A2A Safaris - Mara Totohttps://www.a2asafaris.com/africa/blog/tags/mara-totoen10 Things I Want People to Know about Kenya – Dereck Jouberthttps://www.a2asafaris.com/africa/blog/10-things-i-want-people-to-know-about-kenya-%E2%80%93-dereck-joubert<div class="body text-field" property="content:encoded"><p>Ten things I want people to know about Kenya.<br />
By Dereck Joubert</p>
<p>This could be titled ‘Why I love Kenya’ so be ready for some unabashed positive messages about the country.</p>
<p>I keep coming across people who ask me if it’s safe in Kenya, and while at first I was surprised, having lived for some time in Johannesburg in South Africa, later I realized that people are reading the Kenyan situation all wrong. If you hang out in any bad neighborhood bad stuff is going to happen.</p>
<p>All of the incidents have been in isolated dark and dingy areas of Mombasa or Nairobi and like most places in the world, there are certain areas you really do not want to wander around it. We caught the underground in New York this month, and ended up in just one such dark and dingy stop at 2am and it was as uncomfortable as in the back streets of Mombasa.<br />
The pristine wildlife camps and high-end lodges are almost like a different world in Kenya.</p>
<p>So the first thing I wish people knew about Kenya is that it’s safe in the areas you actually go to Kenya for! Some safari operations with camps in the Maasai Mara and in other regions now pick guests up at the international airport and whisk them off directly to the bush to start their adventure, avoiding the hustle and bustle of cities, isolating them from any threat.<a href="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Charter-plane.jpg" rel="shadowbox[sbpost-9528];player=img;"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-9530" alt="Charter plane" src="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Charter-plane-300x201.jpg" width="300" height="201" /></a></p>
<p>A little magic was sprinkled onto the destiny of Kenya in late 1977 when a group of local women banded together with Richard Leakey and other conservationists and marched on parliament calling for a ban on hunting.<br />
The lion population was in trouble even 37 years ago and today there are fewer than 1,500 in Kenya. But I love the fact that this was the first country in Africa to take a stand like this and make it stick. Some say that wildlife numbers today are lower than when they were back then. The same can be said for just about any wildlife population (except a couple of species that cohabit well with Man: rats and mice, viruses, and bacteria.) In general wildlife numbers decline in proportion to increased human population.</p>
<p>I was sitting on a small hill on the Olare Motorogi Conservancy and mulling over all this recently, and as I scanned around for big cats my binoculars passed over; giraffe, topi, wildebeest, zebra, Thompson’s gazelle, impala, some ostriches, eland, buffalo, elephants, a blur of warthogs, Grants gazelle and finally a pride of lions sitting virtually eye level to me on a far hill. Having found my ‘prey’ I realized that there is probably no other place in the world where one can see this amount of wildlife in one place! The sheer biomass is staggering. First time visitors to Africa should choose the Maasai Mara because there won’t be a dull moment and it is what the safari is all about: wild animals. It’s like stepping into a National Geographic film, on steroids. <a href="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Sundowners_BJoubert.jpg" rel="shadowbox[sbpost-9528];player=img;"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-9533" alt="Sundowners_BJoubert" src="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Sundowners_BJoubert-300x193.jpg" width="300" height="193" /></a></p>
<p>And then there is the migration, although I see that more as the moving, bleating, crazy brochure for Kenya that doesn’t need much announcement. Every cable channel around the world has had some kind of film on the poor wildebeest leaping into brown churning rivers that hide giant gnarly crocodiles but for me the Mara is much more about lush green rolling plains that are punctuated with the first steps of a new born Thompson’s gazelle as he stands up, no taller than the average sized camera I use, and these hills further punctuated by a watching cheetah. This wildlife only exist today because of tourism. Without the income, cattle would soon overwhelm the Mara and it will be just like any other place in Africa, dry, barren, overgrazed, with a scattering of poverty and sadness. <a href="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/MIgration-shot_BJoubert-copy.jpg" rel="shadowbox[sbpost-9528];player=img;"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-9535" alt="MIgration shot_BJoubert copy" src="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/MIgration-shot_BJoubert-copy-300x200.jpg" width="300" height="200" /></a></p>
<p>It’s also not just isolated to the Maasai Mara. Last month we got in a small Cessna and flew south from the Mara to ol Donyo Lodge, out of the lush green rolling savannas that you expect to see if you grew up on Out of Africa, as I did, across the great Rift Valley that holds so much mystique for me.<br />
At the foothills of the Chyulu Hills where the shadow of Kilimanjaro really does stretch across the plains I spotted a gerenuk antelope, a weird long necked beauty that stands on its hind legs to reach up to new buds on acacia trees, a surprising animal. I then caught a glimpse of great grey giants. Despite the fact that Africa loses five elephants an hour now, these giants still survive at here, protected to a large degree by the tourism that supports the anti poaching. With tusks reaching down to the ground and with names like One Ton and Unbelievable, elephants that come from ancestors with a tradition of names like “He who Ploughs the Earth” are valued representatives of an elephant population that cannot be seen anywhere else in the world. They represent the elephants that once where, the stories of our childhoods, the memories of a time when giants ruled this continent from coast to coast and ploughing the earth with gleaming ivory. An anti-poaching force run by the Big Life Foundation of over 270 rangers patrol and secure 2 million acres of land. <a href="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/hide-with-ele.jpg" rel="shadowbox[sbpost-9528];player=img;"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-9531" alt="hide with ele" src="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/hide-with-ele-300x199.jpg" width="300" height="199" /></a></p>
<p>People should know that there is a battle for Africa going on and it is being fought on three major wildlife fronts: lions, elephants and rhinos. In Kenya we help fund the Predator Compensation Fund (under Big Life) by paying fair value for cows killed by lions and Maasai warriors have agreed to stop spearing lions. It’s a major coup.</p>
<p>The warmth of a warrior’s smile one day, a six foot tall man in red checked robes with beads and spears and swords is something I will not forget but when he told me that real warriors don’t need to kill lions anymore, my heart swelled with pride, compassion and a sense of shared hope. <a href="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Maasai-conservationists-copy.jpg" rel="shadowbox[sbpost-9528];player=img;"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-9534" alt="Maasai conservationists copy" src="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Maasai-conservationists-copy-300x199.jpg" width="300" height="199" /></a></p>
<p>A few years ago, an electrical fire burned down most of the international airport. Like a few thousand other people we were trying to fly out and I was struck by the kindness and willingness of officials to help, to direct and just be good at making the best of a smoke filled bad thing. When we handed in our passports, and said: “Tough day?” she looked up at us and smiled, “Could have been much worse.” And I took this to be the attitude of Kenyans in general.</p>
<p>Innovation, passion, that frontier spirit, huge tusker elephants, lions in the largest density known to scientists, weird long necked antelope, deserts and mountains.</p>
<p>Mostly what I would like people to know about Kenya is that is fulfills dreams, against all kinds of odds. Those dreams only exist on a warm bed of tourism.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/bed-photo.jpg" rel="shadowbox[sbpost-9528];player=img;"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-9529" alt="bed photo" src="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/bed-photo-300x199.jpg" width="300" height="199" /></a></p>
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</div><div class="field-tags field-items"><div class="field-label">Tags: </div><div class="field-item even " rel="dc:subject"><a href="/africa/blog/tags/bushbuzz" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">BushBuzz</a></div><div class="field-item odd " rel="dc:subject"><a href="/africa/blog/tags/kenya-camps" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Kenya Camps</a></div><div class="field-item even " rel="dc:subject"><a href="/africa/blog/tags/mara-plains-camp" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Mara Plains Camp</a></div><div class="field-item odd " rel="dc:subject"><a href="/africa/blog/tags/mara-toto" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Mara Toto</a></div><div class="field-item even " rel="dc:subject"><a href="/africa/blog/tags/ol-donyo-lodge" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">ol Donyo Lodge</a></div><div class="field-item odd " rel="dc:subject"><a href="/africa/blog/tags/ride-kenya" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Ride Kenya</a></div><div class="field-item even " rel="dc:subject"><a href="/africa/blog/tags/botswana-luxury-safari" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Botswana Luxury Safari</a></div><div class="field-item odd " rel="dc:subject"><a href="/africa/blog/tags/chyulu-hills" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Chyulu Hills</a></div><div class="field-item even " rel="dc:subject"><a href="/africa/blog/tags/dereck-and-beverly-joubert" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Dereck and Beverly Joubert</a></div><div class="field-item odd " rel="dc:subject"><a href="/africa/blog/tags/great-plains-conservation" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Great Plains Conservation</a></div><div class="field-item even " rel="dc:subject"><a href="/africa/blog/tags/kenya" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Kenya</a></div><div class="field-item odd " rel="dc:subject"><a href="/africa/blog/tags/kenyan-luxury-safari" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Kenyan Luxury Safari</a></div><div class="field-item even " rel="dc:subject"><a href="/africa/blog/tags/kenyan-safari" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Kenyan Safari</a></div><div class="field-item odd " rel="dc:subject"><a href="/africa/blog/tags/mara-plains-camp" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Mara Plains Camp</a></div><div class="field-item even " rel="dc:subject"><a href="/africa/blog/tags/ride-kenya-horse-safaris" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Ride Kenya Horse Safaris</a></div><div class="field-item odd " rel="dc:subject"><a href="/africa/blog/tags/ride-kenya-mobile-horse-safaris" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Ride Kenya Mobile Horse Safaris</a></div><div class="field-item even " rel="dc:subject"><a href="/africa/blog/tags/safari" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Safari</a></div><div class="field-item odd " rel="dc:subject"><a href="/africa/blog/tags/wildlife" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Wildlife</a></div></div>Tue, 05 Aug 2014 15:43:06 +0000Anonymous1049 at https://www.a2asafaris.com/africahttps://www.a2asafaris.com/africa/blog/10-things-i-want-people-to-know-about-kenya-%E2%80%93-dereck-joubert#commentsOlare Motorogi May Wildilfe Report – Mara Plains & Mara Toto, Kenyahttps://www.a2asafaris.com/africa/blog/olare-motorogi-may-wildilfe-report-%E2%80%93-mara-plains-mara-toto-kenya<div class="body text-field" property="content:encoded"><p>As many of you know, Richard and Lorna are no longer managing Mara Plains (although they always have a seat at the table) and are onto other projects. Richard is the warden of the Olare Motorogi Conservancy while Lorna is assisting with community outreach.</p>
