An epic safari for the cheetah obsessed around those fabulous Namiri Plains in the Eastern serengeti ; Cubs, cubs and Cubs ............ Oh yes lots, lots more!!! (Part 2 of safari April 2022)

[madaboutcheetah]

Rewind ...... earlier that morning.  We found the mum with the 3 cubs and they did whack a young wildebeest in front of us ..... Unfortunately, the long grass made it difficult for me to get decent images of the take down. Oh well - i'm glad she's a super hunter.  

[madaboutcheetah]

We left the cheetah family - nearly 200 meters as we wanted to follow the same herd that was attacked by the Super mum ....... On finding them - I hardly had time to get my camera ready when we see pandamonium and a cheetah in full on attack mode .......  Another cheetah kill and not even breakfast time.  This time a single male - a big guy!!  ...... He dragged his meal into a thicket and we left for breakfast ourselves. 

 

 

[madaboutcheetah]

We were close to camp so thought Sundowner rock may be a good location for breakfast .......  NOT really !! we see the Zebra kopjes pride on the rock

 

We then head to hyena gully where we see the tail end of what was possibly a confrontation between Lions and Hyena ....... 

[Biko]

@madaboutcheetahYou really had such good sightings, this TR makes me reconsider an earlier decision not to go back to the Serengeti again (too crowded? But maybe not in April).

[madaboutcheetah]

13 hours ago, Biko said:

@madaboutcheetahYou really had such good sightings, this TR makes me reconsider an earlier decision not to go back to the Serengeti again (too crowded? But maybe not in April).

 

Thanks @Biko..... I love the Serengeti.  Did you have a bad experience previously?

 

In the whole Mara/ Serengeti eco system ...... My favourites are 1.) eastern Serengeti 2.) Naboisho conservancy in the Mara and  3)Kusini area of the Southern Serengeti ....... 

[Biko]

@madaboutcheetah No bad experience in the Serengeti, I was there in December 2008, so low season and long ago before it became crowdy. During my trip to the Masai Mara in Februari this year I did not like the crowds at the cheetah sightings in the Talek area. Naibosho is on the list for the next years, and eastern Serengeti and Ndutu will probably come after that. I will do some research on the Kusini area, I am not sure if I have been there in 2008.

[madaboutcheetah]

22 minutes ago, Biko said:

@madaboutcheetah No bad experience in the Serengeti, I was there in December 2008, so low season and long ago before it became crowdy. During my trip to the Masai Mara in Februari this year I did not like the crowds at the cheetah sightings in the Talek area. Naibosho is on the list for the next years, and eastern Serengeti and Ndutu will probably come after that. I will do some research on the Kusini area, I am not sure if I have been there in 2008.

 

No comparison at all between Eastern Serengeti/  Naboisho and that crowded Talek area which i would absolutely avoid too !! 

[madaboutcheetah]

Some iPhone scenics from the eastern Serengeti 

[madaboutcheetah]

Few more iPhone memories of one of my absolute  favourite camps 

[madaboutcheetah]

Back to the editing ......  Herds move from gol towards cub valley to have a drink

[Atravelynn]

Your phone does well too.  I like the inverted tree seen in the glass.

[madaboutcheetah]

Thanks a lot @Atravelynn

 

On our way to lunch we find the two brothers again on the move looking for lunch themselves.  Just when we thought we may need to call camp to have lunch sent out to us - lo and behold one of the boys went straight for a wildebeest in stunt man style heroics while his lazy brother did not budge or offer to help.  Need I say - he was the one who raced in for a feed ....... 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Atravelynn]

That last wilde kill is looking a little scary for the cheetah.

[madaboutcheetah]

After a leisurely lunch, we wanted to try and find Manja the melanistic serval and we drove literally all over his territory in vain ......  Circled back to near Soit where we came across these elephants in good light.

 

Edited May 15, 2022 by madaboutcheetah

[madaboutcheetah]

The next morning bright and early back to GOL ...... We start with pockets of migration just at the entrance to gol (you can see the famous acacia in the BG) 

 

Spent most of the morning with Helen and her two super active cubs.  You can see the male cub traumatise his step-sister and then Helen leading them away and they looked hungry and super active.  They did not hunt that morning as they bumped into Hyena shortly after these images...... 

[madaboutcheetah]

We found a pair of young male cheetah in gol on our way back that morning ..... they were not shy but very much aware of their surroundings ........ Possibly intruding into the prime GOL lands??? 

[madaboutcheetah]

Cheetah in action .......  

[madaboutcheetah]

A different Mum with 3 cubs ...... 

[Biko]

Beautiful sequence of cheetah in action. This truely was an epic safari. You are a great ambassador for this area, and even though Namiri Plains seems a bit too luxurious for my taste, I am serously considering it thanks to your TR.

[xcrunch]

I have read your TR in awe, not only because of our interest in cheetah's, but also because it stirs up all of the emotions and senses of being

in Africa.  We will be in Namiri in 9 days, and can not wait to experience only some of what you have shown us.

 

[madaboutcheetah]

Thanks a lot @Bikoand @xcrunch .........  I hope you will come back with updates for me about the current cheetah dynamics in Namiri..... Have a great trip!!! 

 

Here's back to Brandy's daughter and her brood ....... 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 15, 2022 by madaboutcheetah

[madaboutcheetah]

We find one of the Zebra kopjes males on patrol and soon he finds his brother who is already up Soit Le metonyi

[Athene]

@madaboutcheetah lovely photos, I love the adorable cheetah cub. Is it a tick under his eye?

We are also considering to visit the Namiri Plains. Do you think it is still worth to go there in September or October or is it too dry then and the animals might have left? In your opinion, which are the best months?

[madaboutcheetah]

Thanks @Athene…. Yes, that’s a tick.  I would think namiri is at its best between December and May when you get pockets of migration moving through to / from the South …. That really brings out all the cheetah from everywhere…. September/ October may be very good for caracal etc., bear in mind the weather now is unpredictable…. Last September was so dry with drought like conditions I’m told. 

[Athene]

Thanks @madaboutcheetah

just one more question - would the area around Moru kopjes be a could combination with Namiri if we go in May or is there a better option?