Month: August 2007
Weather and grasslands:
On the whole we have had warm days with
relative north/easterly gales although we did receive the odd thunder showers in
the afternoons. Rainfall for the month was 69mm. Grasslands are drying up fast
and it is very noticeable in some areas of the Reserve where rainfall has been
less.
A large grass fire on the 26th has burnt
much of the grasslands of Topi plains, Bila Shaka and some of paradise plains in
the direction of the crossing points, all of Rhino ridge and to include the
bottom end of Emarti Hill, the damage this fire has caused will undoubtedly have
a short term impact on the movement of the Wildebeest and Zebra, if there was to
be some rain shortly the green growth will certainly draw in many herbivores.
Gnus update!
Good Wildebeest and Zebra sightings in the
southern section of the Mara and down as far as the south Mara bridge and the
Sand River, some good numbers have been seen crossing at the south Mara river
bridge, a few have also crossed the Talek river of which some of these work
their way around Rhino Ridge and move into the paradise plains area and only to
cross over to the other side again, the crossings at Paradise have been in small
numbers, many more Wildebeest and Zebra can also be seen in the north/eastern
areas of Koiyaki. Topi plains, the north east Musiara plains and the
south/eastern side of Rhino ridge are good places to see quite large herds
although relatively scattered. On the evening of the 31st many wildebeest and
zebra were seen filing into the southern end of the paradise region.
General Game:
Plains game sightings have been rewarding
with the continued dry weather. Within the immediate Riverine woodland verges of
the Governors camps and the Musiara Marsh good sightings of Olive
Baboons of which one troop between Governors camp and IL Moran Camp is
very large with a count of 80 individuals has been recorded. The resident
Impala which includes numerous bachelor herds of which one herd
of 32, the evident breeding herds of females with some new young fawns about
will be seen close by to the camps, a satellite herd of male Defassa
Waterbuck and a small breeding herd with calves will also be seen along
with some good numbers of Topi many females look heavily
pregnant so we shall be looking at late September and early October for them
Calving, the Cokes hartebeest will be found more so in the
drier southern section of the marsh. Elephant have been
spending more time in the marsh again and also the woodland areas between the
camps are good places to see them. The large male with the long tusks has been
about and his ivory approximately 65lbs a side is a good weight and size for a
savannah elephant of this day. Warthog are seen in most places
with good numbers in the shorter grass areas, a few sows have farrowed with a
mean of 5 piglets and many of these are just days and weeks old.
Bushbuck will be seen in the woodland habitats and early mornings and
evenings are good times to see them, between Governors and IL Moran there is
often a male or two and they can often be seen feeding close by to impala and
Baboons.
Serval cats have been sighted more often with some individuals
being more habituated now. Eland in small breeding herds with
their calves often in crèches or kindergartens and averaging 4 months old can be
found on the paradise plains, majority of the Eland breeding herds average
between 12 and 40 adults with calves, during the heat of the day they have been
seen browsing off the orange leafed croton (Croton Dichogamus), bachelor herds
of males will also be seen and among these are some very large breeding bulls.
The bulls tend to be more sedentary in their movements with females roaming over
large home ranges.
Excellent sightings of the Masai Giraffe with some mixed herd's
sizes often reaching 40 animals or so is a good number to see together in the
Mara. These animals have a home range and will wonder back and forth between
differing woodland habitats. To view a herd of giraffe walking across the sky
line or the open grassland plains is still a wonderful site that beats many.
Silver Backed Jackals in monogamous pairs are commonly seen in
the early hours of the evening and mornings, they are true opportunists and the
grassland plains offer them the varied diet they require. Spotted hyena
who live in clans are being seen a little more often now perhaps due to more
hoofed mammals being available, early mornings and evenings are good times, they
are more active at night but dusk and dawn are still in their time frame. Two
sightings of the nocturnal and insectivorous Aardwolf which is
a Hyenid with a different niche, these hyenids feed on harvester termites which
are very nocturnal so a sighting of them here is a bonus. Two Marsh
mongooses have been seen again in the marsh, these are the more aquatic
of the mongooses with frogs, fish and fresh water crabs being part of their
diet. On the 23rd a strange sighting of a hippo eating or
perhaps more so chewing at the remains of a young calf, this could be the result
of infanticidal activity or be a mother at the remains of her dead calf.
The one male Rhino has been seen again near paradise. On the
29th two ostriches were seen on eggs and this is the first
sighting for a long time.