<p>In this capacity, we have Richard’s latest Olare Motorogi <a href="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Wildlife-report-May-2014-email.docx">Wildlife report- May 2014.</a></p>
<p>It’s a must-read for all you wildlife junkies. #whyILoveKenya</p>
<p> </p>
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</div><div class="field-tags field-items"><div class="field-label">Tags: </div><div class="field-item even " rel="dc:subject"><a href="/africa/blog/tags/kenya-camps" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Kenya Camps</a></div><div class="field-item odd " rel="dc:subject"><a href="/africa/blog/tags/mara-plains-camp" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Mara Plains Camp</a></div><div class="field-item even " rel="dc:subject"><a href="/africa/blog/tags/mara-toto" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Mara Toto</a></div><div class="field-item odd " rel="dc:subject"><a href="/africa/blog/tags/recently-spotted" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Recently Spotted</a></div></div>Tue, 10 Jun 2014 14:43:26 +0000Anonymous982 at https://www.a2asafaris.com/africahttps://www.a2asafaris.com/africa/blog/olare-motorogi-may-wildilfe-report-%E2%80%93-mara-plains-mara-toto-kenya#commentsGreat Guiding at Great Plains: Edwin Kiretu Senteu of Mara Toto, Kenyahttps://www.a2asafaris.com/africa/blog/great-guiding-great-plains-edwin-kiretu-senteu-mara-toto-kenya<div class="body text-field" property="content:encoded"><p>Hi Edwin,</p>
<p>Tell us a little about yourself!?</p>
<p>I am from Chyulu Hills Area , Imbirikani Between Amboseli and Tsavo West National Park<br />
How long have you been guiding for ? Five years, 4 and a half years at Ol Donyo Lodge and six months at the Mara at Mara Toto camp.<br />
The animal that reminds you most of yourself and why?<br />
Lion- Because when I was a kid I once got lost in the bush in the late evening and I ended up spending the whole night in the bush at the age of 6 years. A Lion guarded me the entire night and when I walked near the Buffalo or Elephant it came close to me to protect me. It showed me all the way back to my village. My parents gave it a Goat to thank the Lion for keeping me safe. From then on whenever I see a Lion it reminds me of that day when the Lion saved my life.<br />
Most embarrassing moment: When a client is chatting in the car about personal things.<br />
Most exciting guiding moments? When my guests are listening to me and asking me lots of questions in the car.<br />
Goal in your career: Looking forward to once have my own camp site, manage and guide at the same time.<br />
Place you dream of visiting: America to see where all the guests are from.<br />
Biggest Challenge facing community Conservation: Wildlife and human conflict.<br />
Biggest opportunity facing community Conservation? Taking care of Wildlife.</p>
<p>Thanks, Edwin.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/IMG_0392.jpg" rel="shadowbox[sbpost-9415];player=img;"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-9418" alt="IMG_0392" src="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/IMG_0392-1024x768.jpg" width="1024" height="768" /></a></p>
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</div><div class="field-tags field-items"><div class="field-label">Tags: </div><div class="field-item even " rel="dc:subject"><a href="/africa/blog/tags/kenya-camps" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Kenya Camps</a></div><div class="field-item odd " rel="dc:subject"><a href="/africa/blog/tags/mara-plains-camp" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Mara Plains Camp</a></div><div class="field-item even " rel="dc:subject"><a href="/africa/blog/tags/mara-toto" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Mara Toto</a></div><div class="field-item odd " rel="dc:subject"><a href="/africa/blog/tags/safari-experiences-news" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Safari Experiences News</a></div></div>Wed, 04 Jun 2014 20:58:36 +0000Anonymous971 at https://www.a2asafaris.com/africahttps://www.a2asafaris.com/africa/blog/great-guiding-great-plains-edwin-kiretu-senteu-mara-toto-kenya#commentsFebruary news – Mara Plains & Mara Toto, Kenyahttps://www.a2asafaris.com/africa/blog/february-news-%E2%80%93-mara-plains-mara-toto-kenya<div class="body text-field" property="content:encoded"><p style="text-align: center;">
</p><p>This February has been a dry month in which we have watched the red-oat grass drop it’s seeds, thin-out and turn from green to brown. The temperatures have passed 30C on more occasions than not, and the wildebeest have had their calves, the first on the 4<sup>th </sup>Feb the most recent on the 3<sup>rd</sup> March. This collective calving (ensuring a maximum survival rate) is considered one of the best times to witness the migratory cycles of these beests. The majority of this happens on the short grass plains of the Serengeti thought we still have our resident populations here who not only have more chance of becoming a statistic, due to the fewer numbers of fawns, but they also have to deal with the reality of being born into one of the highest predator density areas in Africa.</p>
<p align="center">Writing this report now after having had a truly spectacular day here in the conservancy we can really only guess that the 36 hours of rain which the area was lucky enough to get about ten days ago is the reason why we have had a huge influx of plains wildlife moving into the central conservancy from Motorogi to the north. Groupings of over one hundred topi seem to have lead the way, followed by multiple families of zebra and now close to two thousand head of wildebeest with more to come on the plateau above the gorge.</p>
<p align="center"><a href="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Zebra-sunset.jpg" rel="shadowbox[sbpost-9184];player=img;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-9185" alt="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" src="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Zebra-sunset.jpg" width="608" height="456" /></a></p>
<p> </p>
<p>This day started with Amani the cheetah being found above the rocky crossing. Then her three ‘cubs’ were spotted on the boundary of the new grazing area where they proceeded to kill a young topi and stuff themselves to maximum capacity (it is said that cheetah can eat 30% of their own body weight in half an hour!). Then a lioness from the elusive Eseketa pride (a branch of the core Moniko pride) was found with a wildebeest kill on the road onto the Olkuroto plains. A big family of elephant are currently moving through the Motorogi river valley; Fig the Leopard is digesting (again) on the river line behind Olare; and the Enkoyeni pride (never to be outdone) killed a wildebeest last night, and at 2:45pm had a another successful go at the 2000 wildebeest that decided to cross the Ntiakitaik River above deep crossing. It must be said they are looking very healthy.</p>
<p>On the same note of the Enkoyeni pride, some of you may have followed the thread of the Enkoyeni lion who was injured after his attempt to raid a Maasai boma. Well, he is still looking well and not limping despite having removed the stitches from both his wounds in his feet. The lion research, conservancy and guides will keep and eye on him and cross fingers that the wound will heal up. This pride is now up to 13 individuals in the southern part of the OMC (with two cubs) the other females are said to be with the seven young males in the north.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Amanis-cub.jpg" rel="shadowbox[sbpost-9184];player=img;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-9186" alt="Amani's cub" src="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Amanis-cub.jpg" width="375" height="562" /></a></p>
<p>Other characters of the story…. well, high on the scene this month have been Amani’s three ex-cubs from her last litter. These three spent the first past of the month hunting scrub hares. They then began terrorizing the reedbuck along the hammerkop steam, and they also had a go at a very unfortunate serval cat which was chased and very nearly tripped before being left to scamper to safety. These three killed an adult impala on the 1<sup>st</sup> (this chase ended up in the river bed after 200 meters) and then today a young topi. A very successful trio, well done Amani!</p>
<p>Other cheetahs in the soap opera… Narasha has been around, previous reports that she may have given birth were not true but by now we are sure she must have. The questions are ‘where?’ and ‘are they alive?’ The last time she was seen on the plains above the deep crossing she was reportedly lactating but this is unproven as yet. We do know however that she was in the same area as the Enkoyeni lions.</p>
<p>Another female cheetah came through this month with signs of mange around her eyes. After monitoring and follow ups it seems this mange may not be spreading so we will wait and keep checking on her.</p>
<p>The Moniko pride (the conservancies largest pride of lions) spent the first part of the month on their namesake hill before moving east to take advantage of the herds on the plains south of the Eseketa valley. Towards the end of the month part of this pride moved even further east following the herds onto the shorter grass plains of Naboisho, a few other members of the pride stayed in the area north of Kicheche and were recently seen on Naronyo hill presiding over the grazing area set aside for the land owner’s cattle.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Orange-tipped-whites.jpg" rel="shadowbox[sbpost-9184];player=img;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-9187" alt="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" src="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Orange-tipped-whites.jpg" width="467" height="350" /></a></p>
<p>Slightly further afield the double crossing pride have been close up to the boundary of the conservancy for much of this month, although they are nowhere near in as good condition as the pride around the OMC they are making the most of the animals that are moving through the north of the reserve on the shorter grass plains. Interestingly, the two males from this pride have been pushing far north (and east) into the territories of both the Enkoyeni pride and the Moniko pride. These two males have on a number of occasions been found around Moniko hill – maybe this is part of the reason for the Moniko’s move east? Either way the other males around the OMC will have their work cut out for them in the future considering these two’s ‘crazy eye’ look and aggressive pushes.</p>
<p>Onto the leopards of the Olare Motorogi and ‘Fig’ who spent the first week of the month in her usual haunt on the hammerkop stream. She then disappeared again for a few days (possibly just hiding very well), then towards the end of February she appeared on the riverline behind Olare in what we would all have said was her mother (Acacia)’s territory. To all the Fig fans, she is still looking healthy and hopefully <em>might</em> start to develop milk glands soon.</p>
<p>Acacia has been very scarce this month only being found on a few occasions. She is still along her little section of rivarian forest and doing very well as always. She took a couple of days to eat (and more to recover from) a large male Thompson’s gazelle she had killed and hung in a tree. Then she was found with an impala fawn very close to the conservancy’s western boundary.</p>
<p>Namynak, Acacia’s youngest daughter, has also blessed OMC guests with sightings this month. She has only been found in the vicinity of her mother once and is obviously very confident on her own now though still in her mother’s range. We are very much looking forward to the day when we see her with her first kill of a mammal her own size or larger.</p>
<p>Some of the highlights of the month would include:</p>
<ul><li>Watching the vets treat a young male lion that was slashed by blades while (hopefully) learning that cows are not to be eaten.</li>
<li>We have seen so many giraffe this month, seemingly more than usual, watching these animals helps one to slow down and feel the mellow motion pace of the African bush.</li>
<li>Seeing the cheetah chasing (but not harming) the serval cat.</li>
<li>Seeing the duo of Nguro (‘half tail’) and Jicho (‘one eye’) doing so well in the central conservancy despite not having a pride.</li>
<li>Seeing the large groups of kongoni (Coke’s hartebeest) around the conservancy when these animals are said to be in fast decline in the region.</li>
