Mara: Wednesday 29th September 2004

The ‘Second Migration’ currently blessing the Maasai Mara has moved into a spectacular new phase, as the wildebeest herds abandon the overgrazed central plains for greener and lusher pastures on the edge of the reserve. Most of the herds that had congregated on the Central and Burrungat plains have now moved northwards across the Talek River to graze on the Paradise Plains, the areas around Musiara Gate, and the villages beyond the reserve border.



However, there remain large herds on the Central Plains around the Mara Intrepids and Explorer camps, where several staff believe the concentration is the greatest in more than 10 years. As a result, most parts of the Eastern Mara are seeing only very scanty herds, although there are more zebras than usual between Sekenani and Talek gates.



Bella the female leopard continues to give superb sightings to Explorer guests along the Talek River, where she has set up a perfect ‘ambush spot’ overlooking one of the busier crossing points. The Olkiombo pride of lions are just a few kilometres upstream, where they are also enjoying a productive period of hunting.



Crossings continue to be active at the Paradise Point, where more animals are still arriving from the Mara Conservancy. The concentration of herds is also high in the Conservancy itself, although the herds are thinning out in the northern section around Oloololo Gate.



Watch this space for more epic news from one of the greatest wildebeest migrations ever!

Mara: Tuesday 5th October 2004

October 4th 2004



Subtle signs in the patterns of wildebeest movements across the Mara confirm that the exodus back to the Serengeti has now begun in earnest. After weeks of crossing the Mara River in an easterly direction, the herds have at last begun to head back en masse into the Mara Conservancy. At the southern end of the Conservancy, the herds that have been congregating here have now begun to drift further south towards the Tanzanian border.



Despite these early signs of a mass southerly movement, there remains a high concentration of wildebeest in the central Mara Triangle, with some herds moving north towards Oloololo Gate and crossing into Musiara Marsh before heading back south. Last week saw continuing eastward crossings near Lookout Hill, with small groups joining with the larger herds moving south from Roan Hill and Possee Plain.



The general confusion of all these late movements has probably been exacerbated by an unexpected early rainfall, which has watered much of the Mara over the past week. However, the late movements have also had unexpected benefits for the resident leopard and cheetah, who have been treating guests at Mara Intrepids and Explorer to a host of exciting – and often successful – hunts. It has also provided an unexpected boost to filmmakers who are in the area producing a sixth series of the record-breaking documentary Big Cat Diary, which the BBC will be showing as Big Cat Week in early January 2005.



Stay on this page, for more breaking news from the never-ending 2004 migration!

Mara: Friday 8th October 2004

October 8th 2004



True to our reports last week, the mass exodus of wildebeest from the Maasai Mara has finally begun in earnest. A rare scattering of rain in the southern Mara last week may have signalled to the herds that their departure is now overdue.



It continues to be a busy time at the Paradise crossing point, with most wildebeest crossing over to the Mara Conservancy before heading south towards the Serengeti. Those from Rhino Ridge and Bila Shaka continue to cross the Talek River near Mara Intrepids before heading south onto the Burrungat and Central plains. There have also been a lot of eastward crossings near Lookout Hill, before the herds turn south towards the Tanzanian border.



However, the overall picture is still not without confusion, with some rangers at Sand River Gate reporting some herds starting to head north again! The herds from the Loita Hills are also ‘hanging around’ – perhaps reluctant to leave our little piece of paradise! But then again, these herds are always the last to leave…

Mara: Monday 18th October 2004

The wildebeest herds have continued their southbound trek over the past week, leaving only isolated clusters on the Mara plains. There have been almost constant westward crossings at the Paradise crossing point and Lookout Hill, while long lines of wildebeest continue to snake south across the plains.

Most of the Loita herds, meanwhile, continue to remain in the reserve, as they often tend to do. The common plains game that often accompany the wildebeest herds – Topi, Thomson’s gazelles, and Impala – are also still around in large numbers, providing plentiful targets for one mother cheetah training her three young cubs on the plains.

The other big cats have also been active, with two prides of lions and Bella the leopard all successfully hunting, particularly at the busy river crossings near the Mara Intrepids and Explorer camps. These cats are providing a field day for the presenters of the BBC’s Big Cat Week, which is shooting its sixth series in preparation for its airing in the first week of January 2005.

Watch this space for more news from the world’s wildest frontline next week!

Mara: Tuesday 26th October 2004

With the continuing failure of the short rains in the northern Serengeti, the wildebeest herds have temporarily abandoned their mass southbound movement – giving Kenyan visitors the unexpected treat of wildebeest on the Mara plains in late October. Those herds still in the Mara can be seen mainly around Rhino Ridge, the Bila Shaka area, Engoikwaatet salt lick in the Mara Triangle, and the central plains around Mara Intrepids and Explorer camps.



The herds are now concentrating in the areas that were not burned last month, where there is still some grass. (The areas burned in September remain bare as there has not been sufficient rain to bring back the grass.) Over the past two or three days, there have been scattered showers over most areas of the Mara, which we believe will keep the wildebeest here for a little longer.



