Trip report Kenya August '05
Aug 27th, 2005, 05:29 PM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 593
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Trip report Kenya August '05
I left Logan Airport on time. I had purchased a transformer to step-down the electric current in Kenya from 240 to 110 for use with my new DVD player I was taking with me and thought perhaps going through X-ray it might be a problem because it was a large black metal box packed in my check-in luggage. I had stapled a picture from the box to the handle of my duffel and no-one questioned it thank goodness. The flight to Amsterdam was great. Had a three hour layover there and took off on time for Nairobi. Both flights were completely packed, as usual. We arrived in Nairobi a little before 8 p.m. I was the first in line for visas so didn’t have any wait. This is the first time in eight trips though that I was stopped by a Customs officer. Luckily she just asked me what I was bringing with me and I just said safari gear and she let me pass without actually opening my duffel (which was loaded with small gifts for friends as well as three expensive veterinary books I was taking to the Tsavo-Amboseli veterinarian)! Exiting the airport to find my safari company I discovered my favorite guide there to meet me. He had just driven in from the Mara, heard I was arriving and had come to the airport to welcome me before going home to sleep. Anyone that has Joshua from Southern Cross Safaris as a guide is truly lucky. I was taken to the Holiday Inn Mayfair for a few hours sleep before flying to Amboseli.
At 6 a.m. the next morning headed for Wlson Airport for the 7:30 flight to Amboseli. In the past the plane has been a small 10 – 12 seater. However, on this day it was a 50 passenger plane and it was full! It was really cloudy that day and we couldn’t see anything until we were low enough to land. I was met by my Amboseli driver, Lemomo and the head of Ol Tukai’s guest relations, Rachel, both old friends of mine. We went immediately to the lodge where I checked in and was given my favorite room on the elephant viewing side of the lodge. I quickly unpacked my duffel and went to the car park to meet Lemomo again for a 10 a.m.. game drive. I love doing the later game drives anyway. At Ambosesli most of the people go out early on game drives because they want to see lions with their kills. Since I am more an elephant person and know that the elephants don’t come into the park until about 9:30 or 10:00 a.m., I prefer going out later. Not only to I see “my elephants” but we have the park almost to ourselves. No traffic jams. I shared the vehicle today with a great couple from England. Julie was also an elephant lover so we got along well. She told me how marvelous “The Elephant Diaries” were in England and said she would send me a DVD so that I could view it before it is shown here in the U.S. (not til March 2006 on Animal Planet)!!
The next day I awoke to the cold. In the past Amboseli might have been cool at night but day time was always fine for shorts. This time it was probably 45 – 50 degrees Fahrenheit, and knowing we would be riding in an open vehicle made me wear long pants and fleece jacket. We kept thinking the clouds would clear and it would warm up, but it didn’t. On my 9:30 game drive today I was joined by four young people from the Atlanta, Georgia area. Caroline is a professional photographer, Roger works at Georgia Tech,, Linda is a nurse and I am not sure what Dave’s occupation is. They all loved birds and it was fun sharing their excitement. By the end of their two days there, they too were becoming elephant people. Caroline was fascinated by the caring she saw with the elephant families.
The next morning when we headed out we spotted a wildebeest with an obviously fractured right foreleg. He will probably be a meal for the lions or hyenas tonight as he can hardly walk. We see what is probably thousands of Maasai cattle being herded into the area for water. Kenya Wildlife Service has posted rangers in the area to ascertain the the cattle are quickly watered and leave the park and don’t linger eating what little food is left for wildlife. The Kenyan government had put in a pipeline some time ago so the Maasai could water their cattle, but they didn’t like the idea of being kept out of the park and deliberately broke the pipeline.
Later in the day I was fortunate enough to go on a game drive with one of the elephant researchers and getting REALLY up close to the elephants. The researchers know every single elephant from Amboseli. They go out daily censusing the herds and noting who is missing, who is ill or injured, who has had a new baby, which bulls are in musth, etc. Without these girls being so diligent over the last 20 years there wouldn’t be many Amboseli elephants left now. Amboseli was the one place during the poaching holocaust that the herds managed to survive pretty well because the researchers were always around. The problem they had then is when the Amboseli elephants, particularly the large bulls, traveled into Tanzania they were often shot by hunters. I don’t know how these hunters can live with themselves shooting an almost “tame” Amboseli bull who will walk right up close to your vehicle. It doesn’t take any talent , bravery or daring to do that.
The elephants in Amboseli are still under stress today. For hundreds of years they have traveled to the swamps in Amboseli daily for their water and then late afternoons have gone to the tree line at the foot of Kilimanjaro to browse on the trees at night and sleep there. For years this was not a problem. However, lately many Maasai have moved into the area, some with cattle and some with gardens. Now when the elephants try eating their garden they spear them. When an elephant kills a cow it is speared. I find this fascinating because I have watched the elephants in the park for weeks and have NEVER seen an elephant going after another animal. Thus one has to wonder if it is the cattle herder who agitates the elephant to the point of going after the cow. In addition to spearing the elephant, the owner of the cow also demands reparations. In order to prevent more spearing, the researchers go out and investigate and if it looks like the animal was definitely killed by an elephant they pay the owner for the cow. When an wild animal is found injured the researchers call in the veterinarian and assist him in treating the injured animal. I was with them last August when a female elephant was darted and treated. These girls do their work with efficicency and caring. I was told that two weeks before I got there the oldest bull, Bad Bull, had been poison arrowed and died and also another of the older bulls, Masaku, had to be euthanized from wounds he sustained during a musth bull fight. There are now precious few old breeding bulls left in Amboseli, probably could count them on one hand. The female elephants don’t want any part of the younger musth bulls. Thus one wonders if the genetic pool will be compromised and one will see more and more genetic abnormalities in the future. Any way, for anyone who has ever been to Amboseli and enjoyed the elephants, please give thanks for Soila, Norah and Katito for the work they do seeing that the elephants are doing well.
