Bambi

Most of the time is usually death we witness in the Mara with the huge amount of predators around us. But on some of the good days we get to whiteness the Miracles of life.

I have always wanted to see something in the wild being born! I must be one of the most amazing sights. I arrived literally minuets after a female impala had given birth to her foal. We watched as little Bambi got up and ran in to the bushes. It takes approximately 10 minuets for a foal to get up and run after it has been born.

Still covered in gloop, his mother carefully nudged him and got him on his knees. 

He did a few face plants before he got any where.... 

After about 9 minuites he got up and shot across in to a bush. At amazing speed! luckly as this is prime lion territory.

 A few hours before I had seen a baboon run off with a newly born impala. They are defiantly easy pray for all sorts, including birds as well.

However Mother Nature did give them something special to ensure they stayed safe. ... As soon as they have been born and for the first few days while they are getting stronger  they can lie as still as a rock and blend in to the environment. They dont have any scent so predators

can literally walk straight past without smelling or seeing them.

Just like this .........

Calving in the Mara

Something exciting is happening in the Mara at the moment. The wildebeest have started dropping their young, and the plains above camp are filled with new mothers and their wobbly babies.

There are also a great amount of  Zebra who are also dropping their foals all around the conservancy.There sweet little fluffy stripy things that run with such power when they see you but dont seem to get anywhere.


We saw the fist young wildebeest about a week ago, since then they have multiplied and the chances of seeing a birth are very high! I am on the look out!



Their timing was perfect, as we have just had a few days of much needed rain and the fresh grass shoots are giving them the strength before they make their annual migration across the river in a few months time.

However they make a tasty and easy meal for someone. One of the reasons they all drop at the same time is so that there is a better chance of survival. Nature is so clever.

Meet Ponto

Meet our newest Member of the Family.... Ponto. Everyone is asking where the name Ponto comes from.... So here it is....

There was a Boy whose name was Jim;
His Friends were very good to him.
They gave him Tea, and Cakes, and Jam,
And slices of delicious Ham,
And Chocolate with pink inside
And little Tricycles to ride,
And read him Stories through and through,
And even took him to the Zoo—
But there it was the dreadful Fate
Befell him, which I now relate.

You know—or at least you ought to know,
For I have often told you so—
That Children never are allowed
To leave their Nurses in a Crowd;
Now this was Jim's especial Foible,
He ran away when he was able,
And on this inauspicious day
He slipped his hand and ran away!

He hadn't gone a yard when—Bang!
With open Jaws, a lion sprang,
And hungrily began to eat
The Boy: beginning at his feet.
Now, just imagine how it feels
When first your toes and then your heels,
And then by gradual degrees,
Your shins and ankles, calves and knees,
Are slowly eaten, bit by bit.
No wonder Jim detested it!
No wonder that he shouted ``Hi!''

The Honest Keeper heard his cry,
Though very fat he almost ran
To help the little gentleman.
``Ponto!'' he ordered as he came
(For Ponto was the Lion's name),
``Ponto!'' he cried, with angry Frown,
``Let go, Sir! Down, Sir! Put it down!''
The Lion made a sudden stop,
He let the Dainty Morsel drop,
And slunk reluctant to his Cage,
Snarling with Disappointed Rage.
But when he bent him over Jim,
The Honest Keeper's Eyes were dim.
The Lion having reached his Head,
The Miserable Boy was dead!

When Nurse informed his Parents, they
Were more Concerned than I can say:—

His Mother, as She dried her eyes,
Said, ``Well—it gives me no surprise, 

He would not do as he was told!''
His Father, who was self-controlled, 

Bade all the children round attend
To James's miserable end, And always keep a-hold of Nurse 

For fear of finding something worse.

If hes going to survive out here,  Hes got to have a name Like Ponto! 

December 2014

So a few things have changed since i last put something up. Our little dog Kiko got stung by a wasp and sadly died! Its ridiculous.... We live in a place where leopards and lions walk past our tent every other night, and huge birds swoop down catching small antelope, we kept little kiko safe from all these big scary things and the thing that got her was a F****ng wasp!

To cheer us up Jasper, My brother got us a Go Pro for christmas to make sure we carry on the blog and share stories and photos with him. So i have started making some small films and taking photos to put up of life and all the animals in the Mara.

Weve just got our Selfie Stick and floating device so we can get some serious action shots now. I got Kyle a Kite for xmas - so still trying to convince him to attach it to the Kite for a flight. 

A Night in Camp

Watching the Full moon rise last night in camp, the Sky gets lighter and lighter as it comes up. Sadly we stopped the camera just before it peaked above the trees. Need to get practicing some more with our Go Pro!