kitefarrago
Well-known member
Procreation
Something I noted is that there were signs of life being created variously I've already written about new life, in the form of lion, cheetah and leopard cubs. I've also mentioned how far the wildebeest calves, born in the Serengeti in February and March, have come along by the time they come to the Mara.
But, of course, all life (well, at least the more advanced kind) starts with copulation, and we were privileged to view that as well. We saw wildebeest mating (although that seems a little late in retrospect) on one occasion, and we also saw Wahlberg's eagle copulating in between adding to their nest. There was a white-bellied bustard displaying, and ostriches making advances. (Just the bishops and whydahs refused to be in breeding plumage.)
One day early into my stay we found two pairs of lions, both busy with creating even more lion cubs. Mating lions have some stamina, one has to say. They keep it up for three to four days, mating every 20 minutes or so. They don't feed during that time, and apparently the procedure takes its toll in particular on the males.
It was nice to be able to observe this behaviour, the two lions lying together, until the male would get up, maybe rubbing against the female. She would typically remain on the ground, and he would get himself ready for the act, grabbing her by the neck. The whole thing doesn't last long, and the male emits a note quite full volume roar at the end. She might then roll over, and then they rest until they're ready again.
Apparently it's not unusual for females from the same pride to synchronize their cycle, and having several litters of cubs on the ground at the same time can have advantageous. The two mating pairs we observed were fairly close together.
It was good to see that all cars present observed the rules, not moving too close, not bothering the two cats in any way, just watching, and moving on before too long because the behaviour keeps repeating.
This is going to be the end of my report - I can't think of anything else to write about. As you know this was a bit of a not-quite-last-minute decision, and I was very happy with this choice. Yes, the Mara is busy in August, but it's perfectly possible to get away from the masses (and indeed if you drive in the opposite direction from a possible crossing then you'll only have cars coming the other way, and after a little while none at all). Leopards attract a crowd, but it's possible to have all sightings other than these two without many, or any, other cars present.
I had a lovely time, and my expectations (which had been quite high) were certainly exceeded. Going out every morning I was filled with a sense of adventure, wondering what the day would bring. And every day brought something worth seeing. Two weeks in one spot may sound a lot, but I would have happily stayed another two (or more).
Andrea
A typical cycle
1. Resting together
2. He gets up
3. She doesn't seem that interested just yet
4. Softening her up?
5. Holding on
Something I noted is that there were signs of life being created variously I've already written about new life, in the form of lion, cheetah and leopard cubs. I've also mentioned how far the wildebeest calves, born in the Serengeti in February and March, have come along by the time they come to the Mara.
But, of course, all life (well, at least the more advanced kind) starts with copulation, and we were privileged to view that as well. We saw wildebeest mating (although that seems a little late in retrospect) on one occasion, and we also saw Wahlberg's eagle copulating in between adding to their nest. There was a white-bellied bustard displaying, and ostriches making advances. (Just the bishops and whydahs refused to be in breeding plumage.)
One day early into my stay we found two pairs of lions, both busy with creating even more lion cubs. Mating lions have some stamina, one has to say. They keep it up for three to four days, mating every 20 minutes or so. They don't feed during that time, and apparently the procedure takes its toll in particular on the males.
It was nice to be able to observe this behaviour, the two lions lying together, until the male would get up, maybe rubbing against the female. She would typically remain on the ground, and he would get himself ready for the act, grabbing her by the neck. The whole thing doesn't last long, and the male emits a note quite full volume roar at the end. She might then roll over, and then they rest until they're ready again.
Apparently it's not unusual for females from the same pride to synchronize their cycle, and having several litters of cubs on the ground at the same time can have advantageous. The two mating pairs we observed were fairly close together.
It was good to see that all cars present observed the rules, not moving too close, not bothering the two cats in any way, just watching, and moving on before too long because the behaviour keeps repeating.
This is going to be the end of my report - I can't think of anything else to write about. As you know this was a bit of a not-quite-last-minute decision, and I was very happy with this choice. Yes, the Mara is busy in August, but it's perfectly possible to get away from the masses (and indeed if you drive in the opposite direction from a possible crossing then you'll only have cars coming the other way, and after a little while none at all). Leopards attract a crowd, but it's possible to have all sightings other than these two without many, or any, other cars present.
I had a lovely time, and my expectations (which had been quite high) were certainly exceeded. Going out every morning I was filled with a sense of adventure, wondering what the day would bring. And every day brought something worth seeing. Two weeks in one spot may sound a lot, but I would have happily stayed another two (or more).
Andrea
A typical cycle
1. Resting together
2. He gets up
3. She doesn't seem that interested just yet
4. Softening her up?
5. Holding on
