Governor's camp game report, Masai Mara, June 2011

Weather and grasslands:

We have enjoyed pleasant weather this month, early mornings have been a little chilly with temperatures as low as 14°C but by late afternoon we had warmed up and were enjoying a balmy 30°C. The total rainfall for the month was 85.5mm and much of this rain fell in the late afternoons, causing the Mara River to rise and keeping the hippo pods happy.

Wildebeest migration

On the 1st of July, many wildebeest took the plunge and crossed the Mara River at the Sand River area of the Mara. The zebra are not far behind and could be with us very soon.

The elephant families and their calves have spread out within the Musiara Marsh, Bila Shaka and riverine woodlands of the Mara River. Good numbers have been spending their time in the Acacia woodlands in the Koiyaki conservancy, close to where we do our walking safaris. The swamp is still a good place to see elephant feeding and bathing and there are two large bull elephant that frequent in the Marsh and Bila Shaka areas close to Governors' Camp. But we expect that as the wildebeest migration begins to arrive the elephant will move away to quiter areas.

Most of the herbivores are staying in the short grass areas of Bila Shaka and Topi Plains, here the grass is green and they can see predators approaching. The woodlands close to our camps are home to giraffe, and there are also lots of giraffe in the acacia woodlands bordering the reserve. Good numbers of Cokes Hartebeest graze on the plains and many of the resident zebra are in the southern Koiyaki areas where grasses are still short and green due to the little rain they have had.

Topi, with their seven/eight-month-old calves, are on Topi plains and Emarti which is the southern end of Rhino Ridge.

Spotted hyena are frequently near to lion kills, or it is the other way around? On the Paradise plains as many as 40 Hyena have been seen at a time, with numbers like these the hyena clans will compete strongly with the resident lion.

Lion

The Paradise Pride of four large males and an older male known as “Notch” who is the uncle to these four males, remain the hippo hunting experts bringing down another two hippos this month. The males are fairly nomadic and were seen mating with females of the double crossing pride.

The Double Crossing Pride of four adult females and their four cubs (almost two years old), have been feeding off warthog. One of the pride females is now getting old, and despite still moving with the pride, struggles to feed herself.

Cheetah

With so many hyena around cheetah remain fairly elusive however we have had some good sightings this month.

A single female remains near the Musiara Marsh and airstrip and she has been feeding off Thomson Gazelles and reedbuck. Taking up residence so close to our camps means that we have enjoyed daily sightings of her.

Leopard

We have been treated to some wonderful leopard sightings this month. For three days last week we witnessed five leopards together at an area we call Base; a mother, her two cubs and two other males. Leopards are usually fairly solitary cats so to see five together on more than one occasion is unusual.

The large male leopard has been covering ground in his territory between the Bila Shaka riverbed and as far as Governors Private Camp. He seems to be thriving and has been feeding off warthog and impala.

The young male leopard of paradise is staying close to the Mara River, perhaps he senses that the wildebeest herds will be with us soon and food will be abundant!