The first half of March was extremely wet, with 138 mm of rain recorded between the 1st and the 12th. The impact on the landscape was immediate, leaving much of the Mara saturated and vibrantly green. Despite challenging driving conditions and limited access to some areas, the reserve still delivered exceptional wildlife sightings.
Governors’ Camp – photo credit Ann Aveyard
The rains fell heavily, with classic Mara storms building from around 4 pm each afternoon. They gathered in intensity – dark, towering clouds rolling out across the open plains, complete with plenty of lightning and the deafening rumble of thunder.
A storm gathers over Rhino Ridge – photo credit Alisa Karstad
One of the unspoken perks of travel during the rainy season is the striking light and dramatic atmosphere for photography: vivid contrasts between the bright yellow tips of grasses, the luminous green patches of the expanding marsh, and textured skies heavy with energy and depth.
Photo credit Mary-Anne van der Byl
It’s worth noting that, although March was unusually wet, much of the rainfall was concentrated over just three days – the 3rd, 4th and 5th – when 117mm was recorded. Aside from a further 16mm overnight on the 12th, the rest of the month was largely dry.
With most of the rain falling at night, mornings often revealed exceptionally beautiful sunrises – postcard-perfect silhouettes set against glowing skies of deep rust and burnt orange. Some of the most striking sunrises are experienced in March.
Elephant silhouettes at sunrise – photo credit Ann Aveyard
The Musiara Marsh, naturally adapted to handle excess water, expanded dramatically – and at times resembled a shallow delta, with water spreading across large areas and making certain sections of it just out of reach.
The Musiara Marsh is a year-round water source – photo credit Alisa Karstad
In turn, birdlife was outstanding. Yellow-billed storks were frequently seen wading knee-deep, their bills held slightly open as they waited for movement. Using their distinctive “bill sweeping” technique to feed, they drag their bills from side to side through the rushing water, snapping them shut the moment they make contact with frogs or small fish, which are then swallowed whole.
The yellow-billed stork is a large African wading stork – photo credit Alisa Karstad
The Mara was so persistently wet at times, that many birds barely had time to dry out before the next shower arrived. Species with crests and feathered tufts – such as Verreaux’s eagle owls, bateleurs, and long-crested eagles took on a slightly bedraggled appearance.
A Verreaux’s eagle owl in the forest canopy – photo credit Alisa Karstad
Despite looking permanently soaked and somewhat unimpressed, they all showed remarkable resilience, holding their ground as they endured the unrelenting rain.
A Bateleur tries to dry out – photo credit Alisa Karstad
Catfish were swept out of the Musiara Marsh, spilling across roads and into roadside channels as the water spread. With the Mara River running high, some Nile crocodiles moved into areas where they are not usually seen. In places where dry, dusty tracks had turned into flowing streams, crocodiles lay in wait for the moment a catfish was pushed into their jaws by the flow of water.
A Nile crocodile waits for a catfish to be swept in its mouth – photo credit Alisa Karstad
A variety of terrapins reappeared across the Mara with the arrival of the rains, becoming widespread after months out of sight. During the dry, hot conditions of earlier months – particularly January – they enter a state of aestivation, burrowing into the ground to escape heat and water loss.
A Neumann’s Marsh Terrapin is a mud terrapin found in the Mara – photo credit Alisa Karstad
As the rains fell in February and March, they emerged from these self-made, air-filled chambers and became active once again. Aestivation can be thought of as a “summer sleep,” similar to hibernation in colder climates, allowing them to survive periods of drought and extreme temperatures.
The Mara River on 6 March – photo credit Alisa Karstad
The Mara River rose to unusually high levels this month, running fast and close to its banks. In the first week of March, the Riverline Pride – originally from the Mara Triangle – crossed into the Reserve. They were likely pushed over by pressure from the Nyati males, who dominate parts of the Triangle, and were then temporarily unable to return as water levels surged.
The Riverline Pride in Marsh territory – photo credit Alisa Karstad
The Riverline Pride is led by Muwaji and Oloiborr – a two-part coalition of males originating from the Oloololo area of the Mara Triangle. Despite their close partnership, the two are not related.
Oloiborr – photo credit Alisa Karstad
Muwaji, the older of the pair, first arrived in the Triangle as a solitary male with an unknown background. He eventually took over the Owino Pride on his own. Rather than killing the pride’s only young male (the son of the previous pride male, Olalashe), Muwaji spared him. In a remarkable turn of events, he effectively adopted the cub and watched him grow into adulthood.
That cub became Oloiborr (also known as Owino), and over time, the two formed a strong bond that eventually became inseparable. Sadly, we have not had any confirmed sightings of Muwaji for about five months, and as time goes on, we can only assume he is no longer.
