hello everybody again I’m sorry about
that we have got untold troubles and
I’ll show you why I think we have untold
troubles let me just get to this corner
over here I think if you look up that’s
where we live a tango mammarra
unfortunately not in here salubrious
guest tents that they have there well
there are tents very salubrious but you
can’t see above there there is a fairly
large strong burgeoning and I think that
that changes the atmospheric pressure
well obviously it does plays havoc with
signal and it is therefore you know I’m
guessing that we are struggling to
broadcast for you sorry we left those
vultures we had to do that we didn’t
know when we’d ever see you again but
here you are back again there’s also a
very large storm which I’m going to show
you over here
there it is an enormous storm coming in
from the east which makes me deeply
terrified to the core of my being as I
quiver in my small size sevens its it
across to Scotch Dyson and he’ll the
beard like a male line and see if this
time he’s able to say hello to you it
isn’t working I would put it down to a
cable jiggling extraterrestrial being in
outer space possibly those are my
thoughts my name’s Scott Dyson it’s
great to have you on board with myself
and Manu on camera we have decided to
drive the river road which takes herself
from our camp in the hope that we may
find Skaar a big mayor line he likes to
lurk a little bit further south from
here quite close to the river he works
both sides of the river you actually
swims across it’s from time to time and
for those of you who don’t know about
Skaar or haven’t heard about him he is a
massive massive really impressive male
lion beautiful big black mane and we
haven’t seen him for a while there’s a
request by somebody I forgot who this
morning for us to go and look for him as
well as another request that came
through this afternoon
from a special friend of mine so that is
the plan and we’re gonna loop around
back to the young to young male lions
that we had this morning if we don’t
have any further luck hopefully the
storm that we’re heading towards there
James I think also just showed you it’s
not going to affect us but we do have a
circus-like tent that we can drop down
cover ourselves up and keep dry just
doesn’t make for the most entertaining
Safari sadly so let’s fingers crossed
hope for a to be else we’re just not
around us we do need the rain in the
general area just not right where we are
what’s fascinating on that topic is that
we’ve really worked arts and got an
understanding of how localized the rain
can be sometimes up at camp which is up
on the escarpment the oil or a scarf
into our rights just a little bit
further behind us up there can be
raining and down here it can be dry and
vice versa yet the distances can be very
very short between where the rain is
falling and where it is not I have got
good news we are gonna stop very quickly
and show you some striped animals before
we send you south to Juma to show you a
spotted animal one of the most iconic of
Africa and a very very beautiful one
indeed over to byron now we are going to
go and try and hope one of the other
guides he’s found some leopard tracks
and and they look fairly fresh so we’re
gonna try and maybe work in that area
and give him a hand quickly because but
giant eagle owl but we haven’t seen it
for quite some time now I’m not sure if
it’s possibly just moved from these
trees maybe further down the river and
the dry riverbed this is the Marathi and
that we are sitting above at the moment
so don’t know they they tend to move
from tree to tree especially this big
jackal berry
these thick trees always nice too for
them to roost up there during the day a
lot of cover a lot of foliage for them
to hide in until eventually they will
come out at night
be a bit more active and try and hunt
well though the other day I say that but
the other day Tristan got that giant
eagle owl that was feeding on something
and caught in the morning or in the
afternoon
Tristan watched it the afternoon it was
busy feeding in one of these trees I’ve
spotted some vervet monkeys let’s see if
we can get a glimpse of them can you see
it there
there it is just looking down at us
that’s a young one little vervet monkey
enjoying the afternoon Sun in this big
jackal berry like the scientific name of
the jackal berry actually I mean we
James used to draw these scientific
names into us you’d have to know them
and it is important so you don’t get
confused between the trees and different
common names sometimes common names get
confused but with scientific names it
only has one name so it can’t be called
a number of different things because the
jackal Berry was also used to be known
as the ebony but the scientific name is
diospyros misspell it formas
I say that five times fast
you see these monkeys are enjoying the
Jaco berry fruit at the moment the
jersey lady and Jenny animation you are
very excited and happy that we found
some monkeys this is always fun and
entertaining to watch some of the
monkeys outside of camp and away from
camp I say that because they can get
very cheeky and they do steal things
like food and sugar and coffee and all
sorts of if you leave anything out the
monkeys and the baboons will possibly
raid the camp so it’s nice to see them
out of the camp and feeding on natural
food like this jackal berry fruit
I also think with these monkeys being
around they would probably probably
irritate the owl and probably chase the
owl out of the trees
now Eduardo you are asking just
something that was on my mind you were
wondering if the Eagle Owl the giant
eagle owl could feed on on one of these
monkeys and see if there is any any sign
of them feeding on monkeys and yes there
is and water they would so maybe the
younger monkeys adults a baboon baboons
are far too big but the younger smaller
monkeys yes the Giant Eagle are will try
and catch them but I think if these are
monkeys around in the trees and the
adults will probably chase the owl away
it’s interesting this
it’s interesting if they say that a
giant eagle owl can even has even been
recorded in catching young piglets
warthog piglets well that’s interesting
I wouldn’t have guessed that
od farming you asked if there any other
primates around here that we see yes and
the baboons the Chacma baboon probably
not probably it is the largest primates
out here other than Tristan but he’s on
leave at the moment so it’s I managed
hiking Tristan I manage I could say tied
up with tied names through to James I’m
sure you’d have something to say about
this but it’s go and see what he’s doing
a nice Drive is going
now are up here because we want to get a
bit of a Vantage over the Mara and see
what is left this is Val de beers twice
so we’re just going to gaze out towards
the river which is the band of trees in
the far distance next to which I believe
Scott is now taking shelter from the
rain which makes me very nervous indeed
no tell you that there is actually a lot
of wildebeest action off to the far east
and south issue areas that it’s good and
I can still hear some canoeing and
annoying rain is starting to fall but
it’s not certainly not heavy enough yet
for us to stop so let us continue shall
we Craig what I’ll do is just start the
car it’s very noisy this car I’m going
to start us off we are on the slope and
then switch off and we can just roll
down the hill together dulcet sounds of
the 300d turbo diesel
so that is agrees this is not a fan of
the diesel engine I don’t think we’re
gonna go along there I think we’re gonna
go all the way down yeah mr. cactus what
an appropriate name you have for the
question you’ve asked you say are there
any invasive species of concern in the
Mara well other than the human being I’m
going to say not really although I have
seen one or two species of cactus which
of course are not indigenous to Africa
there is no indigenous cactus species in
Africa and so – I don’t think there are
any that are of major concern no yes
there will be various exotics that come
down the rivers when they come down in
flood any river that runs through a
rural village or town or it doesn’t even
need to be ruled that can be urban he’s
going to bring with it all sorts of
things that aren’t necessarily supposed
to be in an area like this and so I’m
sure that happens all the time but there
are no like in various parts of Africa
for example the water hyacinth has taken
over enormous part of water systems and
blocked them up and made things very
difficult and we know that cactus is
overrun some places South Africa’s got
major problems with something called a
coma leaner or tripping weed out here I
don’t know of any major issues so that’s
quite nice actually it’s a tremendously
resilient ecosystem this
it is quite spectacular and I think that
it’s you know it’s well one hesitates in
fact one should never use the term in
harmony where as far as nature goes
because it gives a full sense of a kind
of peacefulness that exists
this ecosystem and its occupants from a
human and animal point of view have been
here for much longer than they have in
many parts of Southern Africa’s
ecosystem for example with the exception
of perhaps Botswana Namibia which have
hardly any people in them at all this
ecosystem has been functionally
functioning like this probably for close
on a hundred thousand years and if you
include our ancient human ancestors more
than a million years and I think that’s
given it a resilience to our effects on
it that perhaps many others do not have
I’m speaking of which this is going to
be the very first time I’ve done this
there’s a beautiful white flower look
what it is I don’t know Judy AIT’s your
first your very first flower test of the
Maasai Mara what on earth is that thing
ugh pointed out that when I was showing
you something the other day there was a
beautiful here red flower next to it and
she pointed out that I had not mentioned
it and I hadn’t even noticed dreadful it
was of me anyway there is the flower for
you th and you can try and tell me what
it is I couldn’t begin to imagine afraid
the rains now starting to fall a little
distressing you know much we can do
about that all right let’s head across
to byron i believe who’s looking for
number 91 on his bird list byron of
course he said drawing the saga rot
forever
Wow what is that hold on everyone
I’ve got an interesting but there it is
can you see it flew back again sorry sir
sorry I said we’ve got a bird that I
definitely it’s not at all it’s not on
the list
there it goes oh it’s you know what
might get a glimpse hold on everyone
this is very exciting this is not a bird
we see very often at all there it goes
again
let’s see if we can get it oh there you
guys there it’s straight did you get
this on is that dark there we go there
we go quickly everyone get loads of
screenshots yeah now I need to look
quickly what is that
give me I can go work it out work it out
I think is it not an Eastern no no mind
it’s not that
yeah what is that
I’m as it mother I’ve hit a complete
blank Lee is a bird I’ve got in my mind
and I can’t remember the name for some
reason that you don’t see very often and
I’m sure some of my friends are shouting
at me now because I can’t get it so you
can give it in I’m short to still in
this tree some way but I know cuckoo
strike
it was another black cuckoo Shrike hold
on let me just look here and see if I
can find it I think it’s a female black
cuckoo Shrike if I’m not mistaken it is
yeah I almost had a moment where I was
getting very cross with myself
it is a female black cuckoo Shrike
everyone that is a wonderful bird to see
look at that that is a lovely lovely
bird the black cuckoos Rach I’m sorry
they’re just some other vehicles coming
through yeah I’m gonna just move out of
this area I don’t drive I knew I knew
it’s frustrating sometimes when you’ve
got a bird in mind you just can’t
remember the name thank one that I did
not expect to see a black cuckoo truck
and that is wonderful
there is really really great I got so
excited I forgot the name can you
believe it no well but that is a lovely
sighting of one I’m glad I think some
friends of mine as I said some friends
of mine are probably shouting at me now
Craig and Alistair watching so if you
guys are watching I don’t know if you
knew what that was actually probably not
I’m sure they’ll send me messages and
see if a Sunday of course
so everybody’s having Sunday lunch and
getting together with friends see we
have to work on Sundays so Canada we
don’t mind I said that’s not that’s not
really work
it’s a pity there isn’t any water in
chili pan straight up completely it’s a
little pan that we’re approaching now so
we would have a lot of birds around
there I really did not expect to see a
black cuckoo strike that does a great
surprise
you know what ii haven’t seen in a while
everyone is too rough I was just
thinking about that now I haven’t seen
her off for quite some time
about a week I think of the last time we
saw giraffe
I just want to have a look around it and
see if we can’t pick up another bird or
two but in the meantime let’s head
across the Scott that Sun is bright and
apparently he’s got rain covers on it
might be raining there already
this is due to the fact that green
canvas one above us well it’s not made
very well and does like a sieve so we’ve
got this blue tarp on top of that and we
can’t have semi bunk it down now what I
want to try and do is work some angles
there’s some beautiful rays of Sun
poking up you’re just gonna have to park
the car I’m hoping this will give man
enough of a view just to sneak through
beautiful look at that the sun’s coming
through the clouds and it is making a
wonderful scene but there is some slight
drizzle I mean it’s on and off but as
soon as it does start raining we cannot
take any chances we’ve got some
seriously funky and expensive equipment
on these vehicles to make this live
broadcast possible and we would hate for
it to get wet the good news is we are
redeveloping and redesigning the roof
and the canvas structure and our first
new modifications should be in will
finished soon I’m hoping within the next
week which will make our lives a lot
easier with regards to the rainy weather
so that’s something to look forward to
impressed by the Traveling Circus and I
am happy to hear that that’s good news
very good news actually we try our best
and that’s one of the things with Safari
live is that because we’re kind of the
only people to really do this kind of a
thing we have to pioneer new roads and
new ways to get things done sometimes
it’s not very pretty but it often does
work and this is an example of that the
amount of tinkering and work that’s done
tool in order to get all the equipments
on these vehicles and working and linked
together there’s actually quite
phenomenal and I love watching the tech
guys and cameramen work out the puzzles
and mysteries to get everything working
enough about that it sounds like you
have got some beautiful sunny weather in
South Africa not like the glue
rainy weather here in the Maasai Mara so
why don’t you go on jump on Barnes car
and enjoy the sunshine so we still
trying to work on our bird list
apparently this excuse me a second sir
I’m just listening to the radio to the
radio sorry I’m just listening to the
radio the guides that are looking for
that Leopard so maybe we can help each
other find that Leopard sorry I’m just
listening everyone giving second these
guides are updating each other sounds
like they might have found the leopard
or caught a glimpse caught a glimpse of
the leopard
mic mic for my mic sorry I’ve just been
on foot for 20 minutes have you still
got visual of an animal okay copy that
no problems no rush that’s fine thanks
very much Mike copy no problem we’ll get
an update later thank you oh that’s
great news it sounds like they’ve found
a male leopard everyone I’m not sure
which male it is yet but it sounds like
they they have found the male leopard
and now there are two three vehicles
already in that area looking for him so
they found him but it sounds like he’s
gone and laid down in the move our team
so that’s okay that you can use for us
so we’ll let them overview and we’ll go
in a little bit later and I’m sure we’ll
get some to be honest it might even be
better for us to go but later because
possibly we’ll get that leopard moving
around that’s what I’m hoping for and
maybe better light exactly so let’s
carry on driving around and see what
else we can find for now we’ll give the
other guests of you and then we’ll try
getting there a little bit later I think
that’ll work out nicely for us
and see it hops to chat to one another
on radio you know we were fortunate the
other day we found her sana and we let
the other guides know and they came in
and enjoyed the sighting with us vice
versa we all keep in touch and it’s very
important
while we are guiding and just making it
a little bit easier to look for these
animals because of course we can’t be
everywhere all the time but there’s
always something going on Archer so if
we try to spread out and cover huge a
larger distance or larger area then
we’ll probably find more
okay well someone who’s not going to be
concerned about the rain is stiff who is
actually in the in the control room at
the moment watching the river cams good
afternoon and yes welcome to the river
campus for the first time today it has
been very quiet on these river cameras
today and I think it is because of the
increased flow of water as you can see
from that fantastic shot from my north
my name is Stefan turbo and it is my
pleasure to to to host these river cams
for you today but I do want to do is Wow
before we lose it I’d love to show you a
shot from the mountain cam please no
don’t go anywhere can you see that that
is a oh that is just such a lucky shot
for us I’ve been trying to get that for
ages so this is a auger Buzzard that is
part of a pay that come on windy days up
