Weather and wildlife pattern, especially the Great Migration

It is green season but not raining much to those protected areas we visited, in Serengeti-Mara ecosystem the Great Migration of ungulates congregated to the short grass plains to their nursery areas between Serengeti and Ngorongoro. Almost large numbers of the cows they have calved, this great spectacular event attracted also large concentrations of carnivores, migratory birds (White storks, Abdims storks, Gull bill tern etc) and different species dung beetles.

Wildlife highlights in the Serengeti (Seronera valley, eastern kopjes and Moru)

We were able to see large number of three big cats the lions, cheetahs and leopards, many prides of lions of different ages, some we found mating, climbed in the tree, resting on the top of the kopjes. Two sub adults male we witnessed tried to chase a herd of wildebeest but failed following to the lack of cover the prey saw them. One cheetah we found stalking a flocks of guinea fowl managed to capture one but the time it handled careless the bird flew again. Also were lucky enough to see a pair of Serval cats, we thought perhaps mating.

We explored an overwhelming number of The Great Migration to both sides of the Serengeti and Ngorongoro short grass plains. We completed the big five in the Serengeti before continuing on to the crater.  

Ndutu

After having spotted a lot of big cats in the Serengeti and in the Ndutu areas, we were able to spend plenty of time studying their behaviors. Some highlights:

-A lioness with three tiny cubs estimated about three months old we found recent kill of wildebeest calf, she was opening a carcass for her cubs and it stayed aside while the cubs were feasting.

- A group of lioness and cubs we found feeding on wildebeest.

- For two days we tracked a female cheetah and her four cubs, estimated about three and half months old.  We were witness to many hunting behaviors. On the first day the cat did not manage to get anything until in the second day around 03:30 pm, when she finally captured a Thomson gazelle. We spent a great deal of time watching how the mother assisted those cubs to get fresh tender meat.

-Fighting against African wild cat and black backed jackal, the wild cat ran away.

Ngorongoro Crater

We managed to see many Black Rhinos, including a bull that crossed directly in front of our vehicle – it was an incredible sight. We were fortunate to see two prides of lion at Munge River and Makutian. At Munge we found them stalking a herd of zebra, but the African Cape buffaloes chased away those lions! The second pride we found eating a wildebeest. Among them was a very big male with a black mane, and the area was surrounded by more than fifty spotted hyenas. The male lion was eventually forced to move based on the persistence of the group of spotted hyenas. That was when the hyenas stole the carcass from the female lions.       

Lake Manyara

A large troop of savannah baboons we found scattered on the flood plain between the hippo pool and edge of the wood land. It was an incredible sight to the clients and the blue monkeys. Also the breeding site of the Yellow bill stork bird and hippos outside of the pool were interesting.

Tarangire

It was unbelievable for this time of the year we found large number of African elephants in almost every part of the park we visited. Also in the same day the clients were able to participate in a night game-drive that was conducted by the Tarangire Treetops lodge. They saw two lions hunting a Coke’s Hartebeest, saw a Spring Hare, and one of nature’s smallest owls called the Pearl Owl.

Thanks,

Adam & the Proud African Safaris team

Snapshot

This season is known as the “Photographic Season”. It is a time which many photographers visit Tanzania’s famous National Parks to capture the Great Migration over the endless plains of the Serengeti and Ngorongoro. In terms of weather the long rains are on their way as temperatures are cooling down. We anticipate the plains will soon be turning from brown to green. February typically marks the beginning of the birthing season for Wildebeest and Zebras, though some babies were born prior. Zebras, Giraffes, Elephants, and Carnivores are also bringing young life to their world, but we can expect many more newborns once the heavy rains arrive. Wildebeest and antelope synchronize giving birth and the rains are very important for their survival. Most animals appear to be in good health in all of the parks we recently toured. The sheer numbers of animals in Ngorongoro and Serengeti have increased due to the migration. The Ngorongoro Crater had a great number of ungulates filling the crater floor. The crater is a very unique ecosystem with different species of animals utilizing the same ground at the same time. In Lake Manyara National Park, birds are coming back for incubation on the ground forest canopy, particularly Yellow-billed Storks and Great White Pelicans.

Lake Manyara National Park

Highlights include a pride of lions, one of them guarding a buffalo kill on the open flood plains while others were taking shade from the high noon son. We witnessed locks of birds on the ground water forest canopy preparing their nests for incubation. Troop of baboons and lesser flamingoes were also a part of our encounters.

Ngorongoro Crater

Great sightings, including a lion hunt!  Each day we routinely left for early morning, sunrise game-drives in the hopes that we would catch nocturnal animals returning from their night of hunting. Also, our guest photographers wanted to capture the early morning light. There is truly nothing else in this world like morning in the African bush. Everyone must experience this in their lifetime. Anyhow, at the onset of our first morning drive in the Crater, we were not the least bit disappointed when we came-up on a pride of 15 lions, with a great number of juveniles. We spotted the lions on a small hill, not far from the Munge River. Prior to that we passed a large group of buffalo, and didn’t think too much of it until we happened upon the lions! We stopped the safari vehicle and after a few minutes the pride of lions walked towards us, “filled the road” close to our safari truck and they stopped. They were clearly assessing their situation, as to whether or not they would approach the huge herd of buffalo or continue walking down to the river. After a while they must have realized the buffalo herd as too big so it appeared they were going to dismiss the idea. However, within a few minutes more things changed. A few buffalo were detached from the larger group to make their way to the river for a drink. What a golden opportunity! The lions picked-up on this immediately and they were so quick in strategically placing themselves for the attack. Their plan worked! The lions chased a caught one separate one buffalo from a group. They had a successful hunt! What an amazing spectacle of raw nature! In additional to the hunt, we spotted 3 out of 5 crater prides. We also saw Black Rhinos, numerous Elephant bulls and Hyenas. Amazingly, we spotted the bat eared fox in the crater floor.