<li>Finding the multiple groups of Eland who we have been following these past months.</li>
<li>Watching the Enkoyeni pride set up and succeed in their hunt towards the month end after weeks when they were loosing form fast.</li>
<li> Seeing the large families of elephant coming through this area.</li>
<li>Watching the two families of bat-eared foxes (one east of the Ntiakitaik, one on Porini hill) as the pups grow and reach sub-adulthood.</li>
<li>Watching Amani’s last litter succeed in the majority of their hunts.</li>
<li>Watching Fig, one of our resident leopards, begin to expand her range. (Acacia has also been found again at the top end of the riverline behind Olare).</li>
<li>The birthing of the wildebeest and seeing these little long legged fawns learning to keep up with the herd. We timed one from hitting the ground to walking – 4 minutes!!</li>
<li>Witnessing the return of the large herds of wildebeest and zebra back into the area, promising a time of action ahead.</li>
</ul><p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/P1251572.jpg" rel="shadowbox[sbpost-9184];player=img;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-9188" alt="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" src="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/P1251572.jpg" width="504" height="556" /></a></p>
<p>So that’s it for now from the Olare Motorogi. More news on the happenings around us in the next months report when we hope to be able to write of some storms, greening grass and a time of plenty and action.</p>
<p>Olesere</p>
<p> </p>
<p align="center"><strong>Photo credits:</strong></p>
<p align="center">Lion cub- Richard Pye</p>
<p align="center">Zebra- Lorna Buchanan Jardine</p>
<p align="center">Cheetah- Lorna Buchanan Jardine</p>
<p align="center">Orange-tipped whites- Lorna Buchanan Jardine</p>
<p align="center">Old kill- Richard Pye</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
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</div><div class="field-tags field-items"><div class="field-label">Tags: </div><div class="field-item even " rel="dc:subject"><a href="/africa/blog/tags/bushbuzz" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">BushBuzz</a></div><div class="field-item odd " rel="dc:subject"><a href="/africa/blog/tags/headlines" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Headlines</a></div><div class="field-item even " rel="dc:subject"><a href="/africa/blog/tags/kenya-camps" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Kenya Camps</a></div><div class="field-item odd " rel="dc:subject"><a href="/africa/blog/tags/mara-plains-camp" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Mara Plains Camp</a></div><div class="field-item even " rel="dc:subject"><a href="/africa/blog/tags/mara-toto" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Mara Toto</a></div></div>Wed, 05 Mar 2014 12:06:26 +0000Anonymous868 at https://www.a2asafaris.com/africahttps://www.a2asafaris.com/africa/blog/february-news-%E2%80%93-mara-plains-mara-toto-kenya#commentsMara Plains and Mara Toto report, February 2014https://www.a2asafaris.com/africa/blog/mara-plains-and-mara-toto-report-february-2014<div class="body text-field" property="content:encoded"><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/IMG_9584.jpg" rel="shadowbox[sbpost-9184];player=img;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-9189" alt="IMG_9584" src="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/IMG_9584.jpg" width="640" height="427" /></a></p>
<p>This February has been a dry month in which we have watched the red-oat grass drop it’s seeds, thin-out and turn from green to brown. The temperatures have passed 30C on more occasions than not, and the wildebeest have had their calves, the first on the 4<sup>th </sup>Feb the most recent on the 3<sup>rd</sup> March. This collective calving (ensuring a maximum survival rate) is considered one of the best times to witness the migratory cycles of these beests. The majority of this happens on the short grass plains of the Serengeti thought we still have our resident populations here who not only have more chance of becoming a statistic, due to the fewer numbers of fawns, but they also have to deal with the reality of being born into one of the highest predator density areas in Africa.</p>
<p align="center">Writing this report now after having had a truly spectacular day here in the conservancy we can really only guess that the 36 hours of rain which the area was lucky enough to get about ten days ago is the reason why we have had a huge influx of plains wildlife moving into the central conservancy from Motorogi to the north. Groupings of over one hundred topi seem to have lead the way, followed by multiple families of zebra and now close to two thousand head of wildebeest with more to come on the plateau above the gorge.</p>
<p align="center"><a href="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Zebra-sunset.jpg" rel="shadowbox[sbpost-9184];player=img;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-9185" alt="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" src="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Zebra-sunset.jpg" width="608" height="456" /></a></p>
<p> </p>
<p>This day started with Amani the cheetah being found above the rocky crossing. Then her three ‘cubs’ were spotted on the boundary of the new grazing area where they proceeded to kill a young topi and stuff themselves to maximum capacity (it is said that cheetah can eat 30% of their own body weight in half an hour!). Then a lioness from the elusive Eseketa pride (a branch of the core Moniko pride) was found with a wildebeest kill on the road onto the Olkuroto plains. A big family of elephant are currently moving through the Motorogi river valley; Fig the Leopard is digesting (again) on the river line behind Olare; and the Enkoyeni pride (never to be outdone) killed a wildebeest last night, and at 2:45pm had a another successful go at the 2000 wildebeest that decided to cross the Ntiakitaik River above deep crossing. It must be said they are looking very healthy.</p>
<p>On the same note of the Enkoyeni pride, some of you may have followed the thread of the Enkoyeni lion who was injured after his attempt to raid a Maasai boma. Well, he is still looking well and not limping despite having removed the stitches from both his wounds in his feet. The lion research, conservancy and guides will keep and eye on him and cross fingers that the wound will heal up. This pride is now up to 13 individuals in the southern part of the OMC (with two cubs) the other females are said to be with the seven young males in the north.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Amanis-cub.jpg" rel="shadowbox[sbpost-9184];player=img;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-9186" alt="Amani's cub" src="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Amanis-cub.jpg" width="375" height="562" /></a></p>
<p>Other characters of the story…. well, high on the scene this month have been Amani’s three ex-cubs from her last litter. These three spent the first past of the month hunting scrub hares. They then began terrorizing the reedbuck along the hammerkop steam, and they also had a go at a very unfortunate serval cat which was chased and very nearly tripped before being left to scamper to safety. These three killed an adult impala on the 1<sup>st</sup> (this chase ended up in the river bed after 200 meters) and then today a young topi. A very successful trio, well done Amani!</p>
<p>Other cheetahs in the soap opera… Narasha has been around, previous reports that she may have given birth were not true but by now we are sure she must have. The questions are ‘where?’ and ‘are they alive?’ The last time she was seen on the plains above the deep crossing she was reportedly lactating but this is unproven as yet. We do know however that she was in the same area as the Enkoyeni lions.</p>
<p>Another female cheetah came through this month with signs of mange around her eyes. After monitoring and follow ups it seems this mange may not be spreading so we will wait and keep checking on her.</p>
<p>The Moniko pride (the conservancies largest pride of lions) spent the first part of the month on their namesake hill before moving east to take advantage of the herds on the plains south of the Eseketa valley. Towards the end of the month part of this pride moved even further east following the herds onto the shorter grass plains of Naboisho, a few other members of the pride stayed in the area north of Kicheche and were recently seen on Naronyo hill presiding over the grazing area set aside for the land owner’s cattle.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Orange-tipped-whites.jpg" rel="shadowbox[sbpost-9184];player=img;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-9187" alt="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" src="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Orange-tipped-whites.jpg" width="467" height="350" /></a></p>
<p>Slightly further afield the double crossing pride have been close up to the boundary of the conservancy for much of this month, although they are nowhere near in as good condition as the pride around the OMC they are making the most of the animals that are moving through the north of the reserve on the shorter grass plains. Interestingly, the two males from this pride have been pushing far north (and east) into the territories of both the Enkoyeni pride and the Moniko pride. These two males have on a number of occasions been found around Moniko hill – maybe this is part of the reason for the Moniko’s move east? Either way the other males around the OMC will have their work cut out for them in the future considering these two’s ‘crazy eye’ look and aggressive pushes.</p>
<p>Onto the leopards of the Olare Motorogi and ‘Fig’ who spent the first week of the month in her usual haunt on the hammerkop stream. She then disappeared again for a few days (possibly just hiding very well), then towards the end of February she appeared on the riverline behind Olare in what we would all have said was her mother (Acacia)’s territory. To all the Fig fans, she is still looking healthy and hopefully <em>might</em> start to develop milk glands soon.</p>
<p>Acacia has been very scarce this month only being found on a few occasions. She is still along her little section of rivarian forest and doing very well as always. She took a couple of days to eat (and more to recover from) a large male Thompson’s gazelle she had killed and hung in a tree. Then she was found with an impala fawn very close to the conservancy’s western boundary.</p>
<p>Namynak, Acacia’s youngest daughter, has also blessed OMC guests with sightings this month. She has only been found in the vicinity of her mother once and is obviously very confident on her own now though still in her mother’s range. We are very much looking forward to the day when we see her with her first kill of a mammal her own size or larger.</p>
<p>Some of the highlights of the month would include:</p>
<ul><li>Watching the vets treat a young male lion that was slashed by blades while (hopefully) learning that cows are not to be eaten.</li>
<li>We have seen so many giraffe this month, seemingly more than usual, watching these animals helps one to slow down and feel the mellow motion pace of the African bush.</li>
<li>Seeing the cheetah chasing (but not harming) the serval cat.</li>
<li>Seeing the duo of Nguro (‘half tail’) and Jicho (‘one eye’) doing so well in the central conservancy despite not having a pride.</li>
<li>Seeing the large groups of kongoni (Coke’s hartebeest) around the conservancy when these animals are said to be in fast decline in the region.</li>
<li>Finding the multiple groups of Eland who we have been following these past months.</li>
<li>Watching the Enkoyeni pride set up and succeed in their hunt towards the month end after weeks when they were loosing form fast.</li>
<li> Seeing the large families of elephant coming through this area.</li>
<li>Watching the two families of bat-eared foxes (one east of the Ntiakitaik, one on Porini hill) as the pups grow and reach sub-adulthood.</li>
<li>Watching Amani’s last litter succeed in the majority of their hunts.</li>
<li>Watching Fig, one of our resident leopards, begin to expand her range. (Acacia has also been found again at the top end of the riverline behind Olare).</li>
<li>The birthing of the wildebeest and seeing these little long legged fawns learning to keep up with the herd. We timed one from hitting the ground to walking – 4 minutes!!</li>
<li>Witnessing the return of the large herds of wildebeest and zebra back into the area, promising a time of action ahead.</li>