into this valley that we live in and I
think hover for a while to silhouette
themselves against the sky so that other
organisms can actually see them
silhouetted against the dark sky see if
I can get us in a little bit better
there we go
legs out to create a little bit of drag
where we going we come back here bird
and there we go back in t this is the
one and did wanna stay still today
still in the same place there we go and
as you can see there’s enough wind speed
at the moment to allow this burger that
flapping to stay aloft and they’re just
fantastic its hunting at the moment
actually saw a mouse in the in the bush
now I was busy walking in the bush just
before I came through and I saw a mouse
now so they’re out enjoying the this is
gonna give the feel let me just go a bit
wide and use VM during breaths
bird following technique
isn’t that just the most amazing thing
we see this burden most days here
I believe it’s the same bird could
possibly be have you got enough
roshni you say you really envying us in
the Mara right now roshni where are you
stuck on this planet today you can’t
just say something like that without
letting us know where you are and what
you are doing it is a brilliant day
Archer in the Mara I must be honest it’s
been overcast and quite cold a work of
cold this morning for the first time
since we got here six months ago and it
hasn’t really warmed up the whole day it
stayed this sort of gloomy this gloomy
me darken a little bit you can see the
cloud cover above us rate with
relatively high up quite thick clouds
hanging over the escarpment here and
it’s been rather blustery hasn’t rained
at all although that seems like it’s
going to be changing for Scott and James
shame it I’ve I feel for them out there
on days like this it is not comfortable
in these cars when it rains at all an
extra fact that almost be in a city when
it rains anyway let’s go through the
cameras a little bit I want to show you
something if we could go to cul-de-sac
crossing please Ellis I did mention that
it was raining last night as you can see
there’s been a lot of rain the rivers
actually come up and subsided again
really quickly which tells us something
about what this river and what its
drainage line is is really like it’s got
a really sharp increase with a really
sharp drop-off so there the water raised
up you can see where it flooded across
the sand bank last night and then it has
dropped again throughout the day there’s
a big crocodile there it did bring with
it and another caucus now yesterday for
those of you are watching
we saw three caucuses come down the
river I don’t know if this is one of
them our doubted I think this is
probably a new one a wildebeest caucus
which is washed up on the on the
sandbanks day and which would at some
bull at some point be devoured by
crocodiles either in this pool all
further down the stream isn’t it just
amazing how this river is so
temperamental
it is amazing Kenya is in the grips of a
drought at the moment and from what I’m
told from colleagues of mine that this
river is about half the heart of what it
should be it should be halfway up that
Bank that is the height that it should
be at the moment for this time of the
year isn’t an incredible 1/2 the water
now let’s go to Dusty crossing you’re
free could there is dusty crossing and
at dusty crossing we’ve got a crocodile
that probably throughout the course of
the evening moved into this position
that you see right now and and has been
lying there for the day it’s probably
been out of the weather for for this for
this croc which is allowed to maintain a
pretty decent body temperature I’m sure
because wind is not going to be can
excuse the freezing that we’re getting
from the camera at the moment with all
the moisture in the air woopsie cameras
on a road mission alright let’s go over
to Maine south while dusty gets itself
under control again what happens is we
lose signal with these cameras and and
from time to time one goes on a road
mission like you see over there now and
doesn’t get the signal to turn around or
to switch off so what we can see at
Maine South Crossing is a hammock
cupboard which is not all that unusual
hammock of birds are fairly common out
here but you hardly ever get to see them
on these cameras they tend to be pool or
pool dwellers where they use their feet
and their beak to try and hunt for
invertebrates and I think what’s
happened with this particular river is
as it’s come up it’s brought to the
whole bunch of insects and as its
subsided again those insects have taken
refuge in detritus and the hammer coupe
has now come into that detritus to try
and glean itself a dinner or a supper
right now just waterproofing its
feathers
it’s a heron can see that fancy
feathered headdress that gives it its
name hammer hammerhead bird this was
I’ve also heard it referred to in
English as a lightning bird
hammock coupe means hammerhead and it’s
the Dutch or I suppose Dutch German
Afrikaans Flemish description of this
particular vid but at the moment we did
I’ll just call it a lightning bit and
the reason for that is that the local
guys in the Kruger National Park the
local Shang garden guys believe that if
the snake if this bird builds a nest in
the tree above your house that it’s
gonna cause lightning to strike there
many guys why don’t we gonna have a look
at Scott she’s got a fantastic sunset to
show you well is this not absolutely
breathtaking mana has worked his magic
on this camera and the Sun has worked
it’s magic to break through what is a
very very cloudy and somewhat drizzly
afternoon in the Maasai Mara you can
possibly hear
the drizzle pitter pattering down on top
of our circus tent we have half opened
the tent and as we did that it’s started
raining again but we’ve positioned
ourselves with our bottom towards the
wind well in the in the direction the
winds coming from so most of the rain is
hitting the closed back half of the
vehicle and the front half of the
vehicle other than my back and this
little section here you can see a few
spots of rain have made it into the car
but not many just to here just coming
from basically behind us and it’s not
because we’re trying to go in that
direction I suggested tomorrow we could
possibly reverse all the way there and
just give you shots along the way
because putting the flaps up and down
takes a little bit of time but it stops
so you can continue
I really do love that bird that you’re
looking at with Steph that I’m a cop
they’re one of my favorite birds to
watch hunting there are great hunters
they use their toes to detect their prey
it sounds like birds on the menu this
afternoon because Byron is also
searching for pairs oh we need to stop
because the sun’s even looking better
now let’s just show you a quick look
there’s our know how much is to the
circus the circus tent let me show a
little bit more okay now mono should be
able to get the majority of that array
that is really looking quite beautiful
that’s bursting through on the left
magic okay well let’s try that again
I hope Byron doesn’t have a bird that’s
ready to flutter away because that would
be a great pity if that was the case he
is on an incredible quest to try and
reach 100 birds as I’m sure he’s told
you I’m hoping he does succeed he’s
nearly there why don’t you can see what
he’s found all right we are trying to
continue our bird-watching however our
patience has paid off they found a male
leopard earlier now we going to go and
join that sighting one of the other
guides managed to find a mallet but he’s
lying in the Milwaukee so I’m hoping we
get a nice view of him not sure who it
is yet but let’s go and have a look I’m
very excited we’re not too far
we’re almost done in the drainage line
so this is going to be
quite spectacular I hope he might be
lying down in the thicket but we’ll sit
and spend time with him maybe we get to
see him moving around the wind again is
picked up substantially and it’s
actually quite chilly now it’s not very
pleasant I’m looking forward to getting
down into this drainage line maybe you
will have a bit of cover
just need to work out what our best
approaches I know they did I think he’s
down in the drainage line summer what
I’m going to do is only to go downstream
in the Malati from this area over here
alright well let me head down here and
see if I can get a but closer to this
this leopard and while I do that let’s
go across to Steph who’s watching some
elephant there’s an elephant that is
just crossing the river does the
crossing but unfortunately the istick
crossings camera is still a bit errant
we’re losing a gaining signal from dusty
crossings camera and of course I’ll even
gain the ability to control it from a
couple of miles away but it’ll be nice I
think I’m just gonna leave this one in
shot have a look at this elephant he’s
obviously feeling with his trunk the
bottom of the of the riverbed to make
sure that it doesn’t fall into any holes
but just look at this completely at home
using an idea of how deep the river
actually is a big bull elephant like
this we could there’s a nice cool drink
a big bull elephant like this I could
probably walk underneath the front of
his armpits that’s a tall he is maybe
just brushing the top of my head but
around about six feet tall underneath
his his armpits you could see the tree
in the background a shaking in the wind
there’s a lot of a lot of wind down in
this valley at the moment and Alice
tells me that there’s a lot of you out
there that are are enjoying and are
excited to see an elephant he’s quite
ready to see an elephant in this river
must be honest with you it’s not a very
common thing at all what are you doing
boy why are you digging around there
with your trunk maybe goes right down in
there wonder if he’s gonna have a swim
do you think he’s gone into there
there’s a hippo giving a bit of a yawn
and that’s just the hippo saying this is
my patch please just leave it alone
let’s just hit boaters they massively
insecure hippos to be honest with you
no rush knew you 100% right does hippos
are never really happy but they suffer
from a big inferiority complex I think I
have to show people how angry they are
on Thresh around and make a big noise
wow look at deep that elephant’s gone
how awesome is that Wow truth is a lot
deeper in that particular point then I
gave it credit for must be honest with
you come go for a swim Ellie surely you
won’t have a bit of a swim
I love YouTube you’ve just asked me a
fantastic name you’ve just asked me if
those hippos would would mess with that
elephant no they wouldn’t
hippos suffering from their big
inferiority complex know that they’d be
outmatched with an elephant even
aggressive things like white rhinoceros
I have seen elephant even youngsters
killed 11 have got the advantage of of
height and with those big tusks and
trunk basically just lean on the saddle
of anything smaller than them and I’ll
break their backs
that was absolutely special to see don’t
you think and from it and from a camera
that is busy playing up at the moment
let’s see with the silly ghost he’s just
gonna walk up the bank over there it
gives you an idea of our deputies if a
firt underneath is on pit that would
probably be where my elbows are if I to
lift my elbows above my head that’s how
deep the water was so fairly deep
actually at that particular point as you
can see elephant not worried about it in
the absolute least then as the water
joins the bank by the rocks you’ll see a
wat necked bird that is a grey heron it
is that excuse me I’ve got hiccups Wow
trying to deal with that and that is a
grey heron other than the black necked
Aaron which is which is common on the
grassy plains this particular heron
quite often hunts the river’s fringes
for frogs and for crabs and for other
invertebrates the wind is pumping down
this riverbed at the man why don’t we
gonna have a look at main north just so
that we can finish having a look at
exactly how much water actually came
down that is a nice view of the rapids
at main North I definitely think that a
wildebeest or zebra crossing here now
would be washed down and I’m wondering
if it’s gonna change what they perceive
as being a possible crossing point or
not is rain now falling at cul de sac
crossing and it hasn’t started to for it
looks like the
so wait that looks like it might be
falling there where we had it is
incredible him it difficult to actually
gauge where these storms are going I
don’t know the exact twists and turns of
this river and the reason for that is
that we don’t yet have access to walking
around this river and it would have been
the first thing that I would have done
is walk the banks of this river to find
out exactly will the twists and turns
are how far the cameras off from one
another where they going what’s the
river doing with all the little secret
places that’s for sure all right what
are we gonna have a look at the pool
cul-de-sac crossing let’s go and see
what those hippo are doing sometimes
there’s just too much to choose from
over here I called the SAC Crossing is
is my favorite crossing not only is it
on the on the banks of the river as it
exits the forest so there’s a huge
forest that is that is part of the Mara
River and it Peters out right at
cul-de-sac crossing and so I find it
quad a for lack of a better word I
suppose a romantic crossing it’s just
got the forest on one side it’s got a
huge big palm tree on the other it’s
it’s it’s a lovely crossing it’s quite
peaceful but it it doesn’t speak to the
fact that we’ve seen mass murder at this
crossing on a scale that you don’t even
understand we’ve seen drownings a couple
of a couple of dozen will to be 6070
wildebeest drowning it’s going to see
what these are in the tree over there
they look like vultures we see thousands
upon thousands of animals cross at this
crossing more often crossing here than
anywhere else yep those are vultures
let’s see if we can see what types of
vultures they’re just weathering out the
storm
let’s see if we can ID these vultures
the most common of the vultures a large
area is the white back vulture and I
think these two on the left are the
write-back vulture and I think they’re
all white bipods I don’t know what this
one is on this side but looking very
bedraggled anyway Baron has finally
found his lip
and so we are going to be sending you
across to him now enjoy yourselves
alright now we’ve just caught a glimpse
of this male leopard and I think it’s in
Ghana hold on maybe we can see him
through there so before I move what do
you want me to move a bit further is he
going down the drainage
let’s try move a bit closer everyone
hold on it looks like it’s in Ghana a
beautiful big male all the dominant male
leopard around yeah there he is
I think we’re gonna get a nice view of
him shortly hold on
oh he’s right I said I’m just gonna stop
here because of the light so as we can
see his face I think well then there is
wonderful now this is not the first time
this week that we followed this male
leopard through this drainage line he
seems to be enjoying this area at the
moment look at that beautiful big dewlap
as he’s walking under the neck of throat
that is lovely very very nice it’s gonna
be tricky for us to follow him I’m just
trying to think I don’t know this
drainage line net well where there are
little access points helps to know the
area bit better and we actually on the
wrong side at well maybe not told them
you never know
there we go we can still get him through
this hip cell right looks like he might
cross down you know and I think I can
get into the drainage line from here
anyway which is great so this is a
perfect spot for us if he does cross
through look at the beautiful golden
light perfect for photography
mmm that’s an interesting Twitter handle
I’m sure it’s not true no one likes me
you said that I’m the leopard looks like
it’s fed recently nice smell let’s try
see if we can get a better view
see if we can get another view of him
it’s making it a little bit difficult
for us at the moment as usual as well
leopards do all in a second as an easy
little gap for us
this worked out quite nicely there’s a
little gap for us to jump right back
down into this drainage line is crossing
though I’m sorry sip he’s just crossing
out of there you know it said : sorry
I’m gonna move quickly sorry sorry I’m
gonna go around everyone I’m gonna get
him try catch him on the road on the
other side
so we don’t have to be in the area
some somethig said that’s always fun
sorry little Franklin and Chris at
Franklin
pass here quickly we’re on this road now
and we should see that male coming out
now I hope he doesn’t continue to that
drainage line off to the right that’s
where we followed him the other day and
it was incredibly thick very difficult
to say with him I can see straight ahead
of us so I’m gonna get a lovely view of
him shortly
I think it was the right side plan for
us to come out and and view him over
here oh sorry
he said this actually hold here there
you guys look at that he does it look
like he’s fed he does look like he’s fed
his stomach looks quite full that’s
wonderful well fairly full it’s just
disappearing there quickly hold on a
second
afternoon everyone there we go that’s a
nice view of him see again that golden
light and he’s backlit at the moment so
I think photographers would have a
wonderful time with this male leopard
right now I’m smelling the air looking
around that is a lovely view of the
smile I’m trying to think when lost I’d
be sitting on it was three four days ago
three days ago about three days ago just
before and I’m since I went to leave and
we found 10 goners it was it’s nice to
see him again
now mr. P you were asking what is that
big do left for that we can see on his
threat so I’m just gonna reverse a
little bit does he give any other
vehicle a chance to see this leopard I’m
sure that should be fine for them and so
mr. P that dewlap is the theory behind
the dewlap is
sorry I hold on thanks it I’m sorry mr.