The pride spent about a week in the area around Il Moran, and one morning, we watched them make a tentative attempt to bring down a hippo near Sentinel Mara Camp. With cooler temperatures, overcast skies, and the Mara River running high, hippos were often seen out of the water during the day. On this occasion, a couple of lionesses approached, but with the river close by, the hippo quickly retreated to safety.
An attempt to take down a hippo – photo credit Alisa Karstad
Fortunately, the dominant males on this side, the formidable Topi Boys, were occupied further towards Paradise Plains, and no conflict occurred. Despite the challenging conditions brought on by the rains, it proved to be an extraordinary period for lion sightings, with six cubs, seven females, and one male all moving within the immediate area around our Mara camps.
The Riverline Pride – photo credit Alisa Karstad
The Marsh Pride proved more elusive this month, keeping to the deeper reaches of the Musiara Marsh – areas that were largely inaccessible due to the saturated ground. Kito, the pride’s oldest and most experienced lioness, was seen on several occasions moving between the “Lake Nakuru” area and their familiar territory around Bila Shaka.
Kito is the matriarchal leader – photo credit Ann Aveyard
With the Mara exceptionally wet this month and new streams cutting through the landscape, Kaleo has been teaching her cubs one of the season’s essential skills – how to navigate and cross the many waterways safely.
Kaleo and her cubs – photo credit Ann Aveyard
Now around six months old, the two young males have reached a significant milestone, especially given how challenging early life in the wild can be. Kaleo has guided them through heavy rains, the presence of a foreign pride, and the constant threat posed by the large herd of buffalo moving through the area.
Photo credit Ann Aveyard
The cubs are the first to be sired by the Topi Boys and are therefore the heart of the pride. Nusurika, the youngest female, often keeps them entertained with her playful nature, while Kaleo rests nearby. Lola, a close companion of Kaleo’s, is a steady presence too, frequently joining her in keeping a watchful eye over them.
Kaleo and cubs on the move in March – photo credit Ann Aveyard
Kito’s daughters, Enkerai and Naserian, are likely next in line to produce cubs under the reign of the Topi Boys, with courting among the males an ongoing presence. Enkerai is reported to have already had a litter that did not survive beyond the den.
Moja Moja with Enkerai in March – photo credit Ann Aveyard
Lola, daughter of the late Marsh Pride lioness Rembo and granddaughter of Charm – the much-loved heroine of the BBC series Dynasties – continues a strong lineage within the pride. She was seen being courted by Otipo in March, and, having successfully raised her last cub, Nusurika, to adulthood, she is well-positioned to become a mother again.
Otipo and Lola – photo credit Ann Aveyard
Nusurika now bears a few distinctive scars across her face after tense encounters with the Topi Boys. As the youngest female of the pride, she occasionally finds herself under pressure from the males, at times cornered by two or three of them. Still a little intimidated, she tends to react by lashing out, which has led to a few retaliatory swipes.
Nusurika – photo credit Ann Aveyard
It’s rare to see all seven males together. Like most coalitions, they split into smaller groups of two or three to patrol their territory more effectively. Throughout March, the Topi Boys focused their movements east of Bila Shaka, and around the start of Rhino Ridge and Paradise Plains.
Djodjo and Nzuri at Bila Shaka on 31st March – photo credit Ann Aveyard
Djodjo is one of the largest males in the coalition – photo credit Ann Aveyard
This positioning helped them avoid direct encounters with the Riverline Pride male Oloiborr and from potentially killing the young cubs, which all remained in the northern reaches of the territory.
Moja Moja, Kiongozi and Nzuri – photo credit Ann Aveyard
Occasionally, four or five of the males come together to take advantage of an opportunity, particularly when a buffalo strays from the resident herd. With the Mara River running high, many hippos have been spending more time out of the water, leaving them exposed and vulnerable – particularly with the males concealed in the long grass.
One morning, we found Moja Moja and Kiongozi feeding on a hippo that had died of natural causes. It had collapsed in the stream crossing the track to Musiara airstrip, and by the following day, floodwaters had carried it downstream, where it became lodged against the airstrip bridge. The carcass provided a substantial food source for the Topi Boys and Kaleo and her cubs over several days.
After Vuli first moved into Paradise Plains territory in February, Kiongozi has also begun to explore the area, and was seen with a female there on 13th March.
Kiongozi is the youngest male and has been spending more time on his own, sometimes on the fringes of the coalition and occasionally caught up in internal tensions. Kaleo, in particular, seems wary of him being near her cubs, which can trigger conflict amongst the others – especially as Nzuri increasingly takes on a protective role around them.
Kiongozi – photo credit Ann Aveyard
One such internal encounter was observed on 2 March, when Nzuri – older and known for his temperamental nature – took up a protective position beside a lioness and clearly asserted his dominance, pushing Kiongozi away. This ongoing behaviour is demonstrating Nzuri’s growing influence within the coalition.
