News from Maasai Mara, Kenya July 31st 2008

The wildebeest migration continues to thrill guests to the Mara. For the past week the herds of wildebeest and zebra continued in their traditional migratory routes into the Mara. The herds which have been crossing the Mara river near the lower Mara bridge are now massed up on the recently burnt section on the south Mara triangle. More herds have kept crossing over from Serengeti into the Mara and these are still near Look Out Hill and some have spread out on the central and Burrungat plains.

The animals continued crossing near the lower Mara bridge onto the Mara triangle in the past week, though in reduced numbers. In contrast, there were many wildebeest and zebra crossing at the Paradise Point, where there has been a lot of action with crossings in both directions.

The crocodiles at the Mara River have increased slightly, but the crocodiles have never ceased taking the opportunity. There are many animals snapped by the ever-hungry reptiles during the crossings, with our guide once counting upwards of 30 crocodiles in a feeding frenzy on one wildebeest carcass! With more animals on the Mara triangle now moving east, there are now more than one crossing points at the river - which increases chances of one seeing a crossing while reducing over-crowding.

Predators
The lion prides in areas where the migrating animals have reached are now hunting daily. So much so, that when there are easy pickings, even full-bellied lions will hunt just for the fun of it! This has heightened the excitement during the game drives.

There were good leopard sightings over the past week. Even in areas where leopards are known to be shy, there was evidence from carcasses in trees. A young female - christened Penda by Mara Intrepids guides - can still be found at Olkeju-Rongai area. In the past two days, she has been seen actively hunting in the middle of the day.

Paul Kirui, Lead Safari Guide, Heritage Hotels

Sighting of the year!

There was a rare sighing in the Mara yesterday of an unusual visitor - a rare lesser Kudu! Spotted by our guide, Aggrey Angogo at around 4.00pm yesterday (29/7/08) just east of Mara Explorer, it was excitement all around. He generously shared this information with other tour guides, and in one hour almost a quarter of the Mara guests were here to see for themselves. Though commonly seen in other areas like Tsavo east and west, and other parks in eastern Kenya, the lesser Kudu is scarce in the Mara. It is believed a few of these animals occurred in these parts before the1940s, and nobody remembers ever seeing one in the past few decades.


Paul Kirui, Lead Safari Guide, Heritage Hotels

News from Maasai Mara, Kenya July 24th 2008

The Mara River has been active in the past week, with many wildebeests and zebra crossing the river near Look Out Hill onto the Mara triangle. As reported last week, the herds then head west and northwards, settling on Burrungat plains across the river from Mara Intrepids. The main crossing at Paradise point was not very active, but our guides expect it to be the highlight of activities in the coming weeks when the herds will cross at this traditional point over to Paradise plains.

The water in the river is still low, making the crossing for the wildebeest just an easy walk across, with the crocs snapping at every opportunity for a meal. The herds have now seemingly settled down, especially along the lower side of the Mara River. The Loita herds have now joined with the Serengeti ones south of Mara triangle, where the grass is sufficient to sustain them through the migration season.

Looking down into Serengeti, herds of wildebeests and zebra on the recently burnt areas along the border can be seen nibbling on new shoots of grass growing in these area after some light rains swept through there the previous week.

Predators:
For the predators, the season of plenty has finally arrived! Lion prides south of the Talek are now very active, responding to the herbivores moving into their territories. The same is to cheetah and leopards in the area.

Our guests at Mara Intrepids witnessed a few kills by lions at Olkeju-Rongai and Look Out Hill area. There have been a lot of attempted and successful hunts by the Shonko pride between Mara Intrepids and Olkeju-Rongai stream.

Other notable predators have also been on the prowl. The hyaena clan living on Burrungat plains – traditional scavengers - took to an active hunting when the herds got to their territory. The vultures that accompany the migrating animals are now a common sight in the lower Mara section. They are the clean-up gangs that clear the mess left by the predators or carcasses of animals succumbing to diseases/injuries.


Paul Kirui, Lead Safari Guide, Heritage Hotels
Migration%20Map%20-%20July242008.jpg

News from Maasai Mara, Kenya July 17th 2008

The light showers that swept across the central Mara over the last week have drawn more herds from the northern Serengeti. The Mara River, about 3 kilometers north of the south-Mara bridge, has been the main arena over the past few days. Heavy crossings have taken place as thousands of the Serengeti herds crossed west on the Mara Triangle. The river is still low, making the crossing a bit easy for the animals. Once in the Mara, these herds have taken a traditional route splitting into two, with one group heading west and crossing over the Mara River while the other, north into Meta and towards Burrungat plains - just south of Mara Intrepids.

Our guests had a week full of excitement on game drives due the close proximity of the herds from our camps - Mara Intrepids, Explorer and Siana Springs - and we are assured of even better things as the migration progresses!