Peter do you let the theory is that that
thick skin around the neck will
hopefully protect that lipid almost in a
similar way that a Mane protects the
male lion but the dewlap I think that
loose skin thicker skin around the neck
will protect the neck from fights that’s
one theory makes it look bigger stronger
will hopefully intimidate the other
leopard but that is a beautiful big duel
upon that male leopard now he is going
into that drainage line we followed in
the other day which was very difficult
what we’ll see maybe we can still get a
view
let’s consider some Franklin that he’s
startled over there
let’s see if we can stick with him I
think we’re going to lose him again
everyone because this block we drove
through it and it was almost
impenetrable here it is he’s just off
through here
sit down here I might get a view through
this gap hey guys are you guys now
notice again the tail held up high
these Franklin’s alarm calling at him at
the moment now we spoke about this the
other day why do leopards do this now
the theory is that they raise their tail
makes themselves more visible and it’s
to show that they’re not a threat that
they said so that there’s no danger to
whatever it is that’s alarm calling at
them and I’ve heard that I’ve seen it
many times and it’s not just when
they’re Birds alarm calling
oh wow look at that beautiful latinum
again
I’m just gonna drop down here quick sip
is gonna come through here sip I think
if it’s a right can I sit yet let’s just
write everyone he’s gonna come right
past us I think and I’m sorry as I was
saying they left their tail makes
themselves more visible and that they um
they’ve been basically saying they’re
not a threat then they’re not hunting
and they just passing through I’m gonna
keep quiet listen to him walk past us
that’s amazing looking at lassen close
walked right in front of us a beautiful
view of him
David you asked is that tail raising a
learned learnt or a instinctive behavior
now David I think I think it’s
instinctive I don’t think it’s learned
now we might we might use the slippered
I wonder I just don’t know if he’s going
to lie down or if he’s going to continue
moving through that area i if he does
continue moving we’re probably not going
to be able to follow him anymore the
smell it is moving around so much in the
afternoon but I think because it’s nice
and cool that is why is probably still
moving around I’m gonna try to get out
of here quickly while I do
let’s go across just if he’s still in
those damn cams sorry river camps isn’t
it just wonderful to see ting gone again
I haven’t seen a leopard in more than
half a year
more than half a year and I haven’t been
in a winter for an entire year and I
think that that in itself is both
wonderful and depressing in a way and it
shows you how different these places
actually are from one another you’ve
gone from a cold winter’s afternoon to a
very cloudy sort of equatorial dry
season sky there from Maine Maine South
and we’ve got some action going on all
over these cameras let’s credit
cul-de-sac quickly where a group of wire
tailed swallows are just hiding out of
the wind and they they tend to come and
then basically just flap away again so
it gives us this nice view of these
absolutely beautiful swallows just have
a look at that males and females and
immature swallows at the moment and one
of the fairly common swallows next to
the brown Marten or common Marten that
you see the brownish bird that is
let’s just look lovely and they all come
in here just for a bit of a rest out of
the wind and then they they take flat
again and go and catch some insects that
are starting to mess over the Mara River
it’s how close they are to the camera
that doesn’t even want to focus on it
there you go come on camera you can do
it all right now oh there’s an
unanswered question from yesterday we
ran out of lights and we ran out of
camera before I could answer Christie’s
question yesterday about the breeding
season of crocodiles so if I could also
we go over to dusty crossing and what
we’ve got a dusty crossing is two
enormous crocodiles busy sunning
themselves in the last bit of the Sun or
whatever Sun is left right next to a
washed-up crocodile carcass but what
this does allow me to do is talk a
little bit about the breeding which is
what Christy asked about yesterday
Christy asked last night when do
crocodiles lay eggs when is their
breeding season I can answer that now
that I’ve read the probably about 500
words that I have at my disposal on
crocodiles on the Nile crocodiles at
least anyway I’m mating will happen
anywhere from about May through to
August where male crocodiles will become
territorial to one another and then they
will they will vie for the attentions of
the females females will start to
ovulate they then submit to the males
who mate to them and eggs are laid in
November and after quite a short
gestation period only ninety days I had
a drawn yesterday I thought that it was
about a year but only after about 90
days what happens is the eggs will hatch
the mom sets up a bit of a nursery she
wouldn’t move for the three months that
the that she that she looks after eggs
basically she doesn’t even eat she just
looks off to those eggs keeping them
safe from would-be predators and and
then she carries them gently in her
mouth down to the nursery area in the in
the in the the river itself and there
for a couple of days basically just
looks off to them and make sure that
they’re okay so only that happens in
that in that time
Andrew you wanted to know how crocodile
see under the water
that’s actually quite a good question
there Andre the the they’ve got a
nictitating membrane which is there to
wipe off debris off of there off of the
ice but what it also does is it like a
pair of swimming goggles it adds a
separation between eyeball and the
actual water medium and that separation
allows crocodiles to see relatively well
underwater I mean in murky water they’re
not gonna be able to see well at all and
I think that in actual effect that
crocodiles use a series of pits on their
on their faces
let me just slow that down these
crocodiles are bit far away that’s the
maximum zoom I have but on a crocodiles
head even on on the skull is a series of
pits in their scales which I think are
very effective either electrochemical or
chemical or electrical sensors that can
sense movement underneath the water and
I think they use their muzzle quite
often you see even on the surface a
crocodile will put his top jaw on the
surface let the water rush past and then
very Abele pick up movement and go and
nuzzle it just nudge it with it with its
nozzle they don’t lick it there just
nudge it within within nuzzle and I
think that they can actually you know
I’ve never seen a report on that this is
just obviously all my very uneducated
observation little based stuff based on
you know six months of looking at this
River nothing much really is what I’m
trying to say but just an observation
it’s got a main North if you don’t mind
we’ve got two hippos having a bit of a
clash there there we go
that’s a pot of hippo one of the largest
pods of hippo that’s they on the river
this is from Maine north this is it the
extreme range of the camera at Maine
north and and this pot of hippo don’t
like each other you can see their butt
of a clash going under these hippos
often I’ll watch these hippos and they
are almost always jumping around at one
another smashing their teeth against one
another you’d never say that they’re
friends with each other that’s you
that’s the bum reversing out of the
water with a tail busy wagging that is
also
and we’d think that these crocodiles do
it is incredible anyone picks its head
up that’s just the form of vegetation
what they do all right I’m gonna keep my
eye on these on these on these hippo
Scott is mobile again and the rain seems
to have passed as a surprise for you we
certainly do have a surprise for you
this is gonna be an epic view but I want
to get in front do you want to get in
front of them but I also do want to give
you an opportunity to see this young
male line stroll past those palm trees
that’s not your usual scene there’s not
many palm trees here in the Mara
beautiful a young male who knows if he
has any brothers or other coalition
members nearby you can see he’s looking
quite cautiously ahead and the reason
why he will be cautious is that unless
he is one of scars sons
this is scars territory and scars a big
big male lion that will not tolerate
youngsters unless they are his own and
you can see this youngster certainly
moving quite slowly and cautiously
stopping listening hello very happy to
have found you
beautiful young male I’m guessing around
maybe three to four years of age hello
Denise woohoo correct good that we found
a lion and good that the rain stopped so
things are looking promising we are
going to have to reposition those about
to disappear behind some vehicles
and I wonder what his movements are
going to be he may try and cross the
Mara River the Mara rivers literally a
hundred meters over to our right-hand
side very close by failing that he may
just go for a drink time will tell and
I’ve got some other wonderful wonderful
news our quest to go and find Skaar this
afternoon
could well prove successful because I
did get a report that he is somewhere
fairly nearby so that is some very good
news that we can look forward to looking
for and not far from here we are as I
think a place called cul-de-sac crossing
where we’ve got one of our river cameras
and he is going to be further downstream
from here somewhere near main Crossing
anyway in the meantime while we
reposition which i think is actually
going to be right now yeah let’s just
wait and enjoy this actually because he
is gonna come straight towards us we’re
gonna get a good low angle and after
this I’m not sure what our views will be
like we’ve ducked into a little drainage
furrow so we should get some great views
as he parades through this grass that is
of course if he continues in the
direction he was moving in which would
lead him straight to us but you can
cease sniffing around quite intently I
wonder what he’s looking for I wonder if
he hasn’t maybe left to kill nearby here
he’s definitely found something that has
caught his attention what is it you’re
looking for master hmm could well be the
sense of other lines if he Fleming
grimaces which means you’ll curl up his
lip and grimace baring his teeth almost
like he’s smiling that would indicate
that it’s probably other lines that he’s
smelling the fact that he’s just got his
nose to the ground seems to me like he
could be on the trail of something to
eat I haven’t seen them Fleming grimace
win on the trail of something to feed on
I’ve lost track of them from where I’m
sitting in this long long grass what an
awesome scene is this
okay I’m gonna have to reposition again
hello Vegas beauty snug you would like
to know if I think the lions and Mara
are more toned and well-built than the
Lions in the sabi sands and possibly I
would have to put them together to be
able to make an educated decision yes
certainly some I mean the biggest
lioness I’ve ever seen is in the mire
and some of the most impressive males
I’ve ever seen are in the Mara but
that’s not to say that all of them are
necessarily bigger and stronger and more
handsome than the sabi sands males or
the South African male lions I guess you
do need to be quite specific so I guess
we’ll say the Kruger Lions looks like we
may get just one more view of him as he
disappears into this thickets a
beautiful beautiful young male and it’ll
be interesting to see what he turns into
in the coming years he’s still got
another two or three years before he
will be in his prime as a guess but he
certainly is looking like he could
become an absolute beauty of a male lion
wonderful sadly this is where the road
ends we are not going to be able to
follow him any further and to be honest
I’m not too concerned about that because
he is very close to big male lion called
scar like I said a little bit earlier
and I would desperately like to show you
him
[Applause]
okay while we going to look for one of
the most impressive big male lions in
Africa and certainly in the Masai Mara
we will be sending you to one of the
most impressive animals down south they
lipid now can you spot the leopard
anyone is moved into a bit of a thicker
area he just moved now just move to the
left he was in there let’s see Martin
get a view of him again all in a second
he’s just moved behind that thick area
he’s really giving us a bit of the
runaround at the moment
and rocky aged for an afternoon rocky
you are asking and do do the leopards
ever eat plots well rocky technically
not to lipids lipids are carnivores so
they eat to meat but I have seen
leopards going chew on some grass from
time to time and the reason for that is
it helps the digestive system but
generally speaking they don’t actually
eat plants they’ll feed on meat and that
is what what the lipids prefer feeding
on rocky but just like if you’ve got
pizza at home and a dog or a cat
sometimes they eat grass is to help the
digestive system a little bit I’m saying
with leopards I have seen it before but
generally that’s mainly meat that they
eat and fish sometimes we know we’ve
seen him catch fish just looking can you
still see himself let me reposition hold
on a second
hold on a second we’ll see if we can get
your nice view of him sometimes
difficult to maneuver around like this
especially with him moving he’s been
moving quite a lot but maybe he decides
I’ve got a view of him I’ve got a lovely
view of him actually
there we go there we go
hopefully he stays here look at that I
think I don’t know if he spotted
something in the bushes or if he heard
something that’s been watching that
direction quite intently
now I’m just keeping a bit quiet because
it’s sometimes nice just to listen maybe
we hear something in the bushes ahead
it’s also nice to hear some of the birds
calling around us was an emerald spotted
would death but it’s a nice peaceful
sighting
but look at the beautiful rosettes I
love the pattern on leopard with known
as rosettes our Lara where you say he is
pulling off a sphinx pose does almost
look like it doesn’t it
the Sphinx in Egypt
I really do enjoy spending time with a
big male leopard like us it dominum Ali
but I’m trying to use my binoculars now
just to see if I can see what he has
spotted or what has caught his attention
I cannot see anything it is so thick
through there now what I don’t
understand is he actually came from that
direction so surely if he walked past
they would have seen whatever it is
that’s caught his attention ah but watch
him look at him what is he spotted this
is very interesting I wonder what it is
but you see that it’s almost the
stalking pose that he’s taken up there
now he’s sitting that he’s very curious
about – what is in front of him or in
those bushes there
Kevin Yost if I see a leopard breathing
this hard
does it mean that he’s on the trail of
something so not necessarily Kevin um I
think I think he’s been moving around
quite a bit it’s fairly warm so I think
he’s just breathing heavily because it’s
warm and he’s been moving around quite a
bit his sounds like he’s walked quite a
distance already this afternoon
just shows you how opportunistic these
animals are they’ll move around during
the day regardless of the temperature at
times let’s just see look at the head
dropping those shoulders raised slightly
it’s definitely a posture that is taken
up from time to time and there are
intent on pouncing on something
our lipid can move incredibly quickly
when they do want to
Moishe no you’re asking about what is
the bird that we keep hearing in the
background why is it that something like
that
that’s the emerald spotted would dev
Boresha I think that’s what you can hear
look at him good look at it he’s
definitely stalking something but what
is it what is it I can’t see
that’s very interesting I can’t see
anything
I can’t see what is fixed on there
we still see Monsieur said look at that
we can’t see but amazing behavior what
if you didn’t hear something moving in
that thicket
take care that lipids definitely have
incredible eyesight but they hearing is
also very very good I’m just trying to
have a look enough the other day we were
in this area sorry to take care I’ll get
back to your question now but the other
day we were in this area I mean there’s
a lot of scrub here and that excuse me
that are all round and hiding in his
thicker areas and shrubs in between the
grasses so what if he doesn’t perhaps
all we need is for him to pose for us
over there maybe you’ll sit on this
Mound
that would be wonderful
lovely yawn is walking straight towards
us
here’s a beautiful male now take care
his eyesight is very good but their
sense of hearing is also good I do think
I don’t know I think the eyesight would
be slightly better than their hearing
it’s difficult to say he’s gonna be
moving behind us as he does that we’ll
reposition I just came back onto the
road
that’s nice for us at least makes it a
bit easier for us to follow him all
right he’s gonna disappear behind us
I’ll reposition quickly thanks it well
done there was awesome hey what a lovely
sighting this is so great baton you say
hopefully he’s stalking gremlins and so
just sing some people behind us he’d say
he’d love to see Tara gremlin apart
definitely
is on the road in front of us there is
another vehicle here too so we’ll give
them a chance likely for us we’ve got
the camera so we don’t have to be too
close to him he’s just in the road up
ahead just give us a second
he’s moving I’m going to allow one of
the other vehicles who’s just arrived in
the sightings also come past and get a
view just so that they may see it too
we’ve had such a nice view and like I
said with the camera it’s very nice and
but easier for us so we’ll just let them
move past and get a view but while we do
that it’s it back to the Mara and to my
friend James I wonder how he’s doing in
that storm that they’ve just had it was
a bit of a damp squib really the storm
he stopped us certainly and we put our
covers on just sort of drizzled a bit
anyway we had a cup of coffee in our tin
– now it’s cleared up so they’re
carrying on the cats were going to just
along here I hope they’ve been very kind
to us over the last few days they’ve
spent all day in amongst a little rocky
area and then as the sun’s gone down
it’s sort of gone on the hunt so that’s
what we’re hoping for
but yesterday evening these Plains were
full of prey for them to eat and now
that seems to have changed so it’ll be
interesting to see what they do and
yesterday I was asked a question there’s
a very good one and that was basically
do the Lions focus more on hunting
during the time when the migration is
not here and I think they do absolutely
and I think now these lines which I
don’t think of eaten for two or three
days probably get up and have to think
quite a lot more carefully about what it
is that they’re going to do and hunt
anyway we’ll see what happens we have
seen one very sad sake distressing
little scene of a newborn wildebeest
calf will newborn seven months old and
it was just on its own as obviously got
separated and lost I’m afraid Phoebe I
didn’t hear your question can we have it
– get in Alice why doesn’t the Mara of
leopards does Phoebe that Mara
absolutely a snippets but we tend not to
move around in the areas that are ideal
for leopards and they will be on the
drainage line areas and the dry
riverbeds and there will be up on the
mountains mostly and very seldom I mean
I’ve seen three I’ve seen a leopard
actually right around here I’ve seen
three or four young Valerius hanging
from trees which tells me that there are
leopards in the plains regardless but
they will live in the loggers and it’s
interesting most of the roads of the
area actually don’t go along the
drainage line areas they tend to sort of
cut through the grasslands because those
are more sensitive air at least least
less sensitive areas and they’re much
easier to maintain from a road
management point of view so that’s the
story there but they’re absolutely are
leopards yet do they occur in the same
density as Tenggara and his ilk I think
probably not so let’s head straight back
to tin garner Byron is sitting with him
now and I’m sure you’re almost relieved
that there has been a small season break
within the birding saga we have got
