The Greatest Game Show on Earth: Returning to the Serengeti - Issue 12

The Mara weather is a mix of sunny mornings and cloudy afternoons with rain in some areas which means that the savanna grassland is green and dotted with wild flowers of different colors. This is the season that the topis, warthogs and the Tommies (Thomson’s gazelles) give birth.

The wildebeest and zebra herds have started the return to the Serengeti. However, there are still sightings of the famous river crossings at Paradise Crossing on Mara River from where they move towards the Mara Triangle and down south.

A herd of wildebeest is still at the Paradise Crossing point west of Mara Intrepids Camp. Another herd of wildebeest is between Rekero Camp and Rhino Ridge facing the crossing between Mara Intrepids Camp and Rekero Camp west of Mara Intrepids Camp at Talek River to the south.

The domestic ‘Loita’ migration that moves to the east of Mara Intrepids Camp is still grazing around the Olkiombo airstrip while some are starting to move towards the Loita Plains, which is their traditional calving ground.

               
Big Cat Diary
                                            
Lions

During the migration, the lion prides had split into small family groups. We thought they would rejoin but they have not. It looks like these mini prides from the bigger prides are here to stay.

The only pride intact is the Marsh Pride with roughly 22 individuals.

The Paradise Pride has split into three groups: one of eight, another one of six. The pride of eight is occupying ‘Lugga ya Nyoka’ (Kiswajili for the snake’s lugga). The family of six is around the main crossing at Paradise along the Mara River while the third pride is on the western side of the Paradise Crossing on the Mara Triangle side.

The Ridge Pride has also split into four groups. One family of four cubs, three lioness and two males is occupying the area between Rhino Ridge and the Topi Plains.

The second family of two males, three lioness and three cubs is occupying the area between Intikitiak and Olare Orok. The two males are also seen with the Olkiombo Pride.
The Paradise Pride and other members of the Ridge Pride and Olkeju-Ronkai prides are dominated by Notch and his sons. The four lioness around Rekero and the junction of Talek and Mara River who are also dominated by Notch and his sons.

The other members of the pride are in the western side of the Mara River on the Mara Triangle side, south of Serena Lodge.

The Olkiombo pride is split into two. Two lionesses with two cubs have joined the two males who are in charge of a section of the Ridge Pride, between Intiakitiak and Talek River. The rest are on the southern side of Talek River with the three males Cheza, Junior and Sala making the pride 11 strong.

Leopards

The most seen leopard these days is Pacha, one of Olive’s male cubs at Muhindi Crossing. Olive was last seen near the bar deck at Mara Intrepids Camp with a cub of three to four days old on 12th October 2010.

Cheetahs

Cheetah sightings are good. There’s a female cheetah with six cubs’ aged four months around Olkiombo, east of Mara Intrepids Camp. Honey’s boys, nicknamed the ‘3 Brothers’ are roaming between Talek River and the Topi Plains.

John Parmasau, Safari Guide, Mara Explorer and Mara Intrepids Camps
(Pictures © John  Parmasau)