31. 12. 2018

New Year's Eve, the last day of the year, began for us again early in the morning with the ringing of the alarm clock at 5:30am. At 5: 45am fresh coffee with cookies was served in our tent again. Exactly on time at 6:30am we met Caleb at the car and drove towards the sunrise. We again chose the same tree for the foreground as two days before. The horizon was covered by clouds this time as well. The light mood was completely different than before, but still very beautiful:

Akazie im Morgengrauen
Acacia at dawn

Later in the morning we discovered a large pride of lions, led by two handsome black-maned adult lion brothers. All in all there were certainly about 10 individuals. With increasing temperatures, the clouds had meanwhile disappeared mostly and the light was developing very nicely, so that many beautiful scenes were created, I show some of the best shots below:

Löwen-Liegestütze
Lion push-ups
Erfahrener Schwarzmähniger Löwe 10
Mature black maned lion
Schau' mir in die Augen, Kleines
Look into my eyes, baby...
Schwarzmähnige Löwenbrüder
Löwenpaar
Lion couple
Erfahrener Schwarzmähniger Löwe 2

The lion group was still busy with the last remains of a previously killed warthog and gnawed on the bones, which also attracted a hooded vulture:

Fliegender Kappengeier 1
Fliegender Kappengeier 2
Kappengeier 1
Hooded vulture

When a second vulture flew in, the fight over the remains began:

Fighting Hooded Vultures

We observed the goings-on of the lions and vultures for over an hour, then we drove on and had ( in safe distance to the lions 😉 ) an open-air breakfast from the Toyota breakfast buffet.

During the further tour we discovered a lonely adult topi lying on the ground and a hyena. As we came closer we saw that the topi was injured on its left hind leg and could hardly walk. The hyena came closer and closer, but the antelope could still rise with difficulty and keep banishing the hyena.

Hyäne und verletzes Topi
Hyäne und verletzes Topi

Caleb said that the topi would certainly not survive the night, more predators would join in, then it would not have any chance.

Nature is quite brutal: Except perhaps the elephants, hardly any animal in the Masai Mara dies a natural death - but the predators must live. Sorrowfully we drove on finally. Later we did not find the topi again.

Afterwards a horned raven strutted through the grass:

Hornrabe
Hornrabe

Around noon we arrived back at the camp. After lunch and a short siesta we went on safari again with Caleb at about 4:00pm. This time we discovered a single cheetah:

Schleichender Gepard
Cheetah in search of prey

At 6:00pm the Mara Bush Camp Team arranged for a New Year's Eve sundowner under the open sky, where we met with the other guests:

Silvester Sundowner
New Year's Eve Sundowner

There were drinks and finger food for everyone. After sunset we drove back to camp. For dinner the camp management had come up with something very special: To celebrate the day we had a bush dinner with an African buffet. The camp staff had set up everything in the open nature in front of the camp. There were typical African dishes such as ugali (similar to polenta) and grilled meat. The highlight was the performance of the camp staff in traditional Masai dress with singing and the typical jump dance. The young Masai, Morani, jump as high as they can on the spot and thus prove their strength.

Silvester Abendbuffet

It was a very nice evening with delicious food. We spent a very long time sitting at a table with the camp manager, Nadine, and talked with her about life in Africa. After the meal we continued the nice conversation in the camp at the campfire for a long time. However, till midnight we all did not stand through and at about 10:30pm we said goodbye and returned to our tent. The next day the alarm clock rings again at 5:30am. We have slept well and very deep again.