July 2008 : Grumeti Reserves

During the last month of June we have enjoyed an absolute bumper time in the bush. The old saying goes that a picture speaks a thousand words so I apologise in advance for some rather sparse text on the following pages.

The stars of the June show are none other than the Wildebeest, all 1.3 odd million of them! They are without doubt a keystone species in an ecosystem also reliant on the more traditional factors of fire and elephants to shape the terrain. The abundant hooves churning up the soil like a disc plough, tons of dung acting as fertilizer, a multitude of hungry mouths chopping down on the grass, and the rutting bulls horning the small trees and shrubs all adjust and affect the ecosystem. They came through Sabora camp, like they do every year, but an old bull decided to take to a swim this year – falling into the pool while taking a drink!

Their movement this year has been different from usual, coming onto our areas at Nyasarori in vast numbers during the end of May, and then all heading west, but returning rapidly east and north in huge numbers after very heavy rain (3 inches in 1 storm) in Ikorongo (our northern areas). The plains south of Sasakwa were literally covered wall to wall in Wildebeest on the morning after the rains; certainly the most concentrated and numerous as I have ever seen them!

The Maasai Giraffe have been abundant and daily sightings of these savanna skyscrapers have been a joy for all. Arguably the most recognizable silhouette in Africa, they provide great sundowner companions.

 

Hot on their heels are the predators, the lions and hyenas running the show, the cheetah eking out their living and the vultures mopping up after everyone on the scraps.

Particularly entertaining were mating lions, seen consistently for the last 3 weeks of June, right in front of Sasakwa lodge.

A few skirmishes between the 2 males one morning was entertaining, as they could not make up their minds as to prioritize the lioness in oestrus or a meal of freshly killed wildebeest.

The cheetahs this month were quite simply sensational and provided hours of quality viewing. This lone female, stalking a Thomson’s gazelle ram, resting in the long grass, had to literally jump on its back to wake it up and get it going.

What ensued was a chase extraordinaire………..right in front of the car in the short grass – truly spectacular! The female cheetah wasted no time in catching her breath and dragged the carcass off to the shade of nearby tree to begin her hard earned feast. Later that afternoon, after enjoying the entire carcass to herself, she lazily slept off her meal.

The 2 dominant male cheetahs were also rampant, targeting their usual prey of wildebeest, and an awesome chase and kill was seen on the afternoon of the 30 th. The target this time was and 18 month sub-adult, not the usual smaller calves. After battling for about 2 minutes to get a strangle hold on the throat and chase off the other herd members they finally managed to suffocate the youngster and began feasting immediately. No fewer that 6 hyenas were seen in the vicinity as darkness fell – no doubt aiming to rob the 2 brothers of their food.

 

A mother and 2 sub-adult cubs were seen near Sabora, also enjoying the abundance of wildebeest, catching and killing a 6 month old calf. The ensuing feast was second to none.

While feeding one of the youngsters could not resist playfully practicing her strangle hold on the throat of the long dead wildebeest, jealously guarding her meal while her mother and sister feasted away.

A new hyena den site south of Sabora saw a clan of 20 – 30 hyenas being discovered. The youngsters at the old Nyasarori den site were very endearing as their confidence in the vehicles grows.

Fittingly, the conclusion this month are the vultures, always around for the last word. Lappet-faced, White-backed, Rüppels Griffon, White-headed and Hooded Vultures were a common site on the numerous carcasses, continuing their daily mopping up duties.

This entry was sumbitted by Lee Fuller
Singita Grumeti Reserves
17 July 2008