As June settled over the Masai Mara, the climate began its seasonal shift, and dry-season patterns started to emerge. The landscape is still green, but with the skies clearing and the ground firming up, the Mara’s long grasses began to dry out and go to seed, creating a very gradual change of colour across the open plains.
After the long rains, which lasted from March through to the end of May, the grass was long and thick, making predator viewing a little challenging at times. Only a tail flick, ear twitch, or the top of a lion’s head might be visible — and that’s easy to miss without trained eyes. While long golden grasses add to the authenticity of the safari experience, patience and skilled guiding become even more essential during these months.
Photo credit Ann Aveyard
June is often referred to as a transition month or shoulder month in the Masai Mara, both weather-wise and ecologically. Rainfall decreased sharply in June, with only 47 mm recorded for the month, compared to 168.5 mm recorded in May. Days were clear, sunny, and mild, making for perfect game-driving conditions.
From the middle of the month onwards, the Mara River was at a very low level, and the elephants began crossing it once again as part of their daily routine. It is always fascinating to watch them, knee-deep, navigating their way across with young, vulnerable calves who are sometimes being introduced to water for the first time.
Elephants crossing the Mara River – photo credit Ann Aveyard
Hippos have now retreated to their preferred section of the river, although many remain in the heavily congested and well-known hippo pool, which is on the agenda for most of our game drives. In the river, most hippos are huddled together tightly in pods, and for the most part, they remain calm, although territorial fights are not uncommon.
A hamerkop fishes from a hippo’s back – photo credits Ann Aveyard
Towards the end of June, large herds of zebras and topis, interspersed with elands and Thomson’s gazelles, started congregating around the short grass plains north of Musiara and west of Bila Shaka. The movement of these zebras, which trek down from the northern conservancies to meet up with the migratory herds arriving from the south, is known as the mini migration. A number of them have already been crossing the Mara River.
Zebras from Mara North move into the Reserve – photo credit Ann Aveyard
Looking east of the Musiara airstrip, towards Milima Tatu and the lone tree area, the plains are rather empty in comparison; had there been no rain in April and May, the grazers would have shifted across to Paradise Plains, where the grass is short and sweet.
Topis at Malima Tatu area – photo credit Ann Aveyard
Elephants sense the arrival of the migration, and many of the large herds move away from the plains and into quieter areas such as the acacia woodland that borders the Reserve. They do not like the chaos, noise and general disturbance that the wildebeests bring, and only some solitary bulls remain behind.
One such bull is Harry, who the Mara Elephant Project officially named after one of our resident photographers, Harry Blakey, who spent three months photographing him and donated many of the proceeds to the project.
Harry in the Musiara Marsh – photo credit Ann Aveyard
On the shorter grass plains, black-backed jackals were frequently seen on game drives, trotting along in pairs, ever alert for opportunities to scavenge or snatch up small prey. As opportunistic feeders and masterful lurkers, we often find them feeding on leftovers from lion kills, and less commonly on anything they have hunted themselves. However, jackals are also opportunistic hunters – well known for their sharp intelligence – and although they do not set out to hunt, if the opportunity presents itself, they will seize the moment and take down their prey.
A spotted hyena and jackal confront each other – photo credit Ann Aveyard
We were lucky to find a pair of jackals feeding on a male Thomson’s gazelle in June. Although we did not witness the hunt, it was clear that the pair had very recently taken down the gazelle by a series of aggressive bites to its back legs. The jackals would have persevered with the chase and eventually exhausted and injured the gazelle to such an extent that eating it alive was the easiest part of the kill.
A black-backed jackal feeds on a Thomson’s gazelle – photo credit Ann Aveyard
Servals, though elusive, are more easily spotted in the open grasslands during the early mornings and late afternoons, using their remarkable hearing and quick reflexes to pounce on rodents and birds. These lesser-known hunters add a fascinating layer to the Mara’s predator hierarchy, showcasing agility, adaptability, and sharp survival instincts in a landscape dominated by much larger carnivores.
A serval stalks through the long grass – photo credit Ann Aveyard
The Big Cat activity for June was excellent. Despite the long grass, the Marsh Pride have been relatively easy to locate each morning. With cooler days following the rains, sightings have been consistent and rewarding.
After a long period of resistance, Marsh Pride female, Kito, has finally accepted the Topi Boys coalition, following the departure of Oleku to Mara North in May. With Oleku no longer in the picture, Kito appears to have shifted her attention to the young males and is now regularly seen in their company.
Kito – photo credit Ann Aveyard
At the beginning of the month, Kito was observed mating with three different males from the coalition — a strong indication that she has fully accepted their dominance and is ready to integrate with the new leadership. Our guides reported that Moja Moja (M3), Vuli (M5) and Kiongozi (the youngest) all mated with Kito in June.
