The weather: Both cool and sunny.
Temperature
19c morning
28c at midday
25c after sunset
LOITA WILDEBEEST AND ZEBRAS MIGRATION (DOMESTIC)
The Loita or local wildebeest, zebras and gazelle have gone back to the Loita and Aitong plains following the rains all over the Mara region for the last ten days. Mara was wet hence, hastening the migratory herbivores to leave. When the Mara is wet with its black cotton soil it discourages the hoof animals to linger around as the wet black cotton soil sticks to their hooves and the animals suffer foot rot.
OTHER INTRESTING SIGHTINGS AROUND MARA INTREPIDS CAMP.
We saw the resident serval cat by Olkiombo airstrip. Hyenas were seen feeding on a hippo carcass in a pool of water.
Then, one of the M7 males from Olare Orok Conservancy near the Olkiombo airstrip, walked away to join the hyenas. M7 are seven sub adult males from Enguyanai pride in the conservancy. M7 stands for ‘the Magnificent Seven’.
Predators
Lions
Double Cross Pride
Political land dispute continues as some of the prides start falling out. Double-Cross pride has three sub prides: 1.Two females with seven cubs aged four months. No male is with them along Intiakitiak River. 2. Two lionesses with three cubs aged seven months in between Intiakitiak and Olare Orok with Mohican and Romeo2 3. Four lionesses with three cubs aged six months between Mara Intrepids Camp and Olare Orok. There is no male with them. This is the pride M7 are eyeing. All the three sub prides are within the same territory. One theory is that it’s dangerous for the cubs because they have a different odor. Prides bond by rubbing or hugging each other, maintaining the same smell.
Ridge Pride
This pride is at the moment fairly large with Blacky and Lipstick as the dominant males. They are experiencing problems with the lionesses who are bringing in males of their own choice to the territory held by Blacky and Lipstick. The largest sub pride is the one with thirteen cubs of different ages, five lionesses and males. They operate along Talek River. Another sub pride resides along Mara River upstream and between Mara River and Rhino Ridge. It has five sub adults and two lionesses. This pride is shared by the four Musketeers from the Marsh pride and Blacky and Lipstick. Another sub pride of eight individuals has three lionesses and five sub adults. The sub adults are about to leave the pride. They operate along Mara River and Rhino Ridge. This pride is under the Musketeers. The smallest group is Nyota and another female. Nyota’s son Moja, has joined a lioness from the Double Cross pride. Nyota, since she separated from the Ridge pride three years ago when Moja was born has been operating at Rhino Ridge. The two lionesses were joined by a new male from OOC by the name Oloolpapit who walked into Blacky and Lipstick’s territory. These two lionesses are giving these two males sleepless nights. They are now forced to separate.
Paradise Pride
The Musketeers were lately seen mating with one of the Paradise lioness.
Olkeju Ronkai Pride
Olkeju Ronkai pride is also split in three sub prides. One consists of old Notch’s boys at Olmisigiyoi, south of Mara Intrepids Camp. It has two females and four cubs. Second is Napejo’s group of three lionesses. The third is two lionesses with two males who are either Notch’s sons or grandsons. They are at Olkeju Ronkai.
Olkiombo Pride
They are back to their breeding ground east of Mara Intrepids Camp along Talek River. There are three males – Notch’s offsprings, seven cubs and two lionesses.
Leopards
Siri at Shamarta and her male cub is giving us good leopard sightings west of Mara Intrepids Camp along Mara River at the Rocky Hills.
Cheetahs
So far cheetah sightings have been great around Mara Intrepids Camp with a record of nine cheetahs spotted in one day without a repeat count. Malaika with her four cubs has camped at Double Crossing between Intiakitiak and Olare Orok Rivers. The family looks fine.
Report and pictures by John Parmasau – Head Safari Guide, Mara Intrepids and Mara Explorer Camps.
©Heritage Hotels Ltd, Kenya. http://www.heritage-eastafrica.com/
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