News from the Maasai Mara, Kenya Saturday 26th November 2005

Just as we had expected, the wildebeest began trickling back into the Serengeti earlier this month, leaving only a handful of herds on the Kenyan side of the border. Looking around as you drive across the Mara, this is hardly surprising: most of the plains are now almost devoid of grass. A combination of poor rains and overgrazing has meant little grass on this side of the border, and encouraged the herds to continue their great march south.

The wildebeest will now be away from the Mara until next June at the earliest, when the long rains will once again have coated the plains in lush new grass. In the meantime, the Big Cats and our other famous predators will have to devise new and smarter means of tracking down prey from their thoroughly depleted menu. They will also have to go for longer between meals, although they have proved themselves easily adaptable to this challenge. Once again, Nature will bring its ‘survival’ processes to bear, for it is only the fittest predators that will survive into the next season – ensuring the passage of the strongest genes to the next generation...

Predators
Over the last fortnight, the Mara cats have been having their last easy meals before the final migrating animals leave. Many wildebeest and zebra skeletons still litter the plains in evidence of the last season of plenty. From now on, the lion prides will become more mobile in their search for food, particularly those with young cubs. In recent days, the Ridge pride has been roaming around the southern base of Rhino Ridge, Mara Intrepids and the ‘Double Crossing’ area. One female has four-month-old cubs in tow, while a second has a one-month-old litter.

Bella, our female leopard star, is still together with her cub, and the pair continue to patrol their usual territory along the Talek River - much to the delight of Intrepids guests. Kike, our female cheetah star, is still around and looking ever more pregnant. There is also a second cheetah on the Paradise Plains with three very small cubs, which have provided our guests with record sightings this season.

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News from the Maasai Mara, Kenya Wednesday 2nd November 2005

Defying time and tradition, huge herds of wildebeest are still to be found in the northern Mara, where Kenya’s most celebrated visitors have continued to enjoy a busy ‘second migration’. With the rest of the Mara left largely bare of grass from the first migration in July/August, the northern area was spared – providing a handy grazing reserve for the wildebeest on their second run through. Over the past week, most of the herds have been congregating in the northern part of the ‘Mara Triangle’ near Oloololo Gate and the Olpunyata Plains. To the east, there are still some herds around Rhino Ridge, Paradise Plains and Musiara, while sporadic herds can also be seen in transit between the Talek River and Roan Hill.

Earlier this week, our visitors were treated to several mass river crossings at the Paradise point, with thousands of animals passing west into the Triangle in what is believed to be the first sign of a mass exodus. Although river levels are normal, the stampeding animals have left behind a lot of casualties, providing a feast for the few crocodiles that still have an appetite left over from August. There was a moment of drama when the river current swept a handful of wildebeests towards a pod of hippos, causing considerable consternation (but no casualties) among both parties!

Predators
With another season of plenty upon them, all of the big cats in our game viewing territory have been having their fill a second time over. The Ridge pride of lions recently killed 10 wildebeest near Mara Intrepids’ airstrip over two nights – a record for our area. The ever opportunistic hyenas and vultures also had a field day, giving rise to several fights between the lions and hyenas. Cheetah sightings have also been good, with several gazelle fawns falling easy prey to these fleet-footed cats. Bella and Chui the leopards have been very active, placing themselves strategically along the Talek River to ambush crossing animals. We have also witnessed a couple of daytime hunts, which is a rarity among these usually nocturnal cats.

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News from the Maasai Mara, Kenya Tuesday 11th October 3005

After one of the longest migrations on record, there are still some large wildebeest herds on the central and western Mara plains – with patchier herds towards the north of the reserve. The last two weeks have been dry and hot, forcing the animals to converge at the larger watering holes or streams to drink during the day. The higher concentration of wildebeest on the central plains is largely due to the availability of grass; unlike other areas, these plains were not burned during the dry season, thus sparing the grass for the hungry herbivores. The red oat grass that dominates the central plains also regenerates faster the more it is fed upon – definitely a beneficial relationship for all species!

Recent days have been quiet on the Mara River, with only a handful of animals crossing in both directions at the Lookout Hill and Paradise crossing points. Predation by crocodiles has also gone down, after the feeding frenzy that followed the recent mass drowning of wildebeest (fuelled by rising water levels after unexpected rains at the source of the river), which had given the crocs an easy meal. On dry land, the predators have been more fortunate, with the mass birthing of topi, hartebeest, impala and gazelles offering the Big Cats plenty of easy prey. The cheetahs have been particularly busy, with their habit of catching gazelle fawns and bringing them to their cubs to train them how to hunt.

