Rain, Life, Safari - Masai Mara

The heavy rains have started and the Mara rivers and luggas are flooded. The luggas (seasonal rivers) can only be crossed using 4x4 vehicles – and at this point these are the only vehicles that can handle the Mara roads.

The Talek, Intiakitiak and Olare Orok river crossing are completely flooded and not passable. One can only access the Mara Intrepids Camp using the Talek bridge and then using the footbridge to cross over. Hence the game drives are possible on from the Camp on both sides of the Talek River, where the Ridge Pride is and Olive the leopard with Bahati. The plains game is abundant - topis, impala and gazelles everywhere. 

RESIDENT PLAINS GAME

Since it’s the beginning of the long rains, the grass is short in some areas attracting the grazers. Herds of zebra, topi and gazelles stretch from east of Mara Intrepids Camp to Intiakitiak and Olare Orok Rivers. The Topi Plain,  Shamarta and Paradise Plain west of Mara Intrepids Camp are also rich in game.

  

PREDATORS SIGHTINGS

LIONS

Very good predators’ sightings around and far from Mara Intrepids Camp.

The lion prides are scattered. They are in small groups of two, six and 13. Notch and his bully boys (his four sons) had killed nine cubs reducing the pride of 22 to 13.

The Ridge Pride of 11 is south of Mara Intrepids Camp, across the Talek River. The females are enjoying the company of Notch. Notch and his boys are very good at hunting hippos. In the last four months, they have killed five hippos. It’s unusual for instead of the females doing the hunting, it’s the males doing it.     

LEOPARDS

Olive is still hiding her cubs across the foot bridge. She is seen occasionally coming out to hunt and disappearing in the thick forest. She targets the male impalas and Thomson gazelles.

Bahati is at the Rekero Crossing hunting her favourite prey, the Thomson gazelles.

CHEETAHS

A female cheetah with two young female cubs age seven months has been seen regularly. She hunted male impalas and warthog piglets.

The two brothers are roaming between Maji ya Fisi and Rhino Ridge.

Heritage Hotels (Kenya) manages two luxury camps in the Masai Mara - Mara Explorer and Mara Intrepids - in the confluence of the four game viewing areas of the Masai Mara. The camps are on the banks of the Talek River, with most tents spread along the banks.  Report and pictures by John Parmasau &  Dixon "DC" Chelule, Mara Explorer & Mara Intrepids Camp ©Heritage Hotels Ltd, Kenya.http://www.heritage-eastafrica.com/