First Animal Sightings in Mara 2017

Weather

Very hot during the day with clear skies.

Chilly in the early mornings and at night.

Sunrise: 6:50am

Sunset: 6:55pm

As usual both are spectacular and best time for photography.

Temperatures

18^0c morning

30^0c at midday

27^0c after sunset

Wildlife

Early morning and late evening game drives have been spectacular with lots of plains game concentrated by the rivers, especially the Talek and Olare Orok. These rivers still have some pools of water though they are stagnant.

We have some incredibly large herds of buffalo including Maasai giraffes with calves near Mara Intrepids close to Olare Orok River where there is some grass.

Elephants are scarce during this dry season. They have taken to breaking trees in the forest to forage on the leaves and branches. A few herds can be seen along the rivers where the trees are lush and green.

The wildebeest and zebra from Loita hills are in plenty especially around the Topi plains and it looks like a mini migration happening. It seems like the wildebeest and zebra are not migrating back to the Loita plains because of people settling on their migration routes, and erecting wire fences. This for the predators is a blessing because it means more food for them.

The wildebeest are calving and we expect it to peak in February. It’s unusual for the wildebeest to give birth in the Mara. Historically they give birth in the Loita plains and in the Serengeti.

Other herbivores are in plenty - topis, Thomson gazelles, impalas, Grants gazelles, elands and others – but it’s a lean time for them because of the dry season.

PREDATORS

Lions

Enkuyanai Pride

A pride of 18 lions with Romeo2 as the dominant male. However since his brother Mohican was killed in a territorial fight late last year, Romeo2 has been going through tough times bullied by two dominant males - Olbarnoti and Oloolpapit - from the Olare Orok Conservancy.  They killed Mohican and are still trying to take over the pride.

On New Year’s eve, we watched Romeo2 and his pride being chased for two hours by these two.

Romeo2 is still in charge of the pride but it seems like his fate hangs in balance as long as Olbarnoti and Oloolpapit are around.

Olkeju Rongai Pride

This pride has also had a bad start to the year as there are four nomadic males from Sand River. The four had a serious fight with Long Face the dominant male and Napejo the eldest female in the pride.  A young female was killed and serious wounds inflicted on Napejo and Long Face. The pair was treated by vets.

The nomads meantime are around Talek River at the Possee Plains. They chased the females and their cubs to Olmisigiyioi south towards the Serengeti border. Long Face is very frail and was last seen along the Talek River.

The Ridge Pride

Doing very well with eight cubs.  Now that the Loita plains herds are at Topi plains - which is the pride’s territory - they have been hunting every day with multiple kills on some days.

Blacky and Lipstick the dominant males in the pride are in great shape and have of late been mating. The three young males from the previous litter have been pushed out of the pride. They are now not allowed to share food with the rest of the pride. These are signs that the three are no longer tolerated in the pride.

The Paradise Pride

This pride has six cubs and was seen feasting on a dead hippo. The four musketeers from the pride disappeared for a while and reports were that they had crossed over to the Mara Triangle. They are now back home and were seen sharing a dead hippo with the pride at Chemarta.

Leopards

Kaboso the female gave birth to two cubs at the beginning of the year. They are active and seen almost every day. Kaboso has a new kill every other day and the cubs have really grown. The two cubs from the previous litter are also doing well but have split from the female cub around the first crossing at Double Cross. The male cub is around Chumvi Chumvi.

Bahati has been seen near Mara Intrepids and Explorer. She seems to be suckling but has not brought out the cubs.

The male cub from the previous litter is around Rekero.

Lorien is at Olkeju Ronkai actively hunting.

Cheetahs

Malaika is the only cheetah around the Camp and seen every day with her two cubs. She has of late been at Rhino Ridge making kills almost every day because the cubs are growing and need to be fed.

Malkia, Malaika’s cub from the previous litter is also around the Rhino Ridge and Topi Plains trying to hunt but not with much success.

There is a lone male around wearing a radio collar. We think he is from the Olkinyei Conservancy. 

Article and Pictures By Raphael Koikai, Senior driver guide

The Great Migration Is On!

Weather

Last two weeks: Chilly mornings and hot afternoons coupled with heavy rains - an average of 10mm per day.

Most of the crossing points are quite impassable. The Olare Orok River crossing is ok because there isn’t much rain on the northern side of the park.

The Mara River is higher than in previous years meaning there will be spectacular crossings of the wildebeest this year.

Temperatures

13^0c morning

26^0c at midday

15^0c after sunset

THE GREAT MIGRATION

The migration is on.

The first batch of wildebeest and zebras arrived in their thousands, around Zacharia, Pololet hills, Murram ya Ashnil and Sand River.