The next day I got to go on game drives alone with Lemomo. Most people coming to Amboseli come with a safari company and go on drives with their driver. Those of us who fly in have the pleasure of Lemomo for a driver. Often In the past I have been in the vehicle alone with no other guests. Lemomo loves elephants as I do (two of his sisters are elephant researchers and another sister is a baboon researcher) so we could sit for hours and watch the elephants. We noted that the injured wildebeest was still alive!
One day we started out for our drive and came upon a wonderful scene A young male lion was babysitting four or five cubs while the females were preparing to hunt. We saw one female staring across the road and noticed a single wildebeest slowly approaching. It was interesting to see the lionesses in their crouching position inch forward until they were hidden by a palm tree. They waited and waited and eventually the wildebeest crossed the road. Then they made their move. Unfortunately one started out a little too early and the wildebeest fled. No meal that time! The females went back to where the babies were and it was a wonderful sight seeing the pride bond together. We also saw quite a few cheetahs this week. Don’t know if it was because the weather was cooler or what. Of interesting note was that land anywhere near the swamp looked green while land farther away was totally burned and dry.
On my last game drive at Amboseli we were watching a pride of nine lionesses and babies sleeping at the other side of the park when Lemomo got a call about something I had never seen before. We rushed to the swamp, with about 20 vans following us, to see a python strangling a gazelle. We watched for quite awhile but as it was getting dark we had to get back to the lodge. We were later told by a man in a private vehicle that he had stayed. The python started to ingest the head of the gazelle when all of a sudden the gazelles back legs started twitching, so the python extracted his mouth from the head and coiled all over again. I have spent eight weeks in the park and have never seen this before, so first timers, don’t expect to see this.
At 6 a.m. the next morning headed for Wlson Airport for the 7:30 flight to Amboseli. In the past the plane has been a small 10 – 12 seater. However, on this day it was a 50 passenger plane and it was full! It was really cloudy that day and we couldn’t see anything until we were low enough to land. I was met by my Amboseli driver, Lemomo and the head of Ol Tukai’s guest relations, Rachel, both old friends of mine. We went immediately to the lodge where I checked in and was given my favorite room on the elephant viewing side of the lodge. I quickly unpacked my duffel and went to the car park to meet Lemomo again for a 10 a.m.. game drive. I love doing the later game drives anyway. At Ambosesli most of the people go out early on game drives because they want to see lions with their kills. Since I am more an elephant person and know that the elephants don’t come into the park until about 9:30 or 10:00 a.m., I prefer going out later. Not only to I see “my elephants” but we have the park almost to ourselves. No traffic jams. I shared the vehicle today with a great couple from England. Julie was also an elephant lover so we got along well. She told me how marvelous “The Elephant Diaries” were in England and said she would send me a DVD so that I could view it before it is shown here in the U.S. (not til March 2006 on Animal Planet)!!
The next day I awoke to the cold. In the past Amboseli might have been cool at night but day time was always fine for shorts. This time it was probably 45 – 50 degrees Fahrenheit, and knowing we would be riding in an open vehicle made me wear long pants and fleece jacket. We kept thinking the clouds would clear and it would warm up, but it didn’t. On my 9:30 game drive today I was joined by four young people from the Atlanta, Georgia area. Caroline is a professional photographer, Roger works at Georgia Tech,, Linda is a nurse and I am not sure what Dave’s occupation is. They all loved birds and it was fun sharing their excitement. By the end of their two days there, they too were becoming elephant people. Caroline was fascinated by the caring she saw with the elephant families.
The next morning when we headed out we spotted a wildebeest with an obviously fractured right foreleg. He will probably be a meal for the lions or hyenas tonight as he can hardly walk. We see what is probably thousands of Maasai cattle being herded into the area for water. Kenya Wildlife Service has posted rangers in the area to ascertain the the cattle are quickly watered and leave the park and don’t linger eating what little food is left for wildlife. The Kenyan government had put in a pipeline some time ago so the Maasai could water their cattle, but they didn’t like the idea of being kept out of the park and deliberately broke the pipeline.
Later in the day I was fortunate enough to go on a game drive with one of the elephant researchers and getting REALLY up close to the elephants. The researchers know every single elephant from Amboseli. They go out daily censusing the herds and noting who is missing, who is ill or injured, who has had a new baby, which bulls are in musth, etc. Without these girls being so diligent over the last 20 years there wouldn’t be many Amboseli elephants left now. Amboseli was the one place during the poaching holocaust that the herds managed to survive pretty well because the researchers were always around. The problem they had then is when the Amboseli elephants, particularly the large bulls, traveled into Tanzania they were often shot by hunters. I don’t know how these hunters can live with themselves shooting an almost “tame” Amboseli bull who will walk right up close to your vehicle. It doesn’t take any talent , bravery or daring to do that.