The Big Cats, meanwhile, continue to seize the unexpected glut of hunting opportunities. Bella the leopard and her cub are still at their favorite ambush sites along the banks of the Talek River. Twice in the past week she has had to battle with baboons to save her cub from their menacing advances. The Olkiombo pride of lions has also been busy hunting the transient herds at various crossing points on the Talek, while the cubs of Kike the cheetah have been seen several times just south of the Talek on the Burrungat Plains.

Mara: Monday 1st November 2004

The great wildebeest migration proved its capacity for constant surprises this week, when – a week after they appeared to be leaving Kenya for good – tens of thousands of wildebeest decided to remain behind in the Maasai Mara.



Throughout the Mara, the wildebeest began moving against the flow of their usual migratory patterns, with some herds heading north inside the Mara Conservancy and east at the Paradise crossing point, while others congregated to the south of the Conservancy Headquarters and up the main escarpment. At Musiara Marsh, the week brought the highest concentration of the entire migration, while – despite poor grass cover across most of the central Mara – there remained large herds around Rhino Ridge, Mara Intrepids and Explorer camps, the Burrungat Plains, and Lookout Hill.



With the dry weather earlier in the week, the main watering holes were teeming with activity, although widespread showers in the latter half of the week caused many of the herds to start drifting away from the waterpoints. Most of us are still expecting the herds to start leaving for the Serengeti soon, but we remain reluctant to make a definitive pronouncement on the subject while the wildebeest continue to exhibit such a strong mind of their own!



Once again, the only way to be completely sure of what is happening on the ground is to tune in to your ever-regular, ever-reliable Migration Update from Heritage Hotels!

Mara: Tuesday 14th September 2004

September 13th 2004



With the return of a ‘second migration’ from the northern Serengeti over the past fortnight, guests in the Maasai Mara have been treated to a host of wild experiences usually reserved for the busier months of July and August. Besides the denser wildebeest herds on the Central, Meta and Burrrungat plains, it has been a busy couple of weeks on the Mara River, with hundreds of animals still crossing into the Mara Conservancy close to Lookout Hill. In the middle of last week, large herds also began crossing at the Paradise point in the eastern part of the river. For the remainder of the week, visitors were treated to crossings that lasted between two and three hours each morning.



While the herds on the Burrungat and Meta plains have begun to move eastwards towards Sekenani Gate, those building up in the Mara Conservancy have also begun drifting towards the northern part of the reserve. However, with the grass getting longer as they move towards Oloololo Gate, their progress is expected to slow down during the next week. Some of the herds that had gathered on the Burrungat Plains the week before last have since crossed the Talek River and are now congregating in the vicinity of Rhino Ridge. Although overall wildebeest numbers have remained lower than usual this year – with many herds remaining in the well-watered northern Serengeti – the migration has made up for any lack of numbers with a record-breaking show of longevity.



Keep watching this space, as the guides from Heritage Hotels continue to bring you the latest ‘breaking news’ from the migration frontline!

Mara: Saturday 18th September 2004

September 17th 2004



The rains that pounded the Maasai Mara last week continued to dictate the patterns of our surprise ‘second migration’ this week. Most of the wildebeest continued to congregate in the short grass areas on the central plains, which were recently burned to promote their growth. There were also active river crossings of herds moving into the Mara Conservancy by Lookout Hill, as well as others crossing the Talek River near Mara Intrepids on their way north to Rhino Ridge.



Meanwhile, thousands of wildebeest who had earlier crossed westwards by Lookout Hill have begun crossing eastwards at the Paradise crossing point. With the plains in the Conservancy increasingly denuded by grazing, more animals are also heading north towards Oloololo Gate, where the grass is generally longer and tougher.



The prides of lions in our game-viewing area continue to have a field day as the herds pass through their territory. Bella, the leopard star of the BBC’s Big Cat Diary, is also providing regular sightings, as are several resident cheetah. Once again, this year’s ‘second migration’ is providing visitors to the Mara with some of the best game-viewing on record.

Mara: Monday 6th September 2004

September 4th 2004



The concentration of wildebeest in the Maasai Mara has intensified considerably over the past week, with continuing showers on the Central and Burrungat plains leading to an unexpected ‘second migration’. Despite predictions of an early exodus of the Serengeti herds, the wildebeest have once again confounded scientific wisdom by moving north to stay with the greener pastures on the Kenyan side of the border.



During the past few days, our surveys have shown that most of the herds that had settled on the burnt plains in the northern Serengeti are now moving back into the Mara en masse, making their situation look like a ‘new beginning’ to the migration. There are a few active crossing points by Lookout Hill, with lots of animals crossing into the Mara Triangle, while a second, larger herd is currently crossing the Talek River near Mara Intrepids and Explorer. Some of these animals are even beginning to retrace their earlier eastward steps towards Sekenani Gate.



The big cats – lions, leopards and cheetahs – continue to have a field day, lining up in the choicest ambush locations along the Talek River. The local resident leopard, Bella, has been particularly active, notching up kills of a wildebeest and a Grant’s gazelle over the past couple of days.



While large wildebeest herds remain in the Mara Conservancy, particularly along the base of the escarpment, we have also been witnessing daily crossings to the Paradise Plains at the Paradise crossing points. Even more movement is predicted in the coming week, with continuing light showers across much of the Mara.



Watch this space for more breaking news from the migration frontline!