another view of Tenggara again let’s
move through this drainage line what’s
in Tamaki
these lipids big dominant male like us
will scent walk quite low fairly
regularly
listen territorial row
wonderful I haven’t had that live on
camera
that was wonderful did you get that
everyone it was just that summon engine
and y’all running off the track in yalla
that’s wonderful but as well as he does
it
Shravan you asked when lipids are more
active during the day or during the
night well to be honest mainly mainly
nocturnal or mainly at night let’s just
see if I can get a view here quickly I’m
just gonna stick around there for a
second to see if we get some movement
it’s very thick we can’t get through
yeah any way through this drainage line
but there is a road on the other side
not too far
maybe he comes out there one of the
other vehicles drove around so we’ll
stick around here and just see if he
turns and comes back drama and leopards
are generally nocturnal they mainly move
around it not however they do move
around during the day too and a lot of
people are unaware of that so they think
only will move at night but just as it
shows and this is not the first time
this my lipids done this the other day
to 3 o’clock in the afternoon we found
them moving around in this area so they
do move around a lot to during the day
you can hear the Guinea I was gonna say
guinea fowl the Franklin’s calling alarm
calling let’s go across the scotches
apparently got Lions calling and it is
calling it is not the lion we are
looking for it could be one of his
girlfriends almost certain it is and I
can hear roaring from another lion where
I think scar could be so she was roaring
to the north of her to the left of her
there was another one roaring and now a
third one is roared in the direction we
have come from and I just got a very
brief updates as to where scar could be
and I think it could be closer to the
river so maybe he was replying to one of
his ladies certainly looking good though
they are singing for us and the fact
that they are singing allows us to know
that there are more than one and
hopefully that they are planning on
reuniting
here we go again another one’s roaring
in the distance zoom into her I’m sure
she’s gonna start you can see she’s
listening I’m not sure if you can hear
it you may very faintly be able to hear
the call of a lion I think there’s two
or three lioness that hang around in
this general area and maybe it’s just
the three of them trying to reunite be
reunites maybe they’re interested in
seeing old scar time will tell
now this is one of the areas where we
cannot off-road so we cannot get closer
to her than this for now but hopefully
she will come to us and not hit to that
other lion that’s just being roaring she
looks quite hungry that’s useful to know
I certainly do love watching lions
attempting to capture their prey as I’m
sure a lot of you do as well and at the
moments the likelihood of finding a lion
that is not bloated is quite slim to be
honest though most of them are graduate
herds haven’t been moving through this
area to much hello roshni you’d like to
know if Skye’s the only male within this
area or does he have a coalition that he
is a part of any is part of a coalition
of I’m told three males I think they are
called the Musketeers so it can be a
little bit confusing that there’s a
coalition of male lions called the
Musketeers as well as the fact that
there’s a coalition of five male
cheetahs called the Musketeers speaking
of which I’m thinking of possibly
heading across to their neck of the
wilderness tomorrow afternoon to spend a
couple of days with them if we are lucky
enough to have them in the reserve and
not in the surrounding conservancies
where we do not spend any time they do
go there quite a lot we’ve just been
incredibly lucky that when I have been
across there in search of them they’ve
been in the right
so that’s the plan for tomorrow
afternoon if any of you are hoping on
seeing a cheater make sure you tune in
you’d like to know how far can a lion
hear the roar of another lion and if we
can hear their call from about five
miles away in good weather conditions
then I’m guessing they could hear from
maybe 20 kilometers I would say their
hearings at least four times better than
ours
but that’s just a guess so cannot be
certain of that
marvelous now she’s headed into an area
where we cannot go but that is fine
because I want to go and have a look for
the line that was roaring behind us
which I’m hoping is going to be uncle
Scar
okay shame I’m told Byron managed or
voula rather managed to dodge Byron but
he is still hot on the trail trying to
get you some more views of him so why
don’t you go and see how it’s going
Scott sounds like in a lovely lion
sighting now haven’t seen this leopard
again excuse me he’s disappeared in
through this dense thicket so we’re
gonna try and have a look around yeah I
mean it’s difficult because this lipids
been changing direction a lot but just
ever look at how thick it is everyone
it’s very very thick we drove through
here the other day trying to follow the
smell and now with it getting of a
darker it’s impossible to get through
yeah it would be wasting our time but
I’m hoping I can hear those Franklin
calling but I don’t think I see him
anymore I’m not sure I think he would
have walked through already and I’m
hoping that maybe we’re lucky and he
comes out further south of where we are
at the moment so I’m just gonna drive
around here and see maybe we get another
glimpse of him but that was such a great
sighting it’s always I think you know
always said but we’re so lucky to be
able to follow a big male leopard like
us and see him moving around
hope good afternoon to you you are 10
years old and hope you want to know how
far away can the lipid here well I hope
a lipids I don’t know how far they can
actually hear but I think we can
probably if I think of what we can hear
a lipid can probably hear probably about
I’m trying to think maybe 3 or 4
kilometers away you could probably hear
a lipid call now what’s that in miles
let’s say let’s call it two and a half
miles away probably maybe three miles
away you can hear a lipid core I can
hear an owl actually
let’s see if I can find it now if we can
your leopard call at that distance I’m
sure I’m sure other lipids would be able
to hear it even further away so I but I
don’t know hope it’s it’s difficult I
don’t think we really know how fight can
be heard but I would say you know I
think four kilometers what it’s about
11.6 miles to miles maybe
we’re gonna take our time let’s see if I
can find this owl oh hold on I can hear
it first what I’ll wait I can hear it
everyone that’s close let’s see if we
can find it
this is always exciting a little pearl
spotted owl
let’s stop here for a second and see
won’t be tricky I think now do you spot
this little outlet needed to call again
for us I’m sure it would have been one
of these trees what a beautiful view the
colors in the sky that pink and purple
in blue lovely colors who is this little
outlet
it’s gone very quietly now look at the
moon it’s gonna be full moon Feelies
really soon
now the owl has decided to go completely
quiet I’m sure you know what the last
thing is is I’m waiting to see if that
lipid pops out again so sometimes we
will stop and listen for birds or try
and look at birds but we’re also looking
and listening for little birds like
these owls I’d say we were said stopping
and looking for the animals like the
leopard or lying or whatever it might be
I can’t find this owl at the moment and
it’s let’s head across to James who has
found a line and we’ll continue our
search for a leopard but we have found
the lines there they are sitting in
amongst the rocks as predicted there
would be this one there
well I wouldn’t say caught in the most
elegant pose yeah we are young male but
there is very little around here for
them to eat so I’m going to be
fascinated to know what it is they do as
the night gets going now they’re doing
their kind of typical slowly waking up
thing cleaning then awfully often
they’re dozed off for a little while and
then slowly they’ll get up to move as
the darkness really starts to build and
it’s become quite dark quite quickly
tonight on account of the fact that
there is obviously thicker cloud over
the top of us
now you’re not going to see me anymore
because we have this special low-light
camera on and it’s lens is a bit too
long to be reaching where I’m sitting a
killer you’re wondering if thunder and
lightning will come well yes it could
certainly last night it came if there
was much thundering there was much
lightning there was very little rain
though so it could certainly come but
there’s been very little in the way of
thunder this evening there has been the
odd kind of rumble but they haven’t
really been a storm so much as a gentle
front moving over a very unusual well I
mean unusual in my humble experience
which is not extensive for this area not
to have a kind of crashing storm but
just a gentle drizzle that’s what we had
it’s just rock are well fed they are
because now the herds are not around
here at the moment their desire to hunt
may well be fueled by hunger rather than
the desire to
actually hunt and that is a fat male
he’s had a lot to eat over the last
little while but they’re going through
the motions of the greeting which is
encouraging he tells us perhaps they
won’t sleep quite as long as they did
last night
Rashmi you want to know which of the big
cats is my favorite roshni I never
particularly original answer to that I’m
afraid this is the leopard I really
enjoy leopards especially on foot yeah
because they are I don’t know they just
give me the impression of intelligence
like when they when I look down the the
eyes of a lion I see nothing but
blankness and when I look into the eyes
of a leopard I feel like I’m sort of
having my soul rate if you know what I
mean and that’s especially the case if
you’re on the foot lions don’t give me
the same impression obviously I love
them all they’re always all wonderful
creatures and I appreciate every second
that I spend with all of them but my
favorite would have to be the leopard
and my favorite leopards at the moment
that does change from time to time is
from Gilly and I haven’t seen her for a
very long time and I’m hoping or looking
forward to seeing her again Craig
there’s a faction up front desert big
male who’s going on there
that’s the big male now I think this is
a really interesting thing because
there’s big male here is well I don’t
know if it’s related or he’s the father
of that one or if they’ve just sit up a
little coalition together perhaps time
will tell
I believe that Byron has managed to have
some success in the great birding saga
which tends to continue ad nauseam
longer
well longer than a politician speech
really lets it across now look everyone
I don’t think this is the owl that we
heard but it is an owl it’s nonetheless
a beautiful pill spotted owl it that we
managed to find okay you can see the as
it turned its head you could see the
black markings very clearly on the back
of its head streaking down the chest
then I say but if I try roll forward a
little bit if maybe don’t worry just
hold it there
you can move oh there it goes there we
go nice
I love seeing these little owls we’ve
been very fortunate in the last two
weeks actually month I would say
spotting these little owls pearl spotted
owl at the African barred owl it and the
Scopes are all very similar in size very
small but they’ve all got wonderful
calls distinct calls that stand out in
in the evening
so another owl for us to enjoy
and Natalie you asked what is the
biggest pray that this owl could catch
well Natalie it’d probably be another
bird of sorts missy is sometimes in his
in the box of the apps they will they
will put a range of food that they’ve
seen these owls feeding on and may may
have been once not something that they
feed on regularly but let’s see if
they’ve got something so birds and
rodents lizards snakes bats interesting
diet – for these little owls but I would
say probably a rodent or a bird is
probably the largest type of prey that
it would go for
natural you asked if I can do an outlet
call well you are in luck
I can indeed so we try to save yeah
alright let’s see if I can do it for you
and hopefully it decides to call back so
we can compare yeah do you see that see
if it calls back that would be amazing
that’s the pearl spotted outlet call at
whistle
looking straight at me doesn’t seem very
impressed looks like it’s judging me
actually Oh heard an elephant in the
distance
Angeline you asked what is my favorite
owl but they have to be that little
scopes all I think beautiful an owl and
always hear them at night although I
mean the giant eagle owl is beautiful
the spotted eagle owl is great actually
here the spotted eagle owl in
Johannesburg see them often
yeah our house believe it or not in just
outside of the city now these little
pill spotted owl it’s the barred owl it
little scops owl is great it’s kind of
wonderful little cool good sounds
exactly like that see I can be to our
calls stopped down yet just looking out
for that leopard maybe it maybe it pops
out and and we see it before it crosses
it was heading south that male Lippett
so maybe we’re lucky gold rays you asked
if the if all elves hover when hunting
as far as I know they don’t howls will
fly and basically dive-bomb if I can put
it that way they’ll dive bomb and and
catch their prey they don’t hover
Shravan you asked if I’ve ever seen an
owl hunt I’ve never seen an outlet hunt
on owl hunt seen an hour feeding on
something before but never actually hunt
when there was some Franklin running
under the under the tree and that all
took a little look
but I think if Franklin would be a bit
too big for this for this bird I’m glad
we got to show you an owl I’m going to
move on see what else we can find
let’s head across to James and he’s
waiting for Lions to hunt not an owl I
am waiting for Lions to hunt I hope that
they will get up and hunt the waiting
process has certainly been lengthy many
many times over the course of the last
few weeks and now the dad do not hear
the renewing of the GU news anywhere
close to me I fear me that it’s going to
be even longer but their heads are up
can we go a little bit around to the
left hand side there Kroger’s – he sort
of over the top of my right shoulder is
that what you were
there’s my finger straight over there oh
the heads gone down again no okay there
was a lioness up there in the background
you can see this that’s what I wanted
she’s listening very intently to
something
so I don’t know what she’s listening to
and she’s perfectly camouflaged in
amongst the grass there I can hear
vaguely in the background one or two
hyenas calling and I may have in the
very far distance have heard a male lion
chastity you want to know if lions are
gonna hunt in a storm would they hunt in
a storm yes they would if the
opportunity presents itself they will
hunt in just about any conditions but I
suppose if the rain was really hard and
really quite sort of uncomfortably hard
then they are probably going to take
cover underneath a bush rather than hunt
so they might do that but there’s
certainly no well it’s getting pretty
black off to the east but I’m not sure
if that rain will reach us these
conditions and the drizzle that we had
earlier will allow them to hunt but we
can’t follow them on the hunt in the
rain unfortunately because we’ll get all
this equipment wait and then it will
break and then we will be sad because
there will be no broadcast at all ever
now that’s our big male I would put his
aged around about seven maybe even eight
tsehai winked at me when I said eight
definitely that’s how old he is and I’m
fascinated by the age of the other male
like I said two young males actually
both of them around about four three and
a half to four years old
kimberley wondering of the young male
lions have to feed every day they have
to eat every day and Kimberly the answer
is no absolutely not
these guys are still gonna grow but
they’re not sort of like ravenous human
teenagers who will eat their parents out
of house and home but certainly they do
need to eat probably more than the
lionesses do and more than a big male
does but they are I mean they don’t feed
every day certainly during them they
don’t need yesterday and they’re still
look very fat indeed but life is very
hard on a Sunday here you see you can
see that they’re rather exhausted but
they’re also very satisfied with how the
week has gone lying on their backs and
sweetie repose as the Sun has
disappeared and night comes which is of
course their time
Casta vu wondering which big cats live
longer and you know the best figures for
these come actually from zoos and from
captivity because in the wild be so very
seldom actually know how long they live
and the records that we do have I’m so
limited that to sort of extrapolate some
kind of an average from them either is
very difficult but in a place like the
sabi sand for example or the Mara where
the lions and leopards or our world are
certainly the Lions and the cheetah are
known very well you will find that the
average male lion lives to around about
10 years up to 16 though they have a
potential lifespan of 16 still dominant
at Lund Alosi in the southern parts of
the or central parts of the sabi sand
until there was 16 the famous Sparta
males then they they will there have
been leopards in the sabi sand that we
have known but we certainly know one of
at least lived to 17 and possibly
another to 18 those are females and
males oldest probably 14 or so and so
yeah you know on average I’d say a
leopard probably lives longer than a
lion or lioness probably seldom gets
beyond sort of 12 13 maybe 14 years if
she’s very very lucky so I’m gonna say
it leopards I think of the longest-lived
cheetah potentially in captivity could
live as long but I think out here you
know cheetahs life is one of is a very
risky one I think for them to reach the
ripe old age of 12 or 13 would be
unusual lioness rather I guess today
very intently looking around wondering
what perhaps there is on the menu for
this evening is it going to be veld
abyss – stroganoff is it going to be
zebra sausages is it perhaps going to be
impalas – who know
and Anissa as you say what a beautiful
scene
well that is inescapably true and I
think I can hear a night chalk cording
I’m not sure which one it is but keep
going I’m sure you can hear it doing
that to be so often you’re going to need
to go and infrared – what does that mean
Craig okay so do we need to link away or
can we stay here
no Rob we’re going to go across to Byron
he was searching with his flash
headlight thing so we’re going to put
this camera into infrared and when you
see us next we will be in black and
white now we just got our spotlight
charts and me having a look for any
nocturnal animals maybe some like
tonight we were lucky last night and
last night had a wonderful Bush baby and
you know it’s maybe some morals I’ve
said to Sebastian not to worry we are
going to find honey badgers
I think I’ve bitten off a little more
than I can chew with that promise but
who knows maybe imagine we find some
honey badgers now I’d be very happy
it’s a beautiful evening here tonight
there’s look at the color in the sky
that golden silhouette that we’ve got at
the moment of the trees it really is
beautiful
wonderful colors
apparently it’s about 22 degrees Celsius
72 degrees Fahrenheit I think it’s a bit
colder than that our weather station not
very reliable as we’ve said I don’t know
I won’t know where we get that reading
from me I need to find out perhaps go
turn the thermometer down a little bit
so white bronze grab Robin that we can
your calling
mixer solder sorry
naturally there are not necessarily
fewer chameleons but what happens is
they because there are reptiles there’s
not a lot of food around for them you
don’t see many of them around they do
conserve the energy so they’ll go into
hiding almost and the states of almost
estivation oh hang on those lines I
think that James has got it roaring
let’s go and listen to that well they
still going a little bit young male
roaring which is very cool
the big guy started it and then the
youngsters began and then the females
went to its go across to them quickly if
we can to the right you can see we’re
now in full infrared and they’re in
