Travelling World

Game Report, Masai Mara, February 2011Thankfully we received some rain this month, bringing a small amount of green growth, however our area of the Masai Mara remains dry as we await the arrival of the long rains. The rain caused a fair amount of animal movement, bringing large herds of zebra into the Masai Mara Game Reserve from the surrounding areas which are extremely dry and have not had the localised rain we received. Early on in the month the zebra were moving into the reserve to graze during the day and out of the reserve at night where lions are scarcer and the zebra feel safer. Then during the month these large herds began to move across the plains, coming to the Marsh to drink during the day and some herds moving to the Mara River to cross. With river levels low the zebra have been able to walk easily across.

Sensing a change in the seasons, the wildebeest have now begun to calve, most of them have moved outside the park boundaries, (where pressures from lion are less) to do so. Their sisters in Serengeti will also be calving about now down at Lake Ndutu and towards Olduvai gorge.A great deal of rhinos were seen over the last month, almost twice weekly. This has meant that the “big 5″ were seen three or four days out of each week! We have enjoyed lovely sightings of a mother and calf up on the plains and a male close to the thickets near the Mara River. Rhinos have also been a regular feature on the hot air balloon safaris with five different rhino seen one morning. On the 8th of February our clients flying on the balloon were treated to the unusual sight of two honey-badgers moving near to the Mara River. And on the 4th we were fortunate to witness from the balloon a leopard in an acacia tree with a reed-buck kill. Elephants split into family groups this past month as the pressure of feeding increased. This is a common trait amongst many birds and animals that find conditions difficult. The elephant families were spending most of their time along the rivers, when it is this dry elephants need to drink everyday and will remain close to known water sources. On the 10th of February we were incredibly privileged to witness the birth of a baby elephant right next to the bar tent at Little Governors’ Camp. The mother elephant wandered into camp followed by a group of other elephants. The mother settled herself close to the bar tent and the other elephants then disappeared. After much trumpeting and effort the mother gave birth right before the eyes of some newly arrived guests.>Then the other elephants re-appeared and surrounded the mother and the calf. There was much excitement in camp and the mother and calf are doing great! The little one and its mother are still to be seen around and are given a great deal of respect by all.