Nzuri stands outside of Il Moran Camp – photo credit Ann Aveyard
The unprecedented and dramatic weather completely transformed the familiar Masai Mara landscape. Heavy rainfall caused the Mara River to breach its banks in some areas, while the famous Musiara Marsh expanded far beyond its usual borders. Even the usually small drainage gullies burst their confines, flooding across huge areas. While these torrential downpours present logistical challenges, they also trigger an absolute explosion of life, creating a sprawling aquatic haven for the region’s phenomenal birdlife.
The grey heron – Photo credit Alisa Karstad
The extensively flooded expanses of the Mara proved to be a paradise for African Open-billed Storks, which arrived in large numbers. These highly nomadic waders are naturally drawn to sudden inundations, rapidly congregating to seek out the aquatic snails and other invertebrates that flourish in the newly formed, nutrient-rich shallows. The sight of their dark silhouettes, descending on the marsh en masse, was a true highlight of the month’s safaris.
Their fascinating foraging behaviour is a marvel of evolutionary design. The prominent gap in their specialised beak is not a defect, but a perfectly engineered tool designed to hold slippery, spherical snail shells securely. Acting much like a precision nutcracker, it allows the stork to expertly extract the meat without shattering the shell itself.
African Open-billed Storks – photo credit Alisa Karstad
Yellow-throated Longclaw
Moving slightly away from the marsh interior and into the waterlogged savannah grasses, the vibrant Yellow-throated Longclaw has been a cheerful, bright sight amidst the overcast weather. The heavy rains have triggered an emergence of insects, providing a constant feast for these ground-dwelling hunters.
During the breeding season, Yellow-throated Longclaws construct incredibly well-hidden, cup-shaped nests directly on the ground. However, the sheer volume of this month’s rainfall has undoubtedly tested their resilience, forcing breeding pairs to seek out the slightly higher, better-drained ridges of the Reserve to ensure the safety of their clutches. Despite the damp conditions, their brilliant yellow chests bordered by a stark black collar remain a favourite splash of colour for wildlife photographers.
Yellow-throated Longclaw – photo credit Alisa Karstad
Wattled Lapwing
Closer to the reserve’s tracks, where the sheer volume of water caused small gullies to burst across vast stretches of land – such as the impressive deluge witnessed at Manager’s Crossing – Wattled Lapwings have been making their presence loudly known. These large, charismatic plovers are impossible to ignore, sporting bright yellow facial wattles and delivering piercing, metallic alarm calls at any perceived threat. The newly formed, muddy fringes of these flooded crossings have provided them with ideal foraging grounds to hunt for beetles and termites displaced by the rising water tables.
As fiercely protective ground-nesters, Wattled Lapwings are highly entertaining to observe. Their elaborate courtship involves dramatic bowing displays and highly vocal territorial flights.
Wattled Lapwing – photo credit Alisa Karstad
Wahlberg’s Eagle
Pairs of Wahlberg’s Eagles were notable features this month. As a dynamic intra-African migrant, this highly adaptable raptor often moves in synchrony with the shifting rains, arriving in East Africa to capitalise on the sheer abundance of prey flushed out by the wet season. They vary in plumage, ranging from a dark chocolate brown to a pale morph, which frequently keeps amateur birders on their toes.
These eagles are agile and opportunistic hunters, often spotted scanning the waterlogged earth from the high, exposed branches of various trees. From these vantage points, they are perfectly positioned to swoop down on unwary reptiles, small mammals, or even ground birds that have been distracted or displaced by the heavy downpours.
Wahlberg’s Eagle – photo credit Alisa Karstad
Grey Kestrel
Sharing the exposed branches above the saturated plains, Grey Kestrels were also observed making the most of the wet conditions. Unlike many other falcons that prefer open cliffs, the Grey Kestrel is deeply associated with palm trees and dense riverine woodlands.
Their diet primarily consists of large insects, small lizards, and amphibians, all of which have been forced out of their subterranean hiding places by the rising groundwater. Rather than building their own nests, breeding pairs resourcefully commandeer tree cavities or the massive, abandoned stick nests of Hamerkops to rear their young.
Grey Kestrel- photo credit Alisa Karstad
By Jess Savage and Alisa Karstad with imagery contributed by Ann Aveyard Photography, Alisa Karstad and Mary-Anne van der Byl. If you’d like to learn more about a safari during the month of March, please visit the link below.
Dear Readers,
Please note that from the end of March, our monthly Weather & Wildlife Reports will transition to a quarterly format. Going forward, reports will be shared in three-month editions – covering April, May and June, followed by July, August and September, and so on throughout the year. Thank you for your understanding and continued interest. We look forward to sharing more comprehensive seasonal insights in this new format.
A SAFARI IN MARCH
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