The continuing presence of the migration will depend completely on the arrival – or failure – of the short rains, which are usually due in the next two weeks. If the rains come, more grass will grow and the animals will stay. If they don’t, the animals will probably move south in their constant search for fresh pasture.

Predator News
All of the lion prides in the Intrepids and Explorer game-viewing territories have been busy in their home ranges. In the past week, our guests have seen all three prides hunting, either for wildebeest, zebra or warthogs. A lioness from the Ridge pride gave us our sighting of the week, coming out in both the morning and the late afternoon to play with her four young cubs just 1km from Mara Explorer. Leopard sightings have also been excellent, with Bella providing a show de force for some Explorer guests when a herd of wildebeest came looking for shade beneath a tree in which she was resting – only for her to drop out of the tree straight onto a wildebeest calf. One guest who has visited us 30 times said this was the highlight of all his safari experiences to date!
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News from the Maasai Mara, Kenya 29th September 2005

The Maasai Mara is continuing to witness the full wild glory of a comprehensive 'second migration', as sweeping herds of wildebeest and zebra paint the plains south of the Talek River a million hues of black, white, brown and grey. The crossing points on the Mara River below Lookout Hill have been the place to be in recent days, with thousands of animals crossing westwards into the Mara Triangle, often as early as 8am. With the grazing herds have predictably come the predators: lion prides basking in a new and unexpected season of plenty. The Olkiombo pride - named for the distinctive dominant male with a black foreleg, born near Mara Explorer - has been particularly busy, hunting in the Olkinyei area in full view of our guests.

With all the action in the southern Mara, the northern section of the reserve has slipped into a quiet period, with the area around Musiara Marsh hosting only a few wildebeest and the northern Mara Triangle virtually devoid of game. Indeed, most of the herds in the Triangle have recently been crossing en masse eastwards at the Paradise Crossing points. With the plentiful grass still covering most of the southern Mara, we expect most of the herds to stay on the Kenyan side of the border at least until early November.

Predators: Intrepids and Explorer guests have been spotting cheetah on an almost daily basis for the past two weeks. With the gazelles having their fawns in large numbers, the cheetah are having a good time - particularly the new mothers, who have been seen catching young fawns and bringing them to their cubs in an effort to train them how to hunt. Leopard sightings have also greatly improved, assisted by the crew of BBC’s Big Cat Week, who have been spending a lot of time with Bella and Chui in the past few weeks - and showing us just why the world's best leopard sightings happen right on our doorstep! The lions have also been busy, with the Ridge pride killing three wildebeest near our airstrip last week, and yesterday digging out a poor warthog from its hole.

In other recent sightings, two hunting dogs were seen 9km east of Mara Intrepids on our walking trail last week. It appears this beautiful animal is making a comeback in the Mara, with some local residents recently reporting a pup in an old den used by the dogs before they disappeared from this area in the late 1980s. This and other previous reports to the east of the Mara are a good portend of the return of this critically endangered species.

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News from the Maasai Mara, Kenya 13th September 2005

As we predicted last week, the wildebeest have made a dramatic comeback over the past eight days – filling the plains of the southern Mara in an amazing ‘second migration’. It appears that most of the herds have, in just over two weeks, made a complete cycle from the eastern Mara into the Mara Triangle, south into the northern Serengeti, and east from there before reentering the Mara near Sand River Gate – for the second time since July! In fact, the pattern of the whole migration appears as it did at the very beginning, with the westbound herds spreading out over the Central Plains and some animals already crossing the Mara River near Lookout Hill.

A few herds are also heading north, with the first ones now just south of Mara Intrepids. At Musiara Gate, the northernmost herds have settled on the short, previously burned grass on the border of the reserve, where they are grazing side by side with the local Maasai cattle. The unseasonal rains have played a crucial role in the sprouting of the grass here. Although the crossing points around Paradise Plains have been almost empty for the past week, if what is going on in the south is anything to go by, it is just a matter of time before these crossing points come alive again.

Predators
The brief absence of migrating herds from much of the Mara had not stopped the predators from their hunting, particularly the local lion prides, which had already started to adjust to lean-period hunting tactics. However, the return of the herds has brought a period of bounty back for these and the other Big Cats. The Ridge pride has remained in its territory; two days ago, they were seen between the airstrip and Intrepids – with the exception of two males, which have gone in pursuit of the females of the Olkiombo pride. This may place the Ridge pride’s cubs at risk should new males try to sneak in. Cheetah sightings were also fantastic, and Bella the leopard has also been performing like a true star, with regular appearances for most of our guests.

