Hello,
My wife and I will be visiting Kenya during the last two weeks of June and are considering visiting Amboseli. I understand that although the drought has passed, it has taken a terrible toll on the animals and that massive numbers of elephants and other animals died. Additionally, a lot of the resident grazing animals left the park in search of food.
Has anyone been recently (i.e. January 2010) that can advise how the conditions are now and if the animals have started to return to the park. We'd love to go and visit Amboseli but are concerned that there will not be abundant wildlife (elephants, zebras, carnivores, etc.) for us to view. Any comments will be greatly appreciated.
My wife and I will be visiting Kenya during the last two weeks of June and are considering visiting Amboseli. I understand that although the drought has passed, it has taken a terrible toll on the animals and that massive numbers of elephants and other animals died. Additionally, a lot of the resident grazing animals left the park in search of food.
Has anyone been recently (i.e. January 2010) that can advise how the conditions are now and if the animals have started to return to the park. We'd love to go and visit Amboseli but are concerned that there will not be abundant wildlife (elephants, zebras, carnivores, etc.) for us to view. Any comments will be greatly appreciated.
Four months ago ,there were dead animals almost everywhere.
It was rather sad to see.
What little grass there was was brown and dusty, yet the elephants were pulling these scrubby weeds out of the ground.
The Zebras and Wilderbeests keep grazing , but I don't know on what!
There were many dead Zebras and Wilderbeest and a Grant's Gazelle just laid by the road and died.
And this was rather amazing because a Grant's Gazelle can go almost six months without water if need be.
The only real greenery I saw was at the two swamps of Enkongo Narok and Ol Kenya Swamp.
At least in the Ol Kenya Swamp the elephants were in water( swamp) up to their belly.
The four Oryx I saw looked and were half starved.
Hopefull it is better now, and I too would like to hear an update on conditions
It was rather sad to see.
What little grass there was was brown and dusty, yet the elephants were pulling these scrubby weeds out of the ground.
The Zebras and Wilderbeests keep grazing , but I don't know on what!
There were many dead Zebras and Wilderbeest and a Grant's Gazelle just laid by the road and died.
And this was rather amazing because a Grant's Gazelle can go almost six months without water if need be.
The only real greenery I saw was at the two swamps of Enkongo Narok and Ol Kenya Swamp.
At least in the Ol Kenya Swamp the elephants were in water( swamp) up to their belly.
The four Oryx I saw looked and were half starved.
Hopefull it is better now, and I too would like to hear an update on conditions
Why not switch your itinerary to Samburu instead... it is beautiful these days with a full river!
I'm a Samburu fan too, but if you want to see Kilimanjaro, you can't from there.
Check out these two sites for some positive news on recent rains in Amboseli.
http://www.elephanttrust.org/
http://www.bushdrums.com/forum/showthread.php?id=1242
Check out these two sites for some positive news on recent rains in Amboseli.
http://www.elephanttrust.org/
http://www.bushdrums.com/forum/showthread.php?id=1242
Thanks Lynn,
I've been monitoring the Elephant trust website (specifically C. Moss's blog). It looks like the there is some veritation growing but will there be a sufficient number of animals to see? We'll only be in Kenya for 8 days so I'd hate to spend a couple of days where there is limited wildlife to see (but would love to see elephants w/ Kili in the background).
Thanks also to Simbakubwa (and Lynn again)...Samburu is plan B. Serena has a good two night package deal which includes flights to/from Nairobi.
I've been monitoring the Elephant trust website (specifically C. Moss's blog). It looks like the there is some veritation growing but will there be a sufficient number of animals to see? We'll only be in Kenya for 8 days so I'd hate to spend a couple of days where there is limited wildlife to see (but would love to see elephants w/ Kili in the background).
Thanks also to Simbakubwa (and Lynn again)...Samburu is plan B. Serena has a good two night package deal which includes flights to/from Nairobi.
Eles with Kili in the background can be difficult to see in Amboseli, regardless the weather. Just so you don't get your hopes up.
If Serena has a good plan, maybe do that. But do you want to fly back to NBO after Samburu or would you want to fly on to the Mara? Would those good rates work for a different return flight?
If Serena has a good plan, maybe do that. But do you want to fly back to NBO after Samburu or would you want to fly on to the Mara? Would those good rates work for a different return flight?