Serengeti National Park

The Great Migration with some youngsters aged zero hour to 2 weeks. The calving season was just beginning. We saw plenty of lions and cubs, and it marked our first time to spot many tree-climbing lions in the Serengeti, in the Moru area. We counted a total of 5 hunts; 3 for lions, 1 for Leopard, and 1 for Hyena. We also witnessed numerous migrant birds.

Regards,

Adam & the Proud African Safaris Team

We are pleased to announce that Ernest Samsom Sitta has joined PAS as Senior Guide and Naturalist.

Simply called by his surname, “Sitta”, he is a true Naturalist and a member of the Sukuma tribe. Sitta spent his childhood years growing up in Mwanza, the second largest city in Tanzania, located on the southern shores of Lake Victoria. The city provided easy access to the nearby Game Reserves and National Parks of Tanzania’s Northern Circuit, where he first developed his love for wildlife and its preservation.

Sitta began his career as a Park Assistant within the Ecology Department of TANAPA (Tanzania National Parks) then moved on to become a Park Ranger for ten years. He was later promoted to an Assistant Director position, but for the past twelve years he has served in the role of a Professional Driver Guide. In 2003, he received his official certification in Wildlife Management from the Mweka College near Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.

As one PAS client recently stated: “His sight rivals the lions.” We have no doubt about that. A custom safari experience with Sitta as your guide is sure to be adventurous, educational and, without question, an unforgettable experience!

Day 1: Lake Manyara
As we headed to the Lake Manyara area, our first sighting of African creatures was a troop of baboons.  Just hanging out in the road grooming themselves. It was hard to tell if there were  animals out there, the problem was that it was more of a jungle, therefore the animals were able to hide from us, and that makes for a lackluster game safari if the game is hiding in the jungle! Although we did see a couple of elephants.  The area was full of unusual plants, which Adam knew the names of nearly everyone I asked about. We saw a great horned bill and got some good pictures as he posed for us.

Day 2: Ngorongoro Crater
…The safari (is) amazing! The crater we entered today was massive, which makes sense as it is the biggest caldera in the world.  We saw enough zebra and buffalo to last a lifetime, but if anyone hasn’t been on a safari, you can think of those animals as the bread sticks and soup before your meal at an all you can eat restaurant, the fillers. I got to see, first hand, the circle of life in action as a lion pounced on a baby warthog. That was the first real action I have ever seen on any of my safari adventures, so it was especially rewarding!

We saw Hippos lounging in a beautiful spring fed lake, lots of elephants, cheetahs, hyenas, and many cape buffalo, with while birds cleaning their hides of ticks, warthogs and their families, grants gazelle, Thompson’s gazelle, flamingos in the water made it appear pink. Our land rover surprised a small African cat, which, in its attempt to run from us, ran into a hyena, who was also watching us, so both were surprised, jumped up and ran in opposite directions.  Our highlight was the lions taking a warthog, as well as a cerval cat sighting.  

Back to the wildlife, it was great and the scenery was unbelievable. I can safely say that i haven’t seen anything like this before, and I have been to and seen a lot of places! We are smack in the middle of a crater, obviously surrounded on All sides by very large mountains.  The scenery changes so dramatically that you come from high jungles down to lowland plains, really fascinating.  Among the other wildlife seen were elephants, hyena, hippos, warthogs, birds on birds on birds, and a cheetah just wandering around.

To top off the day, the trip in and out of the crater was along this winding dirt road carved into the side of a cliff.  At some points we were driving along the spine of the mountain, and there were drop offs on both sides.  My mother had her eyes closed for the majority of the ride home.

Day 3: Ndutu

Today was comprised of a whole lot of driving. We went through a Maasai village to see how they live and what they do in day to day life. We were greeted by a bunch of the villagers singing and dancing to a beat they hummed that sounded like something off of Kanye West’s new album. Then we were shown around their village. In short, they live in limbo just after the stone age, but not quite enough credit can be given to deem them worthy of the bronze age.  They are nomadic people who live in mud huts. They keep animals in the small huts with them where they live. It is a polygamist lifestyle with the men having upwards of 5-7 wives, all of which are responsible for building their own mud huts for the husband to sleep in, which in theory sound like we are getting somewhere, but then there is the fact of having to not only sleep on straw, sticks and mud, but you have to put up with several wives, oh and the guys wear dresses, but I can see how in the hot sun a nice breeze could be comforting.  One other key thing not to overlook about the Maasai people is that the boys are circumcised, not at birth, but at the ripe age of 12-15. They do this so that the boys can remember turning into a man, and if they cry at all they are looked down upon for the rest of their lives and considered not a man, finding a wife after that is nearly impossible (I’m tearing up just thinking about it).