The northern (Loita) and the southern (Serengeti) herds have now merged on the south Mara triangle. The converging point is a recently burnt area where new nutritious shoots are beginning to sprout after the recent light showers. An interesting phenomenon we have witnessed in the last two years, some of the Loita herds are starting to cross back at Paradise crossing point onto the eastern side of the river - where they had crossed the just previous week! The remaining animals from these herds have over the past week been streaming in small numbers towards Paradise Plains, with some crossing westwards onto Mara conservancy.

PREDATORS:

Lion sightings were remarkably high over the past week. There are not many lion cubs at the moment, but some females are expected to give birth over the next couple of months. Olkiombo Pride has settled east of Mara Explorer about 1.5kms along the main road from the airstrip. The Ridge Pride is still very active, with many attempted hunts being witnessed during the day in the past week. There concentration of the herds is however still lower in their territory.

Encounters with cheetahs have now become more frequent than in the previous weeks. Leopards are also starting to get active and their sightings have improved remarkably. There were more leopard sightings over the past week as well. Bella, our Big Cat Diary star is now seen more regularly, while Olive, Penda and Tito among others were seen at least once over the past week.

Paul Kirui, Lead Safari Guide, Heritage Hotels

News from Maasai Mara, Kenya July 10th 2008

The concentration of the herds has increased more rapidly than first expected. A survey by our guides along the border yesterday established that there are many animals crossing the Sand River into the Mara. Light showers that swept across the southern swathes of the Mara have drawn the herds across from the northern Serengeti. They had briefly settled on the recently burnt areas, but there has been insufficient rainfall to make the grass sprout.

Once in the Mara, the herds appear to take two distinct directions, northwards towards the Central and Burrungat plains, and westwards towards the Mara River. A few hundreds have gone as far as Look Out Hill, with a few of these crossing west of the Mara River to a recently burnt patch of grassland. The crossings here are not yet dramatic due to a hand full of animals crossing and the low water levels, but the crocodiles as still making a meal of it!

Meanwhile, the Loita herds (that make-up the northern migration) are now spreading south of Mara triangle where grass was recently burnt. They have been streaming in in small numbers over the past week from Paradise plains, crossing westwards into the Mara conservancy. These herds still have a higher ratio of zebras to wildebeest.

PREDATORS:

The rumbling hooves of the oncoming herds have not gone unheeded, with lions regrouping once again for the season of plenty. A few kills have been witnessed over the past couple of days along the Sand River’s north bank, where a large pride of lions has stationed itself to take advantage of the herds going through their territory. This pride - claimed to be the largest pride in the park in the recent past - once numbered 32 strong! The lean period had seen them separating into smaller groups, which later turned into sub-prides over the years.

To the north, the Ridge pride is still very active, with many attempted hunts being witnessed - some in broad daylight - in the past week. Our guides inform us that the old Bila shaka pride, whose territory is north of Rhino Ridge, is also regrouping. It seems the pounding hooves of the migrating herbivores has reawakened the lion prides from their slumber - and literary, brought life to the Mara!

Cheetahs were encountered more frequently in the last week than previously. Leopards are also starting to get active and their sightings have improved remarkably. Bella, our Big Cat Diary star seems to have settled just next to Mara Intrepids, where she’s spotted regularly in the past week.

Paul Kirui, Lead Safari Guide, Heritage Hotels
Migration%20Map%20-%20July102008.jpg

News from Maasai Mara, Kenya July 3rd 2008

Our guides can now confirm - the migration has officially started! The stage in the Mara is now set for the world's most fascinating wildlife spectacle. A herd of almost 2,000 wildebeest have crossed the border from the Serengeti near Sand River gate, with a similar number seen crossing today at a place known to the Mara guides as Roots Crossing. This head of the southern migration was this afternoon taking their traditional route towards Roan Hill, while others entered the central Mara plains via the western side of the hill.

The weather has played havoc with the traditional migration this year. Intermittent rain in April grassed the plains in green, which soon dried due to the dry spells in May and June. This dry and overgrown grass is now expected to slow the migration's movement northwards.

Looking into the Serengeti from the Sand River, herds of zebra and wildebeest on eastern and western sides of Naima-Lumbwa Hill can be seen heading northwards. The higher concentration is south of the Mara River and Sand River confluence, with the recently burnt area being the main attraction. As this report was being compiled, the Mara had just received some rain, which will replenish the burnt shoots and is expected to hasten the northbound movement of the herbivores. Meanwhile, the Loita herds of wildebeest are settling around the recently burnt area on the Mara triangle, just across the river opposite Look-Out Hill.

While their numbers are still low, our guests have enjoyed being the first to witness the start of the 2008 migration, and we are proud to take them to the best viewing spots.

Other sightings:

The past week was a highlight of big cats sightings. All the lion prides in our game viewing areas were seen, and they seem to be responding to the distant pounding of hooves, which announces the oncoming herds - and season of plenty!

Leopard sightings could not have been better, with several individuals spotted. Our guests at Mara Intrepids even saw one making a kill, and we expect more adventures as the herds settle around.

Please log onto our website for weekly updates on the progress of the migration (and local Big Cat action) over the next three months.
Paul Kirui, Lead Safari Guide, Heritage Hotels
Migration%20Map%20-%20July032008.jpg