Masai Mara

August 2017 in the Masai Mara

Weather and grasslands

The weather has been quite mixed this month with cool overcast days, with some clear and bright mornings. The rainfall for the month was 96mm, we had two heavy rainstorms with much of this rain falling in the late afternoon and into early evening. The grasslands are short throughout the Musiara regions, last month Paradise Plains, the southern fan of Rhino Ridge and the east fan of Emartii had long dense perennial grasses, and these areas are now all eaten down literally to the level of a manicured golf course all due to the huge numbers of wildebeest and zebra that have passed through.

 wildebeest sunset

Photo courtesy of Hemin Patel

The Musiara Marsh is now almost dry again with the exception of the northern area that is watered by the small escarpment stream; the centre marsh still has pools although it is not flowing. The Mara River has gone up and down and surprisingly has had a reasonable flow considering the generally poor rainfall in the last six months. Morning temperatures have been as low as 17°c with midday temperatures as high as 28°c. The relative humidity averages a high between 63-74%.

The Serengeti migration

The first week of the month saw large herds of wildebeest and zebra massing in the Trans Mara close to the Mara river in the north eastern areas, they had crossed the sand river during July, then moved north through the Burangat and Posse Plains then crossed the Mara River above the Purungat Mara Bridge, the second large wave of wildebeest had crossed the sand river below the Purungat bridge and moved into the south west regions of the Mara Triangle. 

Wildebeest migration

Photo courtesy of Dana Allen 

The first wave of crossings to enter the national reserve was in the first week of the month with large dense crossings taking place at the rocky crossing point below the Kichwa Tembo airstrip, large numbers of wildebeest succumbed in the rocky crossing rapids, there were daily crossings from the 8th of the month through to the 16th of August. Many of these wildebeest moved quickly East into the Masai conservancies, this area having received some earlier rain. Good numbers of wildebeest then moved south from the southern grasslands of the Mara North Conservancy and into the Musiara Marsh and Bila Shaka areas close to our camps. Wildebeest herds continued to move into the reserve with large herds accumulating through into the Malima Tatu and Topi Plains grasslands.

Photo courtesy of Moses Manduku

On the 16th there was small crossing on the Mara River with wildebeest coming from the west and going east into the reserve. An estimated 5,000 crossed late that morning at 11.30 am along with some Zebra. At 12.00am a few zebra and Topi crossed below the main crossing point coming from the west and into the east. On the 20th there were two small crossings in the late morning below the main crossing points coming from the west to the east with an estimated 3-4,000 wildebeest crossing into the southern areas of Paradise Plains, these wildebeest and zebra moved into the open grasslands below Emartii east of Rhino Ridge, the grasses in the alluvial plains are long and dense and by now they have been eaten down tremendously. The herds then moved into the double crossing area of the Olare Orok side. There have been smaller numbers crossing almost on a daily basis at the main crossing points. On the 26th two crossings took place on the Mara River with an estimated 2,000  wildebeest crossing into the east.

Wildebeest migration

Photo courtesy of David Ross

As of the early morning of the 27th large scattered mixed herds of the resident and Serengeti wildebeest and zebra are being seen on the open short grass plains of east Olare Orok, Malima Tatu, Topi Plains south Bila Shaka and Musiara east marsh grasslands all around our camps and from Little Governors Camp we have seen the herds across the Marsh.

Wildebeest migration

Photo courtesy of Patrick Reynolds

Topi herds have moved into most short grass areas along with the wildebeest, since these areas received rain, the perennial grasslands are still short although they show signs of growth and color, this will certainly move Topi and Wildebeest back and forth. Large numbers of Topi have also moved into the west Marsh grasslands. Cokes hartebeest are also being seen more commonly spread out in small breeding herds of 6-12 individuals in the west marsh, Rhino Ridge, Paradise Plains and Topi Plains. Generally speaking they are a gregarious species of Alcelaphines, Coke’s hartebeest can form herds of 20 to 300 individuals in other areas of East and sub-Saharan Africa. They are generally very alert and non-aggressive.

Thomson’s and Grant’s Gazelles are also very visible and in good numbers particularly the Thompson’s, some of the Thomson females have young fawns and these are also being preyed on by cheetah and many of the Black Back Jackals that are seen in monogamous pairs across the open plains. Thomson’s Gazelle males defend small territories and attempt to mate with females in that area. Females prefer rich foraging grounds so will migrate to find more suitable grazing areas, so preferred territories are those in areas with richer grazing. Males use markings from pre-orbital glands depositing a secretion which is made of holocrine and apocrine and the black containing substance is melanin; males also use dung to advertise their territories and actively defend them against other males. They sometimes attempt to “herd” females in order to keep them in their territory for longer. Thomson’s Gazelle calves after a gestation of 5½ months are precocial at birth, in other words are able to stand and walk relatively soon after, although they spend their first days hidden and motionless in the grass. The mother will leave the young in high grass and frequently come back a few times during the day to nurse. After this hiding period, the young follow and accompany their mother with the herd.