On to the animals. Guess what, zebra and wildebeest oh my! However, fillers aside, today was the day of the giraffe! What funny guys these giraffe are. Big, massively tall creatures and they eat the smallest leaves of a thorny tree. I like these guys, and we saw a whole lotta them on the way to lake Ndutu. As an added bonus onto our 8 hour drive today, we saw a threesome of leopard brothers and another pride of lions. These jungle cats, although regale in all their glory, are lazy turds! They eat and sleep all day, the latter taking up the majority of the time. If you are lucky enough to happen upon some of these animals, chances are they ate several hours or days ago, and you’re more than likely to get a picture of one rolling over or yawning.

Day 4:  Ndutu

I think that this lodge we are staying at is where they filmed that Val Kilmer movie, “Ghost in the Darkness,” great movie by the way.  We are so far off of anything resembling civilization, and the lodge is not fenced off from the wild animals, which is kinda cool. However, there are signs along the perimeter that warn you of the dangers that lurk beyond the cut grass, as a matter of fact, I believe they actually say “DANGER! No one beyond this point!” comforting, although I don’t think there is anything that tells the animals “BEWARE, don’t eat the tasty humans beyond this point!” oh well, adds to the excitement and allure.

Today’s game drive started at 6am and was very good! We must have seen nearly 20 lions, all just kinda hanging out as usual, but I managed to get some good pictures of some cubs. Then there were two different groups of cheetah brothers, also just lounging.  

Day 5: Balloon safari and the Serengeti

Dawn comes early when you’re on safari, it happens every morning, just around sunrise. Today, sporting my fine new African linens we head off to our balloon ride. This was truly eye opening to how vast the Serengeti actually is.  As far as your eye can see in every direction there isn’t a paved road or cell tower or McDonalds in site, with the exception of a tented camp here and there and some safari wagons driving around, this is really untouched. After about an hour in the air, and a whole lot of grass, bushes, filler animals and a tad bit of singed hair from the burners, we touched down for the customary champagne toast and a bit of balloon history.  Then like that, we were off to breakfast and yet another game-drive.

We arrived after hours of driving and a bit of a wildlife dry spell, we came upon a hippo out of water, seemingly nervous he fired out a heavy heavy dose of number 2, which apparently was to mark his territory because he noticed people in the area so he wanted us to know that he knew, I think he just ate some bad berries, or maybe he drank some unfiltered water.  After departing that little show, we passed several heard of giraffe, I’m not sure they are in herds or not, but there were a whole bunch of them.  This is when we happened upon a few elephants in the road.  As we got closer, the elephants started to get off the road and that uncovered the newly born, barely able to walk, baby elephant. This bashful little guy was full of curiosity; he even gave the fearsome ear flap to tell us he meant business.  He was maybe three weeks old and could barely walk, I think it was just a gesture that he has seen mom and dad do before, something we were about to witness first hand.  You know the saying the most dangerous animal is a mother when her baby is in danger. Yep! that sounded about right. Before we knew it we were in the middle of a family of elephants protecting several young. I suppose if they really wanted to they could have made quick work of us and our land cruiser, but we stuck it out and it paid off as being one of the most amazing and real wildlife experiences I have ever been involved in! We got the whole treatment from these guys, shot of them charging us. They made all sorts of noise, they smashed down trees and threw dirt in the air; it was straight off the discovery channel.

We arrived in Mbuzi Mawe Tented Camp shortly, after our elephant experience and this place is just as wild as it gets.  We have an escort that takes us to and from our room because it is dangerous to walk around after sunset. Apparently, there is a pride of about 20 lions that live and hunt around our area.  Even funnier is that the lions aren’t even the most dangerous. The larger animals happen to be more of a problem because they frighten easily and they will just bash through any problem in their way. Buffalo, especially frequent the Mbuzi Mawe Camps and their presence is shown by broken trees around the site.

The words Mbuzi Mawe means rock goat, the area is named after these small climbing goat looking animals that jump around the rocks.  Let me clarify here in regards to the “tented” camp.  This camp area is like something you would see in a movie that depicts royalty traveling through the desert in massive tents.  My “tent” was bigger than most people’s apartments, several hundred sq ft. Everything was lavish and immaculate. Every waiter knew our names and were very friendly.  Monkeys, mbuzi mawe, baboons and rock hyruxs (weird cross between a rat and rabbit) frequented around our tents. At night the sounds of all sorts of unidentifiable animals were heard.

Day 6: More sarafi’ing
Today, early of course, was more driving around the bush in search of more animals. These days are pretty relaxing and we just sit and look around. More hippos, which you can smell from a ways away because they are one of the rare animals who $#%&* where they sleep and eat. Pretty gross, but it is a big circle of life or a benign guest, which was explained as so; they eat the grass, poo in the water, the poo feeds the small insects which feed the fish who feed the birds, crocs and humans. The poo also acts as a fertilizer for all of the soil the water touches and so on, that is the circle. See I’m learning something here.

Aside from the stinky hippos, we happened upon a massive herd of elephants. We had moms, dads, teens and several little babies running all over the plains. When I say massive, that is not just a play on how large they are, in fact, we lost count at around 100, and there were several more coming.  Adam said that was an unusually large herd and we were lucky to catch all of them.  The parents didn’t seem that worried that we were there, and they let us snap pics and get very very close to them!

