3/5/07 A Serengeti adventure
The breakfast baboon
Since we were leaving early today we the first ones to have breakfast. Soon after we sat down we could see a large baboon peaking in to the tent, standing on some chairs just outside the screened in tent flap at the back of the dining tent. When you would look directly at him he would pull back slightly. The staff chased it away several times, but it would sneak back. Later the staff set up an outside table and opened the curtains on that side. The next couple that showed up asked to be seated outside and, of course, the baboon quickly approached them as they returned to their table with their breakfast fruit selection. The man quickly tossed a piece to the baboon and it took it and ran away with the fruit. (To return tomorrow no doubt now that it had been fed.)
X rated Lions
We were on the road soon after 7:30 this morning. We passed a number of Giraffes and Baboons and Impala. The driver heard of lions on the road nearby so we made a detour to see them. Sure enough when we got near the other vehicles we could see a male lion lying as if dead at the edge of the road and a female on the other side. While I was switching between binoculars and camera the female came over to the male and they mated. Soon the other vehicles began moving forward and the lions walked ahead of them right towards us and passed us. I made a brief movie of this.
Leaving the lions we were soon away from the tree and plain area and out onto the open grasslands. Here the grasses were high and few animals could be seen. Although several lions were found right by the road and a number of pictures taken. As we continued crossing the plain we came to the Naabi Hill Gate again where there is a display and interpretation center and restrooms and picnic area. Passing this gate the grasses were noticeably shorter and soon thousands of Wildebeests were in sight on both sides of the road and crossing it. A number of the females had new born calves with them. Many storks and Zebras were among them. Within one mile of passing the first large herd Eustace spotted our first Cheeta. It had just made a kill of a baby wildebeest and was slowly dragging it further from the road, something our guide had never seen one do. After it had dragged the kill about 100 yards from the road it apparently called to its cubs and within 5 minutes three little cheeta cubs came running in from the right to their mother who left the kill to them and kept a wary eye out for Hyenas. The hyenas would quickly take over the kill and eat the cubs if not protected by the mother. The cubs did not seem very hungry so we assumed they had recently eaten. With so many wildebeests around finding prey was no problem for the mother cheeta.
Leaving the lions we were soon away from the tree and plain area and out onto the open grasslands. Here the grasses were high and few animals could be seen. Although several lions were found right by the road and a number of pictures taken. As we continued crossing the plain we came to the Naabi Hill Gate again where there is a display and interpretation center and restrooms and picnic area. Passing this gate the grasses were noticeably shorter and soon thousands of Wildebeests were in sight on both sides of the road and crossing it. A number of the females had new born calves with them. Many storks and Zebras were among them. Within one mile of passing the first large herd Eustace spotted our first Cheeta. It had just made a kill of a baby wildebeest and was slowly dragging it further from the road, something our guide had never seen one do. After it had dragged the kill about 100 yards from the road it apparently called to its cubs and within 5 minutes three little cheeta cubs came running in from the right to their mother who left the kill to them and kept a wary eye out for Hyenas. The hyenas would quickly take over the kill and eat the cubs if not protected by the mother. The cubs did not seem very hungry so we assumed they had recently eaten. With so many wildebeests around finding prey was no problem for the mother cheeta.
Drama on the Serengeti
As we continued about another mile or so a drama enfolded before us. A lost baby wildebeest was being harassed by a jackal. A jackal is not much larger than our fox so a single one could probably not bring it down unless it weakened from lack of food since it was too young to eat grass and needed its mother. The jackal would make brief runs at the baby who would scamper away for a short distance. There was a small herd (12) of Adult wildebeests about 300 yards away and the baby finally scampered over to them and for a few minutes joined them. The jackal seemed to disappear at this time. But, since its mother was not in this group it soon continued north looking for the main herd we had passed earlier. Unfortunately this would lead it right near the area where the cheetas were and our guide was certain that the mother cheeta would kill it even if it didn't need the food at the moment. I guessed that the reason the baby was lost in the first place had to do with the cheeta's earlier kill that must have stampeded the herd.