there somewhere a whole bunch of them
started yelling that’s often a precursor
to movement but just stressing it’s
often not a precursor to hunting
let’s see if they do the game it was
really very special to hear she’s up and
she’s missing
all very well fed so Lucy slight limp
there on her front left foot very slight
wouldn’t affect her in a hunt but
certainly you can see she is favoring
the right front she can farm to the
male’s iqc I’m watching the screen not
exactly the same as youself and I can’t
tell if they are I have to watch my
screen
make it go just going to try and
extricate myself out of this very large
rock field if they do start to move
she’s a 12 o’clock no she’s out too
often they move just a little bit away
which is quite polite to them either
you’re wondering if lions are nocturnal
em yes they are nocturnal to some extent
most animals aren’t here are largely
crepuscular which means they’re active
dawn and dusk but certainly lions move
towards the nocturnal you know we’ve
spent a lot of time with them all night
over the last sort of three months or so
and quite often what you find there
they’re gonna call again
well she’s courting now she might see a
lizard
we found this is sleep I’m sort of in
the clock to 5 o’clock in the morning
that’s more contact cool than a
territorial one
just see how I clinking between two
stalks of grass through the middle just
moved away the backs of their ears
it amazes me that black back years are
just a little bit difficult to get
focused on something so an obvious maybe
even conspicuous in amongst the grass
there
naturally as the lightning flashes there
you say does it make any of the animals
scatty do you mean mad by Scotty or do
you mean scared I don’t I think it makes
them afraid sometimes differently I
think Thunder certainly makes them
afraid from time to time does it make
them mad does it make them run around no
I don’t think it does I think any animal
that is scared will leave the attempt to
move away oh if it’s right overhead
would attempt to find some form of cover
so they’ll get under a bushel and
retreat but like my dad’s old dog trucks
all used to do he used to put its nose
in the corner and sit there whenever
there was any thunder I think wow these
lines are certainly braver and more
courageous than tribes aw hey hey also
we get nervous in a huge lightning and
thunder storm maybe I is just shining in
the darkness
ah
mkl you only know there’s other lights
that are the safari trucks no they’re
not
they are the lights of a place called
the Morris Sun and I don’t know what the
other one is so there are two places
where you can stay as a tourist on the
hill so they’re way away on the other
loaded escarpment in fact they’ve just
gone out and there’s obviously been a
power cut now that’s a useful good part
of the park at at camp as well luckily
we have an uninterrupted power supply
system that works some of the time it
seems to be working now Dixon and it’s
interesting good luck though staying at
the Morrison
[Music]
okay let’s just get across the others
because he probably not moved with the
others girl hunting
he’ll probably Disney Nick there’s some
more laughing in the background
the generators have kicked in of the
places I was talking about okay we’re
gonna have to move now
just need to get it on the top there
move with us because of the rock field
now let’s stop there but we seem to have
stopped yeah they’ve gone to sleep we
won’t need to move just yet he’s giving
a little bit of lemon grimacing us will
tell us quite quickly if he is related
to these lionesses I think on reflection
that he probably is but that lemon
grimacing indicates that he’s attempting
or certainly testing whether or not
these lionesses are ready to mate and if
the male tolerates that I’ll be amazed
the big male I mean that is obviously a
male he’s playing her very very close
attention in the same way that a male
follows an e stress female and I’m
marking his territory quite close to her
for him to be roaring at this age is is
unusual he’s in nowhere he’s no her
close to being a territorial male lion
yet he’s not nearly big enough but he
may have tacked himself onto this other
big male it’s good just to the right
there try and see if we can’t spot some
of the others
can you see the others there true then
we got one there looking there okay
alrighty we’re not gonna move from here
we’re gonna wait and see what these
lions do in the meantime we’re going to
get back across to byron who’s wafting
his spotlight around like Sholto there’s
a Quran in front of us I don’t to shine
the light on it I’m actually just gonna
turn the lights off sorry say I
understand these you’ve got infrared but
that is the Quran I can hear another one
calling in a distance it looks like the
way it’s walking it looks like it’s a
little little tipsy perhaps from left to
right
anyone is it
I’m safe it’s just yeah just making a
glimpse of this little Quran again if we
can process there
just I just wanted to double-check so
it’s fine say you say it looks like I’m
honey ostrich somebody’s it does a
little bit nice to see the Quran red
crested Quran you seen a few of them
actually we haven’t seen the
black-bellied bastard yet to our list
this is one that we trying to get I am
really so excited about the bird that we
did get this afternoon
the black cuckoo Shrike the female black
cuckoo Shrike beautiful bird and that
was a surprise I didn’t think we’d get
one of those I’ve only seen one before
i mean now in the area you just i
suppose you don’t see them that often
so that was a really nice surprise we
are 91 species of birds that we’ve
managed to get on camera nine more until
we reach that hunt 100 mark and we’ve
still got a few more days to get this so
I’m hoping so all right we’re going to
continue using our illumination device
to find animals let’s go across to Scott
who also has his spotlight art
Honus was that Betty at Fox that Scott
got to see that’s a nice surprise
beautiful bat-eared Fox unfortunately
apologies in lost sound day for a second
hopefully it’ll be up again soon but
Scott’s managed to spot a lot of these
little creatures the servos bat-eared
Fox wonderful creatures that we don’t
really see down here we don’t see
battered foxes yeah I’ve seen the
battered foxes up in the Kalahari we see
plenty over there but not this area
what’s that in the cross looks like a
jackal perhaps no I lied to Decker
I apologize everyone I was just checking
I was just checking I was actually
jealous it’s got good to see all these
other little creatures I was hoping then
I found one too but no it’s a baker in
order to shine the spotlight on the
little daycare just look strange the big
eyes that were shining back at us so it
looked almost like it was something else
in the grass
that’s as terrible
sometimes we get it wrong but at least
we corrected it
asou habe you asked if cats or owls have
better night vision I would guess
owls to be honest but I don’t know I
have no idea my guess would be owls
because you know they oh now this is
interesting now I’m trying to think I’m
doubting myself a little bit yet
the owl’s
let me think on this for a second before
I answer because if you think about it I
suppose
let’s think of a cat like the African
Wildcat or the serval
they’ve got incredible eyesight but that
will soon rely on this on their hearing
and they’ll listen out for movement in
the grass and then they’ll pounce and
try and catch all a rodent or anything
they might be moving through them
through the grouse
the Owls will sit and will perch on
trees and they’d look around and I think
they pick up on the movement that they
are sightfirst
so maybe the hearing of the cats is
better but the eyesight of the Owls
might be better that would be my guess
so maybe we can ask James or Scott if we
head back to them and let’s ask James
what he thinks let’s go to him now he’s
got that lioness that he’s been sitting
with for a while I’m not sure who’s got
better night vision I would say possibly
an owl and all of course has got
binocular vision I think a lion probably
does as well but an owl has to pick up
on something much more accurately so
something worked depends upon the artist
but but something that he’s catching
rats and monkeys and that sort of thing
in the night time has got to be very
very accurate about where it lands and
places its talons whereas a lion like
that it’s hunting a wildebeest or a
zebra well she’s just got to kind of run
at the thing and then jump on it and
it’s a much bigger target so I’m going
to say that owls this is entirely a
guess based on what they have to catch
have probably got slightly better eyes
then Lions do that is my take on the
matter
it’s completely silent now just the odd
cricket game creep leap leap leap leap
leap leap leap leap and every so often
these lions turn their heads to listen
and that’s normally because there’s
another lion calling miles and miles
away I’m interested to know if Scott’s
lions are calling at all I’m just trying
to listen over to where he is I can’t
see any there was there two young ones
and I don’t think there would be calling
but anything goes during migration
season and a lot of the theories we’ve
had about how animals should and
shouldn’t behave around clean out of the
window as we’ve watched this migration
season unfold
whether you’re wondering of lions have a
mating season whether they don’t have a
mating season they have they will mate
anytime and what’s interesting is that
it’s pretty much goes in cycles of about
two and a half to three years so a
lioness will give birth to Cubs they and
then she will breed again and two and a
half to three years and she’ll come into
Easter’s but of course you’ll come into
East hrus much more quickly than that if
she loses those Cubs so those Cubs die
probably any time up to their till
they’re about two to two-and-a-half
years she will almost immediately come
into Easter’s again though in fact it’s
probably two to three years that the
cycle exists and what’s interesting that
she will not give birth again so most
animals of course are capable of giving
birth once many animals are capable of
giving birth once a year but the strain
of raising and feeding a group of
youngsters is enormous on lions so
unlike something like a wildebeest for
example which means it around about
three months three or four months or so
then linka starts eating grass will
burst immediately obviously lions and
lion cubs have to be fed until they’re
about eighteen months to two years old
because they’re pretty useless on the
hunt before then and so in order for her
to look after them effectively
she can’t have new Cubs even they’re
physiologically there would be no
problem with her having Cubs I think
we’re gonna have some greeting this
doesn’t look like a an attempt to go on
the hunt just yet
she’s just moving towards the males as
she crate like I said I can’t see I’m
just watching the screen same as you
and they’re they layer of the males
greet greet often a precursor to
movement often a precursor to a hunt as
I’ve said but I don’t know this lot
confounded me last night with their
sleeping not more than 50 meters or so
from a large herd of sleeping wildebeest
and I’m down to sleep young male is
moving out of the way
now I’m very glad that Scott seems to
have not only found a Betty at Fox but
he’s found his gravelly voice thanks
James yes it was a great little sighting
of that bat see at Fox and I’m glad that
my voice is working again I’m a little
bit out of focus because mono has got a
bazooka on the pedestal and therefore
cannot focus on me but I just thought I
would say goodbye from a blurry faced me
and thanks for joining in on the safari
we are not closing up shop just yet we
all still be out all night essentially
one of us tell is going to be doing the
late night shift
mono and I as well as James and Craig
are gonna be standing by with the lines
until she comes out a little bit later
on so if there’s some good potential
action lined up for later on for another
for the regular p.m. Safari it’s been
great I’m gonna say goodbye to you and
over to Byron we were still wandering
around the Sabu sounds I actually don’t
have a clue what he’s doing but I’m sure
he’s going to show you a good time well
thank you very much Scott and James up
in the Mara this afternoon wonderful
afternoon with them before the lions
and that battered fox of course that
that Scot head I’m very happy about that
that’s wonderful
something different we had a great
afternoon to that big elephant bull in
the beginning and then of course ting
gana
it was great to follow him again that
beautiful big male leopard and an owl a
pull spotted owl it so it was a
successful afternoon for us
no honey badgers though we tried but
unfortunately no luck with honey badgers
maybe before I leave we get a view of
one that would be great and of course
that black and cuckoo Shrike so added a
really nice sighting of that cuckoo
strike so that every tallest 91 species
apparently I’ve had a request from
Rebekah and final control in the Mara
she wants to see a bush baby Rebekah
I’ll trauma-based but if I can’t find
you one in the next 60 seconds go and
watch last night’s show we we found we
had a great view of one last night
anyway thank you again to the team in
the Mara always nice having them join us
and thank you Sebastian
the French Connection himself on camera
with me those nice afternoon
Thank You Meg’s in final control and
thank you everybody
and thank you for your questions and
comments it’s always nice to hear from
you we’ll see you tomorrow morning on
our Sunrise Safari have a wonderful
evening
erasing your day goodbye everyone
that we have got untold troubles and
I’ll show you why I think we have untold
troubles let me just get to this corner
over here I think if you look up that’s
where we live a tango mammarra
unfortunately not in here salubrious
guest tents that they have there well
there are tents very salubrious but you
can’t see above there there is a fairly
large strong burgeoning and I think that
that changes the atmospheric pressure
well obviously it does plays havoc with
signal and it is therefore you know I’m
guessing that we are struggling to
broadcast for you sorry we left those
vultures we had to do that we didn’t
know when we’d ever see you again but
here you are back again there’s also a
very large storm which I’m going to show
you over here
there it is an enormous storm coming in
from the east which makes me deeply
terrified to the core of my being as I
quiver in my small size sevens its it
across to Scotch Dyson and he’ll the
beard like a male line and see if this
time he’s able to say hello to you it
isn’t working I would put it down to a
cable jiggling extraterrestrial being in
outer space possibly those are my
thoughts my name’s Scott Dyson it’s
great to have you on board with myself
and Manu on camera we have decided to
drive the river road which takes herself
from our camp in the hope that we may
find Skaar a big mayor line he likes to
lurk a little bit further south from
here quite close to the river he works
both sides of the river you actually
swims across it’s from time to time and
for those of you who don’t know about
Skaar or haven’t heard about him he is a
massive massive really impressive male
lion beautiful big black mane and we
haven’t seen him for a while there’s a
request by somebody I forgot who this
morning for us to go and look for him as
well as another request that came
through this afternoon
from a special friend of mine so that is
the plan and we’re gonna loop around
back to the young to young male lions
that we had this morning if we don’t
have any further luck hopefully the
storm that we’re heading towards there
James I think also just showed you it’s
not going to affect us but we do have a
circus-like tent that we can drop down
cover ourselves up and keep dry just
doesn’t make for the most entertaining
Safari sadly so let’s fingers crossed
hope for a to be else we’re just not
around us we do need the rain in the
general area just not right where we are
what’s fascinating on that topic is that
we’ve really worked arts and got an
understanding of how localized the rain
can be sometimes up at camp which is up
on the escarpment the oil or a scarf
into our rights just a little bit
further behind us up there can be
raining and down here it can be dry and
vice versa yet the distances can be very
very short between where the rain is
falling and where it is not I have got
good news we are gonna stop very quickly
and show you some striped animals before
we send you south to Juma to show you a
spotted animal one of the most iconic of
Africa and a very very beautiful one
indeed over to byron now we are going to
go and try and hope one of the other
guides he’s found some leopard tracks
and and they look fairly fresh so we’re
gonna try and maybe work in that area
and give him a hand quickly because but
giant eagle owl but we haven’t seen it
for quite some time now I’m not sure if
it’s possibly just moved from these
trees maybe further down the river and
the dry riverbed this is the Marathi and
that we are sitting above at the moment
so don’t know they they tend to move
from tree to tree especially this big
jackal berry
these thick trees always nice too for
them to roost up there during the day a
lot of cover a lot of foliage for them
to hide in until eventually they will
come out at night
be a bit more active and try and hunt
well though the other day I say that but
the other day Tristan got that giant
eagle owl that was feeding on something
and caught in the morning or in the
afternoon
Tristan watched it the afternoon it was
busy feeding in one of these trees I’ve
spotted some vervet monkeys let’s see if
we can get a glimpse of them can you see
it there
there it is just looking down at us
that’s a young one little vervet monkey
enjoying the afternoon Sun in this big
jackal berry like the scientific name of
the jackal berry actually I mean we
James used to draw these scientific
names into us you’d have to know them
and it is important so you don’t get
confused between the trees and different
common names sometimes common names get
confused but with scientific names it
only has one name so it can’t be called
a number of different things because the
jackal Berry was also used to be known
as the ebony but the scientific name is
diospyros misspell it formas
I say that five times fast
you see these monkeys are enjoying the
Jaco berry fruit at the moment the
jersey lady and Jenny animation you are
very excited and happy that we found
some monkeys this is always fun and
entertaining to watch some of the
monkeys outside of camp and away from
camp I say that because they can get
very cheeky and they do steal things
like food and sugar and coffee and all
sorts of if you leave anything out the
monkeys and the baboons will possibly
raid the camp so it’s nice to see them
out of the camp and feeding on natural
food like this jackal berry fruit
I also think with these monkeys being
around they would probably probably
irritate the owl and probably chase the
owl out of the trees
now Eduardo you are asking just
something that was on my mind you were
wondering if the Eagle Owl the giant
eagle owl could feed on on one of these
monkeys and see if there is any any sign
of them feeding on monkeys and yes there
is and water they would so maybe the
younger monkeys adults a baboon baboons
are far too big but the younger smaller
monkeys yes the Giant Eagle are will try
and catch them but I think if these are
monkeys around in the trees and the
adults will probably chase the owl away
it’s interesting this
it’s interesting if they say that a
giant eagle owl can even has even been
recorded in catching young piglets
warthog piglets well that’s interesting
I wouldn’t have guessed that
od farming you asked if there any other
primates around here that we see yes and
the baboons the Chacma baboon probably
not probably it is the largest primates
out here other than Tristan but he’s on
leave at the moment so it’s I managed
hiking Tristan I manage I could say tied
up with tied names through to James I’m
sure you’d have something to say about
this but it’s go and see what he’s doing
a nice Drive is going
now are up here because we want to get a
bit of a Vantage over the Mara and see
what is left this is Val de beers twice
so we’re just going to gaze out towards
