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
180c morning
300c at midday
270c 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