I’m not sure if I have really emphasized enough about how great Adam’s vision is.  Not only does he see every bird and animal head sticking out of the bush, but we were cruising down a very bumpy stretch of road, when he hit the brakes and said “ooooh, and look at that! Don’t you see, there is a chameleon in the road just over there…” he had to actually drive right up to it in order for us to realize that what appeared to be a piece of grass in the road was in fact a chameleon making his way to the other side to do whatever it is that chameleons do.  It is incredible how he even saw that, and most people in the states will hit anything smaller than a cat if it comes in front of the car.

Day 7: Flight to Arusha
We ate an amazing breakfast then headed off to the airport. The word airport is used somewhat liberally here, as it was more of a dirt strip cut out of the bush.  There is a small fence made of 2ft tall posts that tells you not to walk onto the runway. There is also a single windsock and a thatch roofed building for shade. Our plane, a single engine 8 person aircraft that was a bit of a shock to my mother, I don’t really know what she was expecting out here in the middle of nowhere…

2011 was yet another remarkable year for Proud African Safaris. Safari sales sky-rocketed, we increased our number of expert guides on the ground in Tanzania, and we established various new partnerships in order to strengthen and expand our service offerings. Most notably, we now offer our clients the opportunity to participate in the highest quality climbs available to “The Roof of Africa”; Mt. Kilimanjaro.

The successful growth of business has not been our doing alone. In fact, many of our accomplishments this year must be credited to our clients due to their immeasurable and continued support. We would like to recognize our biggest achievement in 2011 as establishing meaningful and lasting relationships with our clients. We realize that being a smaller, independently-owned company has its benefits. Particularly because it enables us to engage with people on a highly personal level; throughout the planning process, while on safari, and after the adventure. It has been, and will remain to be, our goal to be the best in our industry by providing the highest quality service possible to our guests. We intend to accomplish this by truly understanding their needs and interests and by treating every individual the same as we would close friends and family. In return, our new friends have created the “backbone to our business” by sharing their incredible experiences with others. For this we thank you!

We would like to share a few cherished remarks from guests that travelled with us this past year:

“Another of my favorite times was when we were visiting the Hadzabi tribe. They had taken us on a hunt in the early morning and we were to go with them again after breakfast. Truthfully, they had worn me out on the first hunt, so I asked Adam if I could just stay behind on the second. He opted to stay with me and we had a great conversation. Adam is a very unique individual, a very simple man, but also a very complex man, extremely professional, yet very personable. We talked of everything from our families, raising children, our countries, our governments, environmental issues, and world politics. It was honestly a few of my most treasured hours spent there.” -Steve Mong, November 2011

“Adam, I’m not sure if I can “thank you” enough for the wonderful time you showed me. Each day you expressed your dedication and love for your country, Maasai heritage, family and the wildlife. This was my first trip with PAS, but it will not be my last.” -Rita Jagoditz, September 2011

“We saw other safari groups and I am sure they had wonderful experiences as well, but the knowledge and professionalism of PAS cannot be surpassed. We looked into booking with other companies… all I can say is that when we return we will not consider booking with any service other than PAS. Adam is an Owner/Operator, not a hired driver. His knowledge of the culture and ecosystem must be one of the best if not the best on the continent, certainly in the region. The respect that he has earned was immediately apparent everywhere we went. He is humble and will not boast but it was readily apparent after getting to know him that we were with someone that has truly distinguished himself and is in demand as a guide. We have relatives going this December and have insisted they book any safari time with PAS, they are hands down that good. Even after our trip our friendships continue with Nandi, Zubeda and Adam. This trip has touched our lives and especially the lifetime friendships that were made with PAS.” -Lorraine & Mark Shipman, May 2011

“You provide a unique approach and are all so caring about your clients that you should take off quickly and be on top soon. I know there is a lot of competition there (I heard 22 safari outfits out of Arusha), but ya’ll’s approach should boost your company. As companies grow, they often lose track of their reason for success – their clients. The little things mean a lot – the mattress change at Ngorongoro Lodge; the provided pillow for me to sit on; the little gifts from Zubeda; the caring attitude and the unhesitancy to go above and beyond to assist (my lost bag), all are important to the experience each client takes away.…I thank you all for what you did, and more importantly, how you did it. I was confident I made the right choice with Proud African and was not disappointed.” -Dr. Joseph Ward, January 2011

We are also including below some of our favorite client photos from our most memorable safari sightings in 2011. We hope you’ll enjoy viewing these and let’s look forward to another successful year by building more lasting friendships and by simply having a heck-of-a-good-time on our safari adventures in 2012!