jackals masai mara

Photo courtesy of Patrick Reynolds

It is also not uncommon to see Black Backed Jackals try their hand at running down scrub hares and fawns of many other species of gazelles, on the 19th two jackals attempted to run down a scrub hare in the east marsh areas only to be spooked by a file of passing wildebeests who cut the jackal’s chase and gave a further head start to the scrub hare. We have had two sightings of the Side Striped Jackal near the managers crossing on the lower Bila Shaka, these Jackal species are becoming less seen and this could well be habitat pressure from the more dominant and successful Black Backed Jackal. There are good numbers of Impala breeding herds within the west marsh and riverine woodlands areas, early in the morning’s these herds move out to the more open areas then, and as temperatures rise they tend to move into thicker and perhaps more wooded habitats.  

Giraffe are being seen in most areas now, the riverine woodlands are good places to see them. There has been a herd of young and older males that have for the last few weeks spent much of their time between the camps, male giraffes will establish dominance via “necking”, after a necking battle, the males will often caress one another with their neck (which is sometimes misinterpreted as fighting). Older Male giraffe will travel great distances in search of oestrus cows.

Elephant in small breeding herds have also been coming and going through into the Musiara Marsh.

 elephants masai mara

Photo courtesy of Hemin Patel

Our guides noticed an elephant cow  who was limping and favouring her left front leg, we notified the parks rangers and on the 23rd at 11.30am the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust had treated her, she was a collared female and had a three year old female calf with her, they removed an arrow head from her top left shoulder following the successful operation she came around and was quickly re-united with her calf and has since been seen looking well.

 elephant rescue

Photo courtesy of Patrick Reynolds

Spotted Hyenas have also been very active since the zebra, topi and wildebeest have arrived enmasse. The East Marsh clan that are denned up close to the Musiara airstrip and also near the Bila Shaka riverbed have been feeding off wildebeest and their calves on a daily basis, 85% of what they are eating has been killed by themselves, they pose constant pressure to the resident lion prides. Vulture species are also being seen in larger flock sizes which is a good sign, the four main species being seen at any carcass setting are the Ruppell’s Griffin, White Backed, Lappet Faced and Hooded Vultures. Eland in small breeding herds will be seen on Topi Plains and Malima Tatu, up until a few days ago small herds of breeding bull elands were being seen in the West Marsh.

hyenas

Photo courtesy of Patrick Reynolds

Bat eared foxes have been very active on Topi Plains and Paradise Plains since the wildebeest have been resident; they are mainly insectivorous eating scarab beetles from the dung middens left behind by passing ungulates. Good time to see them are early mornings as they sun themselves, they have poor thermoregulation and need to warm up with the ambient warmth provided by the sun’s rays.We have had some exciting sightings of Wild Dog this month within the National Reserve, Wild Dog sightings in the Masai Mara are extremely rare and we have previously caught glimpses of them outside the reserve, so it was a real delight to see them within the reserve. 

wild dog

Photo courtesy of Justin Grammaticas

One caracal was seen briefly earlier on in the month near some rocky outcrops between the southern fan of Rhino Ridge and Paradise Plains; these small cats are seldom seen so a sighting is a true bonus. Serval Cats are more commonly seen.

Black Chested Snake Eagles are being seen on most Balanites trees as well as Martial eagles predominantly on Paradise Plains and the lower Bila Shaka areas.

Photo courtesy of Patrick Reynolds

Lion

The marsh pride lioness Charm and her two seven month old cubs were again seen very briefly in the north east marsh she has since moved back into the Masai conservancies along with her daughter Kito who is still with her four-six month old cubs. Lioness Rembo who had in May moved up with Charm and Kito has still not been seen again this side of the reserve. The three older cubs, who are eleven months old are with Kabibi and Dada, had been seen on the north east of Malima Tatu earlier on the month and were seen eating the remains of a topi, they then have been seen in the gorge area along with Charm and her other two daughters and cubs. 

The two marsh males Karibu and Bahati that went up to the gorge area with the marsh pride females have been down into the marsh areas quite often, they were seen on the 6th and 8th of the month in the east marsh grasslands but have not been staying for long.

 lion masai mara

 Photo courtesy of Hemin Patel

Marsh lioness Yaya and her two 27 month old female sub-adult cubs have been residing in the south Bila Shaka river bed she has been seen hunting on the Silanga river bed, she has been feeding off wildebeest on a regular basis, the sub-adult with a bent tail is very active and is quite capable of taking over a kill made by her mother. On the 21st she and her cubs had moved into the south west grasslands of Paradise Plains. On the 25th she was seen chasing two female cheetahs and on the 26th she was seen taking down a wildebeest and had to compete with a clan of over 20 Hyena, they gave up and moved on.

