Better late than never - Porini Camps October 2018

[wilddog]

On 2/23/2019 at 10:06 PM, Big Andy said:

Just for info, a snake doesn't dislocate its jaw to swallow as is widely believed, it is now known that it has specially elongated jaw ligaments to allow the wide gape nessicary to swallow large prey.

 

 

Thanks @Big Andy very helpful to know the current knowledge. 

[monalisa]

That python sighting was seriously epic.. whooaa. Wish I saw that!!!

 

I've just come back from a trip with @Atdahl doing pretty much the same itinerary so I'm keenly awaiting your next instalments. We were informed that October was prime cat cub season. I am a bit cub crazy so need to know when I should return for them 

[Atdahl]

Wow, what a sighting!  I am surprised they weren't still talking about that at the camp.  No python sightings for us unfortunately .

 

@monalisa, "a bit" cub crazy?  

[wilddog]

@monalisa will be back on the case with the TR this weekend.

 

@Atdahl perhaps it was about managing clients expectations? 

I am a bit naughty and tell guides, discreetly, that Pangolin is my target, knowing full well that it would just be a lucky chance sightng. I have not yet been successful. ?

Can you imagine the stress if all the clients asked for a python kill? ?

I hope you both had a brilliant trip and hope to read about it in time. 

 

[lmonmm]

LOL @wilddog  that just made me laugh because my trip last November I was not discreet and requested a Pangolin sighting each day- ever hopeful (jokingly of course as I know the odds are extremely slim). Unfortunately, it didn't work for me. My jeepmates were right with me though with the request  

[wilddog]

@lmonmm I was being, or trying to be, tactful really as most of my fellow travellers were new to safari. 

 

With seasoned safari goers I might have been more brazen. 

 

So pangolin remains on both our 'want to see' lists. 

 

Perhaps next time... 

 

 

[Feliz]

Wow that python sighting was amazing!  I think I would have had to ask to be let out of the jeep & collected later 

 

Very much enjoying this report

[monalisa]

On 3/1/2019 at 7:46 AM, wilddog said:

@monalisa will be back on the case with the TR this weekend.

 

@wilddog so.. *cough cough* what's happening with this TR??  Patiently waiting over here!!

 

[wilddog]

Life and of course the recent site problems have delayed further work on my Trip report. Now we are back running properly again I hope to get back on with it fairly soon.

 

[CDL111]

Waited patiently for @Game Warden‘s valiant efforts to get the site back up, so a few more days cannot hurt.

[wilddog]

8^th October Mara Camp

Morning drive Part 1

The following morning was really quite overcast as the clouds had been steadily building over the last few days. After yesterday's Python excitement we all wondered what would follow.

 

We had a nice gentle start to the day, seeing a variety of wildlife. I particularly like photographing hyena as their eyes are in my view very beautiful; they also are such an oft-maligned, valuable part of the environment. The roller image is included but had to be massively adjusted at home so not the best shot ever.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A couple of lionesses. wandering slowly down the road side......

 

 

 

 

We moved on and came across this jackal looking in to the distance and only momentarily distracted by our presence; there might be something interesting ahead..And there was; a large pirde of lions together with a very impressive black maned lion feasting on a young giraffe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At one point the male disappeared off into the bush, presumably to relieve himself,....

 

 

 

 

 

 

.........reappearing a little later. I like the shot where he rejoins the pide and the younsgseter has a slightly trepidatious look on his face.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 14, 2019 by wilddog

[monalisa]

Woohoo! Been waiting for this update! 

 

I too love hyenas. I think they are cute!!

 

Lion kills are always exciting. But awww poor giraffe. 

[wilddog]

Brief Video of Lions with giraffe kill

 

 

[wilddog]

 

 

After a delicious bush breakfast with the added delight of pancakes with honey, we set of to see what else could be found.

 

Another pride with, this time, a wildebeest kill.

 

As we came upon the kill there was a wounded hyena lying nearby. Still alive but clearly damaged. Other Hyena could be seen milling around at some distance and it appeared that there had been a fight between the clan and the pride over the kill, and this one hyena was a victim of the fracas.

 

As is always the case there were jackal around trying to nip in and out to grab a morsel and some vultures

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As we finally left the sighting we found another hyena.................but this one was dead. Another victim of the inter-predator battle.

