I spent two days in the Maasai Mara National Reserve. It was a fantastic visit, I saw a lot of animals. Some was the same as during my trip to Kruger National Park in South Africa.
The highlight in Maasai Mara was seeing a Caracal (Caracal caracal, german: Karakal, french: Caracal). My guide was all excited, he said it had been ten years since he saw one. When I told my guide in Tanzania about it, he was even more excited. He said he had never seen one.
The other highlight was twice seeing a Southern Lioness (Panthera leo melanochaita, german: Löwe, french: Lion) stalking a Kongoni (Alcelaphus buselaphus cokii, german: Kuhantilope, french: Bubale roux). Both times she didn't succeed, the Hartebeest noticed something and started to move away. When the Hartebeest starts moving away, the lioness gives up, she can't catch it anymore, even though the antelope isn't running, just walking away.
I saw quite a few Southern Lions, several single males, groups of females and males, and in one case a courting couple.
The other predator that I saw is the Spotted Hyena (Crocuta crocuta, german: Tüpfelhyäne, french: Hyène tachetée), but only once.
I also saw some Bat-eared Foxes, but they were too far away, I didn't get a picture.
There were quite a few Maasai Giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi, german: Massai-Giraffe, french: Girafe Masaï), sometimes spelled Masai Giraffe, in the reserve.
In particular there were quite a few Western White-bearded Wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus mearnsi, german: Streifengnu, french: Gnou bleu) and Grant's Zebra (Equus quagga boehmi, german: Steppenzebra, french: Zèbre de Grant)
The Grant's Zebra does not require (but still prefers) short grass to graze on. It eats a wide range of different grasses, preferring young, fresh growth where available, and also browses on leaves and shoots from time to time. A zebra's digestive system works quickly and can extract more protein from the fibrous and poorest plant parts. Thus zebra are less picky in foraging but they do spend much time eating. Only after animals like zebras have cropped and trampled the long top grasses, which are low in protein, do the other grazers like Wildebeests and Thompson's gazelles move in to eat the newly exposed and more nutritional short grasses.
Grant's Zebras (Equus quagga boehmi, german: Steppenzebra, french: Zèbre de Grant), Common Impala male (Aepyceros melampus melampus, german: Schwarzfersenantilope, french: Impala), and Banded Mongooses (Mungos mungo, german: Zebramanguste, french: Mangouste rayée). (682k) Maasai Giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi, german: Massai-Giraffe, french: Girafe Masaï) and Grant's Zebras (Equus quagga boehmi, german: Steppenzebra, french: Zèbre de Grant). (659k) Thomson's Gazelles (Eudorcas thomsonii, german: Thomson-Gazelle, french: Gazelle de Thomson), with black stripes, Southern Grant's Gazelle (Nanger granti granti, german: Südliche Grant-Gazelle, french: Gazelle de Grant), facing away, and Masai Ostriches (Struthio camelus massaicus, german: Afrikanischer Strauß, french: Autruche d'Afrique). (819k) Banded Mongooses (Mungos mungo, german: Zebramanguste, french: Mangouste rayée). (623k) Eastern Warthogs (Phacochoerus africanus massaicus, german: Warzenschwein, french: Phacochère). (1091k) Female Kirk's Dik-dik (Madoqua kirkii, german: Kirk-Dikdik, french: Dik-dik de Kirk). (877k) Male Kirk's Dik-dik (Madoqua kirkii, german: Kirk-Dikdik, french: Dik-dik de Kirk). (758k) Thomson's Gazelles (Eudorcas thomsonii, german: Thomson-Gazelle, french: Gazelle de Thomson). They have the prominent black stripe along the belly, and an all-black tail. (856k) Thomson's Gazelle with the black tail (Eudorcas thomsonii, german: Thomson-Gazelle, french: Gazelle de Thomson). (711k) Thomson's Gazelle female with baby. (917k) Thomson's Gazelle males sparring. (702k) Thomson's Gazelle male (Eudorcas thomsonii, german: Thomson-Gazelle, french: Gazelle de Thomson). (725k) Thomson's Gazelle male. (712k) Thomson's Gazelle male (Eudorcas thomsonii, german: Thomson-Gazelle, french: Gazelle de Thomson). (757k) Southern Grant's Gazelle female (Nanger granti granti, german: Südliche Grant-Gazelle, french: Gazelle de Grant). They lack the black stripe, and the top of the tail is white. (1108k) Southern Grant's Gazelle (Nanger granti granti, german: Südliche Grant-Gazelle, french: Gazelle de Grant) in the foreground, and Thomson's Gazelles in the background. (698k) Common Impala harem (Aepyceros melampus melampus, german: Schwarzfersenantilope, french: Impala) with one male and a herd of females. I saw harems as small as two females, and as large as more than 100. (1047k) Close-up of a female Common Impala (Aepyceros melampus melampus, german: Schwarzfersenantilope, french: Impala). (1274k) Bachelor herd of Common Impalas. (1266k) Common Impala males sparring (Aepyceros melampus melampus, german: Schwarzfersenantilope, french: Impala). (678k) Common Impala male (Aepyceros melampus melampus, german: Schwarzfersenantilope, french: Impala). (701k) Common Impala male (Aepyceros melampus melampus, german: Schwarzfersenantilope, french: Impala). (647k) Serengeti Topis (Damaliscus lunatus jimela, german: Tsessebe). (843k) Close-up of a Serengeti Topi (Damaliscus lunatus jimela, german: Tsessebe). (741k) Kongonis (Alcelaphus buselaphus cokii, german: Kuhantilope, french: Bubale roux). (754k) Kongoni (Alcelaphus buselaphus cokii, german: Kuhantilope, french: Bubale roux). (704k) Kongoni (Alcelaphus buselaphus cokii, german: Kuhantilope, french: Bubale roux). (616k) Close-up of a Kongoni (Alcelaphus buselaphus cokii, german: Kuhantilope, french: Bubale roux). (839k) Western White-bearded Wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus mearnsi, german: Streifengnu, french: Gnou bleu). (804k) Western White-bearded Wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus mearnsi, german: Streifengnu, french: Gnou bleu). (584k) Western White-bearded Wildebeest babies. (860k) Grant's Zebras (Equus quagga boehmi, german: Steppenzebra, french: Zèbre de Grant). (1131k) Grant's Zebra (Equus quagga boehmi, german: Steppenzebra, french: Zèbre de Grant). (1037k) Close-up of Grant's Zebras (Equus quagga boehmi, german: Steppenzebra, french: Zèbre de Grant). (1006k) Baby Grant's Zebras (Equus quagga boehmi, german: Steppenzebra, french: Zèbre de Grant). (546k) Maasai Giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi, german: Massai-Giraffe, french: Girafe Masaï). Giraffes are the tallest land animals. (958k) Maasai Giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi, german: Massai-Giraffe, french: Girafe Masaï). (701k) Maasai Giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi, german: Massai-Giraffe, french: Girafe Masaï). (910k) Maasai Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi, german: Massai-Giraffe, french: Girafe Masaï). (839k) Close-up of Maasai Giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi, german: Massai-Giraffe, french: Girafe Masaï). (517k) Close-up of Maasai Giraffe. (489k) Maasai Giraffe with baby giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi, german: Massai-Giraffe, french: Girafe Masaï). (601k) Cape Buffalo (Syncerus caffer caffer, german: Kaffernbüffel, french: Buffle d'Afrique). It is the third largest animal in Africa (after elephants and rhinoceroses). Due to its aggressive and unpredictable nature, it is quite dangerous. (714k) Bushbaby (I don't know which species). They are feeding it every night, so it is a regular visitor in the lodge. (581k) Hilgert's Vervet Monkey (Chlorocebus pygerythrus hilgerti, german: Südliche Grünmeerkatze, french: Vervet bleu). (666k) Olive Baboons (Papio anubis, german: Anubispavian, french: Babouin olive). (1048k) Caracal (Caracal caracal, german: Karakal, french: Caracal). (600k) Caracal (Caracal caracal, german: Karakal, french: Caracal). (626k) Spotted Hyena (Crocuta crocuta, german: Tüpfelhyäne, french: Hyène tachetée). (601k) Female Southern Lion (Panthera leo melanochaita, german: Löwe, french: Lion). (787k) Male Southern Lion (Panthera leo melanochaita, german: Löwe, french: Lion). (833k) Male Southern Lion (Panthera leo melanochaita, german: Löwe, french: Lion). (1071k) Close-up of female Southern Lion (Panthera leo melanochaita, german: Löwe, french: Lion). (935k) Close-up of male Southern Lion. (922k) Close-up of male Southern Lion (Panthera leo melanochaita, german: Löwe, french: Lion). (987k) Southern Lion couple. The female was in heat, so they stayed together and were courting. (929k) Southern Lion couple. (1227k) Southern Lion couple (Panthera leo melanochaita, german: Löwe, french: Lion). (1223k) Southern Lion couple. (1252k) Southern Lion couple showing affection (Panthera leo melanochaita, german: Löwe, french: Lion). (991k) Southern Lioness stalking a Hartebeest. The lioness is barely visible in the grass on the far right, just above the center line. (663k) The Hartebeest noticed something and moved away. The Southern Lioness gave up at that point. (542k)
Miscellaneous
View of the Rift Valley east of Maasai Mara. (616k) Aloe vera (Aloe vera, german: Echte Aloe, french: Aloè des Barbades). (727k) Century Plant (Agave americana, french: Agave d'Amérique). (1062k) Devil's Apple (Solanum linnaeanum, german: Sodomsapfel, french: Morelle de Linné). (1180k) Tree Euphorbia (Euphorbia candelabrum, french: Euphorbe candélabre). (929k) Tree Euphorbia (Euphorbia candelabrum, french: Euphorbe candélabre). (1105k) Sausage Tree (Kigelia africana, german: Leberwurstbaum, french: Arbre à saucisses). (1036k) Sausage Tree. (752k) Umbrella Thorn (Vachellia tortilis, german: Schirmakazie, french: Acacia faux-gommier). (703k) Acacia branch with vicious thorns. (892k) Whistling Thorn (Vachellia drepanolobium). The branches have galls about 2.5 cm (1.0") in diameter. Stinging ants live in these galls. The ants seem to protect the acacia, which doesn't have toxic chemicals to ward off insect pests. When the wind blows over old, abandoned galls, they can act like flutes and produce a whistling sound. (982k) One of the galls with a thorn. (568k) Ants leaving the gall through the access hole. (542k) Flamevine (Pyrostegia venusta, french: Liane aurore). (664k) Hibiscus sp. (german: Hibiskus). (597k) Underground ants nest. (986k) Close-up of a lizard. (569k) Termite mound. (1264k) Mwanza Flat-headed Rock Agama (Agama mwanzae, german: Stahlblaue Felsenagame). (506k) Gecko, sitting on the outside of the frosted window in the bathroom. (1134k) Flap-necked Chameleon (Chamaeleo dilepis, german: Lappenchamäleon, french: Caméléon Bilobé). They have a very peculiar gate, stiff-legged, hesitant, and slow. (836k) Close-up of the Flap-necked Chameleon (Chamaeleo dilepis, german: Lappenchamäleon, french: Caméléon Bilobé), showing the eye sitting on a cone shaped protrusion. The eyes move independently of each other in all directions. (698k)
Dr. Günther Eichhorn Travel Website
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