MAASAI MARA, KENYA – On our two-hour drive back from our balloon landing site we again encountered plentiful game. Here’s a cheetah, the worlds fasted land animal. This specimen in injured – see the red spot on its thigh – probably a spotted hyena bite. Here’s info on the cheetah: Cheetah.

Cheetah

Cheetah

Here’s a giraffe confronting a spotted hyena. The hyena is the nastiest predator in the bush. It jumps on its prey, clings to it with it claws and simply starts eating it, crunching flesh and bone with its powerful jaws. It’s no match for a healthy adult giraffe though, so the hyena in this picture is making a respectful circle around the giraffe. Here’s a link to the Wikipedia entry on hyenas: Hyenas.

Giraffe confronts a spotted hyena

Crocodile. Rivers and streams are infested with them. Some look like they are about the size of nuclear submarines.

Crocodile

Vultures on a termite mound:

Vultures on a termite mound

Male ostrich looking for a date. The males have black bodies; the females are gray. The red neck and legs are a courtship display.

Ostrich