Hangin' out with Laurien the Leopardess via Entim camp in the Masai Mara; a digital photographic safari and lots lots more......

[madaboutcheetah]

Dear All,

 

They say a Leopard and cub sighting is a rare gem on safari ....... in that Laurien was a super star and delivered us a couple of sightings in the Mara reserve recently. I'd never heard of her until this trip ... Will be following updates online from now, though....... That and a lot more from the Entim part of my safari. Will also have my thoughts on Entim and their operations.......

Cheers

Hari

[Kitsafari]

She is gorgeous! Can't wait to see her cub

[madaboutcheetah]

That was our first sighting of the little one...

[madaboutcheetah]

A little less nervous now ......

[loafer247]

@@madaboutcheetah - Hi Hari, where is she hanging around? I'm in the Mara over Easter and would love to see her. I first saw Lorian about 5 years ago at Ol keju Rongai - She was a bit like Olive in that she was not bothered at all by cars. She is a stunning leopardess.

 

Dhruv

[madaboutcheetah]

One more ...... Not a cheetah cub but still ..... Cute!!!

[madaboutcheetah]

@@madaboutcheetah - Hi Hari, where is she hanging around? I'm in the Mara over Easter and would love to see her. I first saw Lorian about 5 years ago at Ol keju Rongai - She was a bit like Olive in that she was not bothered at all by cars. She is a stunning leopardess.

 

Dhruv

 

Hi Dhruv,

 

Sorry - no clue about the particular landmark - we saw her twice in one of the luggas not too far from entim - but, towards the end of our week she was not found ........ there was definitely a lot of tourist pressure to try and find her.

 

Btw, not sure I bumped into you last week? Were you at Porini by any chance?

 

Hari

[madaboutcheetah]

Laurien and Cub

[madaboutcheetah]

The little show stopper is going to be another super-star; I can feel it.......

[madaboutcheetah]

This would be the last we see of her ........ follow ups on future drives led up empty ......

[madaboutcheetah]

Meet Imani (Amani's now independent daughter) ........ Must say, the reserve was very very disappointing in terms of cheetah viewing this time of the Year. This would be our only sighting of cheetah (we later found Malaika; but - she was just sleeping off a full meal)

[madaboutcheetah]

I hate gloomy skies; the week at Entim had a lot of rain and dark skies ......... game viewing was also patchy in my book (I don't think the animals like the wet weather). Just before our breakfast stop, we found a classic East African portrait - Giraffe feeding on an acacia tree.

[madaboutcheetah]

Giraffe is probably wondering what the fuss is all about ........ One of the guides mentioned that plains game are always on the alert for predators as they associate vehicles to them???

[madaboutcheetah]

An impala silhouette

[madaboutcheetah]

Yet another Topi Silhouette.......

[madaboutcheetah]

Crowned Cranes...

[Super LEEDS]

@@madaboutcheetah flying leopard cub! Thanks for sharing.

 

Love your TR titles - "....... and lots lots more"

[madaboutcheetah]

Would have loved to get closer to this Martial Eagle.......

[madaboutcheetah]

It's that time of the year......

[madaboutcheetah]

Dik Dik pair ........

[madaboutcheetah]

Hello ....... Even the mongoose gets photogenic in the Mara!

[madaboutcheetah]

It's all for one .........

[graceland]

Stunning cheetah!!!

 

At least you saw her several times. I have noticed there are either tons of predators during rains (Botswana)

Or relatively few (Mara). Maybe Mara game are pickier or hiding from the vehicles whereas in Botswana the vehicles are few and far between . We went to the Mara in dry season but had torrential downpours and no sightings... Thank goodness for interesting guides and sundowners!!!

On the other hand, we saw so many crossings we finally said " no more "and had the plains to ourselves as everyone else were sitting by the river!!

 

either way I am happy to be in Africa!

 

Enjoying the Mara along with you! there are many photo ops for sure. Loved the sillouette.

[madaboutcheetah]

@@graceland ......... Cheetah don't like tall grass. Neither do the gazelle, who can easily be ambushed in there..... Inside the reserve this time of the year, there was a lot of tall grass and that made it low on the cheetah sightings........ Outside, in the conservancies I found it better.

 

While it's actually raining or storming, in my view - the animals tend to hide as they don't like it wet .......... some areas of the Mara also has that tricky black cotton soil that makes it boggy and you may just get stuck!!!

[Kitsafari]

the cub in mid-air next to her beautiful leopard mum - precious! great shot.