The days continue to be warm while we eagerly await the rains. Last week, we enjoyed two days of the heavens opening, filling our lungs with fresh air and rainwater seeping into the parched ground. The storms came in the afternoon and then again later through the night, delivering a sweet lullaby. A false hope of more to come it would seem. We continue to dream of more — not least because we love the incredible green vegetation that surrounds us the morning after.
As hot as the days can be, the mornings are still beautiful; more than enough of a reason to get out of bed as early as possible and drive out into the Mara. This particular day, the air was thick with lovely mist, so heavy we could taste it. Fresh and cold, it makes for interesting photographic opportunities with the sun only just breaking through.
Adam enjoyed setting off on a hot-air balloon safari with some guests and got some spectacular shots from above the mist.
The Border Pride is causing a lot of excitement in the Triangle — the playful youngsters make for remarkable sightings down south by the Tanzania border. One of our guests, Walter Waterford, made good use of our rental cameras and captured some fascinating interaction of the cubs playing in a pool of water and a game of tug-of-war over the remains of a zebra kill.
At one point, an older cub seemed to try and drown a younger one before their mother intervened with a single snarl, instantly stopping the bully in its tracks, which Walter narrated to me, his face beaming with excitement. It's safe to say our photographic classes have inspired a future photographer.
The Border Pride finds some shade to while away the hottest hours of the day. Temperatures are reaching around 27 degrees celsius — enough to make anyone want a siesta.
We caught up with the River Pride’s tiny cubs again as they were feasting on a zebra kill. Typically, lion cubs start eating meat at about three months old and clearly these fluffballs have already acquired the taste for blood as they comfortably gnawed on the bones.
Leopard sightings are always fascinating as these shy and elusive cats prove to be a challenge to find. This magnificent leopard was last seen about two months ago and featured in our weekly blog, This Week at Angama 197. Being able to identify him from a previous sighting by comparing his spots made it extra exciting, at least for me. It felt like being reunited with a long-lost friend, doing well and looking as mighty as ever.
