GOVERNORS’ CAMP

Walking and game reports.

Month: April/May 2006

Weather and grasslands:

More rain again these two months with a total of 135 mm for April and 65 mm for May. Early morning temperatures averaged 20ºC and midday Temperatures 30ºC. Grass growth has really accelerated and specifically noticeable is the Red Oat grass which has grown to waist height in some places. The areas in general are green and well recovered from the dry spell we had during the early part of this year and the latter months of last year whereby the Masai Mara reserve and its environs had no rain for approximately three months. The Mara River has been up and down and at present is at a relative height and is very brown which is a sign of high silt levels from upcountry subsistent agriculture.

General Game:

With the good and continual rainfall in these last two month along with the long grass many species of plains game can be seen spread out and all those species that were suffering during the dry months are showing signs of good physical condition. Thomson and Grant’s gazelles with their short and narrow muzzles prefer the shorter grasses; good numbers of them are more commonly seen on the shorter grass plains of paradise, Rhino ridge and Topi plains. Good numbers can also be seen in the Koiyaki conservation area where livestock competition has played a role in grassland growth.

Zebra in good numbers can be still seen around the Paradise plains, Bila Shaka and in the Koiyaki conservation areas. Many Topi and their calves can be seen on the grassland areas of Paradise, Topi plains and the Musiara marsh plains with still some good numbers to be seen in the Musiara marsh. Cokes Hartebeest are also seen in good numbers but in smaller herd sizes, good areas to see these are the Paradise plains and the Musiara plains north east of the marsh. The few Wildebeest left are more concentrated in the conservation areas and some can also be seen in the Paradise and double crossing grassland plains, many of these wildebeest dropped their calves earlier in the season and some have had late calves so varying ages of calves to be seen would be those born in January, early March and April. Warthog and young piglets that are between six – seven months old can be seen all over the grassland plains with good sightings of them on the periphery of the Marsh. A mortality rate of 45% can be expected in Warthog piglets by six months of age, temperature and predation by Lion, Cheetah and Leopard are the main causes of this mortality rate.

A reasonable sized breeding herd of Cape buffalo can still be seen in the paradise, Bila Shaka and Rhino Ridge grassland areas with a few old sedentary males who reside within the Marsh itself, their numbers are still kept in check by the resident Bila Shaka lion pride. Eland are also seen at Paradise with some good sightings of large bodied breeding males. These breeding males are considerably larger than their female counterparts, with well a developed neck and shoulders along with a velvety mat of curly hair on their foreheads these animals are certainly an impressive sight, sexual dimorphism is well expressed here.  Masai Giraffe in good sized herd numbers can be seen scattered throughout the grasslands of Musiara and Paradise, many calves of varying ages can be seen in crèches with the adults spread often quite far apart. With all this generous rain there are many vetches, herbs and weeds coming up within the grasslands and the Giraffe are taking the opportunity of this green flush, giraffe are ‘religious’ browsers so with their long necks and legs these animals having to drink or brows at low levels require more effort than most other species, giraffe have to splay their legs and sometimes have to bend their knees to get down to the level of what they require. Another anomaly to the giraffe is that they have an amazing circulatory system and the heart pumps almost twice that of an average cow. Giraffes also have in the neck close to the base of the brain an intricate pressure regulating mechanism involving the ‘carotid rete’ which is a meshed network of narrow vessels and in simple terms would regulate the flow back and forth to the brain.

Several scattered small herds of Elephant in family bonded units along with many young are being seen more regularly in the Paradise, Bila Shaka and Musiara plains areas. The African Green heart trees (Warburgia Ugandensis) have stopped fruiting so this has kept the elephant traffic out of the camps.  The elephant are also collecting up on the lush additives in the grass. The ever present Olive baboons with many young some of which are very young perhaps weeks old and are black in colour, these monkeys are scattered all through out the woodland verges and live in large troops up to 80 individuals.

More reports back of Serval cats being seen, they prey on rodents and birds so a grassland habitat is preferred and the Musiara, Marsh and Bila Shaka grassland plains are very suitable.

Birds:

Some migratory birds to be seen here within the Musiara region: A few white storks up to 15 in some flocks.

Jackson’s widow bird males have now got their breeding cloths on and are starting to display by jumping up and down around a specific tussock of grass as it may be here while frantically attracting a mate. Red collared widow birds, white winged widow birds and the yellow bishop are also seen in the long grass within the marsh. Blue flycatchers are back again within the camp grounds.