We soon passed another large herd of wildlebeests and then spotted a Hyena on the right side of the road. We stopped to look at it and I spotted several others on the left including a half grown one. There was a den here right beside the road.
As we continued on the grass became shorter and shorter, ideal apparently for Thompson's Gazelles which were all around us. This small antelope is very distinctly marked with a black horizontal stripe. Many of the females had small young with them. Our guide turned off the main road and as we climbed a small hill a hyena was seen carrying "food" in the general direction of the den we had seen earlier. Since the plain here resembled open pasture back home our guide turned off the road and headed for the lone large tree in the vicinity. We had hoped to find an owl in residence but only scared out a pair of Harrier Hawks. We then ate our picnic lunch in the shade of the tree.
After lunch we proceeded cross country again, sighting several groups of Sand Grouse. I got several good pictures of them. Continuing we spotted a Tawny Eagle and two species of vultures finishing up the remains of a Thompson's gazelle. A pair of Eland were seen, but wouldn't let us get very close, as they moved off as we approached.
Returning to the "main" , but still very bumpy road we continued on to the Oldavi Gorge Research Center and Museum where we were given a brief history of the archeology research being done here. This area was made famous by the Leakey family which found evidence of early "man" back some 3.6 million years ago. Leaving here we were soon climbing the side of the famous Ngorongoro Crater. We gained several thousand feet in altitude here and passed many Maasi groups and their cattle, goats, and donkey herds. Our lodge for the next two nights in the Serena Ngorongoro Crater Lodge. Located at 7200 feet above sea level. All the rooms look out over the crater. We settled in tired and very dusty so a shower and rest was in order. Later we headed down to the bar and restaurant area to listen to the drum and marimba band and then watched a 15 minute show by the "Volcano Acrobats" Which put on a tumbling and hand standing on stacked wooden blocks exhibition.
Then it was up stairs to dinner with many good choices of entrees, a salad and dessert bars to finish the evening before retiring to our room to read (Carolyn) and write this journal of our days activities. Tomorrow we leave here again at 7:30 for our tour of the crater floor.
We soon passed another large herd of wildlebeests and then spotted a Hyena on the right side of the road. We stopped to look at it and I spotted several others on the left including a half grown one. There was a den here right beside the road.
As we continued on the grass became shorter and shorter, ideal apparently for Thompson's Gazelles which were all around us. This small antelope is very distinctly marked with a black horizontal stripe. Many of the females had small young with them. Our guide turned off the main road and as we climbed a small hill a hyena was seen carrying "food" in the general direction of the den we had seen earlier. Since the plain here resembled open pasture back home our guide turned off the road and headed for the lone large tree in the vicinity. We had hoped to find an owl in residence but only scared out a pair of Harrier Hawks. We then ate our picnic lunch in the shade of the tree.
After lunch we proceeded cross country again, sighting several groups of Sand Grouse. I got several good pictures of them. Continuing we spotted a Tawny Eagle and two species of vultures finishing up the remains of a Thompson's gazelle. A pair of Eland were seen, but wouldn't let us get very close, as they moved off as we approached.
Returning to the "main" , but still very bumpy road we continued on to the Oldavi Gorge Research Center and Museum where we were given a brief history of the archeology research being done here. This area was made famous by the Leakey family which found evidence of early "man" back some 3.6 million years ago. Leaving here we were soon climbing the side of the famous Ngorongoro Crater. We gained several thousand feet in altitude here and passed many Maasi groups and their cattle, goats, and donkey herds. Our lodge for the next two nights in the Serena Ngorongoro Crater Lodge. Located at 7200 feet above sea level. All the rooms look out over the crater. We settled in tired and very dusty so a shower and rest was in order. Later we headed down to the bar and restaurant area to listen to the drum and marimba band and then watched a 15 minute show by the "Volcano Acrobats" Which put on a tumbling and hand standing on stacked wooden blocks exhibition.
Then it was up stairs to dinner with many good choices of entrees, a salad and dessert bars to finish the evening before retiring to our room to read (Carolyn) and write this journal of our days activities. Tomorrow we leave here again at 7:30 for our tour of the crater floor.
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