Reporting Date:  19.01.2012

Elephants have an average life span of about 60 years but the main determinant is the wear and tear of their teeth.

Today Peter went for a fullday gamedrive, the weather was hot and sunny throughout the day. On arrival at Talek river they saw a bull elly feeding on the riverine vegetation growing on the river bank. They watched him for a while make use of the soft grass that he could find. He also looked elderly.

Ageing elephants prefer to feed on soft vegetation due to their worn out teeth, and they prefer hanging out around rivers and swamps. As they continue feeding on this riverine vegetation their bodies become weaker due to lack of vitamins they get from eating bark of trees.

Reporting Date: 17/01/2012.

Cheetahs are one of the most friendly cats we have in Africa and easily get used to humans.

Ferdinand and his two guests were out on an early morning gamedrive and were hoping to see some of the cats still active. About an hour into their drive they came across a Cheetah and one cub. She looked well fed and Ferdinand knew that all she was looking for was a nice shady area where she and her could rest for the day. A little while later the Cheetah and her cub decided to settle down and to everyone's suprise they started playing as if they had no worry in the world.

Play is important as this helps the cub develope skills which it can use to hunt prey when mature.

The unusual meal

Ranger Jaffery today came across a hippo carcass along the banks of the mara river . They did not know the real cause of death of this large herbivorous animal which was being fed on by the  vultures and hyenas. It was an unusual meal for the hyenas as most hippo carcasses are found in the rivers where the hyenas do not have access.  At first the vultures  waited  around the carcass for the hyenas to open it from behind.  Once they had opened enough space, they  would  go in to feed,  then come out timidly to look around and chase off their fellow scavengers which are the vultures. Much later the vultures took over when the hyenas had had their share.

Reporting Date: 16th January 2012

The unusual meal

Ranger Jaffery today came across a hippo carcass along the banks of the mara river . They did not know the real cause of death of this large herbivorous animal which was being fed on by the  vultures and hyenas. It was an unusual meal for the hyenas as most hippo carcasses are found in the rivers where the hyenas do not have access.  At first the vultures  waited  around the carcass for the hyenas to open it from behind.  Once they had opened enough space, they  would  go in to feed,  then come out timidly to look around and chase off their fellow scavengers which are the vultures. Much later the vultures took over when the hyenas had had their share.

Reporting Date: 16TH JANUARY 2012

Reporting Date: 16th January 2012
 

The confused Baby zebra.

Ranger Godson had gone to pick up guests from the airstrip when they came across a baby zebra that had gotten confused and separated from it’s mother as the plane was landing at the airstrip. Normally before the plane lands, the guides have to ensure that the runway is free of animals. On this particular day, a group of zebras near the airstrip had been chased off but a small one got separated from it’s mother  and decided to follow the park ranger. For about  20 minutes, it kept following the ranger closely  like it would it's mother.  Later, the ranger led it to the direction where the rest of the herds had gone and on seeing them, it quickly ran and rejoined the mother.

 Reporting Date; 15th January 2012

The unusual meal

Ranger Jaffery and his guests today came across a hippo carcass along the banks of the mara river . They did not know the real cause of death of this large herbivorous animal which was being fed on by the  vultures and hyenas. It was an unusual meal for the hyenas as most hippo carcasses are found in the rivers where the hyenas do not have access.  At first the vultures  waited  around the carcass for the hyenas to open it from behind.  Once they had opened enough space, they  would  go in to feed,  then come out timidly to look around and chase off their fellow scavengers which are the vultures. Much later, the vultures took over when the hyenas had gotten their share.

Reporting Date: 14.01.2012

At first glance, everybody thought it was a leopard on the tree, a few minutes later, it turned out to be a young female lion on a full belly. She was so unconcerned with our presence that she didn’t even move as we approached but simply took a look from up there. Normally it is the leopards that climb trees, either to relax or to hoist their kills, but this lion amazed everybody. The height of her position from the ground was about 10 meters. This rare sighting was just about six minutes into our game drive from the camp. She is part of the pride of about eight that inhabits the area near the camp.

Reporting Date: 12.01.201

 The shy king.

The spotter of Kokan’s Vehicle  Baraka, saw this male lion from a great distance and when they approached him in the open grasslands, he decided to walk away. The guests gave him a nickname of “the shy king”. It was like he had taken time off from his pride members to think about his kingdom and so he didn’t want any disturbance.

Reporting Date: 11.01.2012

Omnivorous  birds.

The ostriches are common in the savannah grasslands where they will get nearly all the foodstuff they need, these range from insects, small reptiles, fruits and even plants. Usually they are polygamous birds whereby one male would own several females, but this day we found two males and two females, one is hidden by the grass . In the non-breeding season when the males  plumage turns completely pink, this would not be the case.

Reporting Date:15/01/2012.

This morning Ferdinand and his guests came a cross a rare sighting of a Kori Bustard and her chick. Kori bustards are listed as vulnerable species in appendix ii of CITES. They are popular for their feathers used in fly fishsing. If they are to survive, more conservation efforts in the forms of habitat management, public awareness, increased captive breeding and reserach is needed.

At the sighting, the male was nowhere to be seen as he takes no part in incubation or raring of the chicks. As with all bustards, no nest is made and a clutch of 1 or 2 eggs are laid on the ground in a shallow scrape made by the female. Incubation period is about 24 days and once hatched the chick is able to follow the mother several hours after hatching. The chick will remain with the mother after the fledging period of about 5 weeks. Sexual maturity is reached at about 2 years.

To view the sighted animals table click the "Read more" button.