With the migration we are also seeing lots of vultures– like the Ruppell’s, African white-backed and Lappet-faced vultures.

The Loita herds are spread out around Billa Shaka and Milima Tatu and another bigger herd around Kilomita Tisa east heading south to meet with the migratory herds from the Serengeti.

We are waiting for these herds to make the famous crossing across the Talek River into Possee Plains any time now. 

Wildlife

The last two weeks the impala have been breeding close to our football pitch and around the landing strip.  Occasionally a big bull elephant comes around Mara Intrepids and Mara Explorer including a small family of several females and young ones. There’s a herd of fifty elands and their calves, giraffes and the Loita wildebeest and zebra.

PREDATORS

LIONS

Ridge Pride

The Ridge pride is still at the Topi plains and seems to have established a permanent home there. The pride is expanding its territory towards Billa Shaka because the four musketeers are not around. Lipstick and Blacky are taking advantage of their absence.

It will be interesting to see what happens when the musketeers get back to reclaim their territory.

Two females from the Ridge pride who had crossed the Mara River over to Mara Triangle are back with a cub aged about six months. They killed a wildebeest calf a week ago and seem to be doing fine.

Lipstick has been seen with two females from the Double Cross pride that had disappeared.

One of the males left after having a feast from the wildebeest kill that the females had made by Mara Explorer Camp. The following day during the morning drive he was at Billa Shaka with his mate Blacky – meaning that he travelled 15 kilometers that night.

Olkeju Ronkai Pride

This pride has been at Burrungat plains because of the huge herds of plains game -wildebeest, topis, zebras, warthogs and gazelles.

The five cubs are doing great and we have another female that has given birth to two cubs although they are still hidden.

The only male is still holding on to the pride but Earless and Boxer Nose - the other two big males around Kivuko ya Pussy are in that area as this is their territory.

With the onset of the migration, the pride is headed towards Maji Mbili in readiness of the wildebeest that are already headed towards Olmisigiyioi area.

Olkiombo Pride

The pride has been elusive but is seen around the Talek River.

LEOPARDS

Bahati has been spotted on several occasions by guests on the opposite side of the Talek River by the swimming pool at Mara Intrepids with her two cubs.

Siri the pump house leopard has been seen in Shamarta area. She had been missing for some time. There are reports that she has three cubs which we are yet to confirm.

Lorrian along Olkeju Rongai has been a common sighting. She was seen with a kill near Kivuko ya Pussy and on the following day with her cub near Maji ya Fisi. She seems to be expanding her territory.

CHEETAHS

Malaika has said goodbye to her two cubs. We are expecting a new litter from her any time before the end of June.

The two cubs have been named Malkia (female) and Mfalme (male). They are still together and are seen around Kananga and Murram ya Fig Tree.

Nora on the other hand has been around Maji ya Fisi and crossed Talek River with her sub adult cub. They are doing well.

We have two new males in the area though not together who go by the names Leomom and Martin. They have crossed over from the Mara Triangle and have of late been hanging around Double Crossing.

Report and pictures by Joseph Kang'ethe, Driver Guide, Mara Intrepids & Raphael Ole Koikai – Head Driver Guide, Mara Intrepids and Mara Explorer Camps.

Masai Mara - Animal Sightings

Weather
The weather has generally been very good with the mornings being a bit cold and the day time not as hot. Evening are generally cool and the rains seem to be subsiding now though we still are experiencing some occasional drizzles and light showers in the afternoons and in the night. As a result of the heavy downpours that we had in the past and the rivers flooding, we have had a lot of sand deposits in many of our crossing points eg  Muhindi crossing and Rekero crossing, both west of Mara Intrepids Camp, across the Talek river. The camp has stationed vehicles across the Talek river by the rope bridge in Mara Intrepids so we still are able to do our drives on the southern side of the park.

Temperatures
14ºc morning
25ºc at midday
20ºc after sunset

Buffaloes
The past two weeks have witnessed lots of buffalos calving and we have had two big herds of buffalos on the northwestern side of the Mara Intrepids and Explorer camps at the Topi plains, and to the west of the Rhino ridge numbering about 500 individuals. On the southern side of Olkiombo, at Possee plains, is another herd of about 700 individuals roaming around. Towards Olkeju Ronkai which is south of the Intrepids and Explorer camps, there was a big grass fire that had consumed a large area of the red oat grass, but after the rains the area is lush and green at the moment with nutritious grass which has been attracting lots of plains game and the buffalo herds.

PREDATORS
Lions
RIDGE PRIDE
The Ridge pride is still stuck at the Topi plain, north of Olkiombo, and occasionally going up to the Rhino ridge hiding in the long grass, the main diet for the pride at the moment is still warthogs, the pride is still intact and should be looking forward to the festive season soon when the migration begins.