the river which is the band of trees in
the far distance next to which I believe
Scott is now taking shelter from the
rain which makes me very nervous indeed
no tell you that there is actually a lot
of wildebeest action off to the far east
and south issue areas that it’s good and
I can still hear some canoeing and
annoying rain is starting to fall but
it’s not certainly not heavy enough yet
for us to stop so let us continue shall
we Craig what I’ll do is just start the
car it’s very noisy this car I’m going
to start us off we are on the slope and
then switch off and we can just roll
down the hill together dulcet sounds of
the 300d turbo diesel
so that is agrees this is not a fan of
the diesel engine I don’t think we’re
gonna go along there I think we’re gonna
go all the way down yeah mr. cactus what
an appropriate name you have for the
question you’ve asked you say are there
any invasive species of concern in the
Mara well other than the human being I’m
going to say not really although I have
seen one or two species of cactus which
of course are not indigenous to Africa
there is no indigenous cactus species in
Africa and so – I don’t think there are
any that are of major concern no yes
there will be various exotics that come
down the rivers when they come down in
flood any river that runs through a
rural village or town or it doesn’t even
need to be ruled that can be urban he’s
going to bring with it all sorts of
things that aren’t necessarily supposed
to be in an area like this and so I’m
sure that happens all the time but there
are no like in various parts of Africa
for example the water hyacinth has taken
over enormous part of water systems and
blocked them up and made things very
difficult and we know that cactus is
overrun some places South Africa’s got
major problems with something called a
coma leaner or tripping weed out here I
don’t know of any major issues so that’s
quite nice actually it’s a tremendously
resilient ecosystem this
it is quite spectacular and I think that
it’s you know it’s well one hesitates in
fact one should never use the term in
harmony where as far as nature goes
because it gives a full sense of a kind
of peacefulness that exists
this ecosystem and its occupants from a
human and animal point of view have been
here for much longer than they have in
many parts of Southern Africa’s
ecosystem for example with the exception
of perhaps Botswana Namibia which have
hardly any people in them at all this
ecosystem has been functionally
functioning like this probably for close
on a hundred thousand years and if you
include our ancient human ancestors more
than a million years and I think that’s
given it a resilience to our effects on
it that perhaps many others do not have
I’m speaking of which this is going to
be the very first time I’ve done this
there’s a beautiful white flower look
what it is I don’t know Judy AIT’s your
first your very first flower test of the
Maasai Mara what on earth is that thing
ugh pointed out that when I was showing
you something the other day there was a
beautiful here red flower next to it and
she pointed out that I had not mentioned
it and I hadn’t even noticed dreadful it
was of me anyway there is the flower for
you th and you can try and tell me what
it is I couldn’t begin to imagine afraid
the rains now starting to fall a little
distressing you know much we can do
about that all right let’s head across
to byron i believe who’s looking for
number 91 on his bird list byron of
course he said drawing the saga rot
forever
Wow what is that hold on everyone
I’ve got an interesting but there it is
can you see it flew back again sorry sir
sorry I said we’ve got a bird that I
definitely it’s not at all it’s not on
the list
there it goes oh it’s you know what
might get a glimpse hold on everyone
this is very exciting this is not a bird
we see very often at all there it goes
again
let’s see if we can get it oh there you
guys there it’s straight did you get
this on is that dark there we go there
we go quickly everyone get loads of
screenshots yeah now I need to look
quickly what is that
give me I can go work it out work it out
I think is it not an Eastern no no mind
it’s not that
yeah what is that
I’m as it mother I’ve hit a complete
blank Lee is a bird I’ve got in my mind
and I can’t remember the name for some
reason that you don’t see very often and
I’m sure some of my friends are shouting
at me now because I can’t get it so you
can give it in I’m short to still in
this tree some way but I know cuckoo
strike
it was another black cuckoo Shrike hold
on let me just look here and see if I
can find it I think it’s a female black
cuckoo Shrike if I’m not mistaken it is
yeah I almost had a moment where I was
getting very cross with myself
it is a female black cuckoo Shrike
everyone that is a wonderful bird to see
look at that that is a lovely lovely
bird the black cuckoos Rach I’m sorry
they’re just some other vehicles coming
through yeah I’m gonna just move out of
this area I don’t drive I knew I knew
it’s frustrating sometimes when you’ve
got a bird in mind you just can’t
remember the name thank one that I did
not expect to see a black cuckoo truck
and that is wonderful
there is really really great I got so
excited I forgot the name can you
believe it no well but that is a lovely
sighting of one I’m glad I think some
friends of mine as I said some friends
of mine are probably shouting at me now
Craig and Alistair watching so if you
guys are watching I don’t know if you
knew what that was actually probably not
I’m sure they’ll send me messages and
see if a Sunday of course
so everybody’s having Sunday lunch and
getting together with friends see we
have to work on Sundays so Canada we
don’t mind I said that’s not that’s not
really work
it’s a pity there isn’t any water in
chili pan straight up completely it’s a
little pan that we’re approaching now so
we would have a lot of birds around
there I really did not expect to see a
black cuckoo strike that does a great
surprise
you know what ii haven’t seen in a while
everyone is too rough I was just
thinking about that now I haven’t seen
her off for quite some time
about a week I think of the last time we
saw giraffe
I just want to have a look around it and
see if we can’t pick up another bird or
two but in the meantime let’s head
across the Scott that Sun is bright and
apparently he’s got rain covers on it
might be raining there already
this is due to the fact that green
canvas one above us well it’s not made
very well and does like a sieve so we’ve
got this blue tarp on top of that and we
can’t have semi bunk it down now what I
want to try and do is work some angles
there’s some beautiful rays of Sun
poking up you’re just gonna have to park
the car I’m hoping this will give man
enough of a view just to sneak through
beautiful look at that the sun’s coming
through the clouds and it is making a
wonderful scene but there is some slight
drizzle I mean it’s on and off but as
soon as it does start raining we cannot
take any chances we’ve got some
seriously funky and expensive equipment
on these vehicles to make this live
broadcast possible and we would hate for
it to get wet the good news is we are
redeveloping and redesigning the roof
and the canvas structure and our first
new modifications should be in will
finished soon I’m hoping within the next
week which will make our lives a lot
easier with regards to the rainy weather
so that’s something to look forward to
impressed by the Traveling Circus and I
am happy to hear that that’s good news
very good news actually we try our best
and that’s one of the things with Safari
live is that because we’re kind of the
only people to really do this kind of a
thing we have to pioneer new roads and
new ways to get things done sometimes
it’s not very pretty but it often does
work and this is an example of that the
amount of tinkering and work that’s done
tool in order to get all the equipments
on these vehicles and working and linked
together there’s actually quite
phenomenal and I love watching the tech
guys and cameramen work out the puzzles
and mysteries to get everything working
enough about that it sounds like you
have got some beautiful sunny weather in
South Africa not like the glue
rainy weather here in the Maasai Mara so
why don’t you go on jump on Barnes car
and enjoy the sunshine so we still
trying to work on our bird list
apparently this excuse me a second sir
I’m just listening to the radio to the
radio sorry I’m just listening to the
radio the guides that are looking for
that Leopard so maybe we can help each
other find that Leopard sorry I’m just
listening everyone giving second these
guides are updating each other sounds
like they might have found the leopard
or caught a glimpse caught a glimpse of
the leopard
mic mic for my mic sorry I’ve just been
on foot for 20 minutes have you still
got visual of an animal okay copy that
no problems no rush that’s fine thanks
very much Mike copy no problem we’ll get
an update later thank you oh that’s
great news it sounds like they’ve found
a male leopard everyone I’m not sure
which male it is yet but it sounds like
they they have found the male leopard
and now there are two three vehicles
already in that area looking for him so
they found him but it sounds like he’s
gone and laid down in the move our team
so that’s okay that you can use for us
so we’ll let them overview and we’ll go
in a little bit later and I’m sure we’ll
get some to be honest it might even be
better for us to go but later because
possibly we’ll get that leopard moving
around that’s what I’m hoping for and
maybe better light exactly so let’s
carry on driving around and see what
else we can find for now we’ll give the
other guests of you and then we’ll try
getting there a little bit later I think
that’ll work out nicely for us
and see it hops to chat to one another
on radio you know we were fortunate the
other day we found her sana and we let
the other guides know and they came in
and enjoyed the sighting with us vice
versa we all keep in touch and it’s very
important
while we are guiding and just making it
a little bit easier to look for these
animals because of course we can’t be
everywhere all the time but there’s
always something going on Archer so if
we try to spread out and cover huge a
larger distance or larger area then
we’ll probably find more
okay well someone who’s not going to be
concerned about the rain is stiff who is
actually in the in the control room at
the moment watching the river cams good
afternoon and yes welcome to the river
campus for the first time today it has
been very quiet on these river cameras
today and I think it is because of the
increased flow of water as you can see
from that fantastic shot from my north
my name is Stefan turbo and it is my
pleasure to to to host these river cams
for you today but I do want to do is Wow
before we lose it I’d love to show you a
shot from the mountain cam please no
don’t go anywhere can you see that that
is a oh that is just such a lucky shot
for us I’ve been trying to get that for
ages so this is a auger Buzzard that is
part of a pay that come on windy days up
into this valley that we live in and I
think hover for a while to silhouette
themselves against the sky so that other
organisms can actually see them
silhouetted against the dark sky see if
I can get us in a little bit better
there we go
legs out to create a little bit of drag
where we going we come back here bird
and there we go back in t this is the
one and did wanna stay still today
still in the same place there we go and
as you can see there’s enough wind speed
at the moment to allow this burger that
flapping to stay aloft and they’re just
fantastic its hunting at the moment
actually saw a mouse in the in the bush
now I was busy walking in the bush just
before I came through and I saw a mouse
now so they’re out enjoying the this is
gonna give the feel let me just go a bit
wide and use VM during breaths
bird following technique
isn’t that just the most amazing thing
we see this burden most days here
I believe it’s the same bird could
possibly be have you got enough
roshni you say you really envying us in
the Mara right now roshni where are you
stuck on this planet today you can’t
just say something like that without
letting us know where you are and what
you are doing it is a brilliant day
Archer in the Mara I must be honest it’s
been overcast and quite cold a work of
cold this morning for the first time
since we got here six months ago and it
hasn’t really warmed up the whole day it
stayed this sort of gloomy this gloomy
me darken a little bit you can see the
cloud cover above us rate with
relatively high up quite thick clouds
hanging over the escarpment here and
it’s been rather blustery hasn’t rained
at all although that seems like it’s
going to be changing for Scott and James
shame it I’ve I feel for them out there
on days like this it is not comfortable
in these cars when it rains at all an
extra fact that almost be in a city when
it rains anyway let’s go through the
cameras a little bit I want to show you
something if we could go to cul-de-sac
crossing please Ellis I did mention that
it was raining last night as you can see
there’s been a lot of rain the rivers
actually come up and subsided again
really quickly which tells us something
about what this river and what its
drainage line is is really like it’s got
a really sharp increase with a really
sharp drop-off so there the water raised
up you can see where it flooded across
the sand bank last night and then it has
dropped again throughout the day there’s
a big crocodile there it did bring with
it and another caucus now yesterday for
those of you are watching
we saw three caucuses come down the
river I don’t know if this is one of
them our doubted I think this is
probably a new one a wildebeest caucus
which is washed up on the on the
sandbanks day and which would at some
bull at some point be devoured by
crocodiles either in this pool all
further down the stream isn’t it just
amazing how this river is so
temperamental
it is amazing Kenya is in the grips of a
drought at the moment and from what I’m
told from colleagues of mine that this
river is about half the heart of what it
should be it should be halfway up that
Bank that is the height that it should
be at the moment for this time of the
year isn’t an incredible 1/2 the water
now let’s go to Dusty crossing you’re
free could there is dusty crossing and
at dusty crossing we’ve got a crocodile
that probably throughout the course of
the evening moved into this position
that you see right now and and has been
lying there for the day it’s probably
been out of the weather for for this for
this croc which is allowed to maintain a
pretty decent body temperature I’m sure
because wind is not going to be can
excuse the freezing that we’re getting
from the camera at the moment with all
the moisture in the air woopsie cameras
on a road mission alright let’s go over
to Maine south while dusty gets itself
under control again what happens is we
lose signal with these cameras and and
from time to time one goes on a road
mission like you see over there now and
doesn’t get the signal to turn around or
to switch off so what we can see at
Maine South Crossing is a hammock
cupboard which is not all that unusual
hammock of birds are fairly common out
here but you hardly ever get to see them
on these cameras they tend to be pool or
pool dwellers where they use their feet
and their beak to try and hunt for
invertebrates and I think what’s
happened with this particular river is
as it’s come up it’s brought to the
whole bunch of insects and as its
subsided again those insects have taken
refuge in detritus and the hammer coupe
has now come into that detritus to try
and glean itself a dinner or a supper
right now just waterproofing its
feathers
it’s a heron can see that fancy
feathered headdress that gives it its
name hammer hammerhead bird this was
I’ve also heard it referred to in
English as a lightning bird
hammock coupe means hammerhead and it’s
the Dutch or I suppose Dutch German
Afrikaans Flemish description of this
particular vid but at the moment we did
I’ll just call it a lightning bit and
the reason for that is that the local
guys in the Kruger National Park the
local Shang garden guys believe that if
the snake if this bird builds a nest in
the tree above your house that it’s
gonna cause lightning to strike there
many guys why don’t we gonna have a look
at Scott she’s got a fantastic sunset to
show you well is this not absolutely
breathtaking mana has worked his magic
on this camera and the Sun has worked
it’s magic to break through what is a
very very cloudy and somewhat drizzly
afternoon in the Maasai Mara you can
possibly hear
the drizzle pitter pattering down on top
of our circus tent we have half opened
the tent and as we did that it’s started
raining again but we’ve positioned
ourselves with our bottom towards the
wind well in the in the direction the
winds coming from so most of the rain is
hitting the closed back half of the
vehicle and the front half of the
vehicle other than my back and this
little section here you can see a few
spots of rain have made it into the car
but not many just to here just coming
from basically behind us and it’s not
because we’re trying to go in that
direction I suggested tomorrow we could
possibly reverse all the way there and
just give you shots along the way
because putting the flaps up and down
takes a little bit of time but it stops
so you can continue
I really do love that bird that you’re
looking at with Steph that I’m a cop
they’re one of my favorite birds to
watch hunting there are great hunters
they use their toes to detect their prey
it sounds like birds on the menu this
afternoon because Byron is also
searching for pairs oh we need to stop
because the sun’s even looking better
now let’s just show you a quick look
there’s our know how much is to the
circus the circus tent let me show a
little bit more okay now mono should be
able to get the majority of that array
that is really looking quite beautiful
that’s bursting through on the left
magic okay well let’s try that again
I hope Byron doesn’t have a bird that’s
ready to flutter away because that would
be a great pity if that was the case he
is on an incredible quest to try and
reach 100 birds as I’m sure he’s told
you I’m hoping he does succeed he’s
nearly there why don’t you can see what
he’s found all right we are trying to
continue our bird-watching however our
patience has paid off they found a male
leopard earlier now we going to go and
join that sighting one of the other
guides managed to find a mallet but he’s
lying in the Milwaukee so I’m hoping we
get a nice view of him not sure who it
is yet but let’s go and have a look I’m
very excited we’re not too far
we’re almost done in the drainage line
so this is going to be
quite spectacular I hope he might be
lying down in the thicket but we’ll sit
and spend time with him maybe we get to
see him moving around the wind again is
picked up substantially and it’s
actually quite chilly now it’s not very
pleasant I’m looking forward to getting
down into this drainage line maybe you
will have a bit of cover
just need to work out what our best
approaches I know they did I think he’s
down in the drainage line summer what
I’m going to do is only to go downstream
in the Malati from this area over here
alright well let me head down here and
see if I can get a but closer to this
this leopard and while I do that let’s
go across to Steph who’s watching some
elephant there’s an elephant that is
just crossing the river does the
crossing but unfortunately the istick
crossings camera is still a bit errant
we’re losing a gaining signal from dusty
crossings camera and of course I’ll even
gain the ability to control it from a
couple of miles away but it’ll be nice I
think I’m just gonna leave this one in
shot have a look at this elephant he’s
obviously feeling with his trunk the
bottom of the of the riverbed to make
sure that it doesn’t fall into any holes
but just look at this completely at home
using an idea of how deep the river
actually is a big bull elephant like
this we could there’s a nice cool drink
a big bull elephant like this I could
probably walk underneath the front of
his armpits that’s a tall he is maybe
just brushing the top of my head but
around about six feet tall underneath
his his armpits you could see the tree