</ul><p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/P1251572.jpg" rel="shadowbox[sbpost-9184];player=img;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-9188" alt="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" src="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/P1251572.jpg" width="504" height="556" /></a></p>
<p>So that’s it for now from the Olare Motorogi. More news on the happenings around us in the next months report when we hope to be able to write of some storms, greening grass and a time of plenty and action.</p>
<p>Olesere</p>
<p> </p>
<p align="center"><strong>Photo credits:</strong></p>
<p align="center">Lion cub- Richard Pye</p>
<p align="center">Zebra- Lorna Buchanan Jardine</p>
<p align="center">Cheetah- Lorna Buchanan Jardine</p>
<p align="center">Orange-tipped whites- Lorna Buchanan Jardine</p>
<p align="center">Old kill- Richard Pye</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
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</div><div class="field-tags field-items"><div class="field-label">Tags: </div><div class="field-item even " rel="dc:subject"><a href="/africa/blog/tags/bushbuzz" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">BushBuzz</a></div><div class="field-item odd " rel="dc:subject"><a href="/africa/blog/tags/kenya-camps" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Kenya Camps</a></div><div class="field-item even " rel="dc:subject"><a href="/africa/blog/tags/mara-plains-camp" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Mara Plains Camp</a></div><div class="field-item odd " rel="dc:subject"><a href="/africa/blog/tags/mara-toto" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Mara Toto</a></div></div>Wed, 05 Mar 2014 12:06:26 +0000Anonymous850 at https://www.a2asafaris.com/africahttps://www.a2asafaris.com/africa/blog/mara-plains-and-mara-toto-report-february-2014#commentsGreat Guiding at Great Plains: Daniel Koya of Mara Plains, Kenya.https://www.a2asafaris.com/africa/blog/great-guiding-great-plains-daniel-koya-mara-plains-kenya<div class="body text-field" property="content:encoded"><p><a href="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/IMG_0901.jpg" rel="shadowbox[sbpost-9170];player=img;"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-9172" alt="IMG_0901" src="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/IMG_0901-1024x682.jpg" width="552" height="367" /></a></p>
<p><strong>Today, we chatted to Daniel Tirian Koya</strong>, <strong>full-time guide at Great Plains’ Mara Plains Camp</strong><br />
Daniel, Where are you from?<br />
ENDOINYO ERINKA (NORTH OF MARA CONSERVANCIES). These are the communities where Great Plains does its community work, too. It’s nice to be able to assist my communities through my work.<br />
And How long have you been guiding?<br />
SEVEN YEARS<br />
Which animal which reminds you most of yourself and why?<br />
TOPI- BECAUSE THEY HAVE GOOD EYESIGHT, THEY ARE VERY FAST AND GOOD AT AVOIDING DANGER<br />
And your most embarrassing guiding moment?<br />
I WAS OUT WITH A FAMILY ON A DRIVE AND WEARING MY TRADITIONAL MASAI DRESS, AFTER STOPPING FOR A BRIEF STRETCH AND RELIEVING OURSELVES I FORGOT TO RE-TIE MY SHUKAS (RED MAASAI SARONGS) PROPERLY AND SO FLASHED MY UNDERPARTS.<br />
What about your most exciting guiding moment?<br />
WATCHING A LEOPARD HUNTING FROM START TO SUCCESSFUL FINISH<br />
Do you have a goal for your guiding career?<br />
TO HAVE MY OWN SAFARI COMPANY<br />
What is the place you dream of visiting in the world?<br />
THE AMAZON<br />
What do you think the biggest challenge facing community conservation?<br />
HUGE INCREASES IN THE NUMBER OF COWS AND POPULATION CAUSING ENCROACHMENT INTO WILDLIFE AREAS AND DECLINES IN WILDLIFE DISPERSAL AREAS.<br />
THE VERY HIGH ILLITERACY RATE IN THE SURROUNDING AREAS MEANS IT IS HARD TO CARRY OUT AWARENESS PROGRAMS<br />
And what about the biggest opportunity facing community conservation?<br />
· THE FACT THAT THESE COMMUNITIES NOW HAVE A CHANCE TO DETERMINE THEIR OWN DESTINY IN WILDLIFE CONSERVATION AS THEY HAVE REPRESENTATIVES IN ALL THE WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEES.<br />
· THERE HAS BEEN A HUGE RISE IN ECONOMIC INCOME TO THE COMMUNITIES,<br />
· SUSTAINABILITY IN THEIR MAIN ASSET BEING LAND</p>
<p><strong>Thank you, Daniel! You are a valuable member of our team.</strong></p>
<p><strong>Now, folks, come visit Daniel in his element at Mara Plains. See you there!</strong></p>
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</div><div class="field-tags field-items"><div class="field-label">Tags: </div><div class="field-item even " rel="dc:subject"><a href="/africa/blog/tags/bushbuzz" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">BushBuzz</a></div><div class="field-item odd " rel="dc:subject"><a href="/africa/blog/tags/kenya-camps" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Kenya Camps</a></div><div class="field-item even " rel="dc:subject"><a href="/africa/blog/tags/mara-plains-camp" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Mara Plains Camp</a></div><div class="field-item odd " rel="dc:subject"><a href="/africa/blog/tags/mara-toto" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Mara Toto</a></div></div>Fri, 21 Feb 2014 21:26:28 +0000Anonymous833 at https://www.a2asafaris.com/africahttps://www.a2asafaris.com/africa/blog/great-guiding-great-plains-daniel-koya-mara-plains-kenya#commentsJanuary 2014 news – Mara Plains and Mara Toto, Kenyahttps://www.a2asafaris.com/africa/blog/january-2014-news-%E2%80%93-mara-plains-and-mara-toto-kenya<div class="body text-field" property="content:encoded"><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></b></p>
<p>Hello to you all from the plains, rivers, thickets and valleys of the central Mara ecosystem- the Olare Motorogi Conservancy. The year has started well in this area and on all fronts- The wildlife is midst a time of plenty, the game viewing is at it’s best, skies are clear, mornings crisp, and the days warm leading to great ‘cat-naps’ mid afternoon awaiting the evening action. ‘Do as the wildlife does’, after all, they have had tens of thousands of years to work out the best schedule.</p>
<p>For the most part the month has been hot and dry though over the full moon mid-January we got around 22mm of rain in a few days. This served to settle the dust that has been building over the weeks and clear the air leading to stunning views and night skies. Towards the end of the month in the lead up to the no moon the mid-day temperatures are reaching highs of 32C and the mornings took on a chill we had not felt in the first part of the month- 13C.</p>
<p align="center"><b>Wildlife</b></p>
<p>As always the OMC is just incredible wildlife wise but more so this past January as finally the 3-4 month regional migration arrived in force. It was in the first ten days of the month when we started to see larger groups of zebra, wildebeest and topi arriving. Herds of between 300 and 500 individuals appeared on the plains around the conservancy over the course of a week. Next came the eland, as always (with the warthogs) one of the shyest species on these plains. Is has been so nice to see herds of up to 50 individuals regularly in the past weeks. One herd has a crèche of 9 young a great sign for the future.</p>
<p>With the time of plenty after the falling of the mid-month rains we started seeing large breeding herds of Elephant arriving in the OMC from the east (the largest group was around 30 together). Many of these families have very new borns in tow. There have also been groups of bulls passing through and doing their bit for the landscape of the conservancy.</p>
<p>Other special visitors this month- The Cuckoos arrived making their presence felt through the calls up and down the riparian forests. The ever-present Klasses sounded like he was going into overdrive when the Deidericks arrived, and then the Levaillant’s.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Enkoyeni-return.jpg" rel="shadowbox[sbpost-9135];player=img;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-9139" alt="Enkoyeni return" src="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Enkoyeni-return.jpg" width="546" height="334" /></a></p>
<p align="center"><b>The Lions</b></p>
<p>News on the big cat front, something the conservancy has become known for, recent reports from the Lion research shows the OMC has having the highest population density of Lions in the Mara ecosystem. (70). Since then we have had the Olkiombo pride come through and another lioness with three cubs.</p>
<p><i>The Moniko pride</i> spent the days in the first part of the month up on Moniko hill but now, as the wildlife spreads towards the month end this pride is now moving around their range again. In the second half of the month one of the Moniko lionesses was found with one 5-day-old cub, a very exciting moment, but it leads to the question of what happened to the others as there would have been more than just the one. Could it be the double-crossing males pushing their eastern boundary or members from the lionesses own pride?</p>
<p><i>The Enkoyeni pride</i>- this pride moved up into Motorogi following the resident wildebeest about a month ago, they are seen from time to time and evidence in the mornings shows that they may be hunting down around the gorge and the bottom part of the escarpment. As of this morning we are please to report that at least 3 lionesses (one with 2 two-month-old cubs), 6 sub-adult females and 2 sub-adult males were found near the saltlick below the gorge. Could this be them coming back south again?</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/IMGP1793.jpg" rel="shadowbox[sbpost-9135];player=img;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-9141" alt="IMGP1793" src="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/IMGP1793.jpg" width="556" height="417" /></a></p>
<p><i>The Eseketa pride</i>- the newest of the conservancies prides has been quite scarce this month but this is due to the nature of the terrain they call home, mostly inaccessible to vehicles but great for those on sure feet. The times this pride has been seen they have been in the thickets on the valley walls. This is their diurnal refuge so as a result the managed grazing plan and cattle access routes have been careful to take the needs of this pride into consideration as much as possible. It is expected that there will be a little bit of movement due to the access route of the herds accessing the MGA but this route will not cut them off from seeking further safer refuge.</p>
<p><i>The seven young males</i>, these boys have been scarce for much of the month but reports tell of them being up on Motorogi and on some occasions in the company of Enkoyeni lionesses.</p>
<p><i>The double-crossing pride-</i> This pride have this past month moved north away from double-crossing into the river lines around Mara Plains and Mara Toto. They are a very successful pride with two big males and a number of cubs. One of the lionesses that was badly injured about six weeks ago is now looking much better and she still has two of her three cubs. It was one of these cubs that was killed by hyenas on the 19<sup>th</sup> January. The lioness was recently identified by the Mara Predator Project as being one of the Enkoyeni pride lionesses from 2010.</p>
<p align="center"><b>The Cheetah</b></p>
<p>This month on the OMC the most regular Cheetah sightings have been of Narasha’s two youngsters, these two seem to have developed a specialty for scrub hares. They are currently behind Olare Camp.</p>
<p>Amani is back in the OMC after a brief absence, in the time she was away she lost two of her cubs but luckily she still has one (possibly a young male), who is starting to show signs of getting boisterous. She is currently on the plains below the Eseketa valley.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Amani-and-cub-Jan-2014.jpg" rel="shadowbox[sbpost-9135];player=img;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-9142" alt="Amani and cub Jan 2014" src="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Amani-and-cub-Jan-2014.jpg" width="462" height="346" /></a></p>
<p>The big lone male cheetah is still around after about two months; this guy is showing no need to leave the fields of the OMC which is great news for us. He is currently sitting under a bush between Mara Toto and Mara Plains.</p>
<p align="center"><b>The leopards</b></p>
