This Week at Angama #418

This week, heavy rainfall across the catchment dramatically transformed the landscape. The Mara River, usually calm at this stretch, has risen significantly, its waters now swollen, fast-moving, and heavy with silt washed down from upstream. The riverbanks tell the story clearly. Sections of soil have been eaten away, and grasses bend low under the force of the current.

These rising water levels recharge wetlands, nourish floodplains, and sustain wildlife in the weeks ahead. At the same time, they also reshape movement patterns. Animals approaching the river must now carefully assess the current's strength, while predators and prey alike adjust to new crossing points and river behaviour.  

As we were heading toward the Mara Bridge, the Purungat Pride came into view, moving gracefully along the riverbank. The lions were clearly searching for warmer, drier ground. Their paws padded softly along the river’s edge, choosing the sandy surface over the cold, wet grass.

The lionesses led the way, with the younger cubs and subadults following closely behind. The young ones, still playful and curious, occasionally paused to look back or chase each other before catching up with the pride. The lionesses kept a steady pace, scanning the surroundings, their movements calm but deliberate. 

Bringing up the rear was a magnificent figure, one of the oldest males in the Mara Triangle, known as the Inselberg Male. Despite his age, he carried himself with authority, his mane worn but regal, a living symbol of experience and dominance in the Triangle.  

He walked slowly behind the pride, ensuring no one was left behind, his golden eyes watching every movement along the river. It was a powerful moment of generations of lions moving together.

Guide John spotted a solitary leopard moving silently through the grass. At first, it appeared alone, walking with the effortless grace for which leopards are known; alert, cautious, and perfectly camouflaged against the landscape. Moments later, two young cubs emerged from the bush, trailing behind their mother. They had been hidden from view, carefully following at a distance, learning every step from her.  

Their movements were curious and playful, yet they stayed close, clearly aware of the need for caution in this vast and wild territory. Witnessing a healthy female with two young ones is a strong sign of a growing and stable population. It is encouraging to see the number of leopards increasing in the Triangle, a testament to effective conservation efforts and the richness of this ecosystem.  

On the other side of the Triangle, Guide Moses reported another remarkable leopard sighting. This time, the leopard had successfully made a kill of a Thomson’s gazelle, which was hoisted high up in a tree, safely away from the prying eyes of hyenas or lions. Tree caching is a classic leopard behaviour and a testament to their strength and strategic hunting skills. Carrying a gazelle into a tree requires immense power, which is why they are considered among the most efficient and adaptable predators in the African savannah.  

The three brothers, Siligi Boys, had just concluded their patrol of the Mara Triangle. After days of moving through their territory, marking, scenting, and asserting their presence, they were seen heading toward the border, toward the Serengeti. Patrols like these are crucial for dominant males, as they defend territory, keep rival males at bay, and secure the future of their coalition.

We watched as the three brothers disappeared into the distance, crossing toward the Serengeti, likely on a short exploratory visit or in search of new opportunities and challenges. Their bond as brothers was evident as they moved together. We can only hope they return soon after their brief visit to the Mara and continue their reign in the Triangle. 

As the sun dipped toward the horizon in the Mara Triangle, the golden light revealed a quiet but promising scene. Nola was seen spending most of the evening with one of the powerful Taliban males.

The two stayed close, moving together across the plains, occasionally pausing to scan the landscape as dusk settled in. Their time together is more than just a peaceful sighting; it has the potential to shape Nola and her two daughters' futures. With strong, dominant males and experienced lionesses like Nola, this bond could lead to new cubs and the renewal of the Angama Pride in the seasons to come. —Arnold Omandi

There are weeks in Kimana Sanctuary shaped by drama, others by light, and some by sheer luck. This one belonged to curiosity. It began with Mount Kilimanjaro standing fully revealed, clear, calm, and prominent against the morning sky. When the mountain shows itself so generously, it often feels like an invitation to the day ahead.

