MBT - Conservancy Diary

Cheetahs second day in the conservancy

Samstag, den 08. Oktober 2011 um 19:16 Uhr Geschrieben von: Philip Mbeke

Head Scout’s daily report

Reporting date: 08.10.2011

This morning the scouts reported that there were 4 cheetahs in the conservancy. They were hunting. They looked really hungry. They had to make a kill to survive, otherwise they would die of starvation since their mother was no longer around to fend for them. In the Afternoon during a game drive in the conservancy, Peter and his guests reported that they had sighted the 4 cheetahs on a kill. They had killed a male impala and had eaten most of it. They engorged themselves and spent most of the afternoon lying down, digesting their well deserved meal. They will survive another day. They have inherited the kiiling insticts from their mother. If their mother was around, she would be so proud. Her cubs have finally come of age. Cubs leave their mother between thirteen and twenty months after birth. The first eighteen months of a cub's life are important; cubs must learn many lessons, because survival depends on knowing how to hunt wild prey species and avoid other predators. At eighteen months, the mother leaves the cubs, who then form a siblings group that will stay together for another six months. At about two years, the female siblings leave the group, and the young males remain together for life.

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Game Reports - MBT - Conservancy Diary

Mother cheetah & six cubs in the conservancy

Freitag, den 07. Oktober 2011 um 18:31 Uhr Geschrieben von: Philip

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Head Scout’s daily report

Reporting date: 07.10.2011

Under a Desert Date (Balanites aegyptiaca) tree lay the seven cheetahs - a mother and her six cubs. It was at about noon when Peter and Charles on their way from Siana airstrip came sighted them about a kilometre from the camp. They were surprised to see the family of seven away from the Mara Reserve where the cubs were born and were seen for the last year.

The cheetahs ventured further into the conservancy and were seen right infront of the camp during an afternoon game drive. Japhet and Ferdinand with their 11 guests watched the cheetahs hunting impalas. They were not successful but it was just very exciting having them within our conservancy. Whether they will stay in the conservancy for the next days is difficult to predict although we wished they could make it their home.

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Game Reports - MBT - Conservancy Diary

Lion - Hyena atandoff

Donnerstag, den 06. Oktober 2011 um 05:52 Uhr Geschrieben von: Philip

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Head Scout’s daily report

Reporting date: 05.10.2011

The previous night a lion roared around the conservancy. The next morning, the scouts went on patrol and found a carcass of a wildbeest eaten that night. They knew the lion was still around. They found it in one of the croton bushes. During the Afternoon Game drive, Philip and Peter searched for him but in vein. Probably it was still too early. During our sundowener, a pack of spotted hyenas could be herd laughing and calling. We suspected that they had seen a lion or probably had killed something. As it got dark, we wound up our Sundowner and decided to head to the area where the sounds were coming from and true to our imagination, a lion was lying next to the salt lick surrounded by a pack of 13 spotted hyenas. When the lion saw us he stood up and moved around followed by the hyenas. We saw a wound still bleeding and freesh. He was hurt. The hyenas could smell the blood and followed him everywhere he went. Some even tried to attack him but he repulsed them. They followed him and threatened to attack but the lion is the'king of the african bush'. He kept his ground. We had to leave as it was dark. The next day we asked the scouts whether thet saw the lion and yes, it was alive.

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Game Reports - MBT - Conservancy Diary

Three Leopards in the rain...

Freitag, den 30. September 2011 um 18:00 Uhr Geschrieben von: scout

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Head Scout’s daily report

Reporting date: 30.09.2011

While on an afternoon patrol within the conservancy, our Game Scouts spotted two Leopards: a mother and her one cub of about four months. It was drizzling and the two leopards took cover under the croton bushes waiting for the rain to stop. The scouts then informed Japhet who was on an Afternoon Game Drive with his two guests. When Japhet arrived at the scene, the two leopards had left but instead a male leopard was walking in the same area. It is probable that the three were together but the scouts managed to see only the two and Japhet was lucky to find the third. Powerful, graceful and arguably one of the most beautiful of all the large cats, the elusive leopard is a master of stealth and survival.

