This Week At Angama #348

Recently, a few bull elephants have been roaming Kimana Sanctuary, offering a breathtaking glimpse of their grace and power as they move through the landscape. These gentle giants, descendants of those who have roamed here for centuries, lend a special connection to this land's deep history. The Sanctuary has been home to iconic Super Tuskers, who regularly navigate these ancient corridors and conservancies.

This week, we had the opportunity to share this special moment with children from Enchoro Enkai Primary School, taking them on their first game drive. They were in awe of the elephants’ calm demeanour, even at close range — something they hadn’t expected, given the stories they’d heard at home. Witnessing these giants in such a peaceful state left a lasting impression on them.

Even as apex predators, lions — especially males — have a complex and challenging life cycle. From a young age, males display their character traits by asserting dominance over their siblings, showing early signs of the strength and resilience they will need later in life. However, they remain unaware of the challenges ahead. Once they reach about a year old, the pride's dominant males start to exhibit hostility toward them. By the time they reach two or three years old, the pride forces the young males to leave, pushing them to try and claim another male's territory.

In Amboseli National Park, we spotted three young males from the Maji ya Kiboko Pride who either got kicked out or just ventured off on their own. With Amboseli’s large elephant population, crossing paths is inevitable. A protective herd guarding their calves chased the young lions away. Amid the chaos, a male from the Mikindu Pride that we encountered last week appeared suddenly. Briefly, he scuffled with one of the young males, forcing them all to submit — a clear display of their inexperience working together as a coalition. 

We were fortunate to spot several Super Tuskers this week, including Craig — my first encounter with this iconic giant. At 52, Craig is one of the oldest surviving Tuskers, surpassing the 50-year mark, a milestone many others don’t reach. Equally impressive are the females, with their long, sharp tusks uniquely shaped by their distinct gene pool.

As keystone species, these Super Tuskers play an essential role in shaping their environment by maintaining open grasslands, dispersing seeds, and creating vital water access for other wildlife. Protecting the gene pool of these magnificent creatures is crucial to preserving Amboseli’s biodiversity and the overall health of its ecosystem for future generations. 

The bateleur eagle, a striking bird of prey, stands out with its short tail and unique flight pattern. Juveniles display dark brown feathers, while adults showcase primarily black plumage with a vivid red face and legs. In flight, you can distinguish males and females by the black band on the back edge of their white underwings — narrow in females and broad in males. These eagles fly low while foraging, wings raised above their bodies in a distinctive, almost rocking motion.

Bateleurs are opportunistic hunters who feed on small animals and carrion. They are often among the first raptors to arrive at a carcass. In the Amboseli ecosystem, their role is vital, as they help control small animal populations, contribute to cleaning up carcasses, and prevent the spread of disease. 

Another interesting sighting was a zebra with a unique genetic mutation. Zebras have genetic factors that influence stripe formations, with mutations altering how the stripes develop. Some display irregular patterns, such as faint 'shadow' strips between the prominent ones or rare partially striped coats. These variations are caused by mutations that affect the timing, location, or intensity of pigment-producing cells during the embryo's development. While these mutations change individual zebras' appearance, they typically do not impact survival, as the species' adaptive functions remain intact.

Seeing one of the most vulnerable big cats thriving in Amboseli’s dry and expansive ecosystem is uplifting, a testament to this cheetah's resilience and skill in a challenging environment. It was incredible to spot such a large litter of cubs from a long distance. Angama Guide Sabore explained that this particular female cheetah had previously raised a litter of four cubs to adulthood and is now successfully raising five more — impossible odds. She had just made a kill and called her cubs to feed before she did, a sign of her strong maternal instincts.

With their large eyes, elongated limbs, and keen sense of their surroundings, gerenuks are incredibly well-adapted to the dry bushland. They require little water to survive as they extract moisture from the vegetation they consume. Endemic to this area, they are one of the unique species here you won't find in the Maasai Mara.

