Lewa conservancy and safari camp a place of the heart and soul

[COSMIC RHINO]

I  am  still feeling  a bit  tired 

 

All the camps  in the reserve  are elaborate as raising  a considerable  funding  from a relatively small  number  of   visitors  is part of the way  the reserve operates  

 

to raise  this   a certain  price needs to be charged  which nearly  everyone  would expect luxury facilities  

 

the camp  is lavish  without being opulent

[COSMIC RHINO]

the vehicle  allocation  at Lewa  Safari  Camp  is generous  , fiting  a maximum of 6  guests

 

all  the guides  are well informed, explain things  easily  , intimately  know the reserve , and are safe careful drivers 

 

the drives  are flexible to suit the guests  involved 

 

most people  on my observation  enjoy both the luxury of the camp  , and their gameviewing activities  , stay   2 or 3 nights  and don't know  a whole lot about   the reserve before arriving

 

they  expect  a typical reserve  , with a typical  representation of animals, not realising that they are in a dedidicated endangered species reserve  with few predators

 

people  want to see lions, which  while possible  is not easy  , there are 26 lions in 62,000 acres 

 

this year  I saw them briefly 3 times  in 14 days,  if I  remember  correctly  last year it was  once or twice in  14 days  

 

I  go to the camp  as a base for getting into the  bush  , spend the maximum amount  of time in the bush  and as little time as possible in the bush  , skip the sundowners   and go on finding more  animals  

 

It could  be said that  I am a man on a mission  to connect  with wild Africa here  and now,  and everything else is  a detail.

Edited June 3, 2019 by COSMIC RHINO

[offshorebirder]

Here are some photos @COSMIC RHINO sent me as PDFs from scanned photos, which I converted to JPEGs.

 

Giraffe with Mt. Kenya in the background

 

Giraffes mating 1

 

Giraffes mating 2

 

Giraffes hanging around

 

Giraffes, Plains Zebras, Elephants

 

Giraffes silhouette

[Kitsafari]

Lovely photos of the giraffes, especially the last silhouette, @COSMIC RHINO

[lmonmm]

@COSMIC RHINO  great photographs. I'll be honest, I have never seen giraffe's mating so that elicited  a "wow" when I saw it. I really like the one with the giraffes, ellies and zebras-  shows the diversity so well in just that one area.

[COSMIC RHINO]

I  use a advanced compact camera  mainly on auto setting, then switch  to dawn/dusk  or sunset at the relevant times

 

it is light and has a high zoom  

 

I will take photos on the  move and when the vehicle is pulling out of the siting if the viewing is good

 

I  have never really done  manual  photogaphy  

Edited June 4, 2019 by COSMIC RHINO

[COSMIC RHINO]

the  guide commented that a group of giraffes  were getting close  ,so we went in closer  

 

I  am always   looking around for animals  especially  different animals near  each other  

 

I  especially like  the rear view of the giraffes with zebras  and elephants  

[COSMIC RHINO]

The guides  explain animals, plants  , natural processes  and Lewa  conservancy very well  and in detail

 

my  sitings  tend to be longer  , if I  am in a good situation  , I  tend to stay around  ,  and  the vehicle  moves  a bit  depending  on  what the  animals  are doing  

 

If  I  am concentrating  on particular animals  my guide  will tell me  if someone  else turns up

 

I  like photographing  animals  with a good scenic background  , attractive  trees , termite  mounds  , their young etc

 

I  try  to avoid  buildings and the elephant control fences which  are there  to try to keep them out of the  areas which are  important to  black rhinos.

 

at all times  I  try to avoid  the bars  which support  the  canvas top of  the vehicle   or anything like  that

 

it is best to take pictures from eye  level ,standing up  is not usually a good look

 

more recently  I  have found that  waist  level  or crouching gives  an attractive view  

 

it  is a matter of observing things  ,animals are on the move 

 

it is helpful to know  that white  rhinos tend to eat in a circular pattern

Edited June 4, 2019 by COSMIC RHINO

[COSMIC RHINO]

I  take  pictures  for my memory  and for  the absolute  beauty  of nature

 

My special interests  are not that well  represented  in books , so I  take my own  and I  think some of them are  better than ok 

 

I  am  there  to see things at their  best  which  means  taking good  time

 

animals  will do  things  the way they will  give it time

 

this  is nothing like  photos  with people , you  can't ask  them to move  or do things for  them  like you  would with a fashion model   

 

 

 

Edited June 5, 2019 by COSMIC RHINO

[COSMIC RHINO]

HYNEA  PACK 

 

A pack  OF 29 has been translocated  from the  reserve as they  had developed the habit of attacking  new born  rhino calves 

 

RHINOS 

 

• they  tend to start moving early around 5 AM  so they can  get moistures from the overnight dew on plants
• they continue  to breed well, some  black rhinos  have been moved to other  reserves
• white rhinos originated  in STH Africa  and have  not  been  moved  as this needs a memo of understanding  with the  Sth African government
• there are many recently   born calves , with white rhinos  the previous  female calf   sets  up home    near her mother  to help reject  with enthuaism  male  attempts  to  be amourous
• they charge at  the male and scream  , the message is  go away  

[COSMIC RHINO]

ISOLO  VALLEY 

 

• this  is a special area  with  great giraffes ,good  white  rhinos  and elephants  and well worth a special  visit  or  two
• it is well  away from  all the  camps  except  Lewa  House
• the main waterhole  has a piped  supply of clean water  put in by  Lewa  conservancy to  spread out the  animals

[offshorebirder]

I am working on converting and posting the latest round of photos @COSMIC RHINO sent me.  

