Massai Mara/ Kenya
Serengeti NP/ Tanzania
Ngorongoro/ Tanzania
Massai Mara in SW-Kenya and Serengeti in N-Tanzania form a huge and unique transfrontier ecosystem. With some justification this region meets the klischee of the african safari location with seemingly endless grasslands, scattered acacia trees, rivers and gallery forests. It is here that some 2 million large herbivores (mainly wildebeest, but also zebra and thompson's gazelle) migrate clockwise around an imaginary point in the center in their never ending search for green pastures. Africa's large predators follow or wait for passing herds and lion and hyena density is higher here than anywhere else in Africa. Other predators like cheetah or leopard and large herds of buffalo and elefant together with an array of additional mammal species accomplish the picture.
It was in mid 1978 that I first set foot on the african continent and soon after spent a couple of days camping by the Mara river in the NW corner of the ecosystem. I can still very well remember the sounds of hippos, tree hyraxes and hyenas during my first night in the bush and for sure it was here that I fell in love with africa's wildlife. For the next 20 plus years I returned to the Mara again and again and spent there many weeks. After renting a Suzuki Sierra and camping gear and picking fuel and provisions in Nairobi, it usually turned out to become a long drive overland through the rift valley and Massai land. More than once, when rain and muddy roads prevented reaching the designated camp ground, it was unavoidable to spend the night just beside the road. But always the next morning paid back, usually the sun was shining and wildlife was everywhere. Mostly I choose a campsite on the Mara river just outside the park (today several conservancies on Massai land cater for tourists there). In later years - being able to afford a tented camp with decent food, accommodation, excellant guide and landcruiser - the short and scenic flight from Nairobi was a preferred option. It is more than 20 years that I have not been to the area and some things may have changed, but fortunately wildlife has not. It is thrieving, you may just watch one of the TV presentations of Jonathan Scott (whom I met already during my first visit and who is still there!).
In order to visit Serengeti it was not possible to just cross the border into Tanzania from the Mara, it needed a long detour through Nairobi, Namanga and Arusha, so we visited this large and beautiful park only a handfull of times. On the way from Arusha the road climbs to the rim of Ngorongoro crater, which is a world itself. The crater floor has always been a safeheaven for wildlife, including the critically endangered black rhinocerus and it is still to this day.
Hope the following highlights, encountered during all those years, will reflect some of the magic these places have.
In the 1990s Air Kenya used two WW II DC3 planes for flights servicing the Mara, giving visitors an amazing nostalgic experience!
'Out of Africa Camp' near Ngerende airstrip
aerial view of the Mara (means 'spotted land') with savannas, forests and the Mara river
Many of the pics below have been taken from the relatively low vantage point in the back of this land cruiser.
Wildebeast form the bulk of the migrating herds in Mara/Serengeti. These are quintessential herd animals, following their neighbors is everything and the individual counts little. In February (the time of our visits) enormeous numbers gather on the vast open plains in eastern Serengeti. However some 50000 individuals are resident in the Mara and both populations calve in February. Considering the abundance of predators it is important for the calves to be on their legs quickly. It takes less than 15 min before they are able to run. Also the overwhelming number of newborn calves is simply too high for all being eaten by predators, so enough individuals survive and sustain the population.
The high lying plains in the Mara receive more rain than the Serengeti further south. Mornings are often cool and a little foggy. This group of Thompson's gazelle had spent the night in relative safety of the open.
Also this cheetah family (mother and two young) had spent the night on an open plain. Cheetahs are active by day and vulnerable to stronger predators like lions or hyenas, especially at night. They loose many kills and sometimes lifes to these larger competitors. In Massai land, where cattle is grazed, lions and hyenas are controlled to comparatively low numbers. It is here that cheetah thrieve, they hardly ever go for cattle, which during daytime is guarded by the Massai boys and reasonably well protected from larger, nocturnal predators in thornbush kraals during the night.
Cheetah mothers have a hard life needing hunting daily and protecting their young. Infant mortality is high, but this female obviously had mastered the task, the cubs are half way grown up.
Semi retractable claws act like spikes and give these cats - together with long legs and a very flexible spinal cord - their incredible speed. Cheetahs need to approach a prey animal to about 50m, before starting the chase. They often approach quite openly, looking for an animal which overrates its own running ability. Sometimes they seemingly bypass a gazelle, but at the point of closest distance, when the prey already believes it is safe, they make a right angle turn and go for it. Still by far not all hunts are successful, but it looks like they can start a 'turbo', when really hungry and in need to eat.
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Thompson's gazelles are a favourite prey in the Mara, during persuit cheetahs can reach 100 km/h. However they quickly overheat and tire, so they need to catch their prey within the first 400m.