Regards,

Adam & the Proud African Safaris Team

Please note the following credits specific to the gallery of images above:

Wild Dogs, Ngorongoro Conservation Area.Photo taken by Dr. Russ DeFusco, January 2011

Leucistic Baboon, Arusha National Park. Photo taken by Dr. Russ DeFusco, January 2011

Lioness sisters & their cubs, Ndutu Woodlands. Taken by Nandi O’Dell, February 2011

Endangered Black Rhinos. Ngorongoro Crater. Photo taken by Bill Carr, April 2011

Young cheetahs training to hunt. Photo taken by Bill Carr, April 2011

Tanzanian children. Photo taken by Mark & Lorrain Shipman, May 2011

Zebra. Photo taken by Lorraine & Mark Shipman, May 2011

Young leopard. Photo taken by Steve Saxe, June 2011

The Great Migration at the Mara River, Tanzania-side. Photo taken by Desire & Brian Shorey, August 2011

Hyena stand-off. Photo taken by Desire & Brian Shorey, August 2011

Hippo pool. Photo taken by Rita Jagoditz, September 2011

Eagle hunting Bat-eared Fox. Photo taken by Adam with Dave Erickson & Jay Howland, October 2011

Friendly Maasai. Photo taken by Racquel & Steve Mong, November 2011

Young leopard. Photo taken by Racquel & Steve Mong, November 2011

Mature male lion. Photo taken by Racquel & Steve Mong, November 2011

Elephant herd, Ndutu Woodlands. Photo taken by Katy Gill & Heather Scarlett, December 2011

Baboon Troop, Ngorongoro Crater. Photo taken by Katy Gill & Heather Scarlett, December 2011

Snapshot

Animals are healthy and we saw a good number of them. Elephant herds appeared in abundance and we witnessed different family groups performing their daily life rhythms; most were active during early mornings and late evenings. All sighted families had babies ranging in age from one-to-three months old. Good weather, plenty of food, and protection from poaching gives them a relaxing lifestyle and a good reproduction rate. We saw a pride of lions with juveniles feeding on a wildebeest. The juveniles were nearly a year old.  On one journey we saw a beautiful, healthy female Leopard just three feet from our truck. She was relaxing under an umbrella acacia tree before eventually climbing up the tree. We spotted a huge “African Rock Python” and throughout our adventures we noticed many other animals such as giraffes, impalas, wildebeest, zebras, herds of buffalo, warthogs, water bucks, spotted hyenas, Black-backed jackals, hartebeest and so much more.

Birds

Manyara is known as one of the best places for bird-watching. There we saw a good number of Silvery Cheeked horn bills. Their noisy honking is unmistakable. These big birds inhabit forest areas. The ones we spotted were mostly feeding on fig tree fruits. We spotted some Yellow-billed storks, Egyptian gees, Cormorants and African Fish Eagle. Hundreds of small birds like striped swallows were seen trying to collect some soft mud for rebuilding their nests. We saw hundreds of flamingoes in a distance in the Manyara Lake. In other areas we also saw:

* Common birds: Superb Starlings, Ashy Starlings (which are more endemic to Tarangire), Red-necked Spur Fowl (these birds where mostly seen on the ground feeding on either insects or seeds).
* Eagles: Bateleur Eagle, Brown Snake Eagle, Martial Eagle, Black-Chested Snake Eagle among others. Most of these birds where gliding around while some perched silently, scanning for the pray.
* Ostrich: We saw a good number of ostriches some with very young chicks.
Storks: Saddle-billed storks, Yellow-billed storks were seen hunting for fish along the marshlands and river of Tarangire.

Tarangire & Lake Manyara National Parks

The short rains started earlier this year and Tarangire National Park is already changing from the dry season appearance of grayish to all green. Trees are growing new leaves with some blooming flowers. Marsh areas, swamps and the Tarangire River are all filling up with water. Temperatures are great and it’s the time for the soil to absorb more minerals. Animals naturally fertilize these lands as they eat and leave their droppings behind.

Lake Manyara has two vegetation zones. The first zone from the entrance is the ground water forest; this zone is green all year around due to the flowing underground water from the Ngorongoro Highlands. The second is the acacia zone which has limited water supply during the dry season. The lake follows with its size fluctuate due to seasons. Everything is recently turning to green. New plants together with the old ones are greatly recovering especially along the rift Valley escarpments (which overall is rocky in nature). The lake is filling up. Animals are happy and temperature is friendly especially in the morning and evening hours. We saw troops of Olive Baboons, Blue Monkeys, Vervet Monkeys, giraffes, herds of buffalo, zebra and wildebeest.

Lake Eyasi; Hadzabe and Datoga visit

We drove early from the Plantation lodge where we had our stay and headed to Lake Eyasi to catch-up with the Hadzabe people, so as to join them for a hunt. Typically hunts do take place in early morning hours. We were there on the right time. The Hadza people had just woken-up and were warming their hunting equipments (bow and arrows). They participate in a communal smoking before setting off to the bush for a hunt. We walked with them through their hunting area. They could hunt anything they think is good for them to eat; birds, squirrels, monkeys, or large mammals. During the hunt they got a few birds and a squirrel. The most interesting thing our clients learned is the way the Hadza communicate as they hunt; which is loud compared to anyone else. They rely highly on finding animal droppings or foot prints and they speed walk. They mostly eat raw food. After we returned from the hunt, we participated on targeting and they performed a happy song for us. There where remains of the past hunted animals like olive baboon, lesser Kudu, Kirks Dikdik and Vervet Monkeys. We also learned how they make clothes to cover only minimal parts of their bodies, made from the skin of the animals they hunt. It was a great experience.