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News from the Maasai Mara, Kenya 5th September 2005

The migration took a dramatic new turn at the end of last week. Most of the excitement at the crossing points died out when almost all of the wildebeest herds from the eastern side of the Mara River crossed over to the west – and turned south back into the northern Serengeti. It was a very speedy exit, as most of us had expected the wildebeest to stay in the Mara until November, as is usually the case.

We believe that the changing rain patterns and the burning of the grass in the northern Serengeti played a significant role in this change of events. Driving along the border showed a high concentration of animals on the recently burned plains, which last month’s rains have carpeted in nutritious new grass. Most of the central Mara is now almost empty of migrating animals, save for a few herds to the north around Musiara Marsh and to the south by Lookout Hill.

However, all is not lost! Many of the herds in the Serengeti may be bound back for the Mara, as some herds are already showing signs of returning via Sand River Gate once they have traversed the burned plains. Last Friday, in what may be the beginning of a ‘second migration’ like that witnessed in 1998, several herds crossed back into the Mara at the traditional points below Lookout Hill. However, the changes in rain patterns and the confusion brought by sporadic burning of the grass could cause yet more unexpected changes in the concentration and duration of the great migration.

PREDATORS
Although the sudden departure of the large herbivores from most parts of the Mara has had a calming effect on the Big Cats, we have still had some good sightings in the past week. Bella the leopard and her two-year-old cub have both been witnessed several times along the Talek River, while Kike the cheetah was also sighted a few times – and has been seen mating with a new male in the past two days. The Ridge and Bila Shaka lion prides, meanwhile, remain in their respective territories, where they are also undoubtedly hoping that fate will deliver a ‘second migration’…

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News from the Maasai Mara, 26th August 2005

The wildebeest migration continued to intensify this week, as more herds crossed over from the Serengeti near Sand River Gate. Inside the Mara, the herds continue to fan out to the west and north, leaving the Central Plains looking emptier by the day. Many herds have crossed the Mara River west into the Mara Conservancy, or ‘Mara Triangle’, with particularly busy crossing-points at Paradise and west of Lookout Hill. Towards the end of last week, the crossings became a bit more adventurous, as water levels rose following rains in the Mau Hills. Sadly, several wildebeest drowned in suicidal attempts to cross the river on Thursday and Friday.

Most of the newly arrived herds have been concentrating on the recently burned areas of the Mara plains. On the Central Plains, the long, dry grass forced many animals to move on quickly, although last week’s unexpected showers may bring up some fresh new shoots over the coming days. In a typical mid-migration pattern, the herds are now all mixed up, and one can no longer tell the Loita herds from the Serengeti ones.

Predators
The plentiful wildebeest movements have been accompanied by the usual frenzy of hunting activity among the Big Cats, particularly the big lion prides. With dozens of untouched carcasses littering their territories, it seems a shame that our lions can’t store some of their kills for later! Bella the leopard and her son have only been seen once in the past week, although we know they are out there, busily hunting along the Talek River, close to the Mara Intrepids and Explorer camps. We have also been blessed with daily cheetah sightings – with up to three individuals spotted on some game drives.

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News from the Maasai Mara, Kenya 11th August 2005

There is only one adjective to describe the Mara at the moment, wildebeest. The migrating herds are now almost spread out across the whole reserve. The Serengeti herds have in the past week been streaming in from the south, crossing the Mara River at Look Out Hill. The leading herds are pushing further north wards and west wards into the Mara triangle.

The herbivores in the Mara ecosystem have come to associate the burning with fresh grass. However, this is only if there is some rain soon after the burning. Most of the Mara plains are still a wash with a sea of over grown red oat grass. To the herbivores, this is quite tough and rough for their digestive systems, and it explains why the herds have just been rushing through the reserve despite the abundant grass. The recently burnt grasslands on the Mara triangle are more alluring, attracting more herds.

It was a week full of excitement for our guests, some of whom have stayed whole days to witness the biggest natural phenomenon. The Paradise Crossing point has been busy over the last seven days as the Loita herds cross over from north east around Musiara Gate, to the west of the Mara River. They have been moving en masse across Paradise plain. Many have been dying from predation by crocodiles and others from trampling as they stampede in the river. Nature’s wonder is now with us!

PREDATORS
It has also been a week full of activities for the predators, with more lion kills witnessed now than in the past months. There wildebeest carcasses litter the plains, especially in pride territories. So much so, it appears even the proverbial greedy Hyenas have had enough, as carcasses remained untouched for long periods! Vultures have become selective, only eating the fresh carcasses.

Cheetah kills have been witnessed throughout the last seven days Bella the leopard, and her son were also spotted severally. Her son, now at two years and still with the mother, will excite some wildlife researchers since male leopards are known to be independent by the first year.

