This gives some idea of just how ugly the spotted hyena is:
We took a late afternoon bush walk. This is Maria with our Maasai guide, Ping, inspecting a termite hill. Ping is an amazing story teller; he’s the fellow who spent six month’s in Orlando advising on the safari ride.
A four shot sequence of a croc killing a zebra:
Wildebeest and Zebras massed at the crossing.
Wildebeest diving competition:
The Maasai who guard our camp at night (from from animals) walking 12 miles back to their village.
Wildebeest:
Setting up for breakfast in the bush:
Lion up close:
Cape buffalo. These large, tough animals are considered dangerous if you’re on foot.
Here’s a Thomson gazelle with a group of impala. The guides refer to Thompson gazelles as “cheetah snacks”.
One interesting theory on the origin of the Maasai that we heard from several guides: A Roman legion was sent to explore the sources of the Nile and vanished. The theory is that legion trained a local tribe as legionnaires and that the Maasai descended from them. The Maasai wear red cloaks (colour reserved for soldiers in the Roman army) draped like togas and use spears which resemble the Roman Pilum and short swords which resemble the Roman Gladius.
Nancy and Maasai:
Maasai chickens:
Maasai child at play:
We were taken into a Maasai house – they are constructed of acacia branches driven into the ground and covered with cow dung. There is one very small window – 6 cm or so in diameter.
Maasai children in the door of a Maasai house.
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.
Crocodile. Rivers and streams are infested with them. Some look like they are about the size of nuclear submarines.
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.
Ditto impalas:
Here we are, eye-to-eye with the giraffes:
Bush:
Dry watering hole:
Hot air balloon landing:
