Mike Mockler Kenya |
KEPT AWAKE (AGAIN) BY FEUDING FELINES In the late 1990s, after organising and leading many Kenya safaris, Mike became disillusioned with the crowds of vehicles in Kenya’s game parks and the increasing number of big safari lodges there. However, having recently discovered some lovely, exclusive small camps, Mike was encouraged to return to Kenya with a group after an interval of almost ten years. As it turned out, these small camps proved extremely popular with everyone in the group. They offered a real bush experience with zebra, bushbuck, impala, hippo, giraffe, buffalo and even leopard wandering past the tents. On one night, after the guests had gone to bed, lions chased a zebra into camp before killing it a short distance from the bar. Everyone was kept awake from then on by lions arguing and fighting, with much loud growling and snarling. In his tent, Mike could feel the vibration caused by the male lions’ deep territorial roaring just feet away on the other side of the canvas. Overall, the tour was a big success despite the drought which had affected much of East Africa for many months. The tour was particularly productive for big cats, notably 12 leopard sightings and encounters with 22 different cheetahs. However, such statistics barely begin to tell the full story as it was the constant dramatic cheetah action which everyone will remember for the rest of their lives. On no fewer than six occasions, the group saw cheetahs stalking, chasing or catching various types of prey including warthog, impala, Grant’s gazelle and Thomson’s gazelle. In one instance, they watched a mother cheetah teaching her well-grown daughter how to hunt. Most dramatic of all was a cheetah failing with an attack on a big male impala that almost stepped on the crouching predator before he saw her. As she reared up in front of him and launched her attack, he dashed for the cover of some bushes on a termite mound, the summit of which he used as a springboard for a mighty leap, leaving the astonished cheetah far behind. Bird watching was adversely affected by the drought but there were some intriguing and unusual sightings, including lizard buzzard (an uncommon bird in Kenya) and the elusive African cuckoo hawk which was encountered several times out on the plains even though it is normally a bird of dense woodland and forest edges. There were also some stunning male violet-backed starlings which gleamed like precious metal in the bright sunlight. Each time Mike goes to the Masai Mara, he finds new lodges and camps have sprung up, so increasing the number of vehicles. On this trip, there was again evidence that the relentless exploitation of the Mara continues though, fortunately, Mike and the excellent guides managed to keep the group away from the crowds for much of the time. On the optional extension, very few vehicles were seen and game-viewing was outstanding. The first game-drives produced a mother black rhino with a very small calf and three big male cheetahs (* see below) feeding on a zebra kill. On the days that followed, several more black rhinos were discovered along with white rhinos, elephants and lions, as well as typical species of northern Kenya’s bush country such as Beisa oryx, reticulated giraffe, the rare Grevy’s zebra and the delightful gerenuk. There were also some good birds, including some of Kenya’s northern dry country specialities. All in all, it was an excellent conclusion to a very enjoyable safari. * Footnote: shortly after the group returned from Kenya, it was interesting to watch the same three male cheetahs hunting zebras and taking down an adult ostrich in David Attenborough’s “Life” series on BBC TV. NOTE: More images from Mike's trips to Kenya can be found on the Africa pages of the Photographic Gallery. |
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