OTHER BIG SIGHTINGS.
The python mentioned in the previous update was seen again. It killed a male gazelle but again could not eat after it was harassed by a pair of jackals. This is a sighting of some note, especially coming barely a week after the last one. Pythons are known to feed once in a very long period, sometimes running to months.

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News From the Maasai Mara, Kenya 3rd August 2005

The numbers of wildebeest has increased considerably in the past week. More herds crossed the border during the week, pushing the previous groups further north and west to Burrungat, Meta and Central plains. The first groups have already crossed over to the Mara triangle. The past few days have seen a few crossings on the traditional route, just below Look Out Hill with most herds heading westwards.

The Serengeti herds have meanwhile split into two groups. One group is heading north towards the Mara Intrepids and Rhino Ridge to join up with the Loita herds, while the other is heading west into the Mara triangle. The northern groups have been crossing the Talek River between Talek gate and Mara Intrepids. An earlier assumption that the amount of grass in their way would slow their pace has proven wrong. These Serengeti herds are part of the eastern migration that came right from the central plains in the Serengeti into the Mara. The western wing herds are yet to cross into the Mara. Normally these would come through the south western side of the Mara around Ngiro-are and Engoikwaatet Salt Lick. From all appearances, the concentration will be even higher this year when all these herds merge.

The Loita herds have spread out over a wider area in the past week, with some crossing the Mara River into the Mara triangle, and others headed south wards to join the Serengeti herds. If the grass on the Mara plains is not burnt, then the herds may spend more time here this year although their natural instinct to move on normally goes beyond anything else.

PREDATORS
Lion prides in the Mara are now re-grouping and going on a feeding frenzy as the herds go through their territories. The Ridge Pride, our feature over the lean period, has now become a major attraction. Their hunting skills leave a lot to be desired, what with a few older cubs overzealously trying their stalking skills even on larger animals! It is laughable to see them retreat for dear life when confronted by buffalo. But nothing to lose here; it is all part of the training and that is how hunting skills are honed.

The three main prides near Keekorok Lodge have been a daily attraction our guests from Siana. Leopards’ sightings have also become a daily occurrence. Bella, our main feature star has been spotted along the Talek and Olareorok Rivers over the past week, with her son Chui a bit rarer. With more herbivores spread across the plains, cheetah activity has increased considerably, with guests getting daily treats to spectacular hunts.

OTHER INTERESTING SIGHTINGS.
Our guests were treated to a rare sighting when a python killed a gazelle, fought off a pair of jackals, only to lose it to a lion that appeared from nowhere. The lion had only seen the dead gazelle. She proceeded to pick it and had carried it briefly when she noticed the snake wrapped around it. Dropping the prey hastily, the lion was in luck when the disturbed python unwrapped from the gazelle and slithered into the bush.

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News from the Maasai Mara, Kenya 26th July 2005

The Great Migration enters its third week, with wildebeest and zebra herds increasing fast. The light rains that swept across the southern Mara have drawn the herds from northern Serengeti. They had briefly settled on the recently burnt areas, but insufficient amounts of rain in those areas were not enough to make the grass sprout.

Some crossing has been noted on the Sand River, with many animals moving into the Mara from Serengeti. However, it’s not yet dramatic since only a hand full of animals are crossing, and low water levels making it just a walk-across. The herds have now spread out between Keekorok plains and Roan Hill, and as far as Look Out Hill.

Meanwhile, the Loita herds of wildebeest and zebras are now spread across from Musiara Gate, down to Ntiakitiak River and south to Talek Gate. Over the past seven days, they have been streaming in small numbers towards Paradise Plains, with some crossing westwards onto Mara Conservancy. Guests at the Explorer and Intrepids have enjoyed a week full of excitement and first class viewing of nature at its best, and the fun is just beginning!

PREDATORS:
The lion prides along the north bank of the Sand River’s have regrouped for the season of plenty. Known to be the largest pride in the park, they have been on a strict wildebeest/zebra diet since the herds came into their territory two weeks ago.

To the north, the Ridge pride is still very active. Our guests have witnessed many kills, even during the day in the last seven days, as the pounding hooves of the migrating herbivores keeps awakens the lions from their slumber. The old Bila Shaka pride to the north of Rhino Ridge is rejuvenated, with 9 very young cubs now.