 

 

Our morning ended with some nice encounters with elephants and other wildlife.

 

 

 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

sad to hear two hyena casualties - but with that hunk of a male lion, there was no chance for the hyenas. 

 

lovely to your photos of the earlier hyena, and a good sighting of the  lions on the kill!

 

[wilddog]

The afternoon drive was less wildlife packed but still action packed!

 

 

 

We headed up to see the cheetah family we had visited on the ‘Day of the Python’.

 

They were playing in the open under a heavily overcast sky.

 

 

 

 

 

 

While we were there the heavens finally opened and there followed a classic African rain storm. The cats bolted for cover, particularly Mum, but the youngsters played on an ant hill for a while ignoring the rain.

 

The vehicle sides were dropped down as we waited it out. The sound was deafening on the roof, and to see all that water suddenly deposited on the packed earth was quite something. We saw a lone hyena plodding across the terrain, presumably heading for some shelter.

 

 

 

 

After the rain stopped the cheetah family came out again and there was a lot of mutual grooming going on to remove some of the rain from their coats.

 

 

 

We moved away and found a spot uphill to have our ‘Sundowners’. No sign of the sun of course but tradition must be followed!

 

 

It was time to head back to camp. As we headed further up the hill up the we saw hyenas coming out after the rain……………….

 

 

 

……………..and then the truck died. Efforts were made to repair it, while the hyenas looked on, but with no success. After a while another vehicle was sent out from camp to pick us up.

 

 

An interesting end to our stay at Porini Mara.

 

The following morning we would be setting off for our last stop, Lion Camp.

Edited April 15, 2019 by wilddog

[AfricIan]

But Land Cruisers don't breakdown - or so I'm repeatedly told.  Bring back the Land Rovers, that's what I say 

[wilddog]

 @AfricIan

 

Not sure what the problem was..... at a guess................ water somewhere in the engine! 

[Galago]

@wilddog Enjoying your TR and finding out about camps and areas that are new to me. The python with kill was amazing and you showed extraordinary patience about having to leave it. So often the best experience comes from just sitting and watching.

[wilddog]

After a good breakfast we set off for Lion Camp in Oloro Motorogi Conservancy, exiting Ol Kinyei and travelling through parts of Naibosha .

 

I think it was during this journey that we exited the conservancies at one point and travelled in the adjacent community areas. It was also during this journey that we came across cattle just within the Ol Kenyei conservancy boundaries.

 

I was to learn that these cattle are allowed in to the conservancies on a managed basis Permission is given to allow grazing of certain sections at the border on a rotational basis. This benefits the local community and their livestock but prevents over grazing.

 

 

 

 

On arrival at Lion Camp we met Patrick Wachira. He advised me that Jake Grieves Cook had been at camp earlier and sent his best wishes. Both Jake and his partner Dr. Mohanjeet Brar know @Game Warden.

 

The camp is a little busier than the others but it is understandable a popular camp. Apologies; I forgot to take many photographs of the camp but the accommodation is of similar style and standard of the other camps I visited. There are a separate lounge and a dining tent to accommodate the numbers at 2 large tables. There is also a charging and communications tent where the Internet is often available. I found it interesting that despite being really relieved not to be on the Internet for the last 8 days or so, I could not resist checking out my favourite websites, which of course included ST.

 

After a good lunch, we had an afternoon unpacking and resting. and then went for our first evening drive. Short and sweet, under another overcast sky, but very productive……………… My first leopard of this trip, as well as hyenas at their den and a lone lion after our sundowners.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Marks]

I love the hazy blue quality of the air after the rain.

Very nice yawning leopard!

[Hads]

Thanks for a wonderful TR @wilddog. 

Nice down pour of rain you had.

[wilddog]

Thanks @Marks and @Hads. I have still got a couple of days to add but there have been some health and family problems recently, resulting in an enforced delay to completion.

 

Glad you have enjoyed it so far. 

 

 

 

Edited June 7, 2019 by wilddog

[Marks]

@wilddog Sorry to hear that--hope all is well. No doubt you will have a captive audience here when you resume!

[lmonmm]

@wilddog  we'll be here when you get back to the TR and I hope all goes well.