HOME Blog This Week at Angama #331

This Week at Angama #331

Sammy discovers the thrills of the dark in Amboseli, including lions on a kill, while Robert prefers the dawn chorus highlighted by leopard cubs and bat-eared foxes
Above: A curious hyena in the spotlight
Above: A curious hyena in the spotlight

Amboseli:

This week, with great excitement, Angama Guide Salash and I took an extensive night drive to investigate some nocturnal activities in Kimana Sanctuary. The recent arrival of two lionesses has changed the lion dynamics in the Sanctuary, and for the past three weeks, we've had numerous sightings of these majestic felines — and all the drama that comes with it. The beautiful crescent moon added to the scene.

F 7.1, 1/160, ISO 4000 | Sammy Njoroge
F 7.1, 1/160, ISO 4000 | Sammy Njoroge

As I was gearing up, we heard roars near the camp, giving us a clear direction to start in. It was Osunash and his companion, Male 263, most likely calling for the females. The nearby buffaloes were very alert, disturbed by the sounds and clearly not about to sleep peacefully. Soon after, the two males started dozing off, so we set off to find the lionesses, who we assumed were out hunting.

F 4.5, 1/200, ISO 4000 | Sammy Njoroge
F 4.5, 1/200, ISO 4000 | Sammy Njoroge Osunash
F 5.6, 1/200, ISO 4000 | Sammy Njoroge
F 5.6, 1/200, ISO 4000 | Sammy Njoroge Male 263

It didn't take long before we found them, and just as we suspected, they had a freshly killed warthog. One was a bit shy and took cover in the long grass, but her counterpart was remarkably brave, standing firm next to the kill, alert to our presence but not threatened. After taking a few bites, she firmly grasped the kill with her powerful jaws and moved it out of view into the tall grass. This is typical behaviour for most big cats when they perceive a risk of losing their meal to scavengers.

F 7.1, 1/160, ISO 4000 | Sammy Njoroge
F 7.1, 1/160, ISO 4000 | Sammy Njoroge
F 7.1, 1/160, ISO 4000 | Sammy Njoroge
F 7.1, 1/160, ISO 4000 | Sammy Njoroge

The lionesses have been actively hunting throughout the Sanctuary, leaving a trail of carcasses in their wake. Of course, hyenas have been taking advantage of the leftovers, and we observed many of them lingering around the carcasses.

F 2.8, 1/125, ISO 4000 | Sammy Njoroge
F 2.8, 1/125, ISO 4000 | Sammy Njoroge

Fascinating creatures that often get mistaken for one another are the scrub hare and the springhare. We were fortunate to observe both in the same area, highlighting the diversity of nocturnal wildlife in Kimana Sanctuary. With its distinctive kangaroo-like appearance and powerful hind legs, the springhare was virtually flying, effortlessly springing to evade our spotlight. Its large eyes and ears, adapted for nocturnal activity, glowed in the light's beam as it sprang to the refuge of its burrows.

F 7.1, 1/400, ISO 4000 | Sammy Njoroge
F 7.1, 1/400, ISO 4000 | Sammy Njoroge Springhare
F 7.1, 1/160, ISO 4000 | Sammy Njoroge
F 7.1, 1/160, ISO 4000 | Sammy Njoroge Scrub hare

I thought it might emerge from its burrow after it deemed the danger had passed, however, Salash, our knowledgeable Guide, explained that these underground dwellings are quite extensive and complex, typically consisting of multiple entrances and an intricate network of tunnels. Thanks to this information, I realised we could have waited for a while, but luckily, the odds were in our favour.

F 7.1, 1/200, ISO 4000 | Sammy Njoroge
F 7.1, 1/200, ISO 4000 | Sammy Njoroge

Wattled starlings are nomadic resident birds in eastern and southern Africa. During one of her game drives, Angama Guide Alice, and her guests witnessed a fascinating sight: a huge flock hitching a ride on the back of Vronsky, one of the upcoming Super Tuskers of Amboseli from the VA family. This behaviour is common, as starlings feed on insects disturbed by elephants and other large animals as they forage. How these two very different species relate to each other reveals a form of symbiosis known specifically as commensalism, where one species benefits (the starlings) while the other (the elephants) is neither significantly helped nor harmed.

F 6.3, 1/2000, ISO 640 | Alice Mantaine
F 6.3, 1/2000, ISO 640 | Alice Mantaine

Despite being nonvenomous, the African rock python is widely feared. Native to sub-Saharan Africa, it is a large constrictor and the continent's largest snake, ranking among the seven largest snake species in the world, akin to the anaconda of the Amazon. A recent sighting of this terrestrial predator constricting and swallowing a flamingo was captured by Guide Salash. The African rock python's preference for the marshy habitat of Amboseli National Park is no coincidence, as these areas are rich in prey, such as small mammals, birds, amphibians, and fish. Being opportunistic feeders, African rock pythons take advantage of the abundance of food in these marshy environments — which also provides excellent camouflage.

F 4.5, 1/280, ISO 100 | Johnson Salash
F 4.5, 1/280, ISO 100 | Johnson Salash
F 4.5, 1/420, ISO 200 | Johnson Salash
F 4.5, 1/420, ISO 200 | Johnson Salash

We will leave you with a compilation of recent wildlife encounters from our trail cameras, including Osunash pleasantly marking his territory by urinating on one of our trail cameras near Guest Suite 10. –Sammy Njoroge

The Mara:

Morning drives are typically incredible, with plenty of wildlife to see before the sun sends them scampering for shade. From a giraffe silhouetted at sunrise, two alert impalas sensing the presence of lionesses, to a martial eagle flying directly above us, a malachite kingfisher perched next to water ready to dive, and hippos blowing water from their nostrils as they rise to the surface — these are the thrilling scenes a morning drive offers in the Triangle.

F 5.6, 1/1600, ISO 1000 | Robert Sayialel
F 5.6, 1/1600, ISO 1000 | Robert Sayialel
F 5.6, 1/1600, ISO 1400 | Robert Sayialel
F 5.6, 1/1600, ISO 1400 | Robert Sayialel
F 5.6, 1/5000, ISO 200 | Robert Sayialel
F 5.6, 1/5000, ISO 200 | Robert Sayialel
F 5.6, 1/2500, ISO 560 | Robert Sayialel
F 5.6, 1/2500, ISO 560 | Robert Sayialel Martial eagle
F 5.6, 1/2500, ISO 2000 | Robert Sayialel
F 5.6, 1/2500, ISO 2000 | Robert Sayialel Malachite kingfisher
F 5.6, 1/3200, ISO 1800 | Robert Sayialel