News from Maasai Mara, Kenya August 29th 2008

The last week has been very enthralling for crossing enthusiasts, with our guests getting their holiday's worth! Very many wildebeests crossed the Mara River at Paradise point for three consecutive days, with the crossings lasting up to ten hours each day! Another crossing point commonly called cul de sac, or Kichinjio by the guides in the Mara, was also very active with many wildebeests and zebra succumbing to crocs, and many more dying from being trampled.

These same herds had crossed about three weeks ago from the Mara Triangle just below the same point for ten hours one day, east onto Paradise and Olorukoti plains and Rhino ridge. Some of them had pushed further north outside the park into Koiyaki and Olare-Orok conservancies.

Some light rains in some areas across the park have triggered random movement by the wildebeest, but our guides expect the herds to be around for a while.

Predators:

If ever there was a good time to catch predators in action in the Mara, then the past week was! Our guests saw very many hunts - attempted and successful - in broad daylight as the lions, cheetahs and leopards couldn't resist the temptation of going for one more wildebeest - even though they had just fed or had caught another recently.

Just yesterday, the Olkiombo pride made a record by killing eight wildebeests in one afternoon - and four more overnight! The wildebeests were crossing the Talek River, which is almost dry but in such a rush that many died in the stampede and others suffered broken limps.

Olive the leopard killed three wildebeest over the past week, which she feed on with her three different litter cubs - a sub-adult female born late 2005, two 18 months-old cubs that are still with her, and a 5 months-old. The family has showed an extraordinary interaction that is now drawing considerable attention from wildlife enthusiasts and experts, as it is a rare occurrence. Fortunately for our Mara Intrepids guests, the happy family is occasionally spotted strolling past the bar area across the river in the evenings.

There are four cheetahs with very small cubs at the moment in our game viewing area. Two of these are not far from Mara Explorer, and still have their cubs hidden in thicket. One has four cubs and the other has six. Our informed guides expect them to move the cubs out any time in the coming two weeks. The third female is in Musiara area, while the fourth is near Look-Out Hill. The latter has already moved her cubs from the thickets and can now be seen moving across the plains with them.

Paul Kirui. Chief Safari Guide
Kindly contact: safariguide@mara-intrepids.co.ke for comments or inquiry on the migration
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