PARADISE PRIDE
Nothing much has been seen of this pride as they seem to have gone into hiding for the past two weeks. Only one male from the Musketeers was seen mating with one female at the Paradise main crossing point west of the Mara Intrepids and Explorer camps.

OLKEJU RONKAI PRIDE
Olkeju Ronkai pride led by the old female Napejo are still within there territory and still have the five cubs with them. They killed a buffalo calf and with them was one of the dominant males from the M7 who seemed to share the kill with the females and cubs without a problem. The other male seems to be missing in action for the past week.

OLKIOMBO PRIDE
This pride had crossed the Talek river east of our camps camps but due to high water levels, got stuck across the Talek river at Maji ya Fisi, slightly due south-east of the Intrepids and Explorer camps.

Leopards
Lorien, the female leopard at Olkeju Ronkai, was seen resting on a tree near the Olkeju RonKai - Murero crossing south of Olkiombo for two days and appeared relaxed. She must have been well fed.
Bahati was seen with one male cub crossing from bush breakfast site west of Olkiombo Airstrip and went east to the Intrepids and Explorer bush lunch site with one of her male cubs. The female cub was missing and Bahati kept calling out for her. The male cub with her appeared to be getting shy as he grow bigger which is always the case with male leopards.

Cheetahs
Malaika has found a haven at the Musiara marsh and she has been in the same area for the better part of the month. She has been alternating between Musiara and the Mara North conservancy with her two sub adult cubs.

Ranii on the other hand is at Kabboson area, north of Mara Intrepids  and the grass is relatively short in the area with a lot of  plains game like gazelles, impala, topis, etc .She has of late been mostly going for Thomson’s gazelles and taking good care of her three cubs.


Report and pictures By Raphael Ole Koikai – Head Driver Guide, Mara Intrepids and Mara Explorer Camps.

Masai Mara - Early Migration Signs

Weather

18ºc morning

25ºc at midday 

23ºc after sunset 

The Domestic Migration of the Loita Wildebeest and Zebra to the Mara 

The Loita wildebeest are between Double Crossing and Ntiakitiak River within easy reach of Mara Intrepids Camp. Some herds of wildebeest have already crossed the river and are heading back east towards Olare Orok and Motorogi conservancies. There are some large herds of resident zebras at the Topi Plains, north-west of the Camp.

PREDATORS

Lions

The Ridge Pride

The Ridge pride is still at Topi Plains where there is a lot of plains game. The pride has been feasting on a menu of zebra, topi and warthogs over the last few days. The pride has four cubs aged seven months; four lioness and two old black-maned lions.

The Paradise Pride

The pride is on both sides of the Mara River depending on where there is more prey. Sometimes the four musketeers from the Marsh Pride join the Paradise Pride. The four musketeers have been seen often in Mara Triangle.

The Paradise Pride is in two groups. One group has six cubs aged ten months and two lionesses. The other group has three lioness and four sub-adult cubs. 

The Olkeju Ronkai Pride

Napejo the lioness and two others have five cubs aged about four months. There are two males with them from the M7 group despite the fact that there is a shortage of prey around Olkeju Ronkai.  The cats are still healthy but they are targeting weak and single animals for food.

The topi and hartebeest are around Maji ya Eland, south of Mara Intrepids. The pride seems to be heading towards this area.  

The Olkiombo Pride

The pride has regrouped once again following the arrival of the Loita zebra and wildebeest.  Plenty of food reduces food competition among the cats which is the unifying factor in lion families.

The group of seven has joined the group of eight. The males that serve this pride are the same two from the M7 group that visit the Olkeju Ronkai pride. The pride has of late been targeting cattle along the Talek River. 

The lions are therefore elusive because they are hunting cows and so want to keep away from people. They are seen very early in the morning before they go into hiding. 

Leopards

Bahati with her two cubs aged seven months - a male and a female - is roaming around Mara Intrepids Camp and Mara Explorer Camp. She was last seen hunting across the Talek River opposite Mara Explorer Camp.

It’s not sure whether the Olare Orok female is Saba or a different female. She is still around Mara Intrepids Camp with her two cubs aged one year. The cubs are a male and a female.

Siri is at the hideout hopefully raising her cubs.  

Cheetahs

There are still some exceptional cheetahs seen around Mara Intrepids Camp. Malaika and both her cubs are moving around a lot which might mean that Malaika is planning to leave her cubs soon as they are quite grown up.

Imani and her three cubs are also seen often. Recently, Imani killed an impala near the Mara Intrepids football pitch.

Rani with her three cubs are also been around Mara Intrepids Camp.

Report and pictures By Raphael Ole Koikai – Head Driver Guide, Mara Intrepids and Mara Explorer Camps.