My Safari #4 -- all things rainy and Lucky

[plambers]

@@amybatt, I cannot stop smiling at the eles during the private visit. we also have a private visit on our last day and then a day room at the Eka. Is it typical to get so dirty that we will need a shower before our flight home?

[amybatt]

@@plambers, this was my second private visit and I was just as filthy both times. The elephants want to rub up against you and they do that whether they are wet or dry, either way you get it. And there's the splashing from the mud bath and the tossing of dust onto themselves to keep them cool. When we arrived at the Eka, the gentleman working the door asked "just where have you been to get so muddy?" He laughed when we told him. Don't wear anything that you value, that red clay is realllly hard to get out of clothes (the good thing is it blends into safari clothing well!). You could keep away from the ellies and stay clean, but that's no fun!

[PHALANX]

Mara Day 1 -- I'm back!

 

However tired I was, it all wore off as we flew down to the Mara. My excitement and anticipation was almost overflowing. I couldn't help but smile as I started to spot giraffe, buffalo and hippo as we started the descent. I'm finally back!! This is why I work all year long!

 

We arrived at the Mara North airstrip right at 4:00 and were greeted by Kapen and David. I was psyched to see it was them, because their stellar guiding reputation precedes them, at least in the online safari world. On our drive, Kim and I let them know there's no such thing as too many cats or too few snakes. I asked if they'd seen Amani the cheetah, who I saw in Olare Motorogi in 2014 and I knew she'd been around here a bit. They said she disappeared for a while in January but just returned a couple of days ago, so there's hope I'll get to see her. They've also seen Malaika's newly independent cubs around too, so maybe we'll bump into them. I was feeling really positive that we'd have some great sightings. They seemed to know the comings and goings and didn't think I was utterly crazy to be asking for cats by name.

 

One thing I noticed is my photo taking, other than of the cats, has started to trend more towards "interesting things I've not seen before". I think on earlier safaris when everything was new, I took pictures of everything. Now it's just neat/new things to me. Like a bunch of tiny hyena pups we saw on the drive to camp:

 

 

 

 

 

The rest of the game ride continued as we looked for the Offbeat pride of lions. That's the resident pride in Mara North closest to the Offbeat camp. It didn't take too much work before we spotted them down along the river. There were a few lionesses and a bunch of cubs of different ages. This is already a bonus because I didn't get to see any tiny cubs last year and already I was seeing about 5! Kapen told us that the littlest cub was named Lucky, because he and his sister were born to a mother who couldn't produce milk. The sister cub died but Lucky was taken on by an auntie who had a set of cubs and would nurse him too. We decided there and then I need to take Lucky home with me! We came across this group of lions a couple times as we headed back towards camp and they were heading (it seems) towards a kill they had hidden somewhere. Excellent start to the safari. And a very early reminder of why I love it here. The cat sightings are the best!

 

My very first lion pic of the trip:

 

 

 

Someday they will grow into those paws!

 

 

 

Rough-housing siblings:

 

 

 

You can see here a mix of ages among the cubs:

 

And bringing up the rear, as fast as his little legs will go, the littlest one, Lucky:

 

 

 

Lucky would prove to be the laggard of the group when we saw him. David said that he is bullied a fair amount by his cousins, but on the flip side he's sat right down next to the pride males on a kill and growled at them when they've tried to shoo him off and eaten his fair share right along with the big boys. So he has gumption. He's also disappeared for days at a time and everyone gives him up as lost, but he had reappeared eventually.

 

Offbeat Mara is a great camp. Seven tents nestled into some bushes. We were in tent 4. Dinner tonight was beet risotto appetizer which was excellent. My entree was a stuffed pepper that was wonderful. Dessert was a blueberry cake with sticky toffee pudding sauce. The Cabernet Sauvignon is wonderful too. This was by far our best meal of the trip so far, but I sort of expected it. I've always eaten very well in Kenya's tented camps!

I I Love the shot of the Lions walking away.

[PHALANX]

I can see it was a fabulous trip, and finishing at the orphanage was a real plus.

thanks for sharing.

[amybatt]

Replying to this thread for Offbeat Mara fans.  I read on Facebook that the Offbeat Pride, led by the very handsome Frank and Jesse, had been broken up by a bunch of nomadic males and Frank and Jesse driven out.  I inquired  couple times on the Offbeat Mara FB page and finally learned a bit.

 

From another guest:  " I got told frank and jesse had a massive fight . Frank has only 1 eye now and has left the pride , but also jesse has been kicked out of the pride by 4 nomads."

And from camp manager Jesse:  "Yes Frank and Jesse got driven out in May this year by 4 nomads who we had suspected are their sons but has not been confirmed yet by the Mara lion project! I'm doing so the pride split up and formed 2 large groups of around 12 lions each! But both groups are still within the Offbeat territory."

 

This is interesting because back in February when we were there, our guides said that with the large group of nomads having been pushed out of the Offbeat Pride and also with growing nearby prides Acacia and River, that it was almost too much lion for that area and something like this was bound to happen.  The nomads were hesitant to leave the area then, and kept challenging the pride and its territory.  So it has played out.  I wonder where Frank and Jesse went though.  What a very long reign they had.