 

But I had to post this one right away, as it is a lovely scene.  Sonya seems absolutely comfortable with the Lewa guides and vehicles.

 

Sonya and her calf at Lewa:

 

Edited June 7, 2019 by offshorebirder

[offshorebirder]

Some more Black Rhino photos from @COSMIC RHINO's most recent Lewa trip that I helped him convert and post:

 

 

Sonya and Calf

 

 

 

[offshorebirder]

Cheetah mother and cubs:

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 7, 2019 by offshorebirder

[COSMIC RHINO]

CHEETAH   AND CUBS  

 

On one afternoon drive   someone was keen on cheetahs  , guides started  looking  for  them

 

there are  some  in the reserve but they are not easy to find

 

a radio call came in from  one of the  other guides that  a mother  with cubs  was in the  large open area  near camp  

 

she has 3  cubs and needs to hunt regulary,  as you can  see she is a bit on the lean side  

 

most of the photos  which have been posted  were taken from  the vehicle which was moving  at a slow  speed

 

there were  some  Grant' s gazelles   which she started  to stalk  and when she  went in for her  final charge  the vehicles  just  stayed  where they were 

 

unfortunately  she missed  her prey  , so just laid    down to pant  

 

when the cheetah  goes in on the final charge,  which has to be short  , as they cannot  maintain  high speeds for long  , the gazelle  makes  a  distictive  jump in the air  

 

they can be observed  practicing  this  alone in the absence  of cheetahs

 

STALKY PLANTS

 

theses  are in a number  of  photos including the cheetahs

 

they are the  remains  of the wild hibiscus which grew in many  areas  in 2018 to a great  hight    

 

in places  they were  high enough  to make  it difficult to see  elephants  

 

they will no longer be around  once elephants  eat all of what  remains including the roots

[COSMIC RHINO]

it  is going to take  a  while to get over jet lag , it is hitting me heavily  now 

 

SONYA  AND HER CALF  

 

• She is  named after  the American  woman  who sponsor where  at a massive  annual cost
• she  has become  calmer as she  has aged
• she has changed  her range  by a considerable distance   
• the new area which she  ranges in is the same  as where members  of surrounding communities  are given special permission to graze their cattle which prevents  an excessive buildup of thick grass
• thus she has  become more accustomed  to being around people  and easier  to approach       
•  the last photo in post 215 was put in for aged comparism her calf  was under 1 month old , the other photos show  the calf approaching  1 year  old 
• over the time I was there  I saw her with her calf about 3 or 4 times  close enough to take photos

LEWA  COMMUNITY GRAZING SCHEME  

 

• This was introduced as an alternative  to burning firebreaks 
• deposits of cattle  dung assist  in  regrowth  of the  grass
• research  shows  that  this is better overall for the land soil micro organisms  are not burnt , and  small birds, lizards  and  other reptiles  are  not  killed by flames  

[wilddog]

Sonya is a stunner.......

[COSMIC RHINO]

if  genetics mean anything Sonya's calf could easily  have  large  horns 

 

for her  seduction please see  post 124 on page  5

[offshorebirder]

On 6/9/2019 at 1:23 AM, COSMIC RHINO said:

she  has become  calmer as she  has aged

 

Don't we all!   :-)

 

Here are some more photos I helped @COSMIC RHINO convert.

 

White Rhinos sparring

 

 

Rhino calves and adult

 

 

Giraffe striding

 

 

Giraffe mating

 

 

Mixed game herd at Lewa

 

 

[COSMIC RHINO]

the  white  rhinos at Isiolo  Valley  are very friendly  , they are often seen together  and  sometimes  get close  

 

I  have  a photo  of 2 young  ones  who actually  look like they are  kissing , this one  has  not been sent  on  for posting  

 

in that  area  I  saw  and extended  greeting  ceremony  

 

if  there  is any conflict  it is with  males  in the mood for love  when they are not  wanted by the  female  or   with  males  over territory to get frisky with   females    

[COSMIC RHINO]

YOUNGER FAMILIES

 

can easily be looked  after at the camp  

 

during my stay at different times  there were 2 different couple, one with a 13  month old baby,  the other with a 4 year old child

 

both  went out on their  own vehicles  and had gamedrives  on a brief stay

 

in the case of the 4 yr old  they had an earlier dinner time

[offshorebirder]

Here is the photo of the young rhinos apparing to be kissing that @COSMIC RHINO mentioned.

 

[offshorebirder]

White Rhinos and Cattle Egrets

 

 

 

White Rhino calves sparring

 

 

 

White Rhino adults with calf

 

 

Edited June 13, 2019 by offshorebirder

[offshorebirder]

@COSMIC RHINO's description of these scenes:  "Elephant Grief Ceremony - gently touching bones".

 

What a privilege to witness!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 13, 2019 by offshorebirder

[michael-ibk]

That's a fascinating scene indeed! Very enjoyable report @COSMIC RHINO, great pictures! It's easy to understand why you love Lewa so much.