Lately it has become easier to spot Cheetahs than has been the case in the previous weeks. Leopards are also starting to get active and their sightings have improved remarkably. Bella, the Big Cat Diary star, can still be seen around with her cub. True to our prediction, with more prey around, she is being seen more regularly
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News from the Maasai Mara Kenya, 21st July 2005

The concentration of wildebeests in the Mara has gone up even more since last week. The Loita herds have almost tripled up in number, and the Serengeti herds have doubled and are now beyond the main Keekorok/Mara bridge road. The zebras are still leading the way as usual and quite a handful has already got to lookout hill. The long grass in their way is still keeping them from moving fast across the plains.
There some light showers last week on Thursday and Friday mainly along the border of the Mara/Serengeti, and this has caused a higher concentration in northern Serengeti as the southern herds keep pushing north. The western front of the migration is also said to be north bound around fort Goma, north of Grumeti. Should they keep the same pace as the eastern front, then they will be in the Mara in a couple of weeks. However the concentration in southern Mara is already breath taking for first timers.
The Loita herds, besides increasing in number, has also pushed westwards across Olorukoti and paradise plains to the Mara river. A few crossings have been witnessed in the past few days. This has mainly consisted of zebras who were also the first to get this area as they lead the rest of the migratory herds. These crossing however, were not as dramatic because there is not much water in the river, but the crocodiles gave some life to the scenario as they try to grab one of the zebras swimming across in the shallow water.

PREDATORS:
The lions’ prides to the south and east are now reshaping their territories due to the arrival of the herds. Most prides had disintegrated during the lean period.
The Ridge pride which is one of the well established to the north east, have been roaming all the areas to the east of Rhino ridge including ntiakitiak and Ngorbob Rivers. They have been making a kill almost daily after the arrival of the herds. One morning last week our guests were treated to an interesting sighting of a duel between a pack of hyenas and the ridge pride over a wildebeest carcass. This happened at the edge of a pool of muggy water. The carcass soon fell into the pool and the lions tried retrieving it and got themselves covered in mud!
Bella was seen once last week and her son seen four times. We believe now with the arrival of the migratory herds she will be seen regularly as usual.
Kike can also be seen and so are her offspring, (the three former cubs)
Three other cheetahs can be seen in different areas.

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News from the Maasai Mara, Kenya 13th July 2005

The second week of the Great Migration has seen a remarkable increase in concentrations of wildebeest and zebra across the southern Mara. The beginning of this week saw an additional 5,000 animals congregating around and to the north of Sand River Gate. The first herds, meanwhile, have pushed further west to Roan Hill and have been joined by another herd of about 2,000 wildebeest that crossed from the Serengeti around Naima Lumbwa hills. The increase in the past two days alone confirms our gut-feeling that the ‘main event’ has now arrived in earnest.


The burning of grass in northern Serengeti must have hastened the wildebeests’ pace from the south, as they usually associate such burning with lush shoots of new grass. This normally happens if we get some rains immediately after the burning. However, the burning may not be so extensive this time because the grass is still green from last month’s late rains.


With the wildebeest come their inevitable pursuers. Two large prides of lions have recently taken up strategic residence between Sand River and Keekorok Lodge. Alerted by the constant thump of pounding hooves, they are now very aware that the season of plenty has arrived – a reassuring sign that they will be able to survive the next five months without going hungry. The leopards are also becoming active; our guides at Siana Springs have spotted a leopard and cub with a zebra foal up a tree near Sand River.


The Loita herds of wildebeest and zebra, meanwhile, are also increasing in number across the central Mara, near Musiara Gate, around ‘Double Cross’ and the Topi Plains east of Rhino Ridge. At Double Cross, the Ridge pride of lions are looking in fine fettle, with their new cubs bouncing back to health after the lean season. Intrepids and Explorer guests have been treated to several kills close to camp over the past week, as well as several entertaining close calls. It all promises a season of non-stop action and excitement for at least the next two months.Migration%20Map%2013-07-2005.jpgMigration%20Map%2013-07-2005.jpg

Mara Big Cat Update: 7th June 2005

The Cats’ Cradle
News from the World’s Most Famous Felines

Maasai Mara, Kenya
Here’s what has been happening to your favourite felines since Heritage Hotels’ last update from the Cradle of Humanity (and Big Cats) back in April:

Lions
The month of May was reasonably quiet in terms of game viewing in the Maasai Mara. Following the rains in April, the grass has grown tall and – as is usually the case at this time of year – most animals have moved to areas of shorter grass to avoid predators and to look for more nutritious young shoots. Although lion sightings have been limited, the Ridge Pride has been out in force, with all 10 cubs still roaming together in a territory that has been expanded east of Rhino Ridge and the plains north and south of Mara Intrepids/Explorer. So expansive has their territory become that they have now displaced the Olkiombo Pride, which used to reside along the Talek River east of our camps. The two prides had a violent confrontation last month, which resulted in one of the Olkiombo females succumbing to her injuries. With only a month to go before the true season of plenty begins, the Ridge pride looks set to dominate the entire region. Although there are a couple of nomadic males still trying to inch their way into this territory, they have no chance as the two dominant males are at their prime and will see off any intruders with ease. The Sekenani Pride, meanwhile, continue to be regularly spotted by our guests at Siana Springs just west of Sekenani Gate.