The elephants in Amboseli are still under stress today. For hundreds of years they have traveled to the swamps in Amboseli daily for their water and then late afternoons have gone to the tree line at the foot of Kilimanjaro to browse on the trees at night and sleep there. For years this was not a problem. However, lately many Maasai have moved into the area, some with cattle and some with gardens. Now when the elephants try eating their garden they spear them. When an elephant kills a cow it is speared. I find this fascinating because I have watched the elephants in the park for weeks and have NEVER seen an elephant going after another animal. Thus one has to wonder if it is the cattle herder who agitates the elephant to the point of going after the cow. In addition to spearing the elephant, the owner of the cow also demands reparations. In order to prevent more spearing, the researchers go out and investigate and if it looks like the animal was definitely killed by an elephant they pay the owner for the cow. When an wild animal is found injured the researchers call in the veterinarian and assist him in treating the injured animal. I was with them last August when a female elephant was darted and treated. These girls do their work with efficicency and caring. I was told that two weeks before I got there the oldest bull, Bad Bull, had been poison arrowed and died and also another of the older bulls, Masaku, had to be euthanized from wounds he sustained during a musth bull fight. There are now precious few old breeding bulls left in Amboseli, probably could count them on one hand. The female elephants don’t want any part of the younger musth bulls. Thus one wonders if the genetic pool will be compromised and one will see more and more genetic abnormalities in the future. Any way, for anyone who has ever been to Amboseli and enjoyed the elephants, please give thanks for Soila, Norah and Katito for the work they do seeing that the elephants are doing well.
The next day I got to go on game drives alone with Lemomo. Most people coming to Amboseli come with a safari company and go on drives with their driver. Those of us who fly in have the pleasure of Lemomo for a driver. Often In the past I have been in the vehicle alone with no other guests. Lemomo loves elephants as I do (two of his sisters are elephant researchers and another sister is a baboon researcher) so we could sit for hours and watch the elephants. We noted that the injured wildebeest was still alive!
One day we started out for our drive and came upon a wonderful scene A young male lion was babysitting four or five cubs while the females were preparing to hunt. We saw one female staring across the road and noticed a single wildebeest slowly approaching. It was interesting to see the lionesses in their crouching position inch forward until they were hidden by a palm tree. They waited and waited and eventually the wildebeest crossed the road. Then they made their move. Unfortunately one started out a little too early and the wildebeest fled. No meal that time! The females went back to where the babies were and it was a wonderful sight seeing the pride bond together. We also saw quite a few cheetahs this week. Don’t know if it was because the weather was cooler or what. Of interesting note was that land anywhere near the swamp looked green while land farther away was totally burned and dry.
On my last game drive at Amboseli we were watching a pride of nine lionesses and babies sleeping at the other side of the park when Lemomo got a call about something I had never seen before. We rushed to the swamp, with about 20 vans following us, to see a python strangling a gazelle. We watched for quite awhile but as it was getting dark we had to get back to the lodge. We were later told by a man in a private vehicle that he had stayed. The python started to ingest the head of the gazelle when all of a sudden the gazelles back legs started twitching, so the python extracted his mouth from the head and coiled all over again. I have spent eight weeks in the park and have never seen this before, so first timers, don’t expect to see this.
Aug 27th, 2005, 05:36 PM
#2
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 593
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Samburu
The next morning we headed to the airstrip for the flight back to Nairobi. At Wilson I quickly changed planes and got on the Samburu plane. It was about a 45 minute flight with no problems. I was met at the airstrip by my guide Sumaro and Simeon, my driver, as well as Shivani Bhalla, a lion researcher at Samburu. We went to Elephant Watch Camp where I was assigned to Tent 5 – another beautiful tent. I have now stayed in three of the five tents and they are all marvelous. Hand painting on lamps, toilets, etc. This camp was built by Oria Douglas-Hamilton, the wife of the elephant researcher Iain Douglas-Hamilton. His research camp is about four miles down the road from Elephant Watch. He has trained all the camp guides, who know all the Samburu elephants. You can get closer to elephants at Samburu than anywhere I have ever been. Met some very nice people here also. A presenter from Fox news in New York, a wonderfully funny young English chap and a honeymooning couple from Wales. Samburu was warm and it was nice to be able to wear shorts again.
On my first game drive we saw one of my favorite eles., the one I had seen last August with the dislocated hip. She is doing well and had made it through the year well!! A young bull elephant about 20 – 25 years old named Chris starting walking right toward my side of the vehicle. When he was only feet away and extending his trunk I got a little nervous and leaned back on the seat. He meant no harm. Just trying to get our scent. However, this is the first time I have felt any nervousness close to eles. Interesting that it didn’t happen on my first trip huh?! Watched a wonderful scene near where old Larsen’s camp was. The elephants have gouged out the river bank in the shape of a huge bathtub. An ele. family approached and the matriarch walked down to the river and entered the “tub”. She kicked and splashed the water and was having an absolutely marvelous time when all the babies and adults were watching her and awaiting their turns. When she had had enough the babies entered the “tub” and amidst squeals and trumpets were also splashing and having a wonderful time. When they were done the adults did the same. It was an awesome sight and I got most of it on my video camera. On our last game drive at Samburu we saw Naserian, one of the leopards that Shivani knows about. Unfortunately there were about 30 safari vehicles surrounding her so I asked if we could please leave.
This brings up a point that I feel needs emphasizing. If on your drives you feel that your driver/vehicle is contributing to what amounts to harassment of wildlife please SPEAK UP and ask your driver to not contribute to it. At both Amboseli and Samburu, because they are both small parks, you often see 20 – 30 vehicles surrounding an animal to the point that the animal can no longer hunt, get to water, or indeed cross the road. This is not right and the only way it can be stopped is if each and every one of us speaks up. Sorry for the sermon, but I think it needs to be said anyway.