<p>It has been a quiet (interestingly) month on the leopard front this January, <i>Acacia</i> and her cub <i>Namynak</i> have not been seen for over two weeks. Though we would love to have her around all the time it is expected that at certain times of the year she will disappear for a while (on holiday or maybe honeymoon). We will let you know when she is back and hopefully still with her little one.</p>
<p><i>Fig</i> was a staple for the first part of the month, she was very pregnant at the beginning of January but around mid-month this was no longer the case. After scouring the area, watching her behavior and not seeing any swollen teats it was presumed that her first litter did not make it. This could very well be due to her tangle with the lioness last month causing her to miscarry. In the second part of the month Fig too, like her mother Acacia has also disappeared. It is hoped that she is off on ‘honeymoon’ with some good looker around the OMC.</p>
<p><i>Mystery</i>- There has been a couple of brief sightings of this shy leopardess this month on the river lines around Mara Plains and Toto but true to her nature she is always gone in a matter of seconds. There is a leopard mating with Yellow these last few days just south of Mara Toto but we are not 100% sure if it is her. The photo ID’s don’t quite match up, could this be another leopardess on the scene and in the story?</p>
<p style="text-align: left;" align="center"><i>Yellow</i>- the big OMC dominant male shocked us all this month by adding another huge section to his known range. Previous records of him have his northern most sighting in the area around the lower Eseketa valley (overlapping with the young Eseketa male), in the second part of the month he was found near the salt lick way up on Motorogi. This suggests this stud of a leopard is covering the whole area from the salt lick south of Mara Toto in the reserve all the way up to Mahali Mzuri as well as the tributaries of the Ntiakitiak River.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;" align="center"><a href="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Three-giraffe-Jan-2014.jpg" rel="shadowbox[sbpost-9135];player=img;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-9144" alt="Three giraffe, Jan 2014" src="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Three-giraffe-Jan-2014.jpg" width="547" height="410" /></a></p>
<p>Other great sightings of the month have been:</p>
<ul><li> serval cats, which may be becoming more regular and more relaxed with vehicles.</li>
<li>The bat-eared fox den up on the plain above Olare camp has been very special to watch.</li>
<li>The hyena den in the valley east of the kereput stream has a number of little black, bear like pups chasing one another, their mothers and sticks.</li>
<li>Seeing the first steppe eagles of the season has also been very special, at first glance these big raptors may look like a tawny eagle until you see one beside its similar counterpart.</li>
<li>The lesser-stripped swallows arrived in the first part of the month; many of them must have finished building their mud nests (or renovating) as in the second part of the month they have been watched collecting soft furnishings for the inner lining.</li>
<li>On a number of occasions this month guests on the OMC have been lucky enough to witness ‘cat-tricks’ (three cats in one drive/day), we all know it is essential to see past the cats and look at the bigger picture but this area really is big cat heaven and seeing three in a drive (sometimes 4) is something not many parts of Africa can offer.</li>
<li>Many of the Acacia Gerradii are once again in bloom leading to great backdrops in the green surroundings and also lovely scents in the light breezes of mornings and evenings.</li>
<li>Watching Fig kill a large monitor lizard has to have been a highlight, she launched off the riverbank into a stream and after a frenzy of splashing emerged with a meter-long lizard that was desperately trying to get hold of her ear.</li>
<li>Seeing the first flame lilies of the season as spots of red in a plain of greens and browns.</li>
<li>Seeing the large herds of Elephant arriving back in the area.</li>
<li>Finding the Enkoyeni pride moving back into their old haunt following the herds.</li>
</ul><p>Now, at the months end the large groupings of plains game are still found scattered around the conservancy. In some areas one can count over five hundred zebra, hundreds of impala, eland, buffalo, elephant, giraffe, warthogs, topis and both gazelle species without turning ones head. Combine this, with incredible vistas, blood red sunsets and a predator population that is the envy of other surrounding conservancies, one basically has (arguably) one of the top African wildlife-viewing experiences on the continent.</p>
<p>P.S. Without the crowds.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/dead-beetle-Jan-2014.jpg" rel="shadowbox[sbpost-9135];player=img;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-9143" alt="dead beetle Jan 2014" src="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/dead-beetle-Jan-2014.jpg" width="539" height="303" /></a></p>
<p> </p>
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</div><div class="field-tags field-items"><div class="field-label">Tags: </div><div class="field-item even " rel="dc:subject"><a href="/africa/blog/tags/bushbuzz" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">BushBuzz</a></div><div class="field-item odd " rel="dc:subject"><a href="/africa/blog/tags/headlines" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Headlines</a></div><div class="field-item even " rel="dc:subject"><a href="/africa/blog/tags/kenya-camps" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Kenya Camps</a></div><div class="field-item odd " rel="dc:subject"><a href="/africa/blog/tags/mara-plains-camp" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Mara Plains Camp</a></div><div class="field-item even " rel="dc:subject"><a href="/africa/blog/tags/mara-toto" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Mara Toto</a></div></div>Mon, 03 Feb 2014 12:57:22 +0000Anonymous802 at https://www.a2asafaris.com/africahttps://www.a2asafaris.com/africa/blog/january-2014-news-%E2%80%93-mara-plains-and-mara-toto-kenya#commentsCommunity Crafts Make a Huge Impact – Mara Plains, Kenyahttps://www.a2asafaris.com/africa/blog/community-crafts-make-a-huge-impact-%E2%80%93-mara-plains-kenya<div class="body text-field" property="content:encoded"><p><a href="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/EnE-womens-group-.jpg" rel="shadowbox[sbalbum-9099];player=img;" title="EnE womens group"><img width="150" height="150" src="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/EnE-womens-group--150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="EnE womens group" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Endoinyo-Erinka-group-learning-how-to-make-cushion-covers.jpg" rel="shadowbox[sbalbum-9099];player=img;" title="Endoinyo Erinka group learning how to make cushion covers"><img width="150" height="150" src="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Endoinyo-Erinka-group-learning-how-to-make-cushion-covers-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="Endoinyo Erinka group learning how to make cushion covers" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Bridge-into-Mara-Plains_2011.jpg" rel="shadowbox[sbalbum-9099];player=img;" title="Bridge into Mara Plains_2011"><img width="150" height="150" src="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Bridge-into-Mara-Plains_2011-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="Bridge into Mara Plains_2011" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/MaraPlains-camp-sokos.jpg" rel="shadowbox[sbalbum-9099];player=img;" title="MaraPlains camp sokos"><img width="150" height="150" src="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/MaraPlains-camp-sokos-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="MaraPlains camp sokos" /></a></p>
<p>The greatest income generator for the local community so far by our camp, beyond the land rent and infrastructure installed by the conservancy collectively, has been through camp ‘sokos’ or craft markets, when local women’s beading groups sell their products to guests directly and keep 100% of the proceeds. This model, which was started at Mara Plains, is now being duplicated by the Olare Motorogi Conservancy Trust and other camps across the region. The fifteen or so groups that that project supports have made many thousands of dollars so far. The women generally spend their money on healthcare, education, school books and uniforms for their children, and a higher standard of living, thus promoting the greater community. This self-help approach is now also giving women the confidence to request adult literacy and business classes, having never had the opportunity to go to school, and Mara Plains is helping them to realize these dreams through vocational training, teacher employment and conservation workshops.</p>
<p>Field trips into the conservancy for local school children in GP cars with GP guides has been a hugely popular project and is a reward for ‘Environment Club’ members who contributed to a successful tree planting program in the school grounds. Most of these children have never before seen the big game on the conservancies that they will one day soon inherit to look after, so for them to learn about it from guides teaching them in Maa is a hugely beneficial experience for them.</p>
<p>The women’s beading group at Endoinyo Erinka is now also doing very well, forming a registered business of their own and receiving international orders through ‘Ethical Fashion Africa’. Group members are setting up their own bank accounts, which is a very empowering move by uneducated women, leading the way for Maasai women across the Mara.</p>
<p>Mara Plains guests have visited this group for over a year, spending time in the homes of the 60+ group members, as well supporting their beading cooperative by buying jewelry and crafts to take home with them.</p>
<p>Mara Plains worked with the women of this group to expand their skill set by investing in a non-electric sewing machine and bringing in tailors to train the women how to use it.</p>
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</div><div class="field-tags field-items"><div class="field-label">Tags: </div><div class="field-item even " rel="dc:subject"><a href="/africa/blog/tags/bushbuzz" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">BushBuzz</a></div><div class="field-item odd " rel="dc:subject"><a href="/africa/blog/tags/community-submitted-news" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Community Submitted News</a></div><div class="field-item even " rel="dc:subject"><a href="/africa/blog/tags/conservation-updates" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Conservation Updates</a></div><div class="field-item odd " rel="dc:subject"><a href="/africa/blog/tags/kenya-camps" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Kenya Camps</a></div><div class="field-item even " rel="dc:subject"><a href="/africa/blog/tags/mara-plains-camp" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Mara Plains Camp</a></div><div class="field-item odd " rel="dc:subject"><a href="/africa/blog/tags/mara-toto" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Mara Toto</a></div></div>Thu, 09 Jan 2014 22:01:52 +0000Anonymous769 at https://www.a2asafaris.com/africahttps://www.a2asafaris.com/africa/blog/community-crafts-make-a-huge-impact-%E2%80%93-mara-plains-kenya#commentsDecember News – Mara Plains and Mara Toto, Kenyahttps://www.a2asafaris.com/africa/blog/december-news-%E2%80%93-mara-plains-and-mara-toto-kenya<div class="body text-field" property="content:encoded"><p align="center"><i>‘Are there young men and women in Kenya who are willing to raise their voices when mine is carried away in the wind?’ George Adamson</i></p>
<p align="center">A belated ‘Merry Christmas’ and a pre-emptive ‘happy new year’ to you all from the central plains of the Masai Mara.</p>
<p align="center">We are happy to report that the November-December rains seem (famous last words to have past leaving us with clear skies and spotless sunshine. This, combined with the Eden-like surroundings that are more something out of a nature lover’s dream than reality have made this past month almost surreal. The grasslands are still cropped short and <b>very</b> green, the little <i>Sycnium</i> flowers have bloomed like we have never seen before literally covering the plains with spots of white. Thanks to the settling of the dust and the moisture in the air the clarity of the infinite scenery has been one of the highlights of this December, a fitting ending to one of the best years yet.</p>
