Freeman Safaris
‘Yesterday’s Safaris Today’
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January 18th 2012
Another new Season begins!
Jambo sana
This may came as a surprise as I know all of you have been waiting for a Newsletter for sometime now. I was told the other day ‘You always start with an apology. We know you are always late so there’s no need to’ Cheeky but very true!
All of us here at Freeman Safaris wish you a prosperous and happy New Year. I have to say that, wherever I travel around the UK, I am greeted not exactly with doom and gloom but the uncertainty of how the year will pan out and that life will be tough. Well, that certainly applies to Africa except it’s not ‘in our faces’ all the time.
Why not come out and enjoy my backyard with me let us bring a ray of sunshine into your year. So, to old and new friends, join us for a fantastic year in the Mara. The grass is green and long, the sun is shining and the light is great but most of all the cats and the game are shaping up to give us an other year of great excitement.
I think I should say a little about the security situation here. Kenya is probably one of the most secure countries in Africa. Yes, Somalia is on the doorstep but Kenyan forces are deployed both internally and on the border and the police are on full alert. However, it has to be put into perspective and probably the best comparison would be to say ‘Don’t visit Manchester because London is on full alert!’ Yes, there is a very minimal risk when passing through London if you happen to be at the wrong place at the wrong time but let’s face it, you are more likely to be so just travelling on the motorway!
I have added extra pictures to this newsletter to brighten up the winter and to make up for the long wait so enjoy them. Incidentally, all the pictures were taken by my amateur photographer guests.
Here goes!
All the cats are really missing the migration and the easy kills providing huge quantities of meat so the poor warthog has become a substitute. It is the time of year to enjoy the cats stalking and chasing as inevitably there is a long run involved.
Have a look at the Notch boys and their father who had recently killed a hippo, a necessary prey, which they now specialise in. Here you see the boys eating and they were later joined by his two families which inevitably led to the girls fighting.
There is no doubt that old man Notch is the king of the Mara. He and his boys rule the plains causing havoc wherever they go. In the last two months we have seen males running away, leaving the girls to fend for themselves, not always a wise course of action to take.
A number of prides have recently experienced devastating consequences as a result of the Notch dominance as happened to the Marsh pride last year. One thing for sure is that life in the Mara is never dull, there are highs, lows and of course sadness. The stories unfold right in front of us to the point where regulars can often track the changes from one year to another. Whilst on the subject of lions have a look at these pictures.
What about the star of the show, Olive? There is a rumour going round she is pregnant yet again, which wouldn’t surprise me. It’s about that time and she is a very maternal leopard. I have yet to see it for myself as she is not showing any real signs. Nor have I spoken to anyone who saw the mating, but if it is true how exciting will that be in the summer!
Enjoy a few pictures of Olive and her cubs. Just as an aside we do have many more leopards now including a number of big males. Have a look at Adri's picture of a leopard chasing a topi right by the manyatta!
Unfortunately cheetahs go through a really tough time when the migration is down south. They lose about 75% of their kills to hyenas. No sooner have they killed than the hyenas appear. It’s got to the point where cheetahs are often followed by hyenas! I am of the opinion that the situation is worsening year on year as the hyena population increases. We are not only seeing kills stolen but a higher number of cubs being killed. This results in the cheetahs moving well away into the Masai reserve to face other lesser dangers.
The two boys have recovered from the loss of their leader but they are not as robust as they were. They are still travelling huge distances and are now about to face a new challenge which should unfold during the migration. Are they going to be challenged by the recent arrival of Super Mum’s four sons? This has added to speculation to the areas they will take over as they gain maturity. One thing is for sure, we will certainly enjoy them out amongst the migration this year.
We have enjoyed seeing a few cheetah cubs but, alas, we are now down to one mother plus a cub on this side of the Mara, such a shame, although Dan did come across a heavily pregnant mum the other day. I really feel for the cheetah as it is the weakest of the big cats and therefore extremely vulnerable especially when the young cubs are first shown. Unlike the leopard cub, able to climb out of danger virtually immediately, they rely on their mothers ability to keep them from harm as they just don’t have the speed to get away until they are about six months old.
We had a great time spending hours with the two caracal mothers, each with two cubs. They are such beautiful cats and it’s a real joy to see them out in the open. Servals are scarce at the moment and have been for the last year. Let’s hope this year is different.
How about the elephants? They certainly seem to be on the increase here in the Mara although I have previously enjoyed a gathering of the herds of over 100 strong around March. I haven’t seen a mum without a calf for sometime now so the bulls are working well! When staying at the manyatta three large bulls are regularly seen out in front of the deck coming down to the river. Adri was able to take a picture of one of them in the rain.
The Mara is not just about cats, elephants and the migration. It has so much more to offer and here is a sample of what you can see and enjoy.
Well, that’s it rafikis. I hope you have enjoyed the pictures and I look forward to seeing you in my backyard soon. To those of you thinking of coming, don’t let the security situation stop you. If anything it will make it more enjoyable with fewer to share it with!
Please don’t hesitate to email me or Anne if we can be of any help.
Take care
Kwaheri
Brian