Samburu Day 1 Afternoon

Samburu Day 1, Afternoon

We head out about 4:00, after a refreshing rest. It is still very hot, at least 85 degrees. We're now a short ways north of the equator.We’re on the lookout for big cats. First, though, we see some African doves, a soft gray with a ringed neck. I mention seeing some of the Vervet monkeys, and the males have huge blue testicles, which made we wonder why they evolved on that way, and of course a lively discussion ensues about what makes males more attractive to females. A herd of about 10 warthogs goes by, moving remarkably swiftly on their short little legs.

We see four  elephants are eating their dinner, one bull and three females, tearing the palm shoots up effortlessly with their trunks. We learn that the elephants are smaller here than in. Amboseli, because they have less water and less food here. Another group of three includes a mother, a young one about 3 years old who the mother seems to be trying to wean, as she pushes the youngster away as it tries to nurse. Elephants nurse until age 2, and are sexually mature at about age 13, and live to be about 60-65 years, rather like humans, as Joel points out. While elephants don’t attack, they will defend themselves and they, along with Cape buffalo, are the only animal that can actually kill a lion. We also learn that the softball-sized chunks of elephant dung are good fuel, and used by the Maasai as kindling to start fires.

We come to the Wasonero River, and the water comes from Abadayas Hills close to Mt. Kenya, and the water is very low right now. The rainy seasons are October through December and April through June. July through September is very dry. Along the river are Dome Palms, which have multiple branches, like deciduous trees, rather than the single trunk of most palms. On the riverbank we see a monitor lizard sunning itself. Near our cabin earlier we saw an Agama Lizard, with a blue body and bright orange head. 

We drive for a while along the dusty paths, with dark clouds I. The distance and a very faint rainbow. Our guide Ali has been working in this area for 17 years so he knows the park well. We see some large shrubs almost completely overtaken by huge termite mounds. Then we spot a male dik-dik, not moving; seeing one solo is unusual, since they pair up for life and are always together, so something might have happened to his mate.

We see another group of giraffes, and learn that, like the elephants, they are smaller than the Maasi giraffe, again because of limited food and water. These Reticulated giraffes can survive even if they drink only every two days. A trio of gerenuks walk by on their impossibly slender legs, and we learn that they are also called antelope giraffes because of their exceedingly long necks. We see the Kori Bustad bird, similar to the Secretary bird, but larger; they are the heaviest flying bird, weighing about 3-5 kilos.

Back down by the river, we see a family of eight elephants crossing the river, the golden pre-sunset light on them is stunningly beautiful. We hear that a lion is nearby, under a small shrub. He is a young male, with no mane yet, soundly asleep despite the trucks going by. We learn that females are usually together, one hunting while the other cares for the cubs, while the males are sometimes alone,  doing some hunting, but mostly sleeping and eating.This particular male is so sound asleep that he does not even react to a gazelle that is nearby.

As sunset approaches, we arrive (along with several other trucks) to where a cheetah is lying behind a bush. After some maneuvering we get a view of the cheetah, whose belly is bulging from a recent meal. We can see that the backside of the cjeetah’s ears are black, while the rest of her is the beautiful pattern we’ve come to know. We then head over to another spot where there is a cheetah sitting upright, but the many trucks make it hard to see, and then the cheetah moves off, alert and possibly on the hunt. The sun sets so quickly here, and we drive back to the tents in the darkening dusk.