Month: June 2007
Weather and grasslands:
One can certainly say we have had improved
weather for June, although it was quite wet in the latter part of the month;
Total rainfall for the month was 95 mm of which 34mm fell on the 15th and it
appears that this was the last of the heavy rain. Early morning temps are as
low as 15ºc and mid day temps average between 28/30ºc. Grasses on the grassland
plains within the Mara reserve and in many parts of the Masai conservation areas
are still long.
General Game:
More common Zebra have
been seen moving down with reasonable numbers being seen in the Musiara marsh
and also on the Paradise and Rhino ridge areas. Defassa Waterbuck,
the monogamous Kirk’s Dik Dik and large herds of Impala
are commonly seen within the Marsh and riverine woodlands of the camps, while
talking with Dr Richard Estes it is of interest to note that waterbuck on the
whole have little tolerance to tick birds and it is also noticeable that tick
birds do not associate with waterbuck as they do other herbivores, maybe it is
because of their oily skin. Good viewing of Elephant can
still be found in the Marsh and also through out the riverine woodlands of the
Mara River, there are also a good number of young calves with many being born a
few months back. A large bull has been seen just recently in the Musiara area
and is carrying good ivory for a grassland Elephant. Topi with
their 8-9 month old calves can be seen more readily within the Musiara area;
this region was quite wet and soggy a few weeks ago and is drying out
considerably. Paradise and the western ridge of Rhino Ridge are also good areas
to see Topi. Cokes hartebeest can be found in small scattered
herds through out the reserve and conservation areas.
Masai Giraffe and a good
number of young calves are seen through out the Masai Mara reserve and within
the conservation areas, infact they will cohabit most areas where there are good
stands of trees. Good sightings recently are within the woodlands of the camps.
Warthogs will be seen daily over most areas as the good grass
coverage is still readily available, often seen are sows with 2/3 young that are
9-10 months old, warthog piglets suffer quite a high mortality rate of
approximately 45% before they reach 6 months of age with temperature variation
along and predation being major factors. Good numbers of Impala
are very often present within the Camp woodland habitats; the Musiara marsh,
riverine and acacia woodlands are also good places to see them, a good sized
bachelor herd can also be seen on the west side of the Musiara marsh.
Grant’s and Thomson gazelles will be easily seen and
found on the shorter grass plains of the conservation areas, the Musiara plains
and marsh are good habitats and both these species will be seen here. Eland
in small breeding herds of approximately 10-40 animals can still be seen on the
Paradise plains and towards the double crossing area in the south of the reserve
close by to the Masai group ranch’s, small scattered herds of cows and calves
can also be seen in Koiyaki to the east of the reserve.
Spotted Hyenas
are being seen in better numbers and good times to see them
appear to be early mornings specifically if there is a kill and lion are
present. A good few sighting have revealed and with guests witnessing lionesses
being driven off by as many as 25-30 Hyena. This is behaviour is actually more
common practice than is realised, Lion and Spotted Hyena are eternal enemies and
compete for a similar food source. Silver Backed jackals are
commonly seen inmost habitats and their varied omnivorous diet will direct them
to most corners of the reserve and conservation areas. Another sighting again in
the Musiara plains of a Side Stripped Jackal this is good to
hear as this specific species of Jackal is not a common sighting here. More good
sightings of Serval Cats in the grasslands over most areas of
the reserve, Servals are excellent jumpers and with their large ears have very
good hearing so rodents provide a large portion of their diet. A few reported
sighting of Serval cubs being seen all of which appear to be an estimated 3-4
month old, more often there are no more than two cubs. A male Black
Rhino has been seen quite often within Paradise and on the
western side of Rhino Ridge, being a browser it is often seen within the Croton
thickets near the Mara River. On the 29th a female and male Rhino were seen at
Paradise.
Cats
Lion:
-
The Bila Shaka/Marsh pride
has been seen within the Bila Shaka river bed and
East of the Musiara Marsh and also as far as the Koiyaki conservation
area that abuts the Musiara reserve boundaries. The three 26 month old
sub adult males who had moved out towards the Paradise area last month
have been seen together with other members of the pride. The three new
males that have come into this pride are now confirmed that they are not
from the Paradise area and have perhaps come in from the Masai
conservation areas. The four 23 month old sub adult females and one male
can often be seen with the other breeding females. One of the breeding
females had been seen with two cubs which were only barely three weeks
old but sadly these two were killed by one of the new males and this
unfortunately is a result of infanticidal activity from the present new
incoming males. Infanticide is recognised in many other species of cats
and also other mammals to include certain primates. These lion have been
seen feeing off Zebra and Buffalo. The Single female
with her male and female eleven-month-old cubs who had integrated with
the Bila Shaka pride have still been seen apart and can be more often
seen north east of the Marsh and as far as into the conservation areas,
on the 23rd they were seen not far from other members of the Bila Shaka
but for the last month and since the three new males that came in they
have not really been seen together with the Bila Shaka pride.