We set out into the Sanctuary with that feeling lingering in the air. Not long into the drive, Guide Daniel spotted Motonyi moving through the grass as her cubs trailed behind, trying to match her confidence, step by step.

There was intention in her movement as she climbed onto a dead tree, balancing carefully as she scanned the plains. From her elevated vantage point, she watched grazing prey that was scattered across the landscape, but zebras stood nearby, watching the cheetahs intently. Their awareness often benefits nearby antelopes, allowing them to graze with added security.

Instead of rushing into action, Motonyi lay down and began nursing her cubs. Perhaps lightening herself for what she anticipated next. After grooming and playful moments that briefly softened the tension, she rose again, her focus sharpened. 

Ahead, a herd of Grant’s gazelles grazed peacefully. She lowered herself into the grass and began to stalk. Time slowed. Every movement was measured. 

Then, suddenly, she exploded into motion. The gazelles scattered in all directions. Dust lifted into the air as she vanished into the shrubs, leaving us staring into the distance, waiting for movement and possibility. For a moment, uncertainty hung between hope and disappointment. 

Then she emerged. A fawn was held firmly between her jaws. She dragged the kill into a small thicket while the cubs followed eagerly. Panting deeply from the effort, she allowed her cubs to begin opening the kill. Only after resting did she join them, and they fed together. We decided to let them enjoy their well-deserved breakfast. 

Later, we came across Osunash and Male 263 feeding on a freshly killed zebra foal. Nearby, a herd of elephants grazed peacefully, seemingly uninterested until one individual lifted its head, trunk raised to the wind. Curiosity. The elephant advanced cautiously, testing scents carried by the breeze. Then, without hesitation, it charged. Trumpets shattered the stillness. One lion stood guard with low growls, but the outcome was never in doubt. The elephants surged forward, calves protected within the tight formation of the herd. The lions retreated, surrendering space to overwhelming size and unity. For a moment, everyone, even the landscape itself, froze in the tension. 

That evening, Guide Salash witnessed one of the week’s most unusual encounters. Lion cubs surrounded what must have seemed to them like a living puzzle, a leopard tortoise. They pawed at it, flipped it, nudged it repeatedly, trying to understand why this strange creature refused to respond.  

The tortoise remained sealed within its shell, perfectly designed for moments like these. Made of bone covered in protective scutes, the shell shields vital organs while also helping regulate temperature as the animal absorbs warmth from the sun. The cubs tried again and again, their curiosity relentless. Eventually, defeated by patience stronger than playfulness, they abandoned the 'moving rock,' leaving the tortoise to slowly correct itself and continue its quiet survival. Curiosity met resilience, and sometimes resilience wins. 

Later in the week, a visit to Amboseli National Park, a spotted hyena rested in a shallow pool of water, cooling itself from the relentless heat. 

Nearby, a pair of grey crowned cranes drank calmly among flamingoes gathered along the water’s edge. Every species is drawn by the same necessity: water. In the wild, water shapes behaviour, movement, and life itself. Here, it is often simple: find shade, find water, and you endure. 

We came across a young yellow baboon, playfully investigating a piece of trash likely discarded from a safari vehicle. Its curiosity was innocent, but the consequence was troubling. 

Around the same week, Guide Jeremy spotted a hamerkop flying overhead carrying litter in its beak, material destined for one of its famously massive nests. Hamerkops are resourceful builders, but trash should never become part of their architecture.

This shows us that while wildlife adapts endlessly, responsibility remains ours. The Sanctuary thrives because guides and guests work together to respect it, ensuring waste stays where it belongs and curiosity never turns harmful.

By the end of the week, a pattern had become clear. Curiosity drove everything we witnessed: a cheetah studying the plains, elephants investigating danger, cubs learning through play, birds adapting to heat, and even young primates exploring the unfamiliar. Kimana Sanctuary never disappoints, it rewards those who remain curious. And perhaps that is the real gift of Angama Amboseli, not just what you see, but how deeply the wild invites you to keep asking what comes next. —Marvin Mwarangu