Leopards
Leopard sightings have become scanty over the past month, with the long grass making it much harder to spot the elusive cats. You can easily drive past a leopard two metres from the road without knowing it. Our nearest and dearest star, Bella, is still around, and we often hear her roars at night. Her son, Chui, was seen only twice last month. Guests at Siana, however, were treated to several sightings of a female leopard and cub in the Kissinger area – particularly up in the taller trees, from where the mother is often seen scanning the plains for potential prey.

Cheetahs
Kike, our now legendary television star, continues to provide our guests with some fantastic close encounters. While most of the Mara’s other cheetahs have followed the herds outside the park, Kike continues her allegiance to Rhino Ridge, where she always seems to be able to find something to eat! Her cubs have also established themselves along the Talek River to the east of Mara Explorer and west of Talek Gate, where there are still some small herds of gazelle, impala and topi. Still together and even stronger, they are now chasing ever larger antelopes – and giving our guests a wild feast of experiences in the process!

Other Big Sightings
The female elephant with twin calves has moved towards Sekenani Gate, where they have treated guests at Siana Springs to several sightings over the past two weeks. Musa, Siana’s head guide, says this is the first time in living memory that a pair of elephant twins have been spotted in the world’s most famous game reserve.

Mara Big Cat Update:11th April 2005

Here’s what has been happening to your favourite felines since Heritage Hotels’ last wildlife update from the Cradle of Humanity (and Big Cats) back in early March:

Lions
With the onset of the eagerly-awaited long rains, lion sightings are expected to decline across the Mara, as the herbivores head en masse for areas of short grass. However, through March, lion sightings remained good for Intrepids and Explorer guests, including several exciting daylight hunts. With many cubs to feed, the pride females are having to work very hard to feed them. Some of the cubs have also begun to experiment with stalking the local zebras, creating some particularly amusing (and disproportionate) spectacles!
The Ridge Pride continues to roam the same territory to the east of Rhino Ridge and around the ‘Double Crossing’ area. There is still plenty of game in this area, including zebra and a few wildebeest from the remaining Loita population. The pride is expected to remain here for the foreseeable future, as the western end of their extensive territory is empty of food.
The Olkiombo Pride, meanwhile, has begun to regroup along the Talek River near the ‘Kichaka ya round’ bush east of Mara Explorer, where they have been seizing the opportunity for a few last ‘big meals’ before the end of the season of plenty. The heavy downpours that fell on the Mara Plains in mid-March raised the levels of the Talek River, effectively cutting off these lions from the south banks – to our guests’ great delight!

Leopards
Our predictions for declining leopard sightings this month were happily proved wrong, as our beautiful spotted stars continued to come out in force. Despite the longer grass making it harder to spot these elusive creatures, we were blessed with sightings of both of Bella’s daughters, Ntito and Olareorok, who now occupy different territories. Bella meanwhile ventured far from her territory past the Olareorok River, where she succeeded in making a kill but – alas! – was held hostage up a tree by some crafty lionesses from the Ridge Pride. This was not the only time Bella came up against stiff opposition; on another game drive, our guests were treated to the rare sight of her fighting with a pack of hyenas over a reedbuck she had killed near Mara Explorer. With the help of her almost fully-grown son, Chui, she managed to claim at least half of the spoils and haul it up a nearby tree. Chui’s uniquely long bond with his mother has now reached 20 months, surpassing any other relationship that we have known between a male cub and his mother. However, we believe that when a new suitor arrives – as is inevitable – Chui will eventually have to go his own way. On March 30th, Chui again proved his mettle, fighting off another pack of hyenas and warding off a second male leopard trying to move in on his latest kill.

Cheetahs
Although cheetah sightings were generally also good during March, we have not been seeing so much of our biggest TV superstar, Kike. Some of our guests did see her just west of Rhino Ridge earlier in the month, but with the decline of game, we have not been frequenting this area very much – leaving, we hope, the few gazelles and other small antelopes in the area all for the cheetahs!
Honey, our other star, has been much more in evidence, appearing at least every other day on the Topi Plains north of Rhino Ridge. Together with her sub-adult cubs, Honey has made several successful hunts in the area. She has also treated our guests to some spectacles that we more sensitive humans would call ‘cruel’ – catching gazelle fawns and letting her cubs play with them as a training tool. Sometimes this may go on for as long as 30 minutes, which is traumatising not only to the poor gazelle but also to the more tender-hearted guests in attendance. But this is nature, and it will happen whether we are around or not.
Kike’s two cubs are still living and hunting together, although at two years of age we think it won’t be long before they go their separate ways. They are currently to the east of Mara Explorer on the north bank of the Talek, and, with the high water levels, we believe they will hang around here for some time to come.