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This family had killed an impala, an excellently sized meal for all three of them. Mom quickly pulled the carcass into cover, hoping that vultures had not yet seen it and thus avoiding these birds alarming competitors, when going down. Cheetahs always hurry eating and abandon anything they cannot immediately finish.
Cheetah claws are made for running, not climbing. Still, on occasion one of the cats would decide to go for a high vantage point in a tree, looking out for potential prey. Going down usually looked less elegant.
Also safari cars make a good lookout point, a hanging cheetah tail through an open roof releases a distinct and quite strong odour.
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Like most young predators also cheetah cubs need to learn how to hunt. As a crucial lesson mom will catch a young gazelle and bring it to her offspring alive. The young cats have the natural instinct to chase, but need learning how to kill. Initially they rather play with the unfortunate gazelle.
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Invariably after the play mom demonstrates how to kill and all three can enjoy a meal.
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elefant herd crossing a plain while heading for a new feeding ground in a riverine forest
Two buffaloes are enjoying a cooling mud bath. These formidable fighters are in a constant battle with lions. Who has the upper hand depends on numbers and individuals, at night lions have an advantage.
Nervous zebras at the Mara river need to be on constant alert from predators, which may be hidden preparing for an ambush.
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River crossings are particularly dangerous, considering the large number of huge crocodiles in the water.
These crocodiles may weigh a ton, they can go without food for long periods waiting for the annual fiest, when migrating herds have to cross the river.
Spotted hyenas are numerous and the most important predators in the Mara. Whether they steal food from lions or the other way round purely depends on their numbers on the scene.
A banded mongoose is looking for beetle larvae in elefant dung.
Bat-eared foxes likewise dig for insects, which they are able to locate underground using an acute sense of hearing.
The Mara is famous for large resident lion prides. An abundance of prey year round enables them to permanently occupy their territories, which is necessary for successful breeding. This large male patroled his territory, keeping away other males, which try taking over territory and females.
These are the tiniest lion cubs I have ever seen, approximately 2 weeks old. The mother hides them during the first weeks before introducing them into the pride. At young age lions are vulnerable to hyenas and foreign lions, they depend on a stable, well defended territory. If a takeover by foreign males happens, these will immediately kill all cubs, thus bringing the females quicker into oestrus and enhancing their own chances to pass on genes.
Cubs join the pride at approximately 3 weeks of age, with 6 weeks they are already led to kills. Females may stay in the pride their entire life, males have to leave at around 2 yrs old.
This lioness must have succeeded to hit a lucky punch, it was midday and she was alone.
Usually lions hunt at night and make use of several pride members. Typically one lioness stalks the prey and tries to chase it towards their compagnions waiting in ambush.
Later that afternoon the entire pride including the pride males were feasting.
Leopards are the most elusive of the big cats. Still in the 80s footage was scarce and most observations were short and happened in poor light. Since then some individuals - like this large male with obviously full belly - have lost their fear of cars and can now regularly be seen in broad in daylight.
young leopard, happily playing in the morning sun
The Serengeti plains extend for miles and miles to the south of the Kenya/Tanzania border and reach the slopes of Ngorongoro crater. This is the heartland of the planets largest animal migration and the vast open plains between Naabi hill and Ngorongoro are the birthing grounds of almost 2 million wildebeest and zebra during the wet season in January/February. After the rains these plains are incredibly green and beautiful.
While camping on Naabi hill - can be seen on the horizon in the picture above - a male lion had decided to spend the night just meters away from our tent. The skinny cat had a broken leg and was roaring all night through, keeping us awake. The next morning the rangers told us, that this lion had been around with his injury for almost two years, during which time his brother with the pride kept him alive. We have seen the poor guy later stumbling over the plain towards a kill his friends made in that night.
The Seronera valley in the heart of the Serengeti is famous for reliable leopard sightings.
on our way to Ngorongoro crater
Scattered over the extensive plains are several granite hills, which are called koppies and which frequently attract predators. This lion pride was spending the day on top of one.
Cheetahs prefer the open plains and often hunt in the heat of the day, when competitors are less active.
breathtaking view from the crater rim at 2500m altitude down to the craterfloor 600 m below
The 20 km diameter caldera with towering crater walls all around feels like a gigantic zoo with the complete set of african mammals in a small area. It also holds a soda lake with thousands of flamingos.
Lions are incredibly well used to cars and easy to spot.
When they do not want to be seen, these cats can virtually disappear in high grass.
A golden jackal and white-backed vulture feed on a wildebeast carcass. Golden jackals regularly hunt for invertebrates and gazelle fawns.
Antipoaching efforts have been successful on the crater floor, which is only accessable by two narrow and steep roads. Up to this day a viable population of critically endangered black rhinocerus survives.
This newborn calf is vulnerable to pedators and needs good protection from its mother.
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