of the tree in the long grasses resting, a storm starts raging above her, the sky is thunderous grey. Luluka yawns, sticking out her long-barbed tongue and baring her impressive sharp canines, she licks her paw and gets up. She is confident and strong and saunters to the base of the tree where she has left the foetus of the Impala. She sits down and pulls it between her paws and starts crunching the soft bones. The trunk of the Ballanite tree is twisted and gnarly, its colours mimicking the deep russets, brown and black of the Leopard, it is an interesting architectural tree. Luluka gets up and finally leaps up the tree, she easily navigates the trunk barely touching the bark. She stops in the deep fork of the tree and looks across the plains, she then climbs up one side to get a better look. Happy there is no more prey in sight to hunt she leaps effortlessly from one side of the tree to the other where the kill is and walks along the thick branch. She is not hungry so she settles across the thick branch her legs hanging over each side. Her stunning green eyes scan the plains once more before she rests her beautiful face on her paws to sleep.
Sunset is a romantic time, the air is warmth and caresses your skin, the sky is deep red like the famous roses of Kenya and all is calm and peaceful. Olobor and his Lioness are still together mating, there is so much affection between them. Unlike this morning this time it is her wanting to mate, she lays in front of him and rubs her head on his and lays her head in his paws, he gently licks her but he is tired. She is quite persistent showing him affection but he is so so tired. She gets up as he sleeps and starts walking across the plains. Immediately he wakens he does not like his Lioness away from him, he rouses himself and follows her slowly. Noticing his slow pace and that he is lagging behind her she turns back and runs towards him and crouches in front of him. He immediately mounts her, he wants to please her. Copulation is again full of passion and pain, he snarls and bites her neck in affection and she snarls back. Just moments later it is over and she rolls onto her back then rolls towards him, they lay face to face, contented they are producing the next generation. The sun sets behind them, as the fiery globe sinks below the horizon its colours spread like red fingers across the plains warming everything it touches. The mating lovers bask in its heat as they sigh contentedly, they mating slows down now, they more time to enjoy each other’s company.
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The sky is clear this morning, it is a canvass of blue and violet. Within the visible range of light, red light waves are scattered the least by atmospheric gas molecules. So at sunrise, when the sunlight travels a long path through the atmosphere to reach our eyes, the blue light has been mostly removed, leaving mostly red and yellow light remaining. The Moon and Venus are still clearly visible providing light for the animals, as the sun ascends it is a perfect sphere of red light. The prey are beautifully silhouetted against the orange rays, including a lone male Pumba. Pumbas may be known as being stupid hence why Warthogs are called the Swahili name for stupid. However, the adult males are large, strong, tough and quite fearless when defending its family. The males can weigh up to 60-150 kg and stand up to 64-85 cm so quite the match for some predators when they are at their physical peak. A large male Pumba is out on the open plains at sunrise and is being pursued by two very hungry Hyena. The Hyena are very nervous they know the Pumba has lethal tusks and can quite easily spear them. The Pumba knows this too and the predators become the prey as the Pumba turns tail and pursues the Hyenas. The Pumba wants these ferocious hunters away from his den where no doubt his family are safely hiding. Even though Pumba are peaceful foragers they will defend themselves. He heads to his den which is a disused termite mound and scrabbles in backwards in case of a sudden attack and he can sprint out forwards baring his tusks.
The Marsh pride are sitting out on the open plains, two of the Lionesses are sitting with nine cubs. One of the cubs is a young male with one ear lopsided it is most beautiful. As the sun rises the cubs become frisky and wake the Lionesses as they want to play. The Lionesses being good mothers indulge them in a game on predator and prey, leaping on each other and biting each other’s necks. The young male cub is clearly very attached to his mother he rubs his face against hers looking very contented and happy. The cubs start wresting and chasing each other. The grasses are very wet and so as they run water sprays up. It is growing warm so the Lionesses led the cubs to a mound near the trees. Ologol and Half tail the dominant males of the Marsh Pride join the rest of the pride to languish on a mound in the middle of the marsh. This is the Billa Shaka area which means no doubt due the high quantity of prey attracted to the moist marshy grasses. The cubs are excited to see the males and gingerly approach them as they sleep. One cub lays in front of his father and gently reaches out his paw to touch is nose, Half tail reaches out his paw and affectionately touches him back. It is growing hot and Ologol lays on his back his legs akimbo and uses a bush to prop up his leg. A Franklin bird is making the most terrible noise behind them like a rusty door being open and closed. It annoys the Lions who keep looking up in indignation! Below the Franklin in the tree Egyptian Geese are building a large nest for their young but they keep on being harassed by Ibis.
