December 2009 : Grumeti Reserves, Tanzania

Firstly, let me take this opportunity to wish you all a very Happy New Year - may 2010 be a year filled with peace and many blessings. If December had to be characterized by one word, then “wet” would have to fit the bill. Amazingly, as much rain as we got, it never managed to dampen the spirits of the guests staying over the period. The afternoon safaris, for the most part, went out regardless of the conditions. There is a lot of fun to be had splashing over the muddy roads searching for the local wildlife!! Another thing that was evident during December was the number of baby animals. On Christmas morning, just as we headed out of Sasakwa we came across a lone female impala standing 15 meters away from the road. On closer inspection it was clear that she was very much in the throws of labour.

Unfortunately, she felt a little uncomfortable having the audience and she moved off to a quieter site to deliver her baby in peace. A day later the same female brought her little lamb out for a brief viewing before once again loping off, baby in tow. On another occasion, while trying to get into a good viewing position for a herd of buffalo, the approaching vehicle disturbed a female Thomson’s gazelle that was lying flat in the grass. She took off like a rocket! When we got to the vicinity of where she had been lying, there was a brand spanking new little fawn, still damp and covered in its birthing sac. Managed to take a quick picture before beating a hasty retreat!!

 

ELEPHANT HERDS

There was no shortage of elephants this month - it seemed that around every corner there was another breeding herd, and no small herds either. The majority of these herds were made up of 30 plus individuals. A number of these herds were also sporting some new additions. The really young pachyderms always manage to provoke ooohs and aaahs from the guests.

In one particular herd there were no fewer than 3 tiny calves that must have all been born within the same week of one another, the oldest of which was estimated to be around 10 days old. It has to be said the little ones are adorable and when they’re in a playful mood they are worth their weight in entertainment! Early one afternoon a number of these individual family herds converged on Sasakwa Lake and no fewer than 200 elephant were to be seen slaking their thirsts before heading off in various directions to resume their almost day long feeding rituals.

 

THE CATS

The concession has been experiencing a large amount of leopard activity. One night, while returning to camp, we were surprised to see an amber blur drift across the road in front of us on the hill up to Sasakwa - it was a lovely young female leopard. With spotlight in hand we slowly followed her off the road, expecting her to disappear as fast as she appeared. Surprisingly, with a vehicles crawling loudly over the rocks behind her and another to the side of her, she maintained her composure and went about her business as if we weren’t even there.

Some 40 minutes later, after watching her sniffing around and one close, but unsuccessful, Oribi hunt, we decided to move on and leave her in peace. The Sabora pride of lion showed face again after a considerable absence. One of the adult females is now sporting a GPS tracking collar. She is one of a number of participants in a study on predator/prey relationships being undertaken by the Lion Research Group in the Serengeti National Park.

Three other female lions and five hyenas have been collared. In early January a number of prey species in the same vicinity will also have collars fitted in order to gain the necessary data. We will be getting more information on the finer details of what the project wants to learn from these animals’ interactions with one another in January 2010. The Sabora pride consists of three adult females and their sub-adult and juvenile offspring. On a couple of occasions two large males were seen with the pride bringing the total number of lions in the group to fifteen. The Grumeti is not known for its large prides in the past and thanks largely thanks to the cessation of hunting and an effective anti-poaching program this trend is shifting and we are starting to see large prides forming. For January, we are looking forward to seeing what the New Year has in store for us out here in the wide open expanse of the Serengeti…

Ryan Schmitt
Singita Grumeti Reserves
Serengeti, Tanzania
31st December 2009