New arrivals
-
Four females
and four cubs which are estimated at 3-4 months old have arrived into
the Marsh area this month and can be seen in the grasslands on the
western side of the Musiara marsh, they also go as far as the windmill.
In the late evening of the 25th they had killed a Zebra behind the
woodland of IL Moran and later on at night one could hear rallying
whoops from a large clan of spotted Hyena which must have driven them
off their kill because early in the morning driver guides saw two cubs
still up a Diospyros tree and three of the females were spread out to
100 meters or so away, driver guides then counted over 30 spotted hyena
altogether on the around the remains of the zebra kill.
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The Paradise pride
of three males, five breeding females, three
sub-adults, six 17 month old cubs, four 13 month old cubs, one 11 month
old cub and two 7 month old cubs. The three males have been seen within
the Paradise and Rhino ridge areas and as far as the conservation areas.
The three males, five females and 11 of the cubs are more often seen
together although this pride can be seen with some of the pride members
being far apart, on the 26th five females and 11 cubs were seen at the
Paradise crossing points on the remains of a hippo.
-
The Rhino ridge pride
of now three breeding females and two males have been seen on the Topi
plains, the three 20-month-old cubs have not been seen this month. On
the 26th two females and the two males were seen with the remains of a
female giraffe they had killed near the Ker and Downey crossing which is
south east of the Topi plains.
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The Single Gorge/Acacia pride
of 5 breeding females, three 9-month-old cubs and two males. What are
more often seen together are the two males and three females of which
one of the females is in oestrous. Another female has been seen on her
own and quite a distance from the others so we are not sure if she has
very young cubs in tow or whether she is looking to cub down. These lion
are commonly seen in the Eastern Koiyaki Acacia woodland areas and on
the ‘fly over’ plains in Koiyaki.
-
An aged male lion has been frequently seen in the
Diospyros woodland on the ‘fly over’ and it is suggested that this may
well be the ousted Bila Shaka male.
Cheetah:
-
Honey’s
three 14-month-old male cubs are looking very well and appear to be
healthy, they can be found on the plains below Kichwa Tembo and Little
Governors Camp.
-
The single male has been seen again
within the eastern grassland areas of the reserve and will often be seen
in the conservation areas, he has been seen feeding off Impala and
Thomson gazelle.
-
A single female is being seen often
at Paradise and the double crossing areas. She was last seen on the 24th
on the paradise plains where she was witnessed running down a female
Thomson Gazelle after a very short chase.
Leopard:
Very good Leopard sighting this month,
perhaps the best sightings so far this year.
-
The single Female who has two 8
month old cubs a male and female have again been seen often close to
Governors’ IL Moran camp and the junction to Little Governors’.
Frequently they are all seen within the camp itself. Last months report
stated that the cubs were 12 months old but now by being able to view
them more readily as they are accepting and are more relaxed to vehicle
traffic it is apparent that they are more closely aged at 8 months of
age.
-
The Male at the paradise crossing
points near the Serena pump house has now been seen more often again, on
the 25th he was seen with a Thomson Gazelle kill in a croton thicket.
-
Zawadi has
been seen again in the conservation areas below Figtree ridge. On the
24th and 26th were specifically two good days that guests revealed good
viewing.
-
The Female and two cubs
estimated at seven months have been sighted again more
frequently this month within the top northern plains of paradise and the
bottom of the Bila Shaka river bed.
Walking in Koiyaki Conservation
Area.
The walking area lies north east of the
Masai Mara game reserve.
With the weather improving in the latter
half of the month, the walking safaris have been quite busy. The grass is still
long and with heavy dews in the early morning, walking can be wet, this wetness
tends to dry off at about 10.30am. A few Zebra will be seen on
the grassland plains, Topi are still prevalent particularly the
solitary territorial males who stand out like pedicels. Good numbers of
impala will also be found in the acacia Gerrardii woodlands along with
small herds of Defassa Waterbuck. Giraffe are
seen in good herd numbers as they move from woodland to woodland and latterly
appear to be quite good time keepers as to where and what they are feeding off,
at approximately 9.30 am they are in the acacia Hockii woodlands. Some good
views of a female Serval and her two cubs that are estimated at
3 months old have been seen on the grassland plains below the ‘fly over’ ridge.
Lion are being seen more frequently this month and the three
Lionesses and two male are more seen in the north eastern areas of where the
walks take place. On the 24th three lionesses were seen on the plains above the
fly over and on the 26th three lionesses and a male were seen near to the salt
lick pool which lies to the north of the acacia woodlands. On the 27th walkers
spooked a lioness in the one of the many croton thickets in the area and the
Lion was a much surprised as every one else!
Silver backed Jackals
are also frequently seen with early mornings being goodtime to see them.