A Long-crested Eagle is sitting in top of the tree in the Marsh area. The long-crested eagle is a striking eagle when perched due to the long, shaggy crest and all dark plumage. The adults are blackish-brown with long, thin feathers growing from the rear of the crown which are held erect to form a crest. The secondary feathers are black barred with light grey and with broad black tips, the primary feathers and median underwing coverts are white, forming a noticeable white patch on the upper and lower surfaces of the wing which is visible in flight. The tail is black, barred with pale grey. The eyes of adults are bright yellow but can be darker in females, and the cere and feet are yellow, paling to white in males. Up to 90% of the long-crested eagle’s diet is made up of rodents, mostly being cane and vlei rats. The remaining diet is frogs, reptiles and insects. The Long-crested Eagle is a noisy bird, as well on perch as flying, especially at the beginning of the breeding season. It utters loud and sharp calls, and some shrill “kik-kik-kik-kik-kik-kiii-ih”. Call’s display is a loud and clear “keeee-eh” or “keee-ee-af”. The Marsh Lions are once again disturbed by a very noisy bird. The males give deep sighs, they just want rest but it is just too noisy!
Yaya the dominant female of the Marsh pride and her adult daughter Pamoja (meaning we are together) are out on the open plains with Pamoja’s two cubs hunting, they look very hungry. It is nearing midday and the sun is intensely hot and beating down. The grasses are long and the ground thick with black mud churned up from the recent rains. This will help them in the hunt as they are ambush predators and need the coverage to stalk prey. For now they climb a mound and sit out together in the sun to gain strength. Mother and daughter are very affectionate towards each other, they rubs heads for bonding. Yaya gets up, yawns widely and cat stretches. Pamoja gets up too and cat stretches and uses the tufty grass to sharpen her claws. Pamoja grunts to the cubs to follow them. They head across the plains, rubbing heads in a bond of love as they walk. The cubs catch up with them excitedly and rub their heads with the Lionesses. The cubs are quite weak so after a while Yaya and Pamoja secrete the cubs in the long grass to rest, they cannot keep trailing them after them in this heat. The Lionesses must hunt without distraction and they will be more efficient without the cubs. The Lionesses head off across the plains in search of food. The cubs are vulnerable but savvy they know they must keep themselves hidden until their mother returns. This is when cubs are at their most exposed at being attacked by other predators and scavengers. The cubs, their large bronze eyes watchful crouch low together.
The rains have been unseasonal and unrelenting creating vast pools of water especially in the Marsh area. Lions do most of their hunting at night as their eyes have adapted to the dark and this gives them a huge advantage over their prey. They hunt more during storms however as the noise and wind make it harder for prey to see and hear them. So this unseasonal weather whilst a challenge to hunt in due to the sodden ground brings its advantages. The Marsh pride hear the low rumble of thunder in the distance mid-afternoon, the air is thick with the scent of rain. They are alert, this could be a good time to hunt. A herd of Buffalo are grazing on the plains, they are herbivores, and so eat only vegetation. Their favourite foods are grass and herbs, but buffalo will also eat aquatic plants. They are enjoying this abundance of new moist shoots. During rainy seasons water gathers in temporary pans creating mud baths for Buffalo to wallow it, they have sparse hair and few sweat glands so need to cool their warm bodies. The herd plunge into a newly created pool, it is cool and inviting but unbeknownst to them very close to the Marsh pride. The Lions pick up their scent and gather, the pride males, Lionesses and cubs. They stalk through the long grasses careful not to alarm the Buffalo, after all they are ambush hunters, built for strength not speed.
Suddenly the Lion pride surround the pool, the Buffalo bellow in fright, they clumsily try and get out of the pool of water. Most manage it and run with the herd, they are no match for the whole pride of Lions. One however struggles, it is left behind surrounded by hungry predators. A few brave members of the herd turn tail and come back to try and rescue it but their attempts are futile, the Lions have it trapped. The Buffalo is strong, it is determined to fight off the pride. Its main defence is it powerful kick and sharp horns for spearing. The Lionesses initially lead the attack, they do not like water so they try and claw and bite it from the safety of the banks but the Buffalo head butts them. There is only one way for it, a Lioness jumps the pool and distracts the Buffalo whilst another Lioness leaps into the water to try and bring it down by its rump. The Buffalo turns and kicks out at her, she narrowly misses being maimed. She jumps out of the water and joins the other Lioness, they reach out with their claws and scratch at the Buffalo. Ologol one of the dominant male Lions sits on the other side of the pool disinterested in helping the Lionesses, he has the cubs with him but even they are keen to help in the hunt! The Lionesses once again reluctantly enter the water, they hate getting wet but they want to make the kill. The Buffalo is stubborn, strong and determined to fight them off. It is a battle of two of the big five, strength matching strength.