<p align="center"><a href="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Secretary-bird-Melvi-Stokes.jpg" rel="shadowbox[sbpost-9025];player=img;"><img class="size-full wp-image-9028 alignnone" alt="Secretary bird- Melvi Stokes" src="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Secretary-bird-Melvi-Stokes.jpg" width="640" height="615" /></a></p>
<p align="center">Since our last report so much has happened here on the Olare-Motorogi conservancy but let’s leave that to our highlights and get on with the past months report of who’s where and doing what in the world of the conservancy’s big cats.</p>
<p align="center">The Moniko Pride.</p>
<p align="center">The conservancy’s (and possibly even the Mara’s) biggest pride has been quite a lot more active this month in terms of their nightly hunting escapades. They are still retreating to their rocky hill safe haven in the mornings at first light and descending again in the evenings, but from the CSI evidence in the first rays of day it looks like they are having to go further afield in their hunts as a result of the wildebeest having finally returned south and others east. It is this time of year, after the ‘Gnu’s’ have left, that one of the northern conservancies best-kept secrets takes place, this is the influx of a regional zebra migration. Every year in December thousands of Zebra appear in the OMC coming down from the north in search of the nutritious green grass that covers the plains. This year we have not seen as many as we did last year, but there are here, helping to keep the pride’s fed and the nights filled with their braying choruses.</p>
<p align="center">The Enkuyeni pride.</p>
<p align="center">Since our last report this pride have not moved much and nor do they need to. The area they have staked out at their November-December refuge and hunting grounds really is perfect lion country – The area around the rocky-crossing. Here there is a confluence of four plains, three streams and the bushy verges that follow these meandering trails. This pride spend their days catnapping in the shady thicker bush before emerging in the evenings to scan the four plains they are currently hunting for the best chances and the best course for their nightly stalks. As is usual for this time of year, with the ‘beesties’ gone south zebra are at the top of the menu but failing these, hunting tactics change and the focus of the conservancy’s lions become the warthogs and topis. (Both of which have increased their chances of survival by filling the ecosystems with mini-them’s, bite-sized morsels for the opportunistic cats)</p>
<p align="center"><a href="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Enkuyeni-pride-male-Liliana-Soloman.jpg" rel="shadowbox[sbpost-9025];player=img;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-9027" alt="Enkuyeni pride male- Liliana Soloman" src="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Enkuyeni-pride-male-Liliana-Soloman.jpg" width="640" height="427" /></a></p>
<p align="center">Amazingly the lone Enkuyeni pride male is still very much in charge of his pride despite the huge lion population around them and the coalitions of two or more male lions in the surrounding prides. He must be quite a force to be recond with being able to hold out against superior numbers.</p>
<p align="center">The Eseketa and Motorogi prides.</p>
<p align="center">These two smaller prides of the OMC have as is usually the case been the most difficult to find and view due to their shy nature and the rocky, bushy terrain they call home. In the past weeks we have not had many reports from these two group but we will keep our eyes open and keep watch on them as we move further into the green season.</p>
<p align="center">The coalition of 7 young males.</p>
<p align="center">Again this month these seven have killed another couple of buffalo, for sure they have started to specialize in these huge bovines and by now (unlike their first buffalo kill all those months ago) they have worked out the best way to put the buff down with the least effort and risk. A special moment for all of us following these youngsters came this month when they were found with four females from their original Enkuyeni pride. This is very interesting as in the past when these young males were being kicked out of their pride the females were more than aggressive to them should they even look their way. Now it seems, with the then small cubs now grown and passed danger the lionesses may have accepted and understood that the future power of the conservancy will be held by these seven. Now, as times and hunts become more difficult and both skill and muscle begin to play ever more important rolls in health and survival, hanging out with a gang of strong young males capable of killing buffalo is a good plan.</p>
<p align="center">‘Fig’ the leopardess</p>
<p align="center">We very nearly had to say goodbye to Fig this month, this would have been a very sad day. Fig is one of the OMC regulars; she recently turned two and is a great huntress, fully arboreal during the daylight hours and one of the conservancies biggest ‘posers’. Early in the month the guides started to come in with reports that she may be pregnant with what would be her first litter. Her stomach was swelling, her teats developing and she seemed more fidgety than usual. Then on the morning of the 23<sup>rd</sup> a lioness from the Enkuyeni pride ambushed her while she was posing and cleaning herself. The Lioness was on top of her before she could even try to run, it had her down, managed to bite her badly twice before tossing her into the streambed. It was this fall in the river than may have saved Fig as it gave her time to get away from the lioness hurtling after her and she got up a tree. Over the next four days we have been following her progress with worry. She has one big bite on her back left leg, with obvious canine punchers running very deep, her front right leg was also opened up by what only could have been the lionesses teeth. At the time of writing this report she has done A LOT of very stiff and pained sleeping in trees and has not hunted in four days (that we know of), however she does seem alert and more active now so hopefully all will be well with a very valuable lesson learned- to much preening and vanity can be disastrous.</p>
<p align="center"><a href="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Fig-Fran-Soloman.jpg" rel="shadowbox[sbpost-9025];player=img;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-9029" alt="Fig- Fran Soloman" src="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Fig-Fran-Soloman.jpg" width="640" height="477" /></a></p>
<p align="center">Acacia and Namnyak</p>
<p align="center">Fig’s mother and younger sibling have (as with last month) been quite scarce this December, again as we said before more than likely due to the presence of the Enkuyeni lions in their territory. A couple of times this month Namnyak has been found alone and without Acacia, this is an exciting step forward for the youngster as she begins to become more self-reliant. Good luck to her and we feel she may need it considering the Enkuyeni prides recent history of trying to remove the other predators from their range. First they succeeded with Nalepo the cheetress, and then they had a go and almost got Fig.</p>
<p align="center">Yellow</p>
<p align="center">The Central OMC’s leopard ‘pimp’ has also been quiet this month, he was spotted once mating with a female a couple of kilometers upstream from Mara Plains around mid-month and since then has been a bit off the radar. There was a very noisy night just before Christmas when those of us in the camp were appreciating the beauty of a four-foot puff-adder when just across the river from where we were all standing the clear and powerful coughs of a male leopard reminded us of the incredible wild nature of our surroundings. A little later we heard him again calling from the area around Mara Toto so we figured he was having a look around to see if our resident leopardess <i>Pretty Girl</i> (AKA Mystery) was taking calls.</p>
<p align="center">The Cheetah</p>
<p align="center">So finally Narasha has left her two grown cubs. She then moved southwards into the reserve while the male and female remained in the conservancy for the rest of the month. From the reports back they have been doing fine by hunting scrub hares but neither of them seemed too perturbed about being away from their mother. We expect that when these two split up (which will not be too far away) then they will find out what it is like being a single cheetah hunting alone. Narasha on the other hand is doing fine. Her hunts are flawless and once again she has proven to be a very good mother. In three years she has raised four cubs to adulthood. The two that she lost in the second year was only due to her foot being sliced open on what could only have been corrugated iron or glass.</p>
<p align="center">The lone male cheetah briefly mentioned in last month’s report has stayed around the conservancy again this December, on most days he has been easy enough to find thanks to the short green grass, which doesn’t lend much of a hiding place to a large cat or more often than not he can be found by following the tell tail signs from all the other animals as they repeatedly snort ‘cheetah’ and stand erect pointing at the danger.</p>
<p align="center">Amani’s now grown cubs are also not too far from the camps, yesterday morning they were in the reserve south of Mara Toto. They are all fit and healthy and doing fine.</p>
<p align="center"><b><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Some of this month’s highlights.</span></b></p>
<p align="center">The green and flower covered plains scattered with the variety of the Mara’s mammals would be the backdrop for any one of these highlights below.</p>
<p align="center">We have had more than usual sightings of servals cats this month, probably because of the grass being so short and green meaning they don’t blend in as well as they do in other months, but the funny thing about this is that they don’t seem to realize they can be seen quite easily. Hiding behind glass blades thinking that if it can’t see the car, the car obviously can’t see it.</p>
<p align="center"><a href="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Blue-headed-tree-Agama-Melvi-Stokes.jpg" rel="shadowbox[sbpost-9025];player=img;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-9030" alt="Blue headed tree Agama- Melvi Stokes" src="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Blue-headed-tree-Agama-Melvi-Stokes.jpg" width="640" height="565" /></a></p>
<p align="center">Having Dereck and Beverly Joubert in camp for four days and listening to their incredible stories and knowledge of the bush stemmed from over 30 years on the front line of nature films and conservation. Anyone worrying about the future of Africa’ s Lions, Rhino and Elephant should spend time with these two. The future of this continent for these key species is far worse than we can imagine and we need more and more people to be aware of this if something is to be done- remember <i>The Lorax</i> from Dr Zeus? ‘<i>Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot nothing is going to get better, it’s not’ </i>Spread the word, look for the stats of the current rates of poaching in Africa.</p>
<p align="center">It was definitely an exciting highlight to have a four-month-old lion cub in the bush twenty meters in front of the mess tent for a whole day. The cub was separated from it’s mother and two other siblings when the morning wake-up calls were heading out to the guest tents. The Lioness they lay up for the day in the tickets in front of tent 3 while the cub tucked itself into the bush in front of the public area. The nonchalantness of the waiters was hysterical when at sunset they mentioned like it had slipped their minds, ‘oh yeah, by the way, there is a lion cub in that bush over there’. We love it and this is why we are here.</p>
<p align="center">This December has been one of the best for ‘cat-tricks’. Being in ‘big cat country’ many of our guests will come to stay with the hope of getting to see some of the feline predators this conservancy has become famous for. Most have got more than they could have imagined as in the past weeks seeing Leopard’s, Lions and Cheetah all in one drive (often just minutes apart) has become the norm. We do try very hard not to become too ‘blinkered’ focusing only on the cats but sometimes one just can’t help it. On a couple of days in the past weeks some guests have been lucky enough to witness (in just one drive) not only three cats but also cheetah hunts, ‘attempted’ leopard hunts and serval cats.</p>
