First i would like to apologize to followers of this blog for delay in posting new sightings. I have had a few people write to me with concerns that i had taken to long to update them on the happening in the Mara. The reason for the delay is that i had left “my office” to go and work in a different kind of office. I went to run a course for guides in Rwanda, after which i had an opportunity to also go for serious birding and see the big apes! Before coming back, i also visited eastern Congo to see the active volcanoe of Nyiragongo.I am now back at “my office” and was welcome by heavy rains. In fact i sepnt a night in the vehicel stuck in mud on the day i travelled to the Mara. I have been careful for close to 20yrs not to spend a night stuck, but i now beleive there is a time for everything.
I came back to join the BBC filming crew on the “Planet Earth Live” shoot which is underway. We are following particular prides of lions. Despite the heavy rains and challenges of driving around, there are still some great sightings. Two days ago, while looking for our lions, i came across two male Impala fighting an di stood to watch. But while still looking at the fighting Impala, Olive the leopard, appeared from nowhere and bounced on one of them as the other got away. The next thing is saw was mud flying all over! ..... she had got herself and her cubs a meal.
I stayed with her for a while till she took the kill under a bush, then i remembered i had to look for the lions! After sometimes, i decided to pass by the kill again, and that is when i found that she had brought her cubs to feed. I was excited to see both cubs, since some guides had reported seeing only one cub for long time. Welcome to the Mara where nothing follows a sript!.. things go by the “Mara plan” as i and some of my guests call it. Accept whatever comes you way and always go out with open mind.
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| The "kiss of death". she is know to kill male Impala this way to avoid the horns |
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| attempts to drag kill to cover |
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| Drags killed to hide in bush before going to bring cubs |
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| It was a long drag |
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| One of Olive's cubs join her to feed |
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| Olive stalks in mid day hunt, which saw her kill beside my vehicle last month. This was also reported by my guest Sarah skinner on her blog: http://adventuresinalandrover.blogspot.com/2012/03/olive-hunts-in-midday-sun.html |
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| She also killed a male impala that time; and here sh erests before taking kill under bush |