Whilst it is believed the Lionesses do most of the hunting some males really have the killer instinct. Half tail has been quietly looking on, it is unusual for a whole pride to be at a hunt. He has given the Lionesses the opportunity to make the kill but it is time he took over. Half tail leaps onto the Buffalos back and it buckaroos him off and he lands on the opposite bank. One of the Lionesses reaches forward and swipes the Buffalo, how dare he attack her male. Half tail is indignant and leaps back into the water and clamps his powerful jaw on the Buffalos rump pulling it off balance. Half tail quickly manoeuvres himself around to the front of the Buffalo and covers its mouth with his, suffocating it under the water. The Buffalo struggles but is no match for a male Lion in blood rage. Finally the thrashing Buffalo stills, his lifeless body floats in the water but Half tail will not let go. Even though he is cold standing shoulder deep in murky water he will not relinquish his hard-won prize. The Lionesses try and pull the Buffalo towards them and drag it up the bank but it is too heavy. Half tail seems to come out of his trance and pulls the Buffalo to the opposite bank and drags it up the steep sides. His brother Ologol just sits and watches him not even trying to help. Half tail manages the impossible and lays next to the dead Buffalo, the whole pride will feast after him. The skies darken and the strong wind blows, a sheet of heavy rain rolls in. The ground quickly becomes a swamp but the Lions will stay with the kill. The electrical charge in the air lends energy to this already dramatic rare scene.
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The Maasai Mara National Reserve is one of the few last savannahs where animals roam wild and free. The sun rises over the vast plains, the golden light bathing the prey in a blanket of warmth after a cold night. Already alert, the prey run across the plains as it is this time for the predators to be returning from their nightly hunt. Olopi and his Lioness are walking slowly across the grasslands, they have separated from the pride and are looking to mate in the warmth of the sunrise. However, she is extraordinarily aggressive with him she does not appear to want to mate yet. The Lionesses will mate with the strongest of the pride alpha males so she still may be deciding with whom she wants to mate. He of course wants it to be him and so follows her patiently, he is such a majestic male with a full mane, it runs from dark bronze around his muscular head to black running across his shoulders and back showing he has high levels of testosterone. He knows he must take her lead but he seems to be growing weary of her lack of interest and aggression. After a while he heads down to the river to drink, his bronze eyes taking in the activity around him. He bends down, his long-barbed tongue lapping up great quantities of water. He stands water dripping from his chin, he looks around for his Lioness but she has disappeared. He walks to the brow of the hill and scans the plains. He stands side on, his large muscular frame backlit by the sunrise he is truly king of all he surveys.
A troupe of Yellow Baboons are foraging on the dewy grasses, they have left their nests and it is time to eat. They are aware of the predators and one of the dominant alpha males ascends a nearby tree to view the threat. He is a large male, with a thick coat, dog like face and large canines. He yawns widely from the top of the tree giving a good view of his impressive bite. They are no match for predators but they can certainly make threats. It is his role to protect the troupe. Below his youngsters start frolicking and playing in the bushes. Like all adolescents they are mischievous and seem to enjoy getting into trouble. Every bush, branch and tree stump are a great obstacle to swing from and leap on each other. They squabble and fight with each other, their screeches attract some of the older members of the troupe who chase them to tell them off. The adolescents receive smacks from their elders for being too boisterous and noisy, disrupting the calm of the morning. The telling off works for a while but it is not long before they are chasing each other around again. The older members of the troupe seem to manage to ignore the chaos and indulge in mutual grooming, parting thick fur with their nimble fingers and nibbling with their sharp teeth on ticks and salty flakes of skin. The sheer delight on the receivers’ face is beautiful, what a way to start the morning, being groomed. Baboons live peacefully and play an important role in alerting prey of potential predator attacks.
The stories of the animals, birds, plant life and even bacteria of the Maasai Mara help us to connect with nature. It is only through connection do we start to appreciate biodiversity and the reason it is important to the survival for all living organisms on earth including ourselves. Through the storytelling of the incredible lives of these unique animals do we appreciate how fortunate we are to share this earth with them. We are as important to their survival as they are to ours. What would live be without being able to travel the world to see these incredible ecosystems or watch them through various media. From their stories we need to learn to protect, preserve and connect with the world around us. It is impossible to imagine a world without this rich tapestry of life, the interwoven webs of species and organisms. We have always been fascinated as humans in the natural world, it is our past, our present, our future, so ours to protect. Together we need to ensure there are stories in the future to tell. The earth is fighting hard to sustain us, let us give it a helping hand and do what we can to protect it. The animals of the Maasai Mara are creating incredible dynasties, lasting legacies for us to appreciate and be amazed at. This is an amazing world, let’s work together for its future survival.
Nashipae Wilde
www.white-masai.co.uk