The Ngorongoro Conservation Area

From the entrance though the forest, mornings are misty, foggy and wet. Weather is nice with scattered rain showers. We saw three prides of lions out of five crater prides. Most of the lions were active in the morning hours, and we saw some eating. This time seemed like a mating season for most lions as we observed them in both Ngorongoro and the Serengeti National Park. In the crater we saw lions, cheetahs, Spotted Hyenas, and also a mini carnivore; the Black-backed Jackal. The rare Black Rhino did well on our list as well. Zebras, wildebeest, buffalo, hartebeest, Thomson & Grant gazelles, and hippos are among the many animals we saw in the crater. Maasai boys were tending cattle close to the village. Outside the forest side to the west it’s still dry despite some rains falling on that part. This part is often dry so it needs a big amount of rains for the vegetation to properly recover. There were dry land survivors like Thomson gazelles, ostriches and Maasai people.

The Serengeti National Park

The Great Migration is back.  A few weeks ago we had huge herds covering a large area in the central part of the Serengeti. Their movements are slow. They will keep moving west into the Maswa Game Reserve where it tends to be wetter. The Maswa Reserve is adjacent to the Serengeti and Ngorongoro on the South Western side. The migrants will cover the area within the Serengeti Kusini plains and Ndutu Woodlands. Some groups will still be in the Central Serengeti, Moru Kopjes and Simba kopjes. The Western Corridor has a number of resident wildebeest and zebra, and hopefully the number will increase as the migrants move through, heading south. In Seronera saw long lines of zebras walking across the Gol area, taking up a direction towards Ndutu woodlands. The Naabi Hill was simply covered with wildebeest. There were big numbers of Thomson and Grants gazelles on the Southern plains.

The Serengeti North-Ololosokwan Concession:

A visit to this area is in the North East of the Serengeti National Park. This is an area where Maasai interact closely with wild animals and yet conservation measures are taking place. In this area, we are permitted to partake in activities which are not accessible inside the National Parks, such as nature walking, night-drives, and village visits. On our journey here we engaged in all of them. We walked through the Maasai tending cattle in a traditional way; cattle had different kinds of marks on their bodies for family or clan identification. They had small bells hanging around their necks. There were different kinds of bones on the ground; many of those bones are from the dead cows due to a bad drought season which had occurred 3 years ago.  We saw monkeys, tree hyrax along the river forest, and various birds. We came across some temporary Maasai houses which are constructed by warriors to stay in for a short time as they tend their cows into a far distance from their homes. They abandon them once weather condition recovers.

On our night drive we had a great sighting of a lion pride including twelve lions; four lionesses with eight juvenile cubs approximately 1 year old. This pride took down a buffalo the night before as we found the remains of the fresh carcass during our day game drive 7 hours earlier. They where wet as it has just stopped raining. They seemed relaxed and didn’t care so much about our night lights and camera flashes.

The Mara Triangle

These is such a famous area, it’s where the migration of wildebeest seek refuge for water and pastures after departing the Southern Serengeti plains and it is where their long and risky journey starts. At the moment it’s very quiet as the migrants left a few weeks ago. Mara River is full and no one can dare cross it now. As more rain comes in the water level rises and the currents become stronger. This river runs west and eventually empties into Lake Victoria. Even though the migrants have left, there are a good number of resident animals. We spotted lions, cheetahs, a leopard with her kill, Black Rhinoceros, Elephants, giraffes, and Nile crocodiles to list just a few.

Our clients had a wonderful experience with P.A.S. We look forward into guiding you, your friends and family to the African bush while sharing our extensive knowledge and skills with you. Happy Festival Season!

Regards,

Adam & the Proud African Safaris Team

Snapshot

After covering hundreds of miles between Tanzania’s Serengeti  National Park and the Maasai Mara, thousands of wildebeest were roaming the free territory and crossing the banks of the Mara River; it was thrilling to us as we watched nature takes its course!, In October’s safaris we also saw cheetahs, some walking while others trying to hunt.

One cheetah female in particular we watched hunt a reed buck antelope, unfortunately (for her) the hunt was not successful (but the high-speed chase was certainly amazing to watch!) We saw many other animals including elephants, hippos, giraffes, buffaloes, warthogs, spotted hyenas, tree-pythons, Black Rhinos, prides of lions, and so much more.

The Welcomed Rains

The so called “short rains” have started within various regions of the northern safari circuit; starting from the Serengeti-Mara region, down through Loliondo and Lobo, and into the central Serengeti. The rains are also covering the Maasai Steppe areas including Tarangire National Park, Lake Manyara, the Karatu farming plateau and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Rain is a welcomed relief across the land and it is amazing how quickly the landscape changes within such a short amount of time. Pools, swamps, marshes and rivers have recovered quickly; some even temporarily flooding.

These rains are creating greener, more nutritious pastures to support the huge herds of ungulates on their annual trek to the central and the southern Serengeti plains; better food and weather conditions for both the migrating and resident animals. These weather conditions also serve as a signal a large percentage of pregnant animals, preparing them for the calving season in a period of 3 to 4 months from now. Massive elephants will refocus their grazing interest from Acacia trees to ground grass and bushes. We will soon see an increased number in insect biomass, with perfect timing to support the migrant birds approaching as well as for the non-migratory birds.

Serengeti National Park

Huge herds covered different part of the Serengeti-Mara Ecosystem. The river crossings we nail-biting experiences as we waited with anticipation to see if the animals would cross safely or be swept away by the raging waters… or even still, ambushed by the waiting crocodiles. And there were plenty of crocodiles; all appearing healthy and fully-bellied. We enjoyed watching various prides of lions; some feeding while others just relaxing under bushes and on kopjes. We saw many birds, ranging from the small little bee-eaters to the impressive birds-of-prey. Right next to our vehicle we witnessed a fascinating site (albeit somewhat gruesome); that of a large eagle taking down a Bat-eared Fox. It took nearly 30 minutes before the fox expired and then the Eagle flew away with its victim.

