The last few weeks in the Mara can only be described as wet! It's not been all bad, because that rain is what attracts the migrants - wildebai, zebras and antelopes - back into the Mara ecosystem.
But what it means for the rest of the animals is soggy, uncomfortable ground. The cats are usually forced to move to higher ground to rest and get some vantage points to scan the plains.
However, a new phenomenon that our scouts have observed makes for an interesting study. Normally, leopards are the only cats that climb up trees in the Mara. Once in rare occasion, cheetahs (see video below) will be seen scampering up a low tree to scan over the tall grass.
But the photos below are nothing short of amazing - the tree climbing lions in the Mara. Observed over a couple of weeks by our guides, this will be an interesting adaptation to study in the coming years.
Take a look.
Ok, I've heard enough. Time to go.
As you can see from above, even though these sub-adults are not heavy, they do not have the grace of a leopard when it comes to carrying their weight. She had to jump from over 2.5 metres above the ground. The difference is, leopards long claws are adapted for tree climbing - up and down - and can take the weight of both the cat and a carcass.
Now, compare the grace with which this leopard is climbing down the tree.
Hope you enjoyed it.
Report and pictures by John Parmasau – Head Safari Guide, Mara Intrepids and Mara Explorer Camps.
©Heritage Hotels Ltd, Kenya. http://www.heritage-eastafrica.com/
Great photography! You guys really enjoying a lot. Usually it's the rain that attracts all animals and you have chosen the right time for your trip. I wonder how perfectly you have taken the snaps sequentially of the lion and of the leopard too. It makes sense of watching a flip-book, where photos arranged sequentially. Thanks for uploading the wildlife photographs. Try making flip-book or flip-movie of these photos for better look and effect. Flip book photos New York.
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