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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