Ewaso Lions

Category: Reserves | Date: Oct 22 2009 | By: ewasolions

Samburu is transforming!  Every day the landscape changes colour.  Trees are the greenest they have been this whole year and its amazing to watch the animals come alive.  All the animals seem more energetic and excited with the new greenery and water.  Impalas, oryx, waterbuck and buffalo who managed to survive through the drought are now feasting on the green shoots.  I watched an oryx the other day - in the morning he was in a mini green paradise eating all the grass - 6 hours later he was in the same spot, still eating.  Even the monkeys are happy.  Its such a thrill to see the place come alive this way and so quickly just after a few rain showers.  Below are some photos of some happy drought survivors taken 2 days after the first rain:

Impalas graze with the Samburu sacred mountain, Sabache, in the background

A thin impala finds some new grass 2 days after the first rain

Almost all the buffaloes died in the drought.  Here is one survivor who just managed to stay alive…

A dikdik a few minutes after a rain shower

Happy monkeys

A thin oryx makes the most of the new grass

Numerous waterbuck also died in the drought.  This male made it.

A not so happy lion cub in the rain!

Here are photos taken exactly 1 week after the first rain:

Grass!!!

Lots of grass for the Grevy’s zebra

Finally - some happy warthog!

Tags: Buffalo, drought, Impalas, Monkeys, Samburu, Waterbuck

5 responses so far

Category: Lions | Date: Mar 09 2009 | By: ewasolions

A few days ago I was tracking Lguret, the lion we radio-collared a month ago, when I found him walking in some saltbush plains watching a buffalo in Samburu National Reserve.  He was with his brother Loirish.  They came across a giraffe and showed no interest in him, but then appeared to be very wary of a buffalo that was in the vicinity of the area.

Lguret, the radio-collared lion, ignoring a giraffe and watching a buffalo

Lguret suddenly started moving off quickly and I turned around to see why.  The buffalo was running towards him and Loirish!  The buffalo sped past me and the lions scampered up into Koitogor Hill for safety.  Lguret went one way and Loirish the other.  The buffalo did not give up  -he chased Loirish up some rocks and I lost sight of Lguret as he fled in fear.  The photos below show what happened.

Buffalo chases Lguret

Buffalo gives up on Lguret and looks for Loirish

Buffalo comes back for Lguret after chasing Loirish

The chase continues

Loirish jumps to safety high up on some rocks

This is the second time I have witnessed a serious buffalo-lion chase here in Samburu.  The first was in September when 3 buffalo chased Uni and these very same males.

Tags: Buffalo, Collaring, Giraffe, Lions, Samburu

2 responses so far