April 26, 2009

The rains have diminished considerably but there have been a few showers over the last couple days. These scattered showers continue to keep the great herds of wildebeest, zebra and gazelle content to graze on the short grass plains of the Serengeti where there is plenty of potable water and fresh green grass.

The massive herd mentioned in our last post that had been dominating the landscape of the Eastern Plains has finally fragmented. There still remains a large herd in the East Serengeti between Gol Kopjes and Lemuta Hill but an equally large herd is has split off and is now ranging between Matiti and Kusini and out on the plains surrounding the Ndutu woodlands. We have reports of some fantastic wildebeest crossings at Lake Ndutu as well as great game viewing with one group of our clients that just returned from their african safari reporting 11 cheetah sightings at Ndutu and Hidden Valley, 2 cheetahs at Gol Kopjes and over 70 lions including lots of small cubs.

We estimate that based on the current standing water and grazing conditions in the Serengeti, the herds will remain at least 1 – 2 weeks longer out on the Southern and Eastern Serengeti Plains before they begin their much anticipated northward migration to the northern and western woodlands of the Serengeti. We are all eagerly awaiting the famous ‘Moru Crush’ where the wildebeest funnel through the narrow pass at Moru Kopjes in the Central Serengeti as they march off the plains on their way north to the woodlands.

Thanks again Joyce and Jeff Nott who have submitted another great african safari photo of that unusual double lion hunt and kill in the Central Serengeti pictured below.

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