in the background a shaking in the wind
there’s a lot of a lot of wind down in
this valley at the moment and Alice
tells me that there’s a lot of you out
there that are are enjoying and are
excited to see an elephant he’s quite
ready to see an elephant in this river
must be honest with you it’s not a very
common thing at all what are you doing
boy why are you digging around there
with your trunk maybe goes right down in
there wonder if he’s gonna have a swim
do you think he’s gone into there
there’s a hippo giving a bit of a yawn
and that’s just the hippo saying this is
my patch please just leave it alone
let’s just hit boaters they massively
insecure hippos to be honest with you
no rush knew you 100% right does hippos
are never really happy but they suffer
from a big inferiority complex I think I
have to show people how angry they are
on Thresh around and make a big noise
wow look at deep that elephant’s gone
how awesome is that Wow truth is a lot
deeper in that particular point then I
gave it credit for must be honest with
you come go for a swim Ellie surely you
won’t have a bit of a swim
I love YouTube you’ve just asked me a
fantastic name you’ve just asked me if
those hippos would would mess with that
elephant no they wouldn’t
hippos suffering from their big
inferiority complex know that they’d be
outmatched with an elephant even
aggressive things like white rhinoceros
I have seen elephant even youngsters
killed 11 have got the advantage of of
height and with those big tusks and
trunk basically just lean on the saddle
of anything smaller than them and I’ll
break their backs
that was absolutely special to see don’t
you think and from it and from a camera
that is busy playing up at the moment
let’s see with the silly ghost he’s just
gonna walk up the bank over there it
gives you an idea of our deputies if a
firt underneath is on pit that would
probably be where my elbows are if I to
lift my elbows above my head that’s how
deep the water was so fairly deep
actually at that particular point as you
can see elephant not worried about it in
the absolute least then as the water
joins the bank by the rocks you’ll see a
wat necked bird that is a grey heron it
is that excuse me I’ve got hiccups Wow
trying to deal with that and that is a
grey heron other than the black necked
Aaron which is which is common on the
grassy plains this particular heron
quite often hunts the river’s fringes
for frogs and for crabs and for other
invertebrates the wind is pumping down
this riverbed at the man why don’t we
gonna have a look at main north just so
that we can finish having a look at
exactly how much water actually came
down that is a nice view of the rapids
at main North I definitely think that a
wildebeest or zebra crossing here now
would be washed down and I’m wondering
if it’s gonna change what they perceive
as being a possible crossing point or
not is rain now falling at cul de sac
crossing and it hasn’t started to for it
looks like the
so wait that looks like it might be
falling there where we had it is
incredible him it difficult to actually
gauge where these storms are going I
don’t know the exact twists and turns of
this river and the reason for that is
that we don’t yet have access to walking
around this river and it would have been
the first thing that I would have done
is walk the banks of this river to find
out exactly will the twists and turns
are how far the cameras off from one
another where they going what’s the
river doing with all the little secret
places that’s for sure all right what
are we gonna have a look at the pool
cul-de-sac crossing let’s go and see
what those hippo are doing sometimes
there’s just too much to choose from
over here I called the SAC Crossing is
is my favorite crossing not only is it
on the on the banks of the river as it
exits the forest so there’s a huge
forest that is that is part of the Mara
River and it Peters out right at
cul-de-sac crossing and so I find it
quad a for lack of a better word I
suppose a romantic crossing it’s just
got the forest on one side it’s got a
huge big palm tree on the other it’s
it’s it’s a lovely crossing it’s quite
peaceful but it it doesn’t speak to the
fact that we’ve seen mass murder at this
crossing on a scale that you don’t even
understand we’ve seen drownings a couple
of a couple of dozen will to be 6070
wildebeest drowning it’s going to see
what these are in the tree over there
they look like vultures we see thousands
upon thousands of animals cross at this
crossing more often crossing here than
anywhere else yep those are vultures
let’s see if we can see what types of
vultures they’re just weathering out the
storm
let’s see if we can ID these vultures
the most common of the vultures a large
area is the white back vulture and I
think these two on the left are the
write-back vulture and I think they’re
all white bipods I don’t know what this
one is on this side but looking very
bedraggled anyway Baron has finally
found his lip
and so we are going to be sending you
across to him now enjoy yourselves
alright now we’ve just caught a glimpse
of this male leopard and I think it’s in
Ghana hold on maybe we can see him
through there so before I move what do
you want me to move a bit further is he
going down the drainage
let’s try move a bit closer everyone
hold on it looks like it’s in Ghana a
beautiful big male all the dominant male
leopard around yeah there he is
I think we’re gonna get a nice view of
him shortly hold on
oh he’s right I said I’m just gonna stop
here because of the light so as we can
see his face I think well then there is
wonderful now this is not the first time
this week that we followed this male
leopard through this drainage line he
seems to be enjoying this area at the
moment look at that beautiful big dewlap
as he’s walking under the neck of throat
that is lovely very very nice it’s gonna
be tricky for us to follow him I’m just
trying to think I don’t know this
drainage line net well where there are
little access points helps to know the
area bit better and we actually on the
wrong side at well maybe not told them
you never know
there we go we can still get him through
this hip cell right looks like he might
cross down you know and I think I can
get into the drainage line from here
anyway which is great so this is a
perfect spot for us if he does cross
through look at the beautiful golden
light perfect for photography
mmm that’s an interesting Twitter handle
I’m sure it’s not true no one likes me
you said that I’m the leopard looks like
it’s fed recently nice smell let’s try
see if we can get a better view
see if we can get another view of him
it’s making it a little bit difficult
for us at the moment as usual as well
leopards do all in a second as an easy
little gap for us
this worked out quite nicely there’s a
little gap for us to jump right back
down into this drainage line is crossing
though I’m sorry sip he’s just crossing
out of there you know it said : sorry
I’m gonna move quickly sorry sorry I’m
gonna go around everyone I’m gonna get
him try catch him on the road on the
other side
so we don’t have to be in the area
some somethig said that’s always fun
sorry little Franklin and Chris at
Franklin
pass here quickly we’re on this road now
and we should see that male coming out
now I hope he doesn’t continue to that
drainage line off to the right that’s
where we followed him the other day and
it was incredibly thick very difficult
to say with him I can see straight ahead
of us so I’m gonna get a lovely view of
him shortly
I think it was the right side plan for
us to come out and and view him over
here oh sorry
he said this actually hold here there
you guys look at that he does it look
like he’s fed he does look like he’s fed
his stomach looks quite full that’s
wonderful well fairly full it’s just
disappearing there quickly hold on a
second
afternoon everyone there we go that’s a
nice view of him see again that golden
light and he’s backlit at the moment so
I think photographers would have a
wonderful time with this male leopard
right now I’m smelling the air looking
around that is a lovely view of the
smile I’m trying to think when lost I’d
be sitting on it was three four days ago
three days ago about three days ago just
before and I’m since I went to leave and
we found 10 goners it was it’s nice to
see him again
now mr. P you were asking what is that
big do left for that we can see on his
threat so I’m just gonna reverse a
little bit does he give any other
vehicle a chance to see this leopard I’m
sure that should be fine for them and so
mr. P that dewlap is the theory behind
the dewlap is
sorry I hold on thanks it I’m sorry mr.
Peter do you let the theory is that that
thick skin around the neck will
hopefully protect that lipid almost in a
similar way that a Mane protects the
male lion but the dewlap I think that
loose skin thicker skin around the neck
will protect the neck from fights that’s
one theory makes it look bigger stronger
will hopefully intimidate the other
leopard but that is a beautiful big duel
upon that male leopard now he is going
into that drainage line we followed in
the other day which was very difficult
what we’ll see maybe we can still get a
view
let’s consider some Franklin that he’s
startled over there
let’s see if we can stick with him I
think we’re going to lose him again
everyone because this block we drove
through it and it was almost
impenetrable here it is he’s just off
through here
sit down here I might get a view through
this gap hey guys are you guys now
notice again the tail held up high
these Franklin’s alarm calling at him at
the moment now we spoke about this the
other day why do leopards do this now
the theory is that they raise their tail
makes themselves more visible and it’s
to show that they’re not a threat that
they said so that there’s no danger to
whatever it is that’s alarm calling at
them and I’ve heard that I’ve seen it
many times and it’s not just when
they’re Birds alarm calling
oh wow look at that beautiful latinum
again
I’m just gonna drop down here quick sip
is gonna come through here sip I think
if it’s a right can I sit yet let’s just
write everyone he’s gonna come right
past us I think and I’m sorry as I was
saying they left their tail makes
themselves more visible and that they um
they’ve been basically saying they’re
not a threat then they’re not hunting
and they just passing through I’m gonna
keep quiet listen to him walk past us
that’s amazing looking at lassen close
walked right in front of us a beautiful
view of him
David you asked is that tail raising a
learned learnt or a instinctive behavior
now David I think I think it’s
instinctive I don’t think it’s learned
now we might we might use the slippered
I wonder I just don’t know if he’s going
to lie down or if he’s going to continue
moving through that area i if he does
continue moving we’re probably not going
to be able to follow him anymore the
smell it is moving around so much in the
afternoon but I think because it’s nice
and cool that is why is probably still
moving around I’m gonna try to get out
of here quickly while I do
let’s go across just if he’s still in
those damn cams sorry river camps isn’t
it just wonderful to see ting gone again
I haven’t seen a leopard in more than
half a year
more than half a year and I haven’t been
in a winter for an entire year and I
think that that in itself is both
wonderful and depressing in a way and it
shows you how different these places
actually are from one another you’ve
gone from a cold winter’s afternoon to a
very cloudy sort of equatorial dry
season sky there from Maine Maine South
and we’ve got some action going on all
over these cameras let’s credit
cul-de-sac quickly where a group of wire
tailed swallows are just hiding out of
the wind and they they tend to come and
then basically just flap away again so
it gives us this nice view of these
absolutely beautiful swallows just have
a look at that males and females and
immature swallows at the moment and one
of the fairly common swallows next to
the brown Marten or common Marten that
you see the brownish bird that is
let’s just look lovely and they all come
in here just for a bit of a rest out of
the wind and then they they take flat
again and go and catch some insects that
are starting to mess over the Mara River
it’s how close they are to the camera
that doesn’t even want to focus on it
there you go come on camera you can do
it all right now oh there’s an
unanswered question from yesterday we
ran out of lights and we ran out of
camera before I could answer Christie’s
question yesterday about the breeding
season of crocodiles so if I could also
we go over to dusty crossing and what
we’ve got a dusty crossing is two
enormous crocodiles busy sunning
themselves in the last bit of the Sun or
whatever Sun is left right next to a
washed-up crocodile carcass but what
this does allow me to do is talk a
little bit about the breeding which is
what Christy asked about yesterday
Christy asked last night when do
crocodiles lay eggs when is their
breeding season I can answer that now
that I’ve read the probably about 500
words that I have at my disposal on
crocodiles on the Nile crocodiles at
least anyway I’m mating will happen
anywhere from about May through to
August where male crocodiles will become
territorial to one another and then they
will they will vie for the attentions of
the females females will start to
ovulate they then submit to the males
who mate to them and eggs are laid in
November and after quite a short
gestation period only ninety days I had
a drawn yesterday I thought that it was
about a year but only after about 90
days what happens is the eggs will hatch
the mom sets up a bit of a nursery she
wouldn’t move for the three months that
the that she that she looks after eggs
basically she doesn’t even eat she just
looks off to those eggs keeping them
safe from would-be predators and and
then she carries them gently in her
mouth down to the nursery area in the in
the in the the river itself and there
for a couple of days basically just
looks off to them and make sure that
they’re okay so only that happens in
that in that time
Andrew you wanted to know how crocodile
see under the water
that’s actually quite a good question
there Andre the the they’ve got a
nictitating membrane which is there to
wipe off debris off of there off of the
ice but what it also does is it like a
pair of swimming goggles it adds a
separation between eyeball and the
actual water medium and that separation
allows crocodiles to see relatively well
underwater I mean in murky water they’re
not gonna be able to see well at all and
I think that in actual effect that
crocodiles use a series of pits on their
on their faces
let me just slow that down these
crocodiles are bit far away that’s the
maximum zoom I have but on a crocodiles
head even on on the skull is a series of
pits in their scales which I think are
very effective either electrochemical or
chemical or electrical sensors that can
sense movement underneath the water and
I think they use their muzzle quite
often you see even on the surface a
crocodile will put his top jaw on the
surface let the water rush past and then
very Abele pick up movement and go and
nuzzle it just nudge it with it with its
nozzle they don’t lick it there just
nudge it within within nuzzle and I
think that they can actually you know
I’ve never seen a report on that this is
just obviously all my very uneducated
observation little based stuff based on
you know six months of looking at this
River nothing much really is what I’m
trying to say but just an observation
it’s got a main North if you don’t mind
we’ve got two hippos having a bit of a
clash there there we go
that’s a pot of hippo one of the largest
pods of hippo that’s they on the river
this is from Maine north this is it the
extreme range of the camera at Maine
north and and this pot of hippo don’t
like each other you can see their butt
of a clash going under these hippos
often I’ll watch these hippos and they
are almost always jumping around at one
another smashing their teeth against one
another you’d never say that they’re
friends with each other that’s you
that’s the bum reversing out of the
water with a tail busy wagging that is
also
and we’d think that these crocodiles do
it is incredible anyone picks its head
up that’s just the form of vegetation
what they do all right I’m gonna keep my
eye on these on these on these hippo
Scott is mobile again and the rain seems
to have passed as a surprise for you we
certainly do have a surprise for you
this is gonna be an epic view but I want
to get in front do you want to get in
front of them but I also do want to give
you an opportunity to see this young
male line stroll past those palm trees
that’s not your usual scene there’s not
many palm trees here in the Mara
beautiful a young male who knows if he
has any brothers or other coalition
members nearby you can see he’s looking
quite cautiously ahead and the reason
why he will be cautious is that unless
he is one of scars sons
this is scars territory and scars a big
big male lion that will not tolerate
youngsters unless they are his own and
you can see this youngster certainly
moving quite slowly and cautiously
stopping listening hello very happy to
have found you
beautiful young male I’m guessing around
maybe three to four years of age hello
Denise woohoo correct good that we found
a lion and good that the rain stopped so
things are looking promising we are
going to have to reposition those about
to disappear behind some vehicles
and I wonder what his movements are
going to be he may try and cross the
Mara River the Mara rivers literally a
hundred meters over to our right-hand
side very close by failing that he may
just go for a drink time will tell and
I’ve got some other wonderful wonderful
news our quest to go and find Skaar this
afternoon
could well prove successful because I
did get a report that he is somewhere
fairly nearby so that is some very good
news that we can look forward to looking
for and not far from here we are as I
think a place called cul-de-sac crossing
where we’ve got one of our river cameras
and he is going to be further downstream
from here somewhere near main Crossing
anyway in the meantime while we
reposition which i think is actually
going to be right now yeah let’s just
wait and enjoy this actually because he
is gonna come straight towards us we’re
gonna get a good low angle and after
this I’m not sure what our views will be
like we’ve ducked into a little drainage
furrow so we should get some great views
as he parades through this grass that is
of course if he continues in the
direction he was moving in which would
lead him straight to us but you can
cease sniffing around quite intently I
wonder what he’s looking for I wonder if
he hasn’t maybe left to kill nearby here
he’s definitely found something that has
caught his attention what is it you’re
looking for master hmm could well be the
sense of other lines if he Fleming
grimaces which means you’ll curl up his
lip and grimace baring his teeth almost
like he’s smiling that would indicate
that it’s probably other lines that he’s
smelling the fact that he’s just got his
nose to the ground seems to me like he
could be on the trail of something to
eat I haven’t seen them Fleming grimace
win on the trail of something to feed on
I’ve lost track of them from where I’m
sitting in this long long grass what an
awesome scene is this
okay I’m gonna have to reposition again
hello Vegas beauty snug you would like
to know if I think the lions and Mara
are more toned and well-built than the
Lions in the sabi sands and possibly I
would have to put them together to be
able to make an educated decision yes
certainly some I mean the biggest
lioness I’ve ever seen is in the mire
and some of the most impressive males
I’ve ever seen are in the Mara but
that’s not to say that all of them are
necessarily bigger and stronger and more
handsome than the sabi sands males or
the South African male lions I guess you
do need to be quite specific so I guess
we’ll say the Kruger Lions looks like we
may get just one more view of him as he
disappears into this thickets a
beautiful beautiful young male and it’ll
be interesting to see what he turns into
in the coming years he’s still got
another two or three years before he
will be in his prime as a guess but he
certainly is looking like he could