The next morning we headed to the airstrip for the flight back to Nairobi. At Wilson I quickly changed planes and got on the Samburu plane. It was about a 45 minute flight with no problems. I was met at the airstrip by my guide Sumaro and Simeon, my driver, as well as Shivani Bhalla, a lion researcher at Samburu. We went to Elephant Watch Camp where I was assigned to Tent 5 – another beautiful tent. I have now stayed in three of the five tents and they are all marvelous. Hand painting on lamps, toilets, etc. This camp was built by Oria Douglas-Hamilton, the wife of the elephant researcher Iain Douglas-Hamilton. His research camp is about four miles down the road from Elephant Watch. He has trained all the camp guides, who know all the Samburu elephants. You can get closer to elephants at Samburu than anywhere I have ever been. Met some very nice people here also. A presenter from Fox news in New York, a wonderfully funny young English chap and a honeymooning couple from Wales. Samburu was warm and it was nice to be able to wear shorts again.
On my first game drive we saw one of my favorite eles., the one I had seen last August with the dislocated hip. She is doing well and had made it through the year well!! A young bull elephant about 20 – 25 years old named Chris starting walking right toward my side of the vehicle. When he was only feet away and extending his trunk I got a little nervous and leaned back on the seat. He meant no harm. Just trying to get our scent. However, this is the first time I have felt any nervousness close to eles. Interesting that it didn’t happen on my first trip huh?! Watched a wonderful scene near where old Larsen’s camp was. The elephants have gouged out the river bank in the shape of a huge bathtub. An ele. family approached and the matriarch walked down to the river and entered the “tub”. She kicked and splashed the water and was having an absolutely marvelous time when all the babies and adults were watching her and awaiting their turns. When she had had enough the babies entered the “tub” and amidst squeals and trumpets were also splashing and having a wonderful time. When they were done the adults did the same. It was an awesome sight and I got most of it on my video camera. On our last game drive at Samburu we saw Naserian, one of the leopards that Shivani knows about. Unfortunately there were about 30 safari vehicles surrounding her so I asked if we could please leave.
This brings up a point that I feel needs emphasizing. If on your drives you feel that your driver/vehicle is contributing to what amounts to harassment of wildlife please SPEAK UP and ask your driver to not contribute to it. At both Amboseli and Samburu, because they are both small parks, you often see 20 – 30 vehicles surrounding an animal to the point that the animal can no longer hunt, get to water, or indeed cross the road. This is not right and the only way it can be stopped is if each and every one of us speaks up. Sorry for the sermon, but I think it needs to be said anyway.
Aug 27th, 2005, 05:47 PM
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 593
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Tsavo East
Got to the airstrip and caught the 10:50 flight to Wilson. Transferred to JKIA and caught the 2:30 plane to Mombasa. Am met there and driven to the Tamarind Village condo complex where I again have another lovely condo for the night. Am picked up the next morning, taken to Southern Cross Safari’s bus and we head for Tsavo East. The road from Mombasa to Tsavo is even more atrocious than before. It is truly dangerous with huge potholes and vehicles often traveling on the bumpy shoulder because it is safer than the road. Supposedly Kenya has awarded a contract to a Chinese company to re-do the road but nothing has improved so far. When we arrived at the Buchuma Gate we exited the bus and got in our respective Southern Cross Safaris Landrovers for the trip into Satao Camp. I was met by Bobby, the camp manager and he saw to it that I got my favorite tent, Kocha. The borehole is right in front of my tent. When I got to the tent I was thrilled seeing so many elephants at the borehole. In fact, I never went on one game drive – I just sat on my veranda all day long video taping the elephants, hippos from Aruba Dam which are now back at the Satao borehole, zebras, buffalo, hartebeest, giraffes, impalas, and many other species. It was truly wonderful. Tsavo was warm but not hot and muggy as usual.
I didn’t see one snake at Satao other than one the men killed the day before I got there, a baby black mamba. However, I did have one thrilling moment. In past trips to Satao the men have always told me when the lions were around camp and I would take my video camera to bed with me hoping to get the roaring sounds on video tape. I never got those sounds. One night I went to sleep around 10 p.m. At 3:05 a.m. I was awakened by the baboons barking in the tamarind tree near the borehole. I got up and walked to the mosquito netting at the front of the tent and saw nothing. I figured since I was up anyway I might as well go to the bathroom. I unzipped the back zip of the tent to the bathroom. I had just sat down to pee when GRRRR, GRRR, GRRR coming from right behind and both sides of the bathroom wall!!!! I very quickly got back into the tent and thought, ‘what should I do now”. Bobby had told me that the lions won’t bother people in the tents, and yet I had read books by Iain Allen and other Kenyans who warn people that if the lions try to get into your tent get under the bed and pull the mattress over the edge. I was thinking that perhaps I should dive under the bed when the noise started quieting down. Thus I sat in the middle of the bed waiting to see what would happen. Finally when I finally felt they were gone I lit a much-needed cigarette. Unfortunately because I didn’t expect them, I didn’t have my camera closeby to record the sound. In the morning Bobby and the askaris told me there were six lions behind my bathroom!! Wish I could have captured that sound. I may never get to hear it again.
I made my usual trip to Voi to see my older adopted elephant orphans. They are all doing well, even Mweiga with the bad heart. The only interesting thing I noted on the way to Voi was that all the grass on the left side of the road was green and the grass on the opposite side was burned. It almost looked as though the road was the rain line. Very strange. On the way back to camp from Voi we had to stop because in the middle of the road was a female ostrich dustbathing. She was soon joined by five other ostriches. When they were done with their dusting they calmly got up and left. Great fun!