Lion:

The Bila Shaka pride of four females, five fifteen-month-old cubs, three twelve-month old cubs and the one male who has a good lock of dark blonde hair as his mane. This pride is still actively being seen through out the Musiara marsh and Bila Shaka areas. On the 7th of April one of the older cubs who had a large gash on the underside of its stomach was treated by veterinarian Dr Kashmiri from Mombasa, this cub has recovered is doing very well at present.

They have been seen feeding off warthog, Topi, and the resident male Buffalo.

The maternity/ridge pride of 27 members; including two males, eight breeding females, eleven sub adults and six cubs of which four are estimated at four months old. These lion are still being seen in the double crossing areas and have been feeding off the resident Topi, Zebra and Buffalo.

The paradise pride. With the coalition of three males, five breeding females, three sub-adults, six eight-month old cubs and four four-month old cubs are being seen anywhere between the Rhino Ridge/Paradise plains and around the paradise crossing points on the Mara River. They have been feeding off Warthog, Topi, Buffalo and Zebra. Many Zebra are still about in fair numbers within the Paradise plains regions.

The Rhino ridge pride of 2 breeding females, 2 males and 3 seven month old cubs are concentrated within the Rhino ridge, southern side plains of Bila Shaka and have again been seen far as Topi plains. They have been feeding off Zebra, warthog and Topi.

The Single Gorge pride of 5 breeding females and one of the lionesses has six five month old cubs. They have been seen recently in the northern grassland areas of the double gorge.

On the 11th of April a male and female were seen mating near the Talek River. 

Cheetah:

The male coalition of three is still being seen within Rhino Ridge, Topi plains and the double crossing. They are readily seen and have been feeding off Zebra foals, young Topi, Thomson Gazelle, yearling wildebeest and Impala.

The older single male (‘Upele’) who still has a little mange which can be seen on the tops of his ears and above his left eye has been seen often within the woodlands between the camps and north of the marsh towards the open plains where there are good numbers of Thomson Gazelle, Zebra foals and wildebeest calves. On the 8th of May in the late evening he was seen with a male impala he had killed and was eating his prize within shouting distance from the Bila Shaka females who were lying up in some long grass, perhaps truth be told in that they did not know he was there. Lion will readily rob cheetah of their kills, likewise Hyena and Leopard will do the same.

A female with a young cub estimated at four months old has been seen often near the paradise and rhino ridge plains areas, she is being seen hunting Thomson Gazelles and their fawns.

Leopard:

Zawadi and her five month old cub have been seen often this month any where between the double gorge to the Mara river woodlands that lie to the north of the gorge. She was last seen on the 21st April near the Mara River on the north side of the marsh.

Pole the female who is often associated within the river woodlands between Governors’ main camp and Governors’ IL Moran camp, she has been seen more recently within the marsh and on the pm of the 28th of April in the Mara River woodlands near Il Moran Camp she had killed a female bush buck.

A female with her four month old female cub is often seen in the paradise plains river woodlands near the main crossing points, on the 5th of May in the early morning she was seen with her cub stalking a warthog, she failed as the pig got her scent early enough, despite the long grass which is ideal for leopard to blend into but the wind must have changed in favour of the pig.

The large male has been seen again near the Talek River from the paradise plains area.

Walking report in the Koiyaki group ranch:

The walking area has been very wet in these last two months but the good news is many of the Masai and their cattle that were left have now moved out which indicates that the areas they are from have received the rain required. The grass is long and in some sections it is waist height now. This is extraordinary growth in just two months, whereby three months back this very area was a dust bowl. It is fair to say that an area set aside for conservation does not balance with livestock it is either one or the other.

Many Elephant in family units of 6 to 12 can be seen in and out of the woodlands, they like the Acacia very much and the traces left behind indicate their favoured presence. The ever present Giraffe can be seen in and out of these woodland areas, the distinctive pruned shaped trees of the many species to include gardenia, Balanites and the acacia’s. The giraffe’s browse line on many trees has left its mark over time. Topi and Cokes hartebeest can be seen on the open plains and often within the woodland fringes. Thomson and Grant’s Gazelle spend their time on the open shorter grass plains along with the Wildebeest and their varying aged calves. Many Zebra can still be seen on the open plains in the conversation area.

Spotted Hyena are also seen in the early morning hours either coming back from their nightly foraging forays or one often can see them on a fresh kill that they would have made themselves, the Hyenids are all members of the cat family but even though they are more dog like in appearance, they kill and consume their prey like the dog family specifically the spotted hyena who is much a predator as a scavenger, they are coursers and have tremendous stamina.