Trip Report: Northern Serengeti, October 2015

[AKChui]

This past October I photographed for nine days in the Northern Serengeti/Lamai Wedge—a very interesting and productive safari—along with shorter times in the Central Serengeti/Ndutu area, and Tarangire NP. This is Part 1 (Northern Serengeti); Parts 2 (Ndutu) and 3 (Tarangire) will follow as my processing/writing time permits.

You can read the TR here.

 

Being a professional photographer, I prefer to keep the images on my own server and part of my website, and be available to non-SafariTalk family/friends/neighbors.

Feel free to ask any questions that might arise…

Edited January 18, 2016 by AKChui

[AKR1]

@@AKChui

Please post link again. The one above does not work.

[AKChui]

@AKR1 Try again--the forum software didn't like me using an apostrophe in the link, so I had to edit it.

 

Edit: The manual edit didn't work, so I redid the file names without the apostrophe, so it should work now.

Edited January 18, 2016 by AKChui

[Zubbie15]

It still doesn't work for me...

[AKChui]

I'm pulling what hair I have left out trying to get this forum software to behave itself--check back later--maybe Matt can figure out why it won't accept an external link.

 

Edit: I removed the actual link from the posting and used a hidden link, and it seems to be working now. Let me know if you are still having problems...

Edited January 18, 2016 by AKChui

[bettel]

It works for me . Your photos are outstanding. Thank you for sharing!

[Zubbie15]

It works for me now, lovely photos except for the poor zebra with the snare. When we were in the same area in 2013, there was a young female leopard who had also recently lost a litter, the lion concentration in that area must be tough for them!

[michael-ibk]

Excellent photos and storytelling! Love the Klippspringer and the Baby Hippo especially. Wow, that Marabou-Wildebeest scene looks like an animal version of the "The Walking Dead" - gross! Sad about the Leopard cubs. Thank you for sharing.

[Julian]

Superb photos and report. The sad state of the snared zebra is a real shocker- it must habe been in severe pain.

I was there a few days after the hundreds of dead wildebeest event happened.

At that time no one seemed to know how it happened - it was thought then that they crossed pre-sunrise or around sunset - when no vehicles were out.

[AKR1]

Wonderful pictures, Martin. As others have said the snared zebra picture was distressing but balanced by your model, Ms Leopard! Look forward to part II.

[Marks]

Beautiful images, especially of the wildebeest.

The snared zebra is heartbreaking. I'm not clear on whether it died as a result of the wound or whether the rangers did shoot it in the end, though.

Your elephant among the rocks is a really unique and appealing scene.

[AKChui]

Everyone, thank you for the positive comments! Greatly appreciated! Processing the needed images took a lot longer than I expected, and since I’m not a natural storyteller, even the writing was slower. But I thought I had several stories that need telling and some unique images, as well as the expectation that members here would like to learn more about a lesser visited part of the Serengeti.

@Julian I believe what Fadhil related to me about the wildebeest carnage was the actual truth; he didn’t happen to be in the Northern Serengeti when it happened, so he learned the cause from talking to other guides. I expect the guides (especially if they were involved) are not going to tell their clients that the carnage was guide caused.

@Marks I considered the possibility that the rangers had dispatched the snared zebra, but since it was about 100 feet off the road in the brush, I couldn’t get a good look at it. The carcass was about 200 feet from the balloon safari buildings, so I doubt if they would have left a carcass to rot (and draw lions) so close to people. But as I said, I couldn’t get a decent view, so it could have been killed by a predator.

Edited January 18, 2016 by AKChui

[xelas]

Great photography ... and great storytelling. As normally sad sides of the real life in the wild are not reported, yours insights are more so interesting.

 

I was most taken aback by your wildebeest crossings photos and how observers are impacting it! And on some forums, using a fill flash when photographing birds is called unethical!!

[Atravelynn]

Link worked perfectly. Wonderful wilde shots! The ele on the rocks (now there's drink for you) was new for me too. Fascinating. Such a tiny and wrinkly baby hippo! Mutilated zebra makes my blood boil too. The ostrich chicks were so tiny they look like a different species. A most successful trip!

[Zim Girl]

Outstanding pictures, loved them all.

[cheetah80]

Great trip report with many wonderful photos!! Including wonderful caracal photos too, now that's special! After reading this trip report I think I would include Ndutu lodge on my itinerary for a dry season Tanzania visit (if it ever materializes) - I thought it was only interesting during calving season.

[AKChui]

I thought it was only interesting during calving season.

 

@cheetah80 That's what I'd also heard, but thought I'd try it for several nights, then had second thoughts and reduced it to one night, and ultimately found I should have stayed for 3 nights!