Kori bustards have a distinctive appearance with greyish-brown plumage, a white underbelly, and bold black markings on their wings and crests. Their deep booming calls, especially during the breeding season, echo across the plains as males perform elaborate displays to attract females. As ground-dwellers, they play a crucial role in the ecosystem by controlling insect populations and dispersing seeds. Males can weigh up to 19 kilograms, making flight a rare sight as they prefer to stay grounded. –Japheth Supeyo

A skilled huntress and patient stalker, the Angama lioness is often unseen by her prey until it’s too late. As a lone survivor of the Angama Pride, she has perfected her ambush techniques, using termite mounds, trees, and downwind approaches to execute precise kills. Guests Barbara and Raymond were fortunate to witness her providing for her small family. The stallion attempted to kick and escape, but the lioness swiftly brought it down with ease.

She has successfully raised these two cubs, born around mid-2023, who are now large enough to imitate her during hunts. These two juveniles, a male and a female around one and a half years old, are quickly learning, relying solely on their mother’s expertise as a solitary hunter. By the time they reach two or three years of age, they will be skilled hunters themselves. The female will likely stay and help expand the pride with her mother, while the male will eventually leave by choice or be forced out by an older male.

At the border, guests were fortunate to witness a powerful Lamai male from the Serengeti take down a wildebeest. With its impressive mane, this lion demonstrated the sheer strength of a male in its prime. Gripping the prey firmly with its paws, the lion delivered a swift, fatal blow.

Seeing a kill in the wild is a rare privilege, as most predators prefer to hunt under the cover of night or in the early morning. Cheetahs, however, take advantage of daylight hours when other predators rest, offering lucky observers a chance to witness their lightning-fast hunts. Once again, Barbara and Raymond experienced this firsthand, witnessing three(!) kills during their stay. Their patience and dedication paid off after following two cheetahs for hours, expertly guided by knowledgeable Guide Saitoti.

As the chase commenced, so did the rain, creating a dramatic backdrop for some stunning captures. Although the takedown occurred a bit further away, these two cheetahs are skilled hunters and quickly took down a young wildebeest during this season of abundance. Sitting lower in the predator hierarchy, cheetahs must eat soon after making a kill. While observing them feasting on their prey, you'll notice they frequently scan their surroundings to avoid being ambushed by other predators. They quickly fill their bellies, leaving the remains behind for scavengers.

While predators feast on their kills of wildebeest and zebras, scattered Migration groups can still be seen throughout the Triangle, with some crossing the river from the Greater Mara. Observers have noticed some groups heading southwards, returning to the Serengeti. As the Migration season nears its end, the river remains a hotspot for drama, with crocodiles lurking and hoping for their next meal.

As one of Africa's largest and most powerful birds, martial eagles possess remarkable hunting skills. Their strength and agility enable them to capture large birds and mammals, while their keen eyesight allows them to spot prey from impressive distances. Recently, a spurfowl met its fate as this formidable bird swiftly took down the small bird with ease. 

Two weeks ago, we photographed a female from the Maji Machafu Pride with two cubs. To our surprise, when we encountered the Pride this week we counted three cubs. This puzzled me, as lionesses are typically very protective and tend to keep all their cubs together. It’s possible that the mother was in the process of relocating her cubs and initially prioritised the two, perhaps because the third was weaker, before returning for it later.

It’s not uncommon for lionesses to focus on the healthier cubs to ensure their survival, although they generally care for and nurture all their cubs equally. As we watched them cross the Maji Machafu Creek, I noticed the mother gently scruffing one cub, giving it extra attention while the other two hurried closely behind.

Stealth is a leopard's preferred hunting strategy rather than relying on speed. We watched as the Salt Lick male crept forward, moving slowly and blending into his surroundings to remain unnoticed. Crouching low and advancing in short bursts, he inched closer to his prey. But suddenly, an alarm call echoed across the savannah. There were too many watchful eyes from the wildebeest, zebras, and buffalo. With his presence exposed, the male leopard retreated to the shade of a tree, likely biding his time and waiting for the cover of night and the odds to turn in his favour. –Robert Sayialel