Weather and grasslands: 

The last two weeks of the month has brought on some clear skies with warm and sunny days which are an improvement from the last four months of relatively heavy rain. Much of the infrastructure of getting in and out of the Mara and its environs has been damaged to an extent that vehicular traffic has been hindered through out and with transportation becoming more expensive.  The long grasses on the grassland plains are now showing signs of drying out with game drive movements within the reserve being more extended. The grass is still long in certain areas of the reserve with plains game species being more prevalent. Early morning temps are averaging 17°C and midday temps averaging 30°C, the rainfall for the month was 93.5mm. 

General Game:

Sightings of plains game species have been slightly improved with the drying time being available and with movements in the reserve improving. 

Elephants’ have been on the stage frequently with good numbers being seen on the grassland plains within Musiara and also in the marsh. Many large bulls are still in Musth and many young calves can be seen,towards evening they can be seen closer to the woodlands and even into the camps to feed upon the fruits of the Warburgia Ugandensis trees. More Topi with 5-6 month old calves can be seen on the verges of the Musiara Marsh and this is an indication of habitat drying out although the higher grounds of Paradise and Topi plains are still good places to see larger congregations. Masai Giraffe in good numbers are seen daily browsing in the woodlands between the camps or filing across the plains as they move to different feeding habitats. Warthog with 2/3 young averaging 5-6 months old will be seen through the grassland areas and not an uncommon sight will be to see Lion waiting close to their bolt holes, lion also like their pork. Impala in large breeding herds or bachelor herds can be seen through out areas of good grass coverage and within woodland habitat, the Musiara marsh and riverine woodland are good places to see them. Grant’s gazelles can bee found on the open grassland plains with a few good sized males being seen within the Musara marsh. Thomson Gazelles on the other hand prefer shorter grass areas, so the shorter grass plains within the conservation areas are the ideal habitat for these. Eland can be found in the Paradise and Topi grassland as well as in the conservation areas of Koiyaki. The breeding herds of Eland are in smaller congregations than their southern counterparts and breeding males are recognised to be smaller as well. Zebra and resident Wildebeest are more commonly seen on the shorter grass plains in conservation areas, although a few will be found on the shorter grass areas on Topi plains. Cokes hartebeest are also commonly seen on well covered grassland plains within the Mara regions. Black Back Jackals in monogamous pairs or with older pups are common plains predators to see, early mornings and evenings are good times to see them. Spotted Hyenas who are more prevalent in the early hours of dusk and dawn can be found in most habitats of the reserve and conservation areas. Clan sizes vary here with average numbers of 25-30 being seen at feeding points or predator competition/takeovers with Lion. Many nights one can often hear the eerie whoop of the Hyena as it echoes through the night, but when they laugh which is when they are excited or provoked it is a sound one will not forget. On the evening of the 9th 6 Bat eared fox’s were seen on the Paradise plains and others in pairs can be seen in old or active termite mounds as they warm up in the mornings.     

Cats

Many of the sightings of the larger cats are within the Musiara region in the Mara game reserve which lies south west. Some of these animals here can also move out (depending on the sizes of their home ranges) and into the Masai conservation areas which lie to the north east. 

Lion:

• The Bila Shaka/Marsh pride consisting of one pride male, four breeding females, four 24 month-old male cubs, 1 male and 3 female 21 month old cubs and one 4 month old cub. The Single female with her one male and one female nine-month-old cubs are with the Bila Shaka pride and seem to be accepted into this pride. Three of the 24 month old male cubs who are now sub-adults have spent most of this month on their own and have been seen feeding and killing their own prey, it was on the 13th at 6.30 pm they killed a young Giraffe between IL Moran and Little Governors crossing. They have been seen feeding off the few resident Zebra that are in the southern area of Bila Shaka and warthog as well. The remaining pride and the three males are seen within the Marsh and Musiara plains. The pride male, four females and the other cubs had disappeared for short while and they were found in the conservation areas of Koiyaki and it was suspected that they had sampled someone’s pride and value.   
• The Paradise pride of three males, five breeding females, three sub-adults, six 16 month old cubs, four 12 month old cubs, one 10 month old cub and two 6 month old cubs. They have been seen but sightings are in varying numbers and will often split up with the dispersion of game. Reports two weeks ago reviewed that a female had been seen with three very young cubs but no further sightings since can confirm this. 
• The Rhino ridge pride of two breeding females, two males; three 18-month-old cubs and can be found within the eastern Rhino ridge plains and the southern side plains of Bila Shaka. They have been seen feeding off Topi and warthog. The one two month old cub that remained from a litter of three has not been seen again recently and perhaps due to the long grass and rocky terrain it is not possible still to venture much beyond good visibility.
• No new sightings of the Single Gorge/Acacia pride of 5 breeding females, three 7-month-old cubs and two males. They were last seen in the top end of the double gorge and on the ‘fly over’ plains in Koiyaki.

 Cheetah:

• Honey’s three 11-month-old male cubs are we understand still well and can be found on the plains below Kichwa Tembo and Little Governors Camp.  
• A young female is being seen north of the marsh, near the main gate and into the Koiyaki conservation area.
• The single male has been seen often and latterly is found in the grassland areas of Musiara and the Marsh and he is again often seen east of Bila Shaka. This male is a typical ‘floater’ and can move about in a large area.
• Three Cheetahs have been seen a few times in and out of the conservation side of Topi plains and it would presume they are related, they were seen on the 23rd feeding off a Thomson Gazelle they had killed earlier on in the morning.

Leopard:

• Zawadi and her fifteen-month-old male cub have been seen but again not as frequent as last month, she was last seen further up and east of the double gorge escarpment.
• The single Female has again been seen near IL Moran camp and the junction to Little Governors’.
• The Male at the paradise crossing points near the Serena pump house has been seen on a few occasions this month and it has been seen more recently with the improved weather conditions that has opened better access to the paradise plains.
• A Female and two cubs estimated at five months old have been seen more recently on the Paradise plains close to the Governors’ Private Camp. A good sighting on the evening of the 5th showed all three feeding off the remains of a Thomson Gazelle.
   

Walking in Koiyaki Conservation Area. 

The walking area lies north east of the Masai Mara game reserve.

The grass is still long and some early mornings there is often a residue of heavy due so it can be quite wet and with the many wet patches or small springs does not help, although it dries up relatively quickly. We have seen Elephant which appear to be moving in and out of the reserve and the conservation areas. Spotted Hyenas are still active on the ‘fly over’ plains with Zebra and Topi being taken as prey. Good sightings of Eland with a breeding herd of 52 including calves, there is also a good bachelor herd of 12 males. Impala and Thomson Gazelles are common resident sightings along with warthog and young. Pair of black back Jackal is often seen on the open plains or in the acacia woodlands.

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