We also saw 2 leopards in the Seronera valley. A cheetah with 3 young cubs aged approximately 3 months old. We saw 8 lionesse along the Seronera Valley feeding on a giraffe kill. There were large herds of zebras grazing within the Simba kopjes areas. Out the Southern plains there were hundreds of Thomson gazelles, numerous ostriches and golden jackals.

The Ngorongoro Crater

Plenty of animals in the crater floor, with many of the animals just returning from the crater foot hills. We saw 3 prides of lions in the crater, one with 8 juveniles along the Munge River. There were huge elephants bulls in the crater and we spotted a black Rhino with a juvenile of about 3yrs. After the crater tour we had a beautiful late afternoon drive through the Ngorongoro highland forest reserve, along the crater rim; the views were gorgeous as we looked down into the canyons of bright green vegetation, such a beautiful contrast against the bright blue sky and red earth beneath us.

Lake Manyara National Park

Despite its small size, Lake Manyara offers a great habitat for various animals. During our visit we spent time scanning for birds though the thick underground forest. We had good sightings of the Silver Cheeked Horn Bill, including a good number of them flying through the forest while others were feeding on forest fruits. Through our experience this large-sized bird typically visits this area at the start of the rainy season, and we believe it is the perfect time for breeding and nesting. Other horn bills we saw were Red-billed and the Ground Horn Bills. We saw Lesser flamingos in a distance on the lake with a small number of Pelicans nearby. The park also introduced us to a large troupe of Olive Baboons.

Tarangire National Park

Apart from the beautiful colors of the great rolling landscape and flowering Baobab trees, we had very special sightings; the tree-climbing African Rock Python. We spotted 3 snakes which had coiled themselves up on different trees. We also spotted an elusive leopard high-up on an acacia umbrella tree. Despite our close proximity we only gazed on her spots; she kept well-hidden. We had an uncountable number of elephants within every square kilometer and likely so as Tarangire is known for its huge abundance of elephants. We saw a pride of lions feeding on a zebra kill on the Tarangire river floor. We saw a lot of birds like Tawny Eagles, Brown Snake Eagles, Black-chested Snake Eagle, Secretary Bird, Brown Parrot, Great white Pelican and Saddle Billed Stork’s.

Happy Halloween to you all and we’ll look forward to new adventures with our guests in November!

Regards,

Adam & the Proud African Safaris Team

Snapshot

Wildlife is active everywhere and game-viewing has been at a peak! Prior to September the weather had been very hot and dry. Recently we have been experiencing more pleasant temperatures with a few short rains, enabling some vegetation to begin turning green again. Tanzanians are known for their warm hospitality and so we put it to the test at some of our favorite camps and lodges. The result: They passed with flying colors (based on the high ratings scored in the satisfaction surveys submitted by our clients). Overall, the accommodations and food are being raved about! As September turns to October we anticipate The Great Migration will follow the rains, turning back to the Central Region of the Serengeti as well as toward the Southern Plains in its endless quest for food and water.

Serengeti National Park

The Great Migration has been concentrated in the Serengeti/Mara triangle from July until very recently. Compared to even three years ago, the weather seems to be changing and now short rains are beginning the last week of August. It rains mainly in the early evening hours and overnight, with short “bursts” of rain lasting only 20 minutes to 40 minutes at a time. The rains stretch from the North Mara region to the Central Serengeti. The Mara River is flooding, and has been too high for the safari vehicles to safely cross the stone bridge. Wildebeest are still crossing, but facing a big challenge due to high water and rapid currents, not to mention the obvious hungry Nile Crocodiles. We see large numbers of vultures perched along the riverbanks, feasting on the carcasses stacked along the bridge and boulders. Most of the wildebeest do make it and many have already crossed and parts of the migration have already reached Lobo, the Loliondo Game Reserve, and Bologonja Hill.

Safari highlights

Throughout our adventures during the past two months we saw so many animals both predator and prey alike, including; Giraffe, Elephants, Vultures, Topis, Impalas, Buffalo, Orib, Elands, and lots of monkeys (specifically Olive Baboons, Vervet Monkeys, and Sykes Monkeys). Also Lions, Leopards (including one we saw take down a Gazelle), Cheetahs, Hyenas, Black-Backed Jackals and Side-Striped Jackals), Bat-eared Foxes, Mongoose, and the endangered Black Rhinos.We were witness to The Great Migration; with hundreds of them crossing the Mara river.

During night game-drives where we saw a tree Hyrax, Spotted Hyenas, Giraffes, Ground Hornbills in their nests, Hares, Owls, and even Bush Babies. We arranged for privately guided nature walks in the for many of our guests visiting the Northern Extension, and one of our clients even enjoyed a special horseback ride at the Manor at Ngorongoro.

We wish you all a great Fall season ahead and are looking forward to hosting you on your future adventures to Tanzania!

Regards,

Adam & the Proud African Safaris Team

July is regarded as the end of the winter season in Tanzania. The high altitude areas are still a bit more green, while most low altitude areas have dried-out with flora appearing mostly brown in color. All over Tanzania this is a time when farmers are harvesting their crops.

