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MASAI
MARA |
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For most travelers, East Africa means
one thing.... safari - and there's no better place to do this than at Kenya's
revered Masai Mara. The Mara, as it's called for short, is a 15,000 sq.
kilometers of Africans savanna that turns into the equally impressive Serengeti
plains in Tanzania to the south. Masai Mara is one of the best places in the
world to spot wildlife and it's easy to see the big five here as well as many
other fascinating creatures. There are also several other perks the Masai Mara
has to offer, including a visit to the Maasai village, and the annual
wildebeest migration.
I was lucky enough to be in Kenya when the
wildebeest migration was occurring. During this time, hundreds of thousands of
blue wildebeest (aka brindled gnu) migrate north from Tanzania's Serengeti to
the warmer plains of Kenya's Masai Mara. This is really quite a fascinating
spectacle and the wildebeest are accompanied by other animals, such as zebras,
thus attracting many carnivorous predators. We stayed for about three days at
the Mara, camped out in tents, and made several safari trips. I took millions
of pictures on this trip, so here's just a sample.
Lions have their own
website.
I'm not a zoologist, so if I've made any glaring mistakes in my
labeling, or if there's any additional information you think I should know -
I'd appreciate it if you'd drop me a line. |
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| Caught in the middle of the wildebeest
migration |
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Above: A
jackyl
Right: More of the wildebeest
migration |
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Dangerous animals in the Mara:
Above:
Crocodiles sunbathing.
Right: The tempermental buffalo is actually
considered to be one of the most dangerous animals in the
Savannah!
Below: Zebras (not dangerous) often often mix with
wildebeast.
Below Right: This zebra (or what is left of it) decided
to mix with hyenas.... not such a good idea. |
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| Above: what is black, white, and red all over?
... well if you answered "this zebra" than you are correct. :) While not the
most potent hunters, hyenas are carnivorous scavangers - often feeding off the
remains of the lions lunch. |
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Above left: Vultures, like the hyenas, feed off dead
carcasses.
Above & Below: The notorious
hippopotamus.
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