Kito leading the way for one of the Topi Boys – photo credit Ann Aveyard
While Lola is still lying low with her two tiny cubs, her female companion, Kaleo, has been more visible, mating plenty with both Ukingo (M1) and Nzuri (M6). We are very hopeful that she may soon contribute a new litter of cubs to the Marsh Pride, which is slowly regaining stability under the leadership of the Topi Boys.
Kaleo and Nzuri – photo credit Ann Aveyard
Kito’s daughters, Enkerai and Naserian, have also been actively engaged with the Topi Boys, particularly with Moja Moja (M3) and Nzuri (M6). After a period of instability and change, the consistency and dominance of the Topi Boys are bringing much-needed cohesion back to the pride. If successful, this wave of mating could signal the resurgence of the Marsh Pride in the months to come.
Enkerai mating with Moja Moja – photo credit Ann Aveyard
The Topi Boys continued to take down buffalo throughout June, and covering the eyes of their prey is a hunting strategy for which they are well known. Their transformation since attempting a pride takeover back in December has been remarkable; what began as a gamble by inexperienced young males has evolved into a story of success, as they now emerge as confident sub-adults, with thickening manes and growing physical strength marking their steady rise in the territory.
Otipo (M2) – photo credit Ann Aveyard
Vuli (M5) – photo credit Ann Aveyard
Kiongozi – photo credit Ann Aveyard
The Paradise Pride are thriving. The three young males are doing really well, growing up with confidence under the protection of their fathers, the notorious Bila Shaka males. The pride also has a new cub, born to one of the unnamed five young females that is known simply as “young adult”. This particular lioness is easily identifiable by a distinctive notch in her right ear.
A new cub for the Paradise Pride – photo credit Ann Aveyard
Notable cheetah sightings included the three-part coalition known as Siligis’s Boys – comprising Osiligi, Olopono, and Oldanyet – that were observed in the Mara Triangle. These males were born in April 2021 in the Reserve by the famous Siligi. They were a litter of five when their mother brought them out of the lair; unfortunately, two of the cubs died shortly after they were first seen.
Siligis’s Boys – photo credit Ann Aveyard
Towards the end of 2021, she led her young trio across the border into the Serengeti. For two years, the young cheetahs grew up in the Northern Serengeti, learning, adapting, and surviving. Then, in July 2023, the brothers made a return to the Mara. Since then, they’ve been observed moving between the Northern Serengeti and the Mara Triangle; however, for the past few months, they’ve mainly made the Mara Triangle their home (information provided by the Mara Predator Conservation Programme).
It was also wonderful to catch up with wandering male, Ruka, and another female known as Nashipai; thanks to Cheetah Enthusiast for assisting with identifications.
Ruka – photo credit Ann Aveyard
Nashipai – photo credit Ann Aveyard
In the world of elusive leopards, June also proved to be a successful month, having spotted beautiful Faulu, the leopardess daughter of Fig, whose territory spans the Double Crossing area between the Reserve and Olare Motorogi Conservancy. Faulu was guarding a freshly killed Thomson’s gazelle, which she had stashed high up in a tree.
Faulu – photo credit Ann Aveyard
Scores of Rüppell’s long-tailed starlings are ever-present around the Musiara marsh and on the banks of the Mara River, where they feed on armies of ants and small invertebrates such as worms. At first glance, these glossy birds with a striking white eye and a long, graduated tail appear black, but under good sunlight, they reveal a very pretty purple iridescence.
Rüppell’s long-tailed starling – photo credit Ann Aveyard
African spoonbills are wading birds often found on the flat banks of the Mara River and around other large bodies of water, such as the hyacinth-covered hippo pool at Bila Shaka. As the river levels decreased and more sandbanks became exposed, these long-legged waterbirds were suddenly more apparent, moving back and forth through the shallow water, using their spoon-shaped bill to snap up their prey.
African spoonbills live in breeding colonies – photo credit Ann Aveyard
Within each of our campgrounds, brown parrots (also known as Meyer’s parrots) can be spotted high up in the canopy, along with other forest-dwelling species such as turacos and the elusive Narina trogon.
Meyer’s parrots are social birds – photo credit Ann Aveyard
The bird sighting of the month was a martial – Africa’s largest eagle – that swooped down and snatched a helmeted guineafowl before dragging it a short distance and tearing into it. While these iconic raptors normally focus their efforts on smaller mammals such as antelope fawns or warthog piglets, they are also known to hunt other birds.
A martial eagle feeds on a guinea fowl – photo credit Ann Aveyard
By Jess Savage. Thank you to Ann Aveyard for the supporting imagery. If you’d like to learn more about a safari in June, please visit the link below.
A SAFARI IN JUNE