Other Big Sightings
One of our favourite female rhinos has just given birth to a healthy calf between Mara Intrepids and Lookout Hill. We know this rhino quite well as she charged and slightly dented one of our vehicles back in December! A family staying at Mara Explorer last week enjoyed a particularly rare sighting when they chanced upon a pair of serval cats mating. Proof, we think, that Explorer remains one of the most romantic settings in Africa!

Mara Bg Cat Update: 4th March 205

Maasai Mara, Kenya


Here’s what has been happening to your favourite felines since Heritage Hotels’ last wildlife update from the Cradle of Humanity (and Big Cats) back in early February:


Lions
The Ridge and Olkiombo prides are still very much in evidence in the main reserve, spurred on by the presence of so many wildebeest and zebra, which for some reason have decided not to return to the Loita Hills this year. Although February is traditionally the beginning of the toughest season for our lions, as migrating animals vacate the Mara and resident herds move to areas with shorter grass, this year has seen an unusually high presence of grazers on the Paradise Plains north of Mara Intrepids. Bolstered by this unexpected good fortune, the Ridge Pride recently brought down a giraffe, which kept them busy for five days! They have also killed a couple of zebra, which in these open areas requires the experience of the older members of the pride. The two adult males are both still around, with the one injured in a brawl with the females last month still limping. The female who arrived in the pride last month is now comfortable with the other females and, if she has already conceived with one of the males, will soon be cementing her place in the pride for good.

Leopards
The long grass around the Talek River has made leopard sightings tougher during the past month. However, Bella and her son Chui are both still around and both have made a few passing appearances. Although Chui is making all the signs of going his own way, the pair came together on February 28th after a long time apart. We believe the mother called to her son after picking up his scent in the area. We were watching the cub at the time, and – upon hearing his mother – he came bounding out of the bushes towards her. Rarely have we had the pleasure of witnessing such an emotional reunion between two animals. While they are together as we write, we know this is not destined to be for long – although, once again, it has been utterly delightful to witness two wild animals who share such a strong, expressive bond with one another.

Cheetahs
All of our greater spotted stars have been in evidence this month – like the lions, taking advantage of the unexpected extension to the last season of plenty. The ‘people’s star’ Kike continues to roam around Rhino Ridge, while her mature cubs have been seen crisscrossing the Talek River east of Intrepids. At two years, the cubs are still living and hunting together, although – like Bella and Chui – we think it won’t be long before Nature decides to separate them. Honey has ventured farther north and is currently roaming east of Musiara Gate, while the other female with her single cub has been spotted on the Paradise Plains. However, before the next gazelle fawning season, those cheetahs with cubs will continue to have to work particularly hard to succeed in their hunts. With the current rains, the grass is beginning to grow afresh, and the gazelles will soon be forced to move to more open ground. But, as always, the cheetahs will know where to find them when their hunger calls.

Other Big Sightings
We have enjoyed several more sightings of the female elephant with her twin calves, as reported in the last issue of The Cats’ Cradle. We have also been treated to regular sightings of a male black rhino just south of Mara Intrepids and Explorer. All in all, it’s been another big month for Big Five sightings!

Mara Big Cat Update: 7th February 2005

The Cats’ Cradle

News from the World’s Most Famous Felines





Maasai Mara, Kenya February 7th 2005





Here’s what has been happening to your favourite felines since Heritage Hotels’ last wildlife update from the Cradle of Humanity (and Big Cats) back in early January.



Lions

Sightings of lions in the Maasai Mara have never been so good. With the unexpected rains making the grass on the plains sprout early, herds of plains game have been congregating in areas where the grass is still short – providing easy hunting for the local prides, and easy lion-spotting for us! The Ridge Pride has now moved to settle just east of Rhino Ridge, where there are plenty of animals grazing on the higher ground. These lions have made several successful, mainly nocturnal hunts, before retreating to the streams while they wait for their unsuspecting prey to return. Their month’s tally includes a buffalo, which they fed on for four days, two zebras and two warthogs. There are now 11 cubs, after one was killed by a new female brought in by one of the pride males on January 28th. There was a fierce fight when the stranger arrived, with her fighting the four pride females before chasing the cubs, killing one and seriously injuring another. To the amazement of everybody, the mother of the dead cub then ate it – a strange and unusual sight. The pride is still in the same place and the females have now slowly started to accept the stranger.