I spent four wonderful days at Satao and then headed back to Buchuma Gate for my transfer to Southern Cross Safari’s new Satao Rock Camp in Taita Ranch just outside of Tsavo Park. I had heard a little about the new camp and wanted to see if myself. It is about a 10 mile drive from the Buchuma Gate. Taita Ranch is a private cattle ranch and they have leased space to Southern Cross for their new camp. I had thought it was built at the foot of a rocky outcropping. When we arrived at camp I was astounded to see that the tented camp had been built about half-way up this mammoth mountain of rock. I checked in and was given Tent 8, the farthest from the dining room but probably the one with the best views. To get to your tent you are walking up and down paths built into the rock. It is truly amazing. From my veranda the vistas were incredible. The mountains in the distance were fantastic. You could look down and see a waterhole and buildings which looked very small from that height. The tents were very comfortable as were the bathrooms. The food was amazing, probably the best I’ve had in Africa! We went on a game drive late that afternoon but didn’t see too much. However, on return to camp the men told me I’d have to walk to the very top of The Rock (above the tent level) to see the elephants climbing the mountain. I thought they were kidding me but went along with it. When we got to the top of the rock we saw a dam below that had two large crocodiles living in it. We could see elephants in the distance but I thought they would walk around the mountain to the waterhole. Instead, just as it was getting dark, the elephants started climbing the mountain!!! They climbed right up to the dam level and entered the dam forcing the crocs to the other side. It was thrilling. I knew elephants were good climbers, but had never seen it before.
Now folks, here I am, this old lady, pitch black outside, on top of a rocky mountain with who knows how many snakes around, wondering how the hell am I going to get down (there were no stairs folks!!). I pictured myself sliding off the mountain into the dam with the crocodiles. Luckily my driver had a torch (flashlight) and he grabbed my right hand and the guide my left and we started down the mountain in a chain, stepping from rock to rock (please God, no snakes on the rocks!) until we got to the dining hall. They asked if I wanted to go to my tent for a shower before dinner and I said absolutely not. If I walked all the way to my tent after that hike I wouldn’t want to walk back just to eat! Thus I bought drinks for all that night and later had supper. I met the man that built the camp and enjoyed the stories he told. I only had one night here, but it was fantastic. What an experience.
The next day I headed back to Nairobi. Relaxed that evening. The next morning I headed to Sheldrick Wildlife Trust to see some of my adopted baby elephants. There was such a crowd there visiting that I couldn’t get many pictures. But that was fine with me. I would rather more people learn about this magnificent organization and contribute to the many wonderful wildlife projects they are supporting. Of all the wildlife groups I have known or read about, this one does the most for the most species, not only elephants and rhinos. Daphne Sheldrick has been saving animals of all kinds since the 1950’s. She is 71 years old now and is still growing strong. Many organizations are busy “doing their own thing” but don’t want to get involved with poor government/ wildlife policies so never speak their minds. Daphne is the one person I know of who regularly speaks up for wildlife and calls a spade a spade where the government and wildlife laws are concerned. I am so thankful for people such as Daphne that I have nominated her for the Indianapolis Zoo Award and truly hopes she wins I don’t know of any other individual who has done so much for so many animals over the years, and we should all be grateful for this magnificent lady.
All in all it was another wonderful trip. I am already looking forward to returning mid to late January through early February. By then it should be a little warmer and a little greener. Hope it’s not too green or I won’t see as many animals as this time.
Got to the airstrip and caught the 10:50 flight to Wilson. Transferred to JKIA and caught the 2:30 plane to Mombasa. Am met there and driven to the Tamarind Village condo complex where I again have another lovely condo for the night. Am picked up the next morning, taken to Southern Cross Safari’s bus and we head for Tsavo East. The road from Mombasa to Tsavo is even more atrocious than before. It is truly dangerous with huge potholes and vehicles often traveling on the bumpy shoulder because it is safer than the road. Supposedly Kenya has awarded a contract to a Chinese company to re-do the road but nothing has improved so far. When we arrived at the Buchuma Gate we exited the bus and got in our respective Southern Cross Safaris Landrovers for the trip into Satao Camp. I was met by Bobby, the camp manager and he saw to it that I got my favorite tent, Kocha. The borehole is right in front of my tent. When I got to the tent I was thrilled seeing so many elephants at the borehole. In fact, I never went on one game drive – I just sat on my veranda all day long video taping the elephants, hippos from Aruba Dam which are now back at the Satao borehole, zebras, buffalo, hartebeest, giraffes, impalas, and many other species. It was truly wonderful. Tsavo was warm but not hot and muggy as usual.
I didn’t see one snake at Satao other than one the men killed the day before I got there, a baby black mamba. However, I did have one thrilling moment. In past trips to Satao the men have always told me when the lions were around camp and I would take my video camera to bed with me hoping to get the roaring sounds on video tape. I never got those sounds. One night I went to sleep around 10 p.m. At 3:05 a.m. I was awakened by the baboons barking in the tamarind tree near the borehole. I got up and walked to the mosquito netting at the front of the tent and saw nothing. I figured since I was up anyway I might as well go to the bathroom. I unzipped the back zip of the tent to the bathroom. I had just sat down to pee when GRRRR, GRRR, GRRR coming from right behind and both sides of the bathroom wall!!!! I very quickly got back into the tent and thought, ‘what should I do now”. Bobby had told me that the lions won’t bother people in the tents, and yet I had read books by Iain Allen and other Kenyans who warn people that if the lions try to get into your tent get under the bed and pull the mattress over the edge. I was thinking that perhaps I should dive under the bed when the noise started quieting down. Thus I sat in the middle of the bed waiting to see what would happen. Finally when I finally felt they were gone I lit a much-needed cigarette. Unfortunately because I didn’t expect them, I didn’t have my camera closeby to record the sound. In the morning Bobby and the askaris told me there were six lions behind my bathroom!! Wish I could have captured that sound. I may never get to hear it again.