<p align="center">Other highlights would be seeing the family herds of elephants finally back in the conservancy (and last night right in the camp). Many of these groups have arrived with new tiny little elephants in tow, heads held low, trunk useless, and very much glued to their mother’s bellies.</p>
<p align="center">Two great snake sightings this month around the camp, we have a new python on the scene, a beautiful 7-foot long female with all the blotches and camouflage spots one can imagine in nature. Completely harmless and stunningly beautiful this snake was slowly cruising along the edges of the riverbank in search of tasty morsels such as mice, monitor lizards, birds and possibly even the occasional fish. We were also very appreciative of the beauty of the large puff adder we found on the edge of the camp although we were more than happy to remove her from the vicinity. This huge snake is again dappled and blotched like the python but much fatter and with a huge triangular head. You will be happy to know she is now far away from here and free to go about her life safe from humans and us from her.</p>
<p align="center">Getting our first harvests out of the vegetable garden in the camp was a moment for all of us in the camp. As of now we have plenty of spinach, basil, cucumbers, broccoli, carrots, dhania and more on the way. Its lucky we used the old Mara Plains tent frames to build the ‘Jurassic park’ fence around the garden as the couple of times the old buffalo bulls have broken their way in (once bending an inch thick metal pole into an ‘S’ bend) they have made the most.</p>
<p align="center">Right then, that’s about it from us here on the plains for this year anyway. Since starting this report this morning we have watched the day heat up and what was a ‘spotless sky’ begin to fill with little puffy clouds. To be honest we actually really would like a couple more inches of rain if existence were to grant this to us but we are not ones to beg and more than anything we are happy with what we have. A beautiful landscape filled with nature in all it’s glory, an amazing camp that stands as a flagship for other ‘green’ camps in Kenya, and then we have the most amazing team of guys who do their bit through thick and thin to make sure the guest’s experiences in these two camps is as best as it can be. Thank you to nature, thank you to our guests for their support and thank you to the Great Plains Mara teams in both camps. You guys are amazing.</p>
<p align="center">HAPPY NEW YEAR!! And may 2014 be the best one yet!</p>
<p align="center"><a href="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Ping-and-Dan-Tirian.jpg" rel="shadowbox[sbpost-9025];player=img;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-9031" alt="Ping and Dan (Tirian)" src="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Ping-and-Dan-Tirian.jpg" width="577" height="640" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;" align="center"><strong>PHOTOGRAPHIC CREDITS</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;" align="center">Cheetah- Kevin Bishop</p>
<p style="text-align: center;" align="center">Secretary Bird- Melvie Stokes</p>
<p style="text-align: center;" align="center">Enkuyeni pride male- Lianna Solomon (11 years)</p>
<p style="text-align: center;" align="center">Fig- Fran Solomon</p>
<p style="text-align: center;" align="center">Blue-headed tree agama- Melvie Stokes</p>
<p style="text-align: center;" align="center">Ping and Dan- Richard Pye</p>
<p> </p>
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</div><div class="field-tags field-items"><div class="field-label">Tags: </div><div class="field-item even " rel="dc:subject"><a href="/africa/blog/tags/bushbuzz" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">BushBuzz</a></div><div class="field-item odd " rel="dc:subject"><a href="/africa/blog/tags/headlines" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Headlines</a></div><div class="field-item even " rel="dc:subject"><a href="/africa/blog/tags/kenya-camps" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Kenya Camps</a></div><div class="field-item odd " rel="dc:subject"><a href="/africa/blog/tags/mara-plains-camp" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Mara Plains Camp</a></div><div class="field-item even " rel="dc:subject"><a href="/africa/blog/tags/mara-toto" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Mara Toto</a></div></div>Sat, 28 Dec 2013 06:22:45 +0000Anonymous774 at https://www.a2asafaris.com/africahttps://www.a2asafaris.com/africa/blog/december-news-%E2%80%93-mara-plains-and-mara-toto-kenya#commentsNovember News – Mara Plains & Mara Toto Camps, Kenyahttps://www.a2asafaris.com/africa/blog/november-news-%E2%80%93-mara-plains-mara-toto-camps-kenya<div class="body text-field" property="content:encoded"><p align="center"><em>“And I dream of the vast deserts, the forests, and all of the wilderness of our continent; wild places that we should protect as a precious heritage for our children and for our children’s children. We must never forget it is our duty to protect this environment”</em> (Nelson Mandela)</p>
<p>This past month has once again proven to those of us here that one of the best times to be in the Mara is from the end of October through November. Why? For the most part, the little bit of rain we get is not enough to affect drives and activities, and in fact it serves to turn the plains green, the flowers bloom, the migratory birds arrive, the full abundance and variety of species visible at any one time is incomparable to anywhere else in Africa, the huge numbers of wildebeest and zebra are everywhere and many of the antelope are calving creating crèches full of life and bounce and also adding to the ease and menu for the huge numbers of predators in the area. This year we have another extra special reason for why it has been spectacular.</p>
<p>At the end of October we saw that the Mara reserve was empty and many of the southern end of the migration was crossing back into Tanzania. We all felt “well, that’s about it for this year’s migration”… other than the tens of thousands of animals still up in the Olare-Motorogi Conservancy, which we assumed were to be the larger than average Lloita migration. Then, in the last week or so of October, we heard a rumor from the Sand River area that many of the departed beests and zebra were back in Kenya due to lack of rain and grazing in the northern Serengeti. Then the same happened on the Mara River where huge groups started crossing back northwards again following the showers we had been lucky enough to have in Kenya. The result was huge river crossings, plenty of action and even more wildebeest in the conservancy than we had ever had at this time of year in past years and amazingly, with very few people here to witness it. In the past week, well into December, guests have been watching river crossings of thousands of animals and they are the only car there – an experience far from the mess in the reserve in the height of high season.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Dec-crossings.jpg" rel="shadowbox[sbpost-9003];player=img;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-9006" alt="Dec crossings" src="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Dec-crossings.jpg" width="640" height="243" /></a></p>
<p>Around the 4<sup>th</sup> December, the plains around the Mara were dry, brown and cropped short. The wildebeest in front of the mess tent either had their heads down munching on what remained or they were waiting, looking hopefully to the northeast. Then came the first rumbles of thunder and the promise of rain as dark clouds rolled in. Like last year, the November rains came a month later than is typical, but the downpours are making up for lost time.</p>
<p>Onto the characters and sightings of this story from the past month.</p>
<p>The Moniko pride has, since our last report, not moved much from their namesake hill where they have been quite easily found in the mornings and evenings and from where their hunts begin and end. The large part of this pride (4-5 lionesses, 12 sub-adults and cubs and 2 pride males) are found here all quite happily lounging in the croton thickets in the peace and quiet of their rocky hillside. Over the past month this pride has been watched on a number of occasions after dark when they spread out and set up for their hunts, though it seems the early part of the night is not usually that successful for them.</p>
<p>The Enkoyeni pride has spent much of the last month in the southern end of their range around the leleshwa thickets and rocky crossing. They, like their eastern neighbors above, have been very successful in their hunting, making the most of all the wildlife that is naturally channeled past their diurnal refuge into the confluence of the Ntiakitaik River and the western tributaries where they face running the gauntlet of the river crossings. At times this pride (3 lionesses, 11 sub-adults and cubs (the two smallest ones have just been introduced) and still only one male) have been found with kills up towards the dikdik crossing, but they always move south again soon after first light. This is more than likely because of the seven young male, ex-pride members who have moved into the Enkoyeni’s old stronghold north of dikdik crossing. This ‘gang’ of seven seem to be doing very well in this time of plenty. The guides have called them ‘wabarubaru’, meaning ‘the young ones’.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Zebra-at-Sunset.jpg" rel="shadowbox[sbpost-9003];player=img;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-9007" alt="Zebra at Sunset" src="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Zebra-at-Sunset.jpg" width="640" height="427" /></a></p>
<p>We are happy to report that the new (4-months-old) Eseketa pride is still in the Eseketa valley, and for them to be able to hold onto this territory there must be some formidable females among them and also one or two very strong males. At last count this pride is made up of 4 lionesses, 12 sub-adults and cubs and possibly only one male, but counting this pride (much like the Motorogi pride) is often difficult due to the nature of the valley they call home. Eseketa means the rough or rocky place in Maa.</p>
<p>The least known pride in the OMC would have to be the Motorogi pride, and other than some sightings in the mornings along the Nontopesi stream they have, for the most part, been quiet. The exception came one evening this month when they decided to target the prize bull belonging to one of the rich local politicians who was illegally grazing his herds in the conservancy at night. We bet they enjoyed that immensely, our condolences to the owner for his loss.</p>
<p>Nguro and Jicho, the female and young male pair surviving from the Prideless Females lineage, have stayed around this month and we have been finding them regularly on the Kereput stream around Albitzia. These two, unlike the other lions with the security of prides, tend not to go retreat into the bush until well into mid-morning. Rather, they seem happy to sit in the sun in the open plain, watching around them until they are sure they can head for the shade and rest, safe in the knowledge that their landlord pride (Moniko) are already cat-napping and not looking to cause them trouble with an ambush.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Migration-over-the-bridge.jpg" rel="shadowbox[sbpost-9003];player=img;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-9008" alt="Migration over the bridge" src="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Migration-over-the-bridge.jpg" width="640" height="427" /></a></p>
<p>Interestingly, November has been relatively quiet on the cheetah sightings. There has been a big male around the central OMC for most of the month doing little circuits between Naronyo hill and rocky crossing. This speedster has been having it very easy thanks to the huge numbers of Topi calves and gazelle fawns, and he killed one of them only hours ago on Porini hill as ours guests looked on. Up on the Olkuroto Plains there have been sightings of some other unidentified individuals, which is very exciting for us.</p>
<p>In the reserve Narasha has been doing well. The last time she was found by Great Plains guides she was still with her adult ‘cubs’. The time for these two to move on has come and gone, but obviously not according to them.</p>