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Wild dogs and and leopards in the conservancy

Freitag, den 09. September 2011 um 20:06 Uhr Geschrieben von: Philip Mbeke

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Head Scout’s daily report

Reporting date: 09.09.2011

While on a transfer out to Siana airstrip this afternoon, Daniel and his two guests sighted two leopards; a mother and her cub huntinga herd of impala. The impala who could have noticed the two cats slipped away in swift dash. The leopards tried to pursue but gave up choosing instead to conceal themeselves in the nearby croton bushes, to wait for an unsuspecting prey.

On another note, while on his way from the evening sundowner, Philip and his two guests sighted a pack of 18 wild dogs which comprised 11 pups and 7 adults. They were moving very fast as they tracked and hunted wildebeests and impala. Since we did not want to spoil their hunt, we had to let them continue hoping that they will get something to eat tonight. This is the second time in a week that the pack of wild dogs are sighted in the conservancy, They seem to have chosen this area to be their home.

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Hunting (wild) dogs in the conservancy

Samstag, den 03. September 2011 um 20:49 Uhr Geschrieben von: Philip

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Head Scout’s daily report

Reporting date: 01.09.2011

A pack of 14 wild dogs were sighted in the consevancy during an afternoon game drive with guests. Daniel the Head Scout and his team were on their usual afternoon patrol when they sighted the wild dogs as they moved from within the conservancy. He immediately informed Daniel, Alex and Japhet who were on evening game drive with their guests. They followed the pack for over 20 minutes and finally caught up with them as they drunk water from a stagnant pool. The pack comprised 4 adult females and 10 pups. The guests were elated at the sighting which was a first for all of them.

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Game Reports - MBT - Conservancy Diary

'Zik - Zik'

Dienstag, den 14. Juni 2011 um 17:34 Uhr Geschrieben von: Philip Mbeke

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Head Scout’s daily report

Reporting date: 14.06.2011

When frightened, or disturbed, dikdiks produce a whistling sound through their nose that sounds like 'Zik - Zik, from which their name is derrived. Dikdiks belong to a group of 13 antelopes called the 'Dwarf antelopes' in TRIBE Neotragini. The most common of the 4 species of Dikdiks in Africa is the Kirk's long-snouted dikdiks (Madoqua kirkii) a tiny antelope with large dark eyes surrounded by a white ring. A black spot below the inside corner of each eye contains a preorbital gland that produces a dark sticky secretion. Like other Dikdiks Kirk's dikdik also insert grass stems and twigs into the gland to scent-mark their territories.

To prevent overheating while minimizing need for water, the dikdik has evolved a particular cooling mechanism where their elongated snouts have bellows-like muscles by which blood is pumped. Airflow and subsequent evaporation cools this blood before it is recirculated to the body. However, this panting is only implemented in extreme conditions—dikdiks can tolerate temperatures of up to 40° C/104° Fahrenheit. Dikdiks form monogamous pairs in fixed territories of low bush along dry, rocky stream beds. They mark their territory with dung deposits and with secretions from the preorbital gland. Sight, scent and hearing are well-developed, and dikdiks are very alert. They respond to the alarm calls of other animals. When in danger they tend to hide instead of flee.

Dikdik females give birth to a single offspring after a gestation of 6 months. Both parents care for the young, who often stays with them until the mother’s next birth. At this point, the parents will chase off the subadult.

Dikdiks eat foliage, shoots, fruit and berries. They are water-independent, getting water from the vegetation they eat. Appropriately, they are largely nocturnal, avoiding the heat of the day and unnecessary water loss. Salt is important to the dikdik's diet, but it does not need to drink as sufficient liquid is contained in the plants it consumes.

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Game Reports - MBT - Conservancy Diary

Nkoilale kids plant trees

Dienstag, den 24. Mai 2011 um 18:34 Uhr Geschrieben von: Philip Mbeke

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Head Scout’s daily report

Reporting date: 21.05.2011

Today was a tree planting day at Nkoilale School and the staff of Mara Bushtops joined pupils, teachers and parents in planting over 550 indigenous tree seedlings. A total of 900 seedlings were donated by Orion Hotels to the school to be planted by the pupils at the school. The remaining 250 seedlings were to be planted later in the week. Under the tree planting project with the school, each child is to plant at least one seedling which they plant and take care of until they leave school at class 8. The project aims to instil environmental awareness in the pupils. It also aims to educate them on the value of trees to our environment.