This Week at Angama #428

Back in October 2025, a tiny lion cub was found wandering alone. After being discovered by young boys herding cattle, it was rescued and reunited with its mother through the efforts of Big Life Foundation. While carefully avoiding resident lionesses, Memusi and Noltulali, the mother and her cubs kept to the edge of the Sanctuary, favouring the yellow-backed acacia area along the eastern boundary.

For a lone lioness, raising four cubs without the support of a pride is an enormous challenge. Every hunt carries risk, and every movement must balance survival with the safety of her young. In the wild, the odds are unforgiving.

Months later, during an early morning drive in the Sanctuary, we found ourselves watching Memusi and her cubs resting peacefully. Suddenly, her attention sharpened. Her gaze fixed intently toward the eastern boundary, and moments later, the reason became clear.

Out in the distance came another lioness, moving quickly, almost desperately, with her cubs struggling to keep pace behind her. It was the same lone female once seen with four cubs. Now, only two remained. Presumably, she had ventured farther from her safe refuge during the night in search of food. She was now hurrying back toward the shelter of the yellow-backed acacia thickets.

Her retreat immediately triggered a response from the resident lions. While Memusi remained atop a nearby rise observing the scene, Noltulali charged toward the intruding female and her cubs. Lionesses with young are fiercely territorial, often reacting aggressively to unfamiliar lions, whether male or female. The risks are too great when cubs are involved.

The fleeing mother pressed on until she disappeared into the long grass beneath the acacia trees. There, finally shielded by cover she knew well, her pace slowed. Noltulali hesitated at the edge of the grassland, unwilling to pursue deeper without the support of Memusi and the uncertainty of the bushy cover. Further behind, Male 263 and the older cubs trailed curiously, drawn by the tension unfolding before them.

Even Memusi eventually descended from her hilltop vantage point, approaching cautiously as Noltulali remained reluctant to continue the chase. In the end, the pursuit faded. The resident lions chose not to press further, allowing the exhausted mother and her remaining cubs to disappear back into the refuge of their familiar territory.

Wild animals can appear remarkably relaxed in environments where they feel safe, especially from human beings. These three bull elephants were walking slowly through the Sanctuary, dusting themselves, when one gradually lowered himself to the ground and drifted into deep sleep. At the same time, the other two remained standing quietly beside him. For adult elephants, lying down to sleep is not something done lightly.

Unlike younger elephants that rest more freely, fully grown adults are at their most vulnerable when stretched out on the ground. Their immense size makes getting back up slower and more demanding, leaving them exposed should danger arise. As a result, many adult elephants doze while standing, especially in unfamiliar or unsafe environments.

To see a mature bull sleeping soundly on his side is therefore a remarkable sign of comfort and security. Equally significant was the behaviour of the other two bulls, who stayed close by as silent sentinels, watchful while their companion rested.

Renowned for their remarkable body structure, gerenuks are the only antelope known to stand upright on their hind legs while feeding. This unique adaptation allows them to reach vegetation far beyond the grasp of most other grazing animals. With powerful hind-leg muscles, elongated necks, and slender bodies built for balance, they can stretch vertically with surprising ease, delicately pulling tender shoots and fresh leaves from shrubs and low trees. Their flexibility and reach allow them to exploit a feeding niche with less competition, particularly during drier periods when food closer to the ground becomes scarce.

The weaverbird family is one of the most diverse and fascinating groups found across Africa, ranging from subtly coloured species to brilliantly vibrant ones, particularly the males during breeding season. This week’s highlights were the grey-capped social weaver and the speckled-fronted weaver, two species that showcase the remarkable variety within this family.

The grey-capped social weaver is a quieter beauty, with soft, earthy tones and a pale grey crown that blends with the dry savannah. True to its name, it is highly social, often found in small groups busily moving through shrubs and trees in search of seeds and insects. These birds are cooperative by nature, frequently nesting and feeding together while maintaining constant chatter within the flock.

In contrast, the speckled-fronted weaver stands out with more striking detail and texture. During breeding season, males become especially eye-catching as they work tirelessly to impress females with both their plumage and weaving skills. Like many weavers, they construct intricate hanging nests from strips of grass and vegetation — carefully woven structures that are both functional and beautifully engineered. —Robert Sayialel

This week began beneath a golden sunrise at the foot of the Ololoolo Escarpment, where the grasslands of the Mara Triangle glowed like fire under the first touch of morning. The air carried that familiar stillness that always feels deceptive in the wild.

Just minutes from the Lodge, we found Young Owino, the powerful male lion, resting with Nala and her sub-adult cubs. At first glance, it seemed peaceful. But the wilderness rarely reveals everything immediately. Beneath the calm posture and sleepy eyes, tension quietly simmered.