<p>A quick report on the two orphaned cheetah cubs that were picked up by Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) after their mother, Nalepo, was killed by lions in November: After a bit of a search and a little undercover work (which found some serious corruption in the Nairobi orphanage) we found the two cubs alive and safe in a large-ish pen with fresh hay to lie on and a warm shelter to live in. Thanks to the pressure put on KWS to look after these two cubs they were in as good a condition as we could have hoped for, but we now know that KWS have no intention of reintroducing them to the wild – a very sad realization to discover the wildlife service is more interested in orphans as money earners rather than to release them as the wild animals they are.</p>
<p>The OMC and reserve leopards have once again been very active on our sightings register this past month. Fig (now nearly two-years-old) has been a regular find along the Eseketa stream around the hammerkop crossing. Like the other predators in the area she is making the most (almost too much) of all the baby animals around her. Observing the impact that Fig alone has on the topi calf population shows clearly the benefits of synchronized birthing among antelopes.</p>
<p>Acacia and her 6-month-old cub, Namnyak, have been quieter this last month most likely because of having the Enkoyeni lions right in the middle of their territory. When they have been spotted it has often been on the little tributary running north of Lone Tree Hill or in the thickets of Warbergia and euclia trees just upstream of Porini crossing. Once, around mid-month, these two were found in the company of Yellow, the resident male, who according to the monkeys, later that night passed by Mara Plains before continuing onto the kereput stream and his extensive range beyond. A ‘leap’ of leopards is a rare and wonderful thing to find.</p>
<p>Mystery, the resident female Leopard from around the two camps has been quiet this month compared to October when she was a regular sighting with her little cub. Through November we found her only a few times, sneaking around, hiding, being shy and sadly we have not seen her cub since last month. We can always be positive and hope.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Giraffe-and-a-tree.jpg" rel="shadowbox[sbpost-9003];player=img;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-9009" alt="Giraffe and a tree" src="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Giraffe-and-a-tree.jpg" width="640" height="330" /></a></p>
<p>The sighting of the month from Mara Plains was when Kali, the huge resident male leopard on the Olare River, was found having a bit of a fling with a leopardess, but the five lionesses and sub-adults of the Double-Crossing pride heard the chorus of growls. The lionesses stalked in and charged, the two leopards split and scattered, the leopardess headed upstream but the lions wanted Kali. They chased him into a small gully, where they surrounded him before jumping in on top of him. Huge snarls and roars followed before seconds later Kali literally popped out of the gully like a cork from a bottle. He took off down the river with the lionesses RIGHT behind him. The first refuge he came to was a slight overhang in the riverbank with a couple of roots across its access. He jumped into this spot and the lionesses tried to get at him but he let rip with the most fearsome combinations of teeth and claws from all four feet as he lay on his back, keeping his spine firmly against the riverbank. The lionesses backed off, keeping him pinned down, their faces bloody and covered in mud, unsure what to do next. Over the next half an hour the lions went at him twice more and we thought after the second attempt that he was finished. He had five lionesses ON TOP of him, all biting and clawing, but amazingly, despite the onslaught, Kali beat the lionesses off one at a time until they stood back, looking around through battered faces with what seemed like the realization that there is perhaps nothing more vicious than a cornered huge male leopard. After this, the lionesses began to call for back up, roaring and marking the area around where Kali was crouched, snarling like a demon. They were calling the pride males. Kali obviously worked this out too and in the short time it took for the lionesses to be preoccupied calling for the males he crept out of the river overhang, but he did not run. He quietly, and without showing any limps or weakness, climbed the riverbank. At the top, rather than bolting for the nearest tree, he stopped, turned and looked back with blue rage in his eyes that we will never forget. Then, as the male lions finally came trotting through the bush, Kali took off. The lionesses heard him go and gave chase, but too late. He went up a Euclea tree like nothing had happened, leaving the lionesses furious at the bottom. What happened next was like a scene from one of those angry couples talk shows – the lionesses went at the male lions, unleashing their rage in a full attack, obviously full of pent-up anger at their quarry getting away. “Where the hell have you been you lazy (<i>bleep bleep bleep bleep)</i>!!!”. The male lions took the attack, stunned by the female’s aggression, before fighting back in full force, causing the unruly lionesses to split and run in all directions. This incredible sequence ended with the ‘lazy, slow and overfed’ Double Crossing males stalking around marking every bush and stick they saw in attempts to reassure themselves and the lionesses of their dominance and prowess.</p>
<p>Onto some of the memorable moments of the past month.</p>
<ul><li>One was getting reports in that the wild dog were back in the Mara. Some of you may remember when we had three dogs run right past the camp two years ago, well these three males seem to have found a female companion. They were found near sandriver before they headed north and then back south again. We hope this may be the beginning of a central Mara pack.</li>
<li>We have had a great month for snakes, as it got hotter and dryer before the rains we started seeing the eastern green snakes more regularly, then we saw two green night adders, then we found (and safely removed from the camp) a beautiful female puff-adder who was making the most of the grass rat colony near the fire pit. Finally, as the rains started we followed the chirping of the birds near the office and found the stunning python (one of our residents) slowly creeping out of a hole and heading for the trees, a sure sign that the rain are upon us.</li>
<li>More migrant birds have arrived, the most recognizable being the Abdim’s stalks, Senegal and Black-winged lapwings.</li>
<li>The Warthogs have, in the past week flooded the market with mini-pigs we have been counting 6-8 in the litters, in a week or two they will be down to 4-5 and less.</li>
<li>We had a Zorilla in the camp for a couple of days this month, this little ‘striped pole-cat’ or ‘skunk’ was first found when he was trying to dig up the rats on the lawn just before first light, then again the next night when he leapt into the river below the bridge and swam across.</li>
<li>Soon the Elephant families will be arriving back in the central Mara again after their ‘vacation’ in the hills to the north and east, we look forward to having them back.</li>
<li>One morning near the end of the month we got a call in from Mara Toto to say that they had a lioness with a kill almost inside the camp so that was exciting.</li>
</ul><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/eagle-owl.jpg" rel="shadowbox[sbpost-9003];player=img;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-9011" alt="eagle owl" src="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/eagle-owl.jpg" width="427" height="640" /></a></p>
<p><i>Sawa</i> (OK), that’s about it for now. Sorry that the report was late this month, but we have been doing our bit to help two very impressive young ladies who are <span style="text-decoration: underline;">RUNNING</span> 400KM from our sister camp, Ol Donyo Lodge in the Chyulu Hills, to Mara Plains in the Masai Mara. Can you imagine running a marathon every day for two weeks? Crazy, yes, but they are doing it for the best reasons one can – to raise awareness and funding for the area they are running through – all community land, owned by different clans of Maasai. There is a hope that through the great efforts of Dudu (one of Great Plain’s relief managers) and AJ, (a very driven friend of hers from Nairobi), they can raise enough funds to kick-start a community conservation plan that hopes to link and protect the Tsavo-Chyulu-Amboseli ecosystem all the way to the Masai Mara.</p>
<p>This area would include over 2 million acres of community land managed by <i>the Big Life Foundation</i>, then continuing to the area west of Lake Magadi, past Lake Natron (the famous flamingo breeding area) on the floor of the Great Rift Valley, to the incredible Nguruman mountains and Lloita Hills (teaming with wildlife and covered in forest and rivers), then stretching all the way to the Mara. Should the hard work of the community members, conservation bodies and the incredible efforts of Dudu, AJ and their sponsors succeed, they will be creating what could be one of Africa’s largest conservation corridors, running the length of the Kenya/Tanzania border. And the best thing about this project is that both the Maasai community land-owners and the wildlife are the beneficiaries.</p>
<p>The best place to read about this area, and the possibilities and hopes for the future of it, is on the BIG LIFE or SORALO websites and blogs:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.biglife.org">www.biglife.org</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.soralo.com">www.soralo.com</a></p>
<p>To support Dudu and AJ go to <a href="http://charity.bushfit.org./support-us/">http://charity.bushfit.org./support-us/</a> It’s one of the most worthwhile causes we know.</p>
<p>In the days since starting this report the rains have really kicked in and the plains are now lush and green. As a final farewell, there are ten giraffe crossing the horizon in front of the breakfast table, as Lorna finishes throwing her solar-powered fairy lights at the ‘Christmas tree’ that sticks out through the mess tent deck.</p>
<p>From all of us at Mara Plains and Mara Toto, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful start to the New Year.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Grass-and-flies-in-the-sunset.jpg" rel="shadowbox[sbpost-9003];player=img;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-9010" alt="Grass and flies in the sunset" src="http://www.greatplainsconservation.com/bushbuzz/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Grass-and-flies-in-the-sunset.jpg" width="427" height="640" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Photographic credits.</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Fig’s kill- Laurence Clauhaut</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Crocodile attack- Lorna Buchanan-Jardine</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Zebra sunset- Richard Pye</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">View through the bridge- Richard Pye</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Giraffe- Richard Pye</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Verreaux eagle owl- Richard Pye</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Bugs in the sunset- Lorna Buchanan-Jardine</p>
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</div><div class="field-tags field-items"><div class="field-label">Tags: </div><div class="field-item even " rel="dc:subject"><a href="/africa/blog/tags/bushbuzz" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">BushBuzz</a></div><div class="field-item odd " rel="dc:subject"><a href="/africa/blog/tags/headlines" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Headlines</a></div><div class="field-item even " rel="dc:subject"><a href="/africa/blog/tags/kenya-camps" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Kenya Camps</a></div><div class="field-item odd " rel="dc:subject"><a href="/africa/blog/tags/mara-plains-camp" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Mara Plains Camp</a></div><div class="field-item even " rel="dc:subject"><a href="/africa/blog/tags/mara-toto" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Mara Toto</a></div></div>Fri, 13 Dec 2013 15:11:26 +0000Anonymous776 at https://www.a2asafaris.com/africahttps://www.a2asafaris.com/africa/blog/november-news-%E2%80%93-mara-plains-mara-toto-camps-kenya#comments