The two lionesses daughters of iconic lioness Siena are the only members of the marsh pride that have been in residence for any length of time, one of them with the bent tail spot had two young cubs born in the lake Nakuru area of the centre Marsh, she had given birth sometime in mid July and then later on the 9th of the month she had moved them to behind tent 37 at the Governors camp. On the 18th she was seen moving one cub into the riverine woodlands beyond Governors Private Camp. The cubs have not been since, on the 26th she was seen being mated with the dominant male of the Paradise lion coalition, which leaves us a little worried for the fate of the cubs. The six Paradise male coalition have been very active within the west Musiara grasslands areas of the marsh; they were last seen in southern marsh areas, as the larger dominant male was seen mating with spot who had the two young cubs.

lion cubs masai mara

Photo courtesy of Justin Grammaticas

There is a collared male that has come from the Olare Orok Conservancy,  he passes through the north marsh areas quite frequently. Satellite data shows that this lion has been as far as the Kenyan/Tanzanian border, male lion travel great distances and much of this is done at night.

The four musketeers are being seen in the southern Paradise areas and are with the Paradise pride, scar is looking well although he still limps and spends much of his time with the lioness that has the three young two month old cubs, of all the four males Scar shows more altruistic behavior to his offspring. On the 26th Hunter, Morani and Sikio were eating two buffalo a cow and calf.

 lion masai mara

Photo courtesy of Hemin Patel

The Paradise Pride of six lionesses and their cubs of varying ages are still within the Mara River areas, avidly hunting between the wildebeest crossing points. The younger lioness has two cubs that are now at 8 months old. Three of the other lionesses have 9 cubs altogether of which three are 15 months old and five are 18 months old, these lionesses and their sub adult cubs have now been seen on the open Paradise Plains in the southern areas of Paradise Plains.

lioness masai mara

Photo courtesy of Justin Grammaticas

The Madomo Pride of 16 lion altogether including cubs and sub-adults have their home range from the Southern Topi Plains as far as the double crossing. This pride is thriving with many cubs of varying ages; lioness madomo has four 13 month old cubs, her sister lioness has three cubs that are now six months old, madomo’s daughter the pale lioness has two cubs that are nine months old. Madomo’s other sister has one cub that is five months old and this little cub is still a very active and solitary lion. Late last month Madomo’s older sister has two cubs that are six weeks old. They have been feeding off the many wildebeest that have passed through this area of Topi Plains. The two males Lipstick and Blackie have been seen below Emartii Hill and as far as the double crossing, coalition of male lion will always try and tenure more females and will more often venture in other dominant male lion territory, on the 27th the two males were seen and heard roaring heavily near the culvert on the Olare Orok side of the double crossing.

Leopard

Siri the female leopard has two nine month old cubs; recently she has been seen with one cub although guides have indicated maybe she still has two, she was seen hunting impala on the 7th evening above the Kopjes in the croton thickets earlier on in the month.

Saba of the Olare Orok and her two 13 month old cubs (a male and a female) have been very active with the male being seen more often that his sister, Saba has been feeding off wildebeest yearlings and impala; she has been seen on a daily basis and is very habituated to vehicles.

A male leopard upstream of Olkiombo has been seen, has been feeding off young wildebeest calves.

Ariana the female leopard of the BBC campsite been seen twice only, on the 4th and 2nd on both occasions it was late afternoon and early evening.

Bahati the female leopard with her two cubs a male and female that are nine months old of the southern bank of the Talek River; she again is a popular cat and has been seen frequently again this month; she has been feeding off warthog, impala and wildebeest calves.

Cheetah

Malaika with her two cubs (a male and a female) who are now fourteen months old; have moved on from the southern area of the reserve near the Talek River and is being seen near the Ronkai Depression, she is actively hunting Thompson’s and Grant’s Gazelles, there are very large open grassland plains here supporting large and loose herds of female Thompson’s and Impala.

Musiara the female cheetah has been seen close to the main crossings, she has been hunting Thompson Gazelles.

cheetah masai mara

Photo courtesy of Patrick Reynolds

Five male cheetahs; an all brother coalition have been seen earlier this month in the lower Bila Shaka areas, they hunt yearling Wildebeest and are very active; they move about in large circles.

The young female who is the daughter of Musiara was being seen in the south Paradise Plains areas again, she also moves around mostly at night and depending on the resident lion populations.

Another young female cheetah has been seen often below Emartii and also the double crossing areas, on the 19th she had killed a young female Thompson, she ate most of it before being robbed by three spotted Hyena and a Black Backed Jackal. On the 21st at 10.30am she was relaxing south of Emartii Hill, after that morning she attempted to hunt a female Thompson, she failed since her attempt was too late or perhaps even too hot in the day.

Nora’ the single female with her one 19 month old male cub; she was seen on the 6th and 18th south of the Ronkai depression.

Patrick Reynolds, Governors Il Moran Manager.

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