Cheetahs

Cheetah sightings have also been good this month, with regular sightings of our famous star, Kike, who is still roaming the plains around Rhino Ridge and Mara Intrepids. The long grass in her old home range around Bila Shaka/Musiara has forced Kike to shift and make this new area her home, where she has bounced back to full health after losing her last litter to lions and suffering a serious bout of sacoptic mange (which was treated by a KWS vet). Her old cubs are still around, and have been seen crossing the Talek River and roaming the plains east of Mara Intrepids. Honey has also been regularly spotted in the area with her three sub-adult cubs, which are also perfecting Kike’s film-star antics – jumping onto car bonnets and trying to bite off mud-flaps. A third female, Mmoja, has also been seen in the area with a single cub aged around six months.



Leopards

With the grass growing taller along the rivers, we haven’t seen so much of our dear friend Bella this month. However, the Big Cat Week star continues to show signs of separating from her 18-month-old son Chui, and we believe the two will go their own ways very soon. (Leopards can usually take care of themselves after their first year.) We believe that Bella will be coming into oestrus very soon and will probably have a new litter this year. Our prayer? That she gives birth where she did in 2003 – just behind Mara Explorer. With unfavourable conditions near the rivers, it’s quite likely that the two leopards near our camps have been hunting further afield, or resorting to smaller prey such as birds, hares, lizards, mice, or even fish. These can usually keep them going until the next season of plenty.



Other Big Sightings

Since early January, a female elephant with twin calves aged about four months has been seen regularly on our game-viewing circuit. This is a very rare treat. We know that they are twins because their mother keeps breastfeeding them simultaneously. For guests to the Mara’s top two safari camps, this has indeed proved a twin blessing!





MARA INTREPIDS – MARA EXPLORER – SIANA SPRINGS

Three Ringside Seats for the World’s Greatest Game Show

Mara Big Cat Update: 7th January 2005

The Cats’ Cradle

News from the World’s Most Famous Felines





Maasai Mara, Kenya

January 7th, 2005





Here’s what has been happening to your favourite felines* since Heritage Hotels’ last wildlife update from the Cradle of Humanity (and Big Cats) back in early December.





Lions

The three prides of lions in our game-viewing territory were very active throughout December, although we were only able to keep track of two of them – the Ridge and Olkiombo prides – on a daily basis. The Ridge (also known as Maternity) pride has been roaming the area between Mara Intrepids, Rhino Ridge and the Mara River. With 12 cubs to feed, the females have been very active on the hunting front – even killing a hippo for the second time in two months! The passage of isolated herds of zebras from the Loita Hills have provided the pride with some relatively easy pickings – although once these herds have returned to the Loitas, much leaner times will begin.



With the belated end of an extraordinary migration season, the Olkiombo pride has also been hunting farther afield – extending its range north to the banks of the Ntiakitiak River. With the grass starting to sprout across the Mara, many of the adult lions are developing a habit of climbing termite mounds to look for their prey – making them much easier to spot. Although not much has been seen of the Shonko pride, they were sighted last week with some newborn cubs in tow. Watch this space for more news of the world’s boldest Big Cats!



Leopards

Our top television starlet, Bella, has been active in her territory for much of the past month. Her son Chui (also known as Kijana) has also been seen in the same territory, although he has been largely on his own for three weeks of the past four – a sure sign that he is at last beginning to go his own way. Chui has already begun to show a remarkable hunting prowess for his 17 months, killing a reedbuck on December 27th (although he later lost it to a hyena). A few days ago, he joined his mother in a successful hunt for a second reedbuck at the Mtamaiyo Lugga. They remain together as we write this. A second female leopard was also spotted at Olareorok very briefly one morning.



Cheetahs

The spotted stars of the small screen have also been out in force this month – particularly on the termite mounds from which they love scanning the horizons for prey (or enemies). The lovely Kike, who we expected to give birth sometime last month, disappeared for a time, only to reappear this week looking thin and with rashes on her ears. We believe she may have given birth and lost her cubs to the lions in Bila Shaka. However, we are not too worried about her own health, as she has proved her courage and tenacity on so many occasions in the past.



Kike’s three older cubs, meanwhile, are still together roaming the plains to the east of Mara Intrepids. On one occasion in mid-December, the male cub was confronted by another sub-adult male which tried to separate him from his sisters – but he was seen off by the three of them, who fought off the intruder in unison. Although they are clearly very close siblings, we know that Nature will one day force them to go their own way…



* A record number of viewers are expected to tune in to the sixth series of ‘Big Cat Week’, which is showing on BBC-1 at 7pm every evening of this week.