Cats
Lion:
-
The Bila Shaka/Marsh pride of
three males, four breeding females will be found in the Bila Shaka
region, Koiyaki conservation area to the east of Musiara and the driers
areas of the Musiara Marsh. They have been feeding off Zebra, wildebeest
and Topi. On the 31st it was sighted near the double crossing that one
of the older females has two cubs which were born early on in the month,
according to driver guides she had three but on of the three males
apparently killed it. These males have been with this pride off and on
for over a little over three months and these new cubs could well be the
progeny of the last male.
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The lone femaleand
her two 13 month old cubs a male and female have been seen infrequently,
they were last seen on the 21st well into the conservation area north
east of Bila Shaka.
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The Paradise/ridge pride
of three males, five females and 11 of the cubs are
more often seen close to the Mara river at Paradise, on the 18th a male
and female were seen mating at Paradise they have been feeding off
buffalo and Wildebeest that been moving through. On the morning of the
22nd they were seen at paradise with 5 dead wildebeest.
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The Single Gorge/Acacia pride
of 4 breeding females, and two males. They
have been seen on the plains above the 'Fly-over' and also on the east
side of the Olare Orok River.
Cheetah:
-
Honey’s
three 17-month-old male cubs are apparently healthy; although sightings
have been slim they are believed to be well.
-
The three single males have been
seen often around Topi plains and the double crossing area and they have
been seen feeding off Thomson and Grants Gazelle. Two of them have a
little mange around the eyes and ears and we hope this does not get any
worse.
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A single female and her one cub that
was estimated at 4 months old, this cub apparently had a problem with
its eyesight and could not see very well. Both were frequently been seen
near the Talek River and more so close to the double crossing areas. On
the 25th her cub was no longer with her and is suspected that it may
have been killed by lion. She has been seen feeding off Impala and
Thomson Gazelle.
-
The female with two cubs estimated
at 5 months old have been seen near the double crossing and Topi plains
areas. She has been seen hunting fairly late in the day and this is
unusual behaviour for cheetah and there is often a simple explanation
for this.
Leopard:
-
The single Female who has two 11
month old cubs a male and female have again been seen often close to the
proximity to the governor's camps. On the 27th she was sighted at the
entrance to Governors IL Moran Camp. They have also been seen in the
drier regions of the Marash.
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The Male has been seen quite often
near Governors private camp, on the morning of the 17th a good sighting
of this leopard was seen in the riverine woodlands close to the Bila
Shaka crossing high up in an African green heart tree..
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Zawadi has
been seen often in the conservation side north of the Musiara gate, on
the mornings of the 21st and 22nd were two good sightings of her.
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A Female with two large cubs
estimated at one year old has been seen more often at paradise in the
Rocky croton thickets on the Mara River, she was seen on the 23rd with a
reed buck kill.
Walking in the Koiyaki Conservation
Area.
The walking area lies north east of the
Masai Mara game reserve.
With the good and drying weather walks
have again become more popular. The grass is still long in most areas so early
mornings have been at times a little wet with the dew. Elephant
in small family units are often seen within the Acacia woodlands and they will
more often than not spend quite some time. A large herd of 276 Buffalo
have seen often in the grassland plains areas, with good grass still being
available we hope they will stay longer. There are a few solitary bulls also
being seen. A small breeding herd of Eland have been about in the Euclea
divinorum marsh areas of the salt lick, and these Eland will
venture up as far as some Acacia woodland that is 15kms away. There are also
three large bulls that are seen from time to time. Impala and
Topi are commonly seen within the Acacia woodlands with small
breeding herds or individual male Defassa Waterbuck being found
in these woodlands. The three lionesses of the Acacia pride
have been seen occasionally on the plains above the ‘flyover’ and also slim
sightings of them in the croton thickets below. Some Serval cats
have also been sighted again in the long grass areas of the woodlands.
Spotted Hyenas have also been seen on the Plains above the ‘fly-over’
and a large clan with 36 animals now being counted can be seen across the other
side of the Olare Orok river, they have been very active here as there are some
good numbers of Zebra and Wildebeest. An Aardwolf has again
been seen and this is still a real treat as these animals are a specialised
Hyenid and are strictly nocturnal due to their insectivorous diet of harvester
termites. Good numbers of Zebra and wildebeest
can be seen more son the plains on the other side of the Olare Orok river, a few
have been seen moving in from the south. Small herds of Cokes hartebeest
are being seen more often on the open plains areas. Bat eared fox’s
have been seen more frequently with early mornings being good times. As they are
an insectivorous canid and with more hoofed mammals now in the region and with
all the dung being deposited brings on dung beetles and harvester termites which
are very much part of their diet.