I made my usual trip to Voi to see my older adopted elephant orphans. They are all doing well, even Mweiga with the bad heart. The only interesting thing I noted on the way to Voi was that all the grass on the left side of the road was green and the grass on the opposite side was burned. It almost looked as though the road was the rain line. Very strange. On the way back to camp from Voi we had to stop because in the middle of the road was a female ostrich dustbathing. She was soon joined by five other ostriches. When they were done with their dusting they calmly got up and left. Great fun!
I spent four wonderful days at Satao and then headed back to Buchuma Gate for my transfer to Southern Cross Safari’s new Satao Rock Camp in Taita Ranch just outside of Tsavo Park. I had heard a little about the new camp and wanted to see if myself. It is about a 10 mile drive from the Buchuma Gate. Taita Ranch is a private cattle ranch and they have leased space to Southern Cross for their new camp. I had thought it was built at the foot of a rocky outcropping. When we arrived at camp I was astounded to see that the tented camp had been built about half-way up this mammoth mountain of rock. I checked in and was given Tent 8, the farthest from the dining room but probably the one with the best views. To get to your tent you are walking up and down paths built into the rock. It is truly amazing. From my veranda the vistas were incredible. The mountains in the distance were fantastic. You could look down and see a waterhole and buildings which looked very small from that height. The tents were very comfortable as were the bathrooms. The food was amazing, probably the best I’ve had in Africa! We went on a game drive late that afternoon but didn’t see too much. However, on return to camp the men told me I’d have to walk to the very top of The Rock (above the tent level) to see the elephants climbing the mountain. I thought they were kidding me but went along with it. When we got to the top of the rock we saw a dam below that had two large crocodiles living in it. We could see elephants in the distance but I thought they would walk around the mountain to the waterhole. Instead, just as it was getting dark, the elephants started climbing the mountain!!! They climbed right up to the dam level and entered the dam forcing the crocs to the other side. It was thrilling. I knew elephants were good climbers, but had never seen it before.
Now folks, here I am, this old lady, pitch black outside, on top of a rocky mountain with who knows how many snakes around, wondering how the hell am I going to get down (there were no stairs folks!!). I pictured myself sliding off the mountain into the dam with the crocodiles. Luckily my driver had a torch (flashlight) and he grabbed my right hand and the guide my left and we started down the mountain in a chain, stepping from rock to rock (please God, no snakes on the rocks!) until we got to the dining hall. They asked if I wanted to go to my tent for a shower before dinner and I said absolutely not. If I walked all the way to my tent after that hike I wouldn’t want to walk back just to eat! Thus I bought drinks for all that night and later had supper. I met the man that built the camp and enjoyed the stories he told. I only had one night here, but it was fantastic. What an experience.
The next day I headed back to Nairobi. Relaxed that evening. The next morning I headed to Sheldrick Wildlife Trust to see some of my adopted baby elephants. There was such a crowd there visiting that I couldn’t get many pictures. But that was fine with me. I would rather more people learn about this magnificent organization and contribute to the many wonderful wildlife projects they are supporting. Of all the wildlife groups I have known or read about, this one does the most for the most species, not only elephants and rhinos. Daphne Sheldrick has been saving animals of all kinds since the 1950’s. She is 71 years old now and is still growing strong. Many organizations are busy “doing their own thing” but don’t want to get involved with poor government/ wildlife policies so never speak their minds. Daphne is the one person I know of who regularly speaks up for wildlife and calls a spade a spade where the government and wildlife laws are concerned. I am so thankful for people such as Daphne that I have nominated her for the Indianapolis Zoo Award and truly hopes she wins I don’t know of any other individual who has done so much for so many animals over the years, and we should all be grateful for this magnificent lady.
All in all it was another wonderful trip. I am already looking forward to returning mid to late January through early February. By then it should be a little warmer and a little greener. Hope it’s not too green or I won’t see as many animals as this time.
Aug 28th, 2005, 05:05 AM
#4
Guest
Posts: n/a
Jan -
Thanks so much for your latest report. I never get tired reading these. There's always something new and exciting that happens. Even snakes, though this time not in your tent. Oh, that poor gazelle gotten by the python. WOW!
Good for you in taking the challenge to climb up to Rock Lodge and then further to watch the ellees climb the mountain. It must have been amazing to see this spectacle for the first time.
Are the women who work with the ellees - the Amboseli Elephant Project - part of Cynthia Moss' group? Can you explain more about their work.
How wonderful, after your many visits to have made so many wonderful friends who look forward to sharing their love of country and animals with you and you with them. And now you're planning for another trip. Good for you.
Your reportz are never repetative - rather chuck full of interesting experiences. Thanks so much for your enthusiasm and sharing this with us.
Thanks so much for your latest report. I never get tired reading these. There's always something new and exciting that happens. Even snakes, though this time not in your tent. Oh, that poor gazelle gotten by the python. WOW!
Good for you in taking the challenge to climb up to Rock Lodge and then further to watch the ellees climb the mountain. It must have been amazing to see this spectacle for the first time.
Are the women who work with the ellees - the Amboseli Elephant Project - part of Cynthia Moss' group? Can you explain more about their work.
How wonderful, after your many visits to have made so many wonderful friends who look forward to sharing their love of country and animals with you and you with them. And now you're planning for another trip. Good for you.
Your reportz are never repetative - rather chuck full of interesting experiences. Thanks so much for your enthusiasm and sharing this with us.
Aug 28th, 2005, 05:58 AM
#5
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 14,440
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Enjoyed your report.
The python dining on the gazelle must have been quite the sight. Just goes to show how even after numerous trips, Africa always comes up with something new to show you.