Tourism in the country is at its peak, and seems to be increasing at a good annual rate because of the unique qualities our National Parks offer. This is a special time to be in the Serengeti bush; it is the time to witness the migrant animals on their endless journey through the Serengeti ecosystem. At this time many have reached the Northern Extension within the Serengeti-Mara triangle, while other large herds still behind continue their challenging journey in search of water and green pastures.

Several months ago, The Great Migration began their annual journey in the Southern Plains of the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Conservation Area, moving to the Western Corridor through the Central Region and North East, and now to the tip of the circle before their return in November.

We can report the excitement and chaos of “crossings” have begun at the river’s edge! Hungry Nile Crocodiles have been waiting since the herds left the area last year. (Note: It’s a fact the some crocodiles can go up to two years without eating!) It’s a big challenge for the zebra and wildebeest; some end their lives here, yet become a life-source for other creatures. It is an amazing once-a-year-event to watch thousands of wildebeest crossing the Mara River, driven by their instinct to survive.

The Central Serengeti offers a high number of cats year round, and they seem to be in abundance at this time of year.

Lions are territorial so there are a large number of prides in the Central Serengeti compared to most other places in the Northern Game Circuit.

The Seronera River is the main source of water in this region and so congregations of ungulates (hoofed animals) are also here. We have found many lions hunting along the valley to increase their opportunities for a full-belly. Lions, Leopards and Cheetahs are currently observable in a good number.

The Ngorongoro Conservation Area is always one of our favorite places to visit. A large area of the crater floor is dry but there are still plenty of animals to be seen as the crater mainly hosts resident animals.

Despite the drier areas, water is and green grass is still available. Some animals even leave the crater floor and walk up to the Ngorongoro Highland Forest. They stay within the open forest areas to feed on nutritious grasses which are in more abundance.

This month we have seen here a great deal of Lions, Zebras, Wildebeest, Hippos, Hyenas and the rare Black Rhinoceros.

Lake Manyara National Park also has an abundance of animals; Baboons, Monkeys and various bird species are visible.

Manyara is a small paradise within the Great Rift Valley system. Tarangire National Park is also great with plenty of animals to see; lots of Elephants, Lions, Leopards, Lesser Kudu, and Birds.

There is so much to learn and discover when you visit the Tanzania National Parks. We look forward to guiding you into these precious World Heritage kingdoms.

Regards,

Adam & the Proud African Safaris Team

The Serengeti Highway

In a letter to the UN World Heritage Centre on June 22^nd, 2011, the government of Tanzania declared its intentions NOT to construct a tarmac route dissecting the Serengeti National Park. While PAS considers this to be a significant win for the foreseeable future, we also believe, unfortunately, that the fight is not completely over. The Serengeti remains to face threats from development and encroachment on its borders. The Tanzanian government is still seriously considering an alternative route running south of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and Serengeti National Park; only once that decision has been announced will we find true cause for celebration.

Regardless, if the decision had been made to proceed with a paved highway in the North (running from Loliondo to Lake Victoria) it no doubt would have seriously threatened the survival of The Great Migration, along with so many other animal species that survive on park land. Over the course of the past year, the Tanzania Government came under tremendous scrutiny from the global community involved in tourism and conservation, which could have impacted their recent decision. To read the letter, click on the following link: http://library.constantcontact.com/download/get/file/1104540986122-9/GoT-WHC_letter_6-22.pdf

Bush report

We saw a great variety of animals during our recent travels. On occasion we aim to identify familiar animals, such as a leopard and her cub for example, and perhaps follow them for an afternoon or even a day or two if possible – depending on our client’s interest, or what timeframe we are spending in a particular region. Our goal this month was to see as much variety in wildlife as possible. We saw an incredibly huge herd of the migration in the Western Corridor, moving through the woodlands and along the banks of the Grumeti River. June is the best month to be in the Western Corridor as that is typically when the migration lands in that region. Sometimes it can be challenging to determine exactly when they will be crossing the river, but we found ourselves fortunate to have timed-it perfectly! It was exciting to see the action at the river, the co-existence of the variety of wildlife and their survival tactics, including; wildebeest and zebra herds in pursuit of nutrient-rich grasses, elephant and giraffe herds in the woodlands feeding off the bark or tender leaves of the acacia trees, hippopotamus keeping cool in the water next to the giant Nile crocodiles waiting to ambush prey. It was fantastic!

The Northern Serengeti was still a bit “silent” this past month, mainly with resident animals. The grasses are five feet high, making it more challenging to see animals sleeping or even hunting in the grass. However, early one beautiful morning we did see a handsome young male lion on one of the kopjes. We sat for quite some time with him and enjoyed sipping our morning coffee from the comfort of our safari vehicle while he lounged in the early morning sun.

In addition to the West and North, we spent much of our time in the Central Seronera Valley. Here we had terrific sightings of leopards and baboons; in particular, a baboon stealing a leopard’s kills! The Moru Kopjes were picturesque and we saw a great deal of lion prides, but the best part was listening to their constant territorial roars throughout the night while at our camp.

We look forward to making new friends in July when our next groups of clients arrive in Tanzania. We’ll report back next month!

Regards,

Adam & the Proud African Safaris Team