Injured leopard go for easy kills at wildebeests crossings

For the last 4 days, Shujaa, Siri's male offspring has been going for easy kills at the river crossings, where thousands of wildebeests have been crossing from the Mara Triangle going east. Shoji was once (2 weeks ago) seen fighting over a kill with a crocodile near the sam place he is now. We had assumed that he sustained injuries from croc bite then, but on closer looks at some shots we have taken of him it shows more of claw marks than croc bite. This has made us believe that after venturing out of his mothers home range, he may have been involved in a territorial fight with another male. He has been hanging around Paradise crossing point for the last few days, and when the wildebeests started crossing the river at the sam place, it turned out a blessing. For the guests on the eastern side of the Mara, his hunting has provided the best photo opportunity, as you can clearly see the action across the river without interrupting.

We hope that plenty of food around, this will give him a healing opportunity.

Photo credits: Silas Siele and some by Roger Hooper

Wildebeests cross the river at Paradise crossing point

More crossings

Highlight of the migration

more beests action

Shujaa's injury on rear left leg. He walks around with a limp

Getting in position to strike

And here he got himself a meal despite injuries

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Here he drags kill away

A pause before dragging the kill to hide

Wildebeests river crossings on in Masai Mara

The wildebeest have made another dramatic come back. Over the last two week, the concentration in the south of the reserve swelled to an enormous number. Most of the herds as per my previous update have made a complete cycle in the past two weeks. They moved from the eastern part of the river, crossed west onto the Mara Triangle, then south into northern Serengeti and east from there before re-entering the Mara around the Sand River gate exactly as they did in July when they first came. In fact everything now is just like at the beginning. There is a higher concentration on Burrungat, central and Meta plains. The westward bound herds have spread out on the central plains again and some herds have started crossing the Mara River near look out hill. For the past three days, we have witnessed many animals crossing around here. The animals are crossing over into the Mara triangle just as before and others heading north with the first ones now around Rhino ridge. The western concentration is around Serena lodge and south to the border of Serengeti.  The unseasoned rains we had last week have played a crucial role in the sprouting of the grass. The crossing points in the north around paradise plains have been teeming with activities, with most animals crossing back and forth. The water in the river is not as high now, hence not as very difficult crossing by the animals. We are glad it is happening all over again.