Unsettling comments about the declining bulls in Amboseli and the competition for land resources.
How fortunate to have had several cheetah sightings.
Elephants mountain climbing would indeed be a spectacle.
After an encounter with the six lions outside the bathroom, I'd need a cigarette too and I don't even smoke! I remember being pretty scared when one lion was roaring outside my tent once, but six!
How many elephants are you "mother" to?
The python dining on the gazelle must have been quite the sight. Just goes to show how even after numerous trips, Africa always comes up with something new to show you.
Unsettling comments about the declining bulls in Amboseli and the competition for land resources.
How fortunate to have had several cheetah sightings.
Elephants mountain climbing would indeed be a spectacle.
After an encounter with the six lions outside the bathroom, I'd need a cigarette too and I don't even smoke! I remember being pretty scared when one lion was roaring outside my tent once, but six!
How many elephants are you "mother" to?
Aug 28th, 2005, 06:10 AM
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 593
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Sandi
Thanks for your kind words. Yes, the elephant researchers are part of Cynthia Moss's Amboseli group. Cynthia has been studying the elephants in Amboseli for over 30 years. Twenty year ago she hired these three girls who are local Maasai
to assist her in identifying the elephants and tracking their travel patterns, births, deaths. They have also worked with Joyce Poole on her identifying all the bull elephants and in her elephant vocalization studies. More recently the girls would wait near a family and when one defecated they would collect samples of the dung noting the animal's name, location, date, etc. These dung samples were sent here to the US where DNA studies were done on them. I'm not sure of the specifics, but as I understand it, the researchers might have thought all calves in a family were fathered by one bull or in another family by different bulls. The DNA results have been surprising and they found that in some families they thought all had the same fathers they were wrong with the calves were fathered by different bulls, and in families they thought that calves all looked so different they must have had different fathers, they've found they were all sired by the same bull.
The girls work closely with the local Maasai communities trying to implore them not to spear and kill the elephants and lions. The community apparently trusts these ladies because on one occasion when there was a wildlife meeting with the Maasai, Kenya Wildlife Service and the researchers the Maasai refused to talk in English with KWS and insisted in talking with the girls in Maa. The girls had to translate to KWS.
On the occasion last year when the female elephant had been speared seven times, twice in the head, the girls took the spears (after the vet had removed them) to the local village elders who could identify who the spears belonged to. I was told by someone that the men involved were caught and did some prison time for the spearing, and when they got back to the village were telling everyone "don't spear, you don't want to have to go through prison like we did - it was awful".
The girls on their own can't stop anything, but they do certainly slow it down and get help for any animal that needs it. When I watched the vet. treating the female elephant last summer the girls were even picking ticks off the elephant's face when it was immobilized. They care so very deeply about what happens.
My driver's sister, Soila, has a remarkable story. As some of you may know, the Maasai believed that only their sons would be educated. Soila was one of 11 children and her father insisted that none of the girls would be educated. Her mother, who was so brave, told the husband that ALL MY DAUGHTERS WILL BE EDUCATED and kicked the father out in order to see the girls educated. All her girls are now successful women. I met Soila and Katito's mother two years ago. Though she herself doesn't speak English, I thanked her for her bravery in insisting that her daughters be educated and told her I hoped she knew that her daughters work was known by people all over the world. This was interpreted to her and tears ran down her face in gratitude. A truly remarkable family.
Without native people like this caring about their wildlife, there would be nothing left for us tourists to see. We all owe them a debt of gratitude.
Jan
Thanks for your kind words. Yes, the elephant researchers are part of Cynthia Moss's Amboseli group. Cynthia has been studying the elephants in Amboseli for over 30 years. Twenty year ago she hired these three girls who are local Maasai
to assist her in identifying the elephants and tracking their travel patterns, births, deaths. They have also worked with Joyce Poole on her identifying all the bull elephants and in her elephant vocalization studies. More recently the girls would wait near a family and when one defecated they would collect samples of the dung noting the animal's name, location, date, etc. These dung samples were sent here to the US where DNA studies were done on them. I'm not sure of the specifics, but as I understand it, the researchers might have thought all calves in a family were fathered by one bull or in another family by different bulls. The DNA results have been surprising and they found that in some families they thought all had the same fathers they were wrong with the calves were fathered by different bulls, and in families they thought that calves all looked so different they must have had different fathers, they've found they were all sired by the same bull.
The girls work closely with the local Maasai communities trying to implore them not to spear and kill the elephants and lions. The community apparently trusts these ladies because on one occasion when there was a wildlife meeting with the Maasai, Kenya Wildlife Service and the researchers the Maasai refused to talk in English with KWS and insisted in talking with the girls in Maa. The girls had to translate to KWS.
On the occasion last year when the female elephant had been speared seven times, twice in the head, the girls took the spears (after the vet had removed them) to the local village elders who could identify who the spears belonged to. I was told by someone that the men involved were caught and did some prison time for the spearing, and when they got back to the village were telling everyone "don't spear, you don't want to have to go through prison like we did - it was awful".
The girls on their own can't stop anything, but they do certainly slow it down and get help for any animal that needs it. When I watched the vet. treating the female elephant last summer the girls were even picking ticks off the elephant's face when it was immobilized. They care so very deeply about what happens.
My driver's sister, Soila, has a remarkable story. As some of you may know, the Maasai believed that only their sons would be educated. Soila was one of 11 children and her father insisted that none of the girls would be educated. Her mother, who was so brave, told the husband that ALL MY DAUGHTERS WILL BE EDUCATED and kicked the father out in order to see the girls educated. All her girls are now successful women. I met Soila and Katito's mother two years ago. Though she herself doesn't speak English, I thanked her for her bravery in insisting that her daughters be educated and told her I hoped she knew that her daughters work was known by people all over the world. This was interpreted to her and tears ran down her face in gratitude. A truly remarkable family.
Without native people like this caring about their wildlife, there would be nothing left for us tourists to see. We all owe them a debt of gratitude.
Jan
Aug 28th, 2005, 07:20 AM
#7
Guest
Posts: n/a
Jan -
>>Without native people like this caring about their wildlife, there would be nothing left for us tourists to see. We all owe them a debt of gratitude.<<
We certainly do and we also learn that Africa can take care of Africa. It may be slow in coming, but I believe in the long term (hopefully not too long) this will hold true for the people of Africa as the wildlife - and we'll all benefit!
But that's another topic altogether.
For now we can be grateful for those animals who are doing better for human involvement.
>>Without native people like this caring about their wildlife, there would be nothing left for us tourists to see. We all owe them a debt of gratitude.<<
We certainly do and we also learn that Africa can take care of Africa. It may be slow in coming, but I believe in the long term (hopefully not too long) this will hold true for the people of Africa as the wildlife - and we'll all benefit!
But that's another topic altogether.
For now we can be grateful for those animals who are doing better for human involvement.
Aug 28th, 2005, 08:39 AM
#8
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 2,309
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Jan, thanks for your trip report. It makes you understand why it’s good to go back to the same places again and again – not that everyone encounter the kind of friends you have.
I thought pythons attacked bigger animals from trees. On the photo it looks like it’s out in the middle of the marsh. Do they slither up to you while you’re sitting or lying on the grass? I prefer to be eaten by a lion – or six.
It sounds like Elephant Watch is well worth the money. It’s unfenced, isn’t it? I understand that Satao is. What a wonderful trip!
I thought pythons attacked bigger animals from trees. On the photo it looks like it’s out in the middle of the marsh. Do they slither up to you while you’re sitting or lying on the grass? I prefer to be eaten by a lion – or six.
It sounds like Elephant Watch is well worth the money. It’s unfenced, isn’t it? I understand that Satao is. What a wonderful trip!
Aug 28th, 2005, 11:41 AM
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 593
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Nyamera:
The pythons at Amboseli live in and near the swamps and when hungry will grab any animal they feel they can ingest. I've never seen one until the first week in August and may never see it again.
Both Elephant Watch Camp and Satao are unfenced. The animals even come into camp at Elephant Watch. There is a picture on their website of an elephant looking into someone's bathroom! At Satao, the Tsavo elephants are a little more skittish but do walk within 10 - 20 feet of my tent while entering and leaving the borehole. Golly, you folks are getting me so excited I'd guess I'd best start planning on January/February right now!!
Jan
The pythons at Amboseli live in and near the swamps and when hungry will grab any animal they feel they can ingest. I've never seen one until the first week in August and may never see it again.
Both Elephant Watch Camp and Satao are unfenced. The animals even come into camp at Elephant Watch. There is a picture on their website of an elephant looking into someone's bathroom! At Satao, the Tsavo elephants are a little more skittish but do walk within 10 - 20 feet of my tent while entering and leaving the borehole. Golly, you folks are getting me so excited I'd guess I'd best start planning on January/February right now!!
Jan
Aug 28th, 2005, 03:52 PM
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 593
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi Marc:
No, we didn't see Echo's family. Many of the Amboseli eles. are out of the park, presumably in Tanzania. Keep your fingers crossed that they all return and aren't hunted there.
It was a good trip though.
Jan
No, we didn't see Echo's family. Many of the Amboseli eles. are out of the park, presumably in Tanzania. Keep your fingers crossed that they all return and aren't hunted there.
It was a good trip though.
Jan
Aug 28th, 2005, 05:43 PM
#12
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Sorry you didn't get to see them this time. They were somewhere out of the park our first three days there. I'll pray that they return to the park safely. Soila emailed me today and said that they've been feeding in the fenced in area lately. Echo is so smart!
Aug 28th, 2005, 06:00 PM
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 593
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
atravelynn
Sorry but I missed your earlier question about my adopted elephant orphans. I have now adoptedd 15 of these babies and they are scattered between Nairobi, Ithumba (in northern Tsavo) and Voi in Tsavo East. I usually get to see most of them (except for the couple in Ithuba). Am hoping that KWS will open northern Tsavo to the public next year so that I can travel there and see those orphans also.
Jan
Sorry but I missed your earlier question about my adopted elephant orphans. I have now adoptedd 15 of these babies and they are scattered between Nairobi, Ithumba (in northern Tsavo) and Voi in Tsavo East. I usually get to see most of them (except for the couple in Ithuba). Am hoping that KWS will open northern Tsavo to the public next year so that I can travel there and see those orphans also.
Jan
Aug 28th, 2005, 08:24 PM
#14
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 13,407
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Jan,
As always, I really enjoyed your report. Each is so different even if you do always visit the same parks, so please do continue to post about your trips. The python sighting must have been quite something. Loved the lion episode! Off to view your pics.
As always, I really enjoyed your report. Each is so different even if you do always visit the same parks, so please do continue to post about your trips. The python sighting must have been quite something. Loved the lion episode! Off to view your pics.
Aug 29th, 2005, 09:26 AM
#16
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 4,222
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I can't believe you think people wouldn't be interested in this! Thank you for taking the time to report and post your photos.
I'm going to show this to my E. Africa buddy/TC--she is also an elephile.
Thanks again and welcome home.
I'm going to show this to my E. Africa buddy/TC--she is also an elephile.
Thanks again and welcome home.
