Zebra Gets Briefs Torn By Crocs - The Migration is On!

by sales@heritagehotels.co.ke

18 July 2011

Overview

Mara is green and lush following the rains. The tall golden grass is interspersed with short patches of grass, which are littered with white waste-paper tissue flowers. The ravines and rivers are as yet not full of water and therefore easy to traverse.

The predators are having an easy time hunting due to the increase in herbivores. With the danger lurking in the tall grass, the herbivores are moving to the north-west conservancy and the Olare Orok Conservancy, up to the east of the reserve where the plains are covered with short grass. These are the routes taken when migrating from the Loita Plains via Aitong.

Wildebeest Migration

The wildebeest are in the Mara having crossed Sand River in large herds. They are showing signs of separating. Some are facing west around Roan Hill towards Mara Bridge. South of Look Out Hill another group is facing north towards Meta Plains, Central Plains and Possee Plain, which are south of Mara Intrepid Camp.

The herds look healthy because of the palatable grass. They are busy ranting - chasing each other around and the males are trying to keep the females. The males fight using their horns as weapons to win dominancy. The calves are healthy. The migration towards the Mara River is slow due to the rains in the southern part of the reserve - the grass is moist and the natural pools full of water. Hence it’s safer for the wildebeest to drink from the pools than trekking to the crocodile-infested Mara River.

The perils of the crossings are highlighted - in a small way - in the dramatic pictures below. John Kerore Parmasau, one of our Senior guides at Mara Intrepids captured when a hapless zebra was staring death in the face - rump if you may - and lived to bray it!

Blood oozes from a cut where sharp canines from the huge jaws of Nile crocodiles bit

The wildebeest on this bank think twice about crossing as they follow the unfolding drama

Our champ has fought the good fight..

And has a huge scar to show..

Just some torn briefs. Could 've been worse!

Looks like someone up there answers bray-ers.

Big cats sighting Lions The lions are all around the Mara Intrepids Camp. Notch and his son continue to dominate the largest part of the reserve. The Olkiombo Pride and the Marsh Pride are still controlled by the male pride.

Leopards Olive and her two cubs of different ages (Kayoni and the young female cub) are regularly seen between Mara Intrepids Camp and Rekero Camp. Pacha is back with his mother. The four were seen with a warthog kill west of Mara Intrepids Camp.

Big Boy relaxing

Olive also tried to hunt a young giraffe north of Olkiombo airstrip but the mother rescued it. However the foal sustained serious injuries on the neck and throat. Cheetahs

The three brothers moved to Olare Orok Camp. Shingo, the mother of six cubs is east of Mara Intrepids Camp. Two young expectant females are at Bila Shaka and Topi Plain. Saba and her young male cub are around Musiara. A young female cheetah gave birth six kilometres east of Mara Intrepids Camp.

Others

The Mara ecosystem is thriving. Food is aplenty, and this is the ideal rutting season for most animals. Game viewing is also good, with a variety of birds and animals easily spotted.

Game Goes On A Drive!

by sales@heritagehotels.co.ke

5 July 2011

Guests at Mara Intrepids got more than they had bargained for on a game drive recently. A young cheetah, Shingo, decided to hop on to the jeep - let's just say, the guest were game!

The young leopard was also very obliging for a photo shoot. Pictures courtesy of Edwin Mirara and Dickson Chelule, Mara Intrepids. The video is property of MrSimbaMara 

Masai Mara Game Watch

by sales@heritagehotels.co.ke

5 July 2011

Overview

It’s raining every afternoon in Maasai Mara but despite that the rivers are still low. The plains are already full of tall red oat grass especially between the Talek and Olare Orok rivers and also in the southern part of Mara Intrepid camp and the Possee Plain all the way down to the border of Mara and the Serengeti. The area between Rhino Ridge and Paradise Plain to the main crossing at Mara River is also covered with tall grass, forcing all the herbivores to seek refuge in places with short grass in the eastern and northern part of the Ridge.

The long rains were not wide spread this year, so some parts of the reserve and its adjacent areas are drying up and hence forcing the herbivores to move into the reserve early than expected. The Loita herds of wildebeest and zebras are here, roaming from Musiara Marsh to the game reserve border. Other places with high concentration of plain game are west of Lookout Hill, across Talek River south of Mara Intrepids Camp and Maji-ya-Eland, west of Mara Intrepids Camp and Maji-ya-Fisi and Shamarta and Paradise Plain.

Big Cats Sightings

Lions

Some of the prides are still enjoying the herds of wildebeest, especially the Marsh Pride, the Ridge Pride and the Olkiombo Pride. The Marsh Pride is still intact with their old males. The Ridge Pride has separated into four groups of different numbers occupying small sections of their territory. Between Olare Orok and Intiakitiak there are 32 lions including Notch and his sons. A group of four lionesses and eight cubs of seven months are found between Mara Intrepids Camp and Rekero Camp going further to the junction of Mara River and Talek River. Notch and his sons are in charge of the group. The Olkiombo Pride has split into three groups and has increased to 42 lions. One group of 12 individuals which in the last three years had moved to the Olare Orok Conservancy is back in the game reserve occupying Chuvi-Chuvi along Intiakitiak River. It has eight cubs of three years old and four lionesses. It looks like Notch and his four sons might take over this pride as they have been seen trailing the pride. Four lionesses, four sub-adults and three cubs from the Olkiombo Pride are between Fig Tree Camp and Mara Intrepids Camp. When Cheza, Sala and Junior took over Maji-ya-Fisi Pride, a group of three lionesses and nine cubs of two years followed them. Now they have six cubs of nine month and three males which make a total of 22 members.

Leopards

Sadly Olive lost one of her two cubs between Mara Intrepids Camp and Double Crossing. She has been seen roaming with Kayoni and her surviving one-year-old cub. Pacha is wandering along Olare Orok up to Rhino Ridge and marking his territory. Big Boy has not seen of recent but when last he was seen with a badly wounded back leg.

Cheetahs

The three brothers moved to OOC with Shingo the mother of six cubs and three junior brothers south of Mara Intrepids Camp towards Lookout Hill. Two young expectant females are at Bila Shaka and Topi Plain. Saba and Alama who were at Olkiombo have moved west of Mara Intrepids Camp.

*Did you know the Disney movie, African Cats was shot near Mara Intrepids and Explorer camps? Well now you know!

Report by Dixon Chelule, Assistant Head Guide Mara Intrepids Camp and Paul Kirui, Head Guide, Heritage Hotels. Pictures by Dixon Chelule and Paul Kirui.