The sub-adult male let out a low, submissive growl, careful not to challenge the dominant presence nearby. Even Nala appeared aware of it. At one point, she rose slowly, stretched deliberately, and shifted the mood momentarily, almost as though trying to diffuse the invisible pressure hanging in the grass around them. 

Not long after leaving the lions, a lone hippo burst across the road in haste, disappearing toward the river with surprising speed for such an enormous animal. The wet earth shook beneath its heavy strides, then fell silent once more. 

And then came one of the most extraordinary sightings of the week. Guide Elly, with the sharp instinct only years in the bush can build, spotted movement hidden deep within the grass. A python had caught a Thomson’s gazelle and had already begun the painstaking process of swallowing it whole. The sheer power of constriction was evident in every tightening coil wrapped around the lifeless antelope. 

But nature, as always, had another twist waiting. A silver-backed jackal appeared cautiously from the grasslands during its early morning scavenging patrol. Drawn by opportunity and driven by bold desperation, it began circling the python and its hard-earned meal. The python responded with deep, aggressive hisses, warning the scavenger to stay back. Yet hunger often overpowers fear in the wild. 

After several nervous passes, the jackal made its move. It darted in quickly and tore away part of the gazelle’s hind leg before retreating just beyond striking distance. The theft lasted only minutes, but it felt far longer as tension and instinct collided before us. The jackal fed hurriedly while constantly glancing back at the furious reptile, aware that one mistake could easily turn scavenger into victim.

Eventually, fully fed and satisfied with its stolen reward, the jackal disappeared into the grass, leaving the python to continue consuming what remained of its 'shared' meal. 

What followed became an extraordinary lesson in patience for both predator and photographer. I was able to document the entire process as the python slowly swallowed the gazelle over nearly five hours. 

Later in the week, another unfortunate Thomson’s gazelle told yet another story of the food chain. This time, the carcass hung from the branches of a Boscia tree, carefully stored away by a leopard. 

Beneath the tree, a hyena waited patiently, staring upward with determination, while a tawny eagle observed the unfolding drama from a nearby perch like a silent witness. 

Then, almost magically, the leopard returned. Emerging from the shadows with astonishing confidence, it climbed toward the carcass, gripped the gazelle firmly, and descended from the tree with powerful precision. 

Before the leopard could disappear into cover, a clan of hyenas came charging toward the scene in a storm of chaos. For a moment, it seemed the meal would be lost. But the leopard reacted instantly, sprinting only a few meters before launching itself back up the tree with the carcass still clenched in its jaws. Strength, speed, and survival all compressed into one breathtaking moment. Thankfully, Guest, Allan Knoetz captured the entire sequence beautifully in the video shared below. 

The Border Pride also kept us company throughout the week. We found them moving slowly toward a croton bush under the unforgiving midday heat. The dominant male looked exhausted, his heavy mane swaying as he walked through the dry grass. Yet even in fatigue, his attention never fully drifted from a nearby dazzle of zebras at a distance. 

The zebras, however, seemed completely unbothered. Perhaps they understood what the lions already knew: that under such scorching heat, hunting would demand more energy than it rewarded. 

Nearby, the cubs had completely different priorities. A shallow muddy pool became their playground. They wrestled, pounced, chased one another in circles, splashing through the water with reckless joy.

Within minutes, their golden coats were soaked in mud, transforming them into scruffy little creatures with faces only a mother could love. It was impossible not to laugh watching them tumble endlessly through the cooling water while the adults rested nearby in complete indifference. 

As we slowly made our way back toward the Lodge, a monitor lizard emerged from the grass. Ancient-looking and endlessly alert, monitor lizards are among Africa’s most efficient reptilian hunters and scavengers. Their powerful claws allow them to climb trees and tear apart nests, while their muscular tails can serve both as balance and defence. But perhaps their most fascinating feature is the deeply forked tongue that flicks constantly.  

Much like snakes, monitor lizards use their tongues to ‘taste’ invisible scent particles drifting in the environment. Each flick gathers chemical information, which is then processed through the Jacobson’s organ in the roof of the mouth, allowing the reptile to track prey, locate carrion, and interpret its surroundings with astonishing precision. 

Even the skies contributed beautifully to the stories of the week. The Mara’s avian life often exists quietly in the background of dramatic predator sightings, yet some of the most intimate moments belong to the birds.

One particularly beautiful moment came from a pair of grey crowned cranes standing together, carefully grooming one another’s golden head bristles with remarkable gentleness.

And that is the beauty of the Mara. One moment offers violence, tension, and survival. The next offers softness, patience, and grace. Every drive becomes unpredictable. Every horizon hides another story. And every sunrise feels like the opening scene of something waiting to unfold. —Marvin Mwarangu