 

And before anyone can ask, I can't seem to get an answer about Lucky the lion cub.  I'm hoping because Jesse says there are 24 lions around, that the nomadic males didn't kill the cubs and Lucky is among them!

[offshorebirder]

Thanks very much for the bittersweet update @amybatt.    Perhaps if the nomads are F&J's offspring, they will spare (their little brother) Lucky?

 

I had worried that despite their size and toughness that Frank and Jesse were only two - and that roaming coalitions of 3 or 4 males existed and could threaten their hold on the Olare Orok valley.  Which is about the best Lion real estate around, especially with all the females of the offbeat pride.

 

Besides the cubs, I hope Napono, the elderly matriarch of the Offbeat Pride, is doing OK.

 

 

 

 

[amybatt]

@offshorebirder, Mara Lion Project just posted the attached update yesterday.  This summary makes it seem like F&J left rather than were driven out, but who knows.  Seems the nomads are unrelated (which I guess for breeding is good).  The better news is that one of the Offbeat females took a bunch of cubs off with her when the new boys moved in, so so far they're doing ok.  I am of course trying to confirm if you-know-who is among them!

Edited October 7, 2017 by amybatt

[amybatt]

One last update as Offbeat Mara was kind enough to reply to my question, but yes, Lucky is still alive and he's managed to grow to be the same size as his similarly aged cousins.  Could he be the next pride male???  I hope we find out!  Talk about overcoming the odds!

[Seniortraveller]

I will be at Offbeat Mara in early March, next year. Thanks @amybatt for the updates.

[amybatt]

@Seniortraveller great!  Hopefully you will be able to report back on all this regime change there.  I'm going to decide later this month where safari 2018 will be, and I have to admit the Mara is calling, so maybe I'll be there in June!

[amybatt]

Another update on the Offbeat Pride from photographer Richard Broadley, who just returned:

 

Quote

Following my recent visit to Mara North, an update on the state of the lion prides in the conservancy.

I have to start with the break-up of the Marsh Pride in the reserve. The 6 new young boys from the Topi Pride, probably the offspring of Lipstick and Blackie, forced the existing 2 males out who then moved into the conservancy followed by half the Marsh Pride females who took up residency around Leopard Gorge in the conservancy. This has caused conflict with the Acacia Pride... who's territory they are trying to take over. Some of the Acacia Pride have moved north towards the Lemek Conservancy. Meanwhile the 2 former Marsh Pride males have taken over both the Acacia Pride and the River Pride as well as keeping an interest in the Marsh girls. The 2 Acacia Pride males have moved into Lemek.

The Offbeat Pride has also split with the arrival of the 4 young males from the Marsh Pride (who were probably fathered by the 4 Musketeers). One of the Offbeat females has taken the 7 remaining young Offbeat cubs,including Lucky, away from the main pride and are now trying to exist on the edge of the Offbeat territory although I was unable to find them on my visit. The 4 new males having been mating with the Offbeat females and the first new cubs are expected anytime now. Meanwhile Napono, the Offbeat matriarch, has been mating with the most dominant of the 4 young lads but he is probably wasting his time and energy and Napopno did not seem particularly impressed!

It has become very complicated and hopefully will be much clearer in a few months when things settle down.

 

[Atravelynn]

Returning to your report after long intermission, @amybatt

Page 2 is a buffet and every predator is there!  You really got some great mud shots of the Sheldrick eles and a little mud in the ear is a worthwhile price to pay.  The snoring ele with a partially amputated trunk is tragic, but Sheldrick will provide the happiest ending possible.

 

I think you mentioned something about new camera and lessons a while back.  Looks like both have paid bid dividends.

 

"Both guides have said that most of the predators have moved into the conservancies, along with a lot of the prey"

Might this be a hint for those visiting in Feb as to where to book in the Mara?

Edited March 25, 2018 by Atravelynn

[amybatt]

Thanks, @Atravelynn!  An update on Enkesha, the ele with the severed trunk, she’s doing extremely well.  While the hole in her trunk hasn’t closed up, it’s healed so she’s not prone to infection.  She also has become quite adept at using it as normally as others her age, so it’s not slowing her down.  She became my 12th foster when I got home last year, so I get the updates from DSWT.

 

Also, just heard that Lucky is still fine and living with an older lioness and other sub-adult cubs his age after having left the Offbeat Pride when the takeover happened.  I cross my fingers that he’s there in November when I go back, it’d be neat to see him almost all grown up.  He’d be about 2 years old in November.

[Atravelynn]

10 hours ago, amybatt said:

Thanks, @Atravelynn!  An update on Enkesha, the ele with the severed trunk, she’s doing extremely well.  While the hole in her trunk hasn’t closed up, it’s healed so she’s not prone to infection.  She also has become quite adept at using it as normally as others her age, so it’s not slowing her down.  She became my 12th foster when I got home last year, so I get the updates from DSWT.  Cheaper by the Dozen!