become an absolute beauty of a male lion
wonderful sadly this is where the road
ends we are not going to be able to
follow him any further and to be honest
I’m not too concerned about that because
he is very close to big male lion called
scar like I said a little bit earlier
and I would desperately like to show you
him
[Applause]
okay while we going to look for one of
the most impressive big male lions in
Africa and certainly in the Masai Mara
we will be sending you to one of the
most impressive animals down south they
lipid now can you spot the leopard
anyone is moved into a bit of a thicker
area he just moved now just move to the
left he was in there let’s see Martin
get a view of him again all in a second
he’s just moved behind that thick area
he’s really giving us a bit of the
runaround at the moment
and rocky aged for an afternoon rocky
you are asking and do do the leopards
ever eat plots well rocky technically
not to lipids lipids are carnivores so
they eat to meat but I have seen
leopards going chew on some grass from
time to time and the reason for that is
it helps the digestive system but
generally speaking they don’t actually
eat plants they’ll feed on meat and that
is what what the lipids prefer feeding
on rocky but just like if you’ve got
pizza at home and a dog or a cat
sometimes they eat grass is to help the
digestive system a little bit I’m saying
with leopards I have seen it before but
generally that’s mainly meat that they
eat and fish sometimes we know we’ve
seen him catch fish just looking can you
still see himself let me reposition hold
on a second
hold on a second we’ll see if we can get
your nice view of him sometimes
difficult to maneuver around like this
especially with him moving he’s been
moving quite a lot but maybe he decides
I’ve got a view of him I’ve got a lovely
view of him actually
there we go there we go
hopefully he stays here look at that I
think I don’t know if he spotted
something in the bushes or if he heard
something that’s been watching that
direction quite intently
now I’m just keeping a bit quiet because
it’s sometimes nice just to listen maybe
we hear something in the bushes ahead
it’s also nice to hear some of the birds
calling around us was an emerald spotted
would death but it’s a nice peaceful
sighting
but look at the beautiful rosettes I
love the pattern on leopard with known
as rosettes our Lara where you say he is
pulling off a sphinx pose does almost
look like it doesn’t it
the Sphinx in Egypt
I really do enjoy spending time with a
big male leopard like us it dominum Ali
but I’m trying to use my binoculars now
just to see if I can see what he has
spotted or what has caught his attention
I cannot see anything it is so thick
through there now what I don’t
understand is he actually came from that
direction so surely if he walked past
they would have seen whatever it is
that’s caught his attention ah but watch
him look at him what is he spotted this
is very interesting I wonder what it is
but you see that it’s almost the
stalking pose that he’s taken up there
now he’s sitting that he’s very curious
about – what is in front of him or in
those bushes there
Kevin Yost if I see a leopard breathing
this hard
does it mean that he’s on the trail of
something so not necessarily Kevin um I
think I think he’s been moving around
quite a bit it’s fairly warm so I think
he’s just breathing heavily because it’s
warm and he’s been moving around quite a
bit his sounds like he’s walked quite a
distance already this afternoon
just shows you how opportunistic these
animals are they’ll move around during
the day regardless of the temperature at
times let’s just see look at the head
dropping those shoulders raised slightly
it’s definitely a posture that is taken
up from time to time and there are
intent on pouncing on something
our lipid can move incredibly quickly
when they do want to
Moishe no you’re asking about what is
the bird that we keep hearing in the
background why is it that something like
that
that’s the emerald spotted would dev
Boresha I think that’s what you can hear
look at him good look at it he’s
definitely stalking something but what
is it what is it I can’t see
that’s very interesting I can’t see
anything
I can’t see what is fixed on there
we still see Monsieur said look at that
we can’t see but amazing behavior what
if you didn’t hear something moving in
that thicket
take care that lipids definitely have
incredible eyesight but they hearing is
also very very good I’m just trying to
have a look enough the other day we were
in this area sorry to take care I’ll get
back to your question now but the other
day we were in this area I mean there’s
a lot of scrub here and that excuse me
that are all round and hiding in his
thicker areas and shrubs in between the
grasses so what if he doesn’t perhaps
all we need is for him to pose for us
over there maybe you’ll sit on this
Mound
that would be wonderful
lovely yawn is walking straight towards
us
here’s a beautiful male now take care
his eyesight is very good but their
sense of hearing is also good I do think
I don’t know I think the eyesight would
be slightly better than their hearing
it’s difficult to say he’s gonna be
moving behind us as he does that we’ll
reposition I just came back onto the
road
that’s nice for us at least makes it a
bit easier for us to follow him all
right he’s gonna disappear behind us
I’ll reposition quickly thanks it well
done there was awesome hey what a lovely
sighting this is so great baton you say
hopefully he’s stalking gremlins and so
just sing some people behind us he’d say
he’d love to see Tara gremlin apart
definitely
is on the road in front of us there is
another vehicle here too so we’ll give
them a chance likely for us we’ve got
the camera so we don’t have to be too
close to him he’s just in the road up
ahead just give us a second
he’s moving I’m going to allow one of
the other vehicles who’s just arrived in
the sightings also come past and get a
view just so that they may see it too
we’ve had such a nice view and like I
said with the camera it’s very nice and
but easier for us so we’ll just let them
move past and get a view but while we do
that it’s it back to the Mara and to my
friend James I wonder how he’s doing in
that storm that they’ve just had it was
a bit of a damp squib really the storm
he stopped us certainly and we put our
covers on just sort of drizzled a bit
anyway we had a cup of coffee in our tin
– now it’s cleared up so they’re
carrying on the cats were going to just
along here I hope they’ve been very kind
to us over the last few days they’ve
spent all day in amongst a little rocky
area and then as the sun’s gone down
it’s sort of gone on the hunt so that’s
what we’re hoping for
but yesterday evening these Plains were
full of prey for them to eat and now
that seems to have changed so it’ll be
interesting to see what they do and
yesterday I was asked a question there’s
a very good one and that was basically
do the Lions focus more on hunting
during the time when the migration is
not here and I think they do absolutely
and I think now these lines which I
don’t think of eaten for two or three
days probably get up and have to think
quite a lot more carefully about what it
is that they’re going to do and hunt
anyway we’ll see what happens we have
seen one very sad sake distressing
little scene of a newborn wildebeest
calf will newborn seven months old and
it was just on its own as obviously got
separated and lost I’m afraid Phoebe I
didn’t hear your question can we have it
– get in Alice why doesn’t the Mara of
leopards does Phoebe that Mara
absolutely a snippets but we tend not to
move around in the areas that are ideal
for leopards and they will be on the
drainage line areas and the dry
riverbeds and there will be up on the
mountains mostly and very seldom I mean
I’ve seen three I’ve seen a leopard
actually right around here I’ve seen
three or four young Valerius hanging
from trees which tells me that there are
leopards in the plains regardless but
they will live in the loggers and it’s
interesting most of the roads of the
area actually don’t go along the
drainage line areas they tend to sort of
cut through the grasslands because those
are more sensitive air at least least
less sensitive areas and they’re much
easier to maintain from a road
management point of view so that’s the
story there but they’re absolutely are
leopards yet do they occur in the same
density as Tenggara and his ilk I think
probably not so let’s head straight back
to tin garner Byron is sitting with him
now and I’m sure you’re almost relieved
that there has been a small season break
within the birding saga we have got
another view of Tenggara again let’s
move through this drainage line what’s
in Tamaki
these lipids big dominant male like us
will scent walk quite low fairly
regularly
listen territorial row
wonderful I haven’t had that live on
camera
that was wonderful did you get that
everyone it was just that summon engine
and y’all running off the track in yalla
that’s wonderful but as well as he does
it
Shravan you asked when lipids are more
active during the day or during the
night well to be honest mainly mainly
nocturnal or mainly at night let’s just
see if I can get a view here quickly I’m
just gonna stick around there for a
second to see if we get some movement
it’s very thick we can’t get through
yeah any way through this drainage line
but there is a road on the other side
not too far
maybe he comes out there one of the
other vehicles drove around so we’ll
stick around here and just see if he
turns and comes back drama and leopards
are generally nocturnal they mainly move
around it not however they do move
around during the day too and a lot of
people are unaware of that so they think
only will move at night but just as it
shows and this is not the first time
this my lipids done this the other day
to 3 o’clock in the afternoon we found
them moving around in this area so they
do move around a lot to during the day
you can hear the Guinea I was gonna say
guinea fowl the Franklin’s calling alarm
calling let’s go across the scotches
apparently got Lions calling and it is
calling it is not the lion we are
looking for it could be one of his
girlfriends almost certain it is and I
can hear roaring from another lion where
I think scar could be so she was roaring
to the north of her to the left of her
there was another one roaring and now a
third one is roared in the direction we
have come from and I just got a very
brief updates as to where scar could be
and I think it could be closer to the
river so maybe he was replying to one of
his ladies certainly looking good though
they are singing for us and the fact
that they are singing allows us to know
that there are more than one and
hopefully that they are planning on
reuniting
here we go again another one’s roaring
in the distance zoom into her I’m sure
she’s gonna start you can see she’s
listening I’m not sure if you can hear
it you may very faintly be able to hear
the call of a lion I think there’s two
or three lioness that hang around in
this general area and maybe it’s just
the three of them trying to reunite be
reunites maybe they’re interested in
seeing old scar time will tell
now this is one of the areas where we
cannot off-road so we cannot get closer
to her than this for now but hopefully
she will come to us and not hit to that
other lion that’s just being roaring she
looks quite hungry that’s useful to know
I certainly do love watching lions
attempting to capture their prey as I’m
sure a lot of you do as well and at the
moments the likelihood of finding a lion
that is not bloated is quite slim to be
honest though most of them are graduate
herds haven’t been moving through this
area to much hello roshni you’d like to
know if Skye’s the only male within this
area or does he have a coalition that he
is a part of any is part of a coalition
of I’m told three males I think they are
called the Musketeers so it can be a
little bit confusing that there’s a
coalition of male lions called the
Musketeers as well as the fact that
there’s a coalition of five male
cheetahs called the Musketeers speaking
of which I’m thinking of possibly
heading across to their neck of the
wilderness tomorrow afternoon to spend a
couple of days with them if we are lucky
enough to have them in the reserve and
not in the surrounding conservancies
where we do not spend any time they do
go there quite a lot we’ve just been
incredibly lucky that when I have been
across there in search of them they’ve
been in the right
so that’s the plan for tomorrow
afternoon if any of you are hoping on
seeing a cheater make sure you tune in
you’d like to know how far can a lion
hear the roar of another lion and if we
can hear their call from about five
miles away in good weather conditions
then I’m guessing they could hear from
maybe 20 kilometers I would say their
hearings at least four times better than
ours
but that’s just a guess so cannot be
certain of that
marvelous now she’s headed into an area
where we cannot go but that is fine
because I want to go and have a look for
the line that was roaring behind us
which I’m hoping is going to be uncle
Scar
okay shame I’m told Byron managed or
voula rather managed to dodge Byron but
he is still hot on the trail trying to
get you some more views of him so why
don’t you go and see how it’s going
Scott sounds like in a lovely lion
sighting now haven’t seen this leopard
again excuse me he’s disappeared in
through this dense thicket so we’re
gonna try and have a look around yeah I
mean it’s difficult because this lipids
been changing direction a lot but just
ever look at how thick it is everyone
it’s very very thick we drove through
here the other day trying to follow the
smell and now with it getting of a
darker it’s impossible to get through
yeah it would be wasting our time but
I’m hoping I can hear those Franklin
calling but I don’t think I see him
anymore I’m not sure I think he would
have walked through already and I’m
hoping that maybe we’re lucky and he
comes out further south of where we are
at the moment so I’m just gonna drive
around here and see maybe we get another
glimpse of him but that was such a great
sighting it’s always I think you know
always said but we’re so lucky to be
able to follow a big male leopard like
us and see him moving around
hope good afternoon to you you are 10
years old and hope you want to know how
far away can the lipid here well I hope
a lipids I don’t know how far they can
actually hear but I think we can
probably if I think of what we can hear
a lipid can probably hear probably about
I’m trying to think maybe 3 or 4
kilometers away you could probably hear
a lipid call now what’s that in miles
let’s say let’s call it two and a half
miles away probably maybe three miles
away you can hear a lipid core I can
hear an owl actually
let’s see if I can find it now if we can
your leopard call at that distance I’m
sure I’m sure other lipids would be able
to hear it even further away so I but I
don’t know hope it’s it’s difficult I
don’t think we really know how fight can
be heard but I would say you know I
think four kilometers what it’s about
11.6 miles to miles maybe
we’re gonna take our time let’s see if I
can find this owl oh hold on I can hear
it first what I’ll wait I can hear it
everyone that’s close let’s see if we
can find it
this is always exciting a little pearl
spotted owl
let’s stop here for a second and see
won’t be tricky I think now do you spot
this little outlet needed to call again
for us I’m sure it would have been one
of these trees what a beautiful view the
colors in the sky that pink and purple
in blue lovely colors who is this little
outlet
it’s gone very quietly now look at the
moon it’s gonna be full moon Feelies
really soon
now the owl has decided to go completely
quiet I’m sure you know what the last
thing is is I’m waiting to see if that
lipid pops out again so sometimes we
will stop and listen for birds or try
and look at birds but we’re also looking
and listening for little birds like
these owls I’d say we were said stopping
and looking for the animals like the
leopard or lying or whatever it might be
I can’t find this owl at the moment and
it’s let’s head across to James who has
found a line and we’ll continue our
search for a leopard but we have found
the lines there they are sitting in
amongst the rocks as predicted there
would be this one there
well I wouldn’t say caught in the most
elegant pose yeah we are young male but
there is very little around here for
them to eat so I’m going to be
fascinated to know what it is they do as
the night gets going now they’re doing
their kind of typical slowly waking up
thing cleaning then awfully often
they’re dozed off for a little while and
then slowly they’ll get up to move as
the darkness really starts to build and
it’s become quite dark quite quickly
tonight on account of the fact that
there is obviously thicker cloud over
the top of us
now you’re not going to see me anymore
because we have this special low-light
camera on and it’s lens is a bit too
long to be reaching where I’m sitting a
killer you’re wondering if thunder and
lightning will come well yes it could
certainly last night it came if there
was much thundering there was much
lightning there was very little rain
though so it could certainly come but
there’s been very little in the way of
thunder this evening there has been the
odd kind of rumble but they haven’t
really been a storm so much as a gentle
front moving over a very unusual well I
mean unusual in my humble experience
which is not extensive for this area not
to have a kind of crashing storm but
just a gentle drizzle that’s what we had
it’s just rock are well fed they are
because now the herds are not around
here at the moment their desire to hunt
may well be fueled by hunger rather than
the desire to
actually hunt and that is a fat male
he’s had a lot to eat over the last
little while but they’re going through
the motions of the greeting which is
encouraging he tells us perhaps they
won’t sleep quite as long as they did
last night
Rashmi you want to know which of the big
cats is my favorite roshni I never
particularly original answer to that I’m
afraid this is the leopard I really
enjoy leopards especially on foot yeah
because they are I don’t know they just
give me the impression of intelligence
like when they when I look down the the
eyes of a lion I see nothing but
blankness and when I look into the eyes
of a leopard I feel like I’m sort of
having my soul rate if you know what I
mean and that’s especially the case if
you’re on the foot lions don’t give me
the same impression obviously I love
them all they’re always all wonderful
creatures and I appreciate every second
that I spend with all of them but my
favorite would have to be the leopard
and my favorite leopards at the moment
that does change from time to time is
from Gilly and I haven’t seen her for a
very long time and I’m hoping or looking
forward to seeing her again Craig
there’s a faction up front desert big
male who’s going on there
that’s the big male now I think this is
a really interesting thing because
there’s big male here is well I don’t
know if it’s related or he’s the father
of that one or if they’ve just sit up a
little coalition together perhaps time
will tell
I believe that Byron has managed to have
some success in the great birding saga
which tends to continue ad nauseam
longer
well longer than a politician speech
really lets it across now look everyone
I don’t think this is the owl that we
heard but it is an owl it’s nonetheless
a beautiful pill spotted owl it that we
managed to find okay you can see the as
it turned its head you could see the
black markings very clearly on the back
of its head streaking down the chest
then I say but if I try roll forward a
little bit if maybe don’t worry just
hold it there
you can move oh there it goes there we
go nice
I love seeing these little owls we’ve
been very fortunate in the last two
weeks actually month I would say
spotting these little owls pearl spotted
owl at the African barred owl it and the
Scopes are all very similar in size very
small but they’ve all got wonderful
calls distinct calls that stand out in
in the evening
so another owl for us to enjoy
and Natalie you asked what is the
biggest pray that this owl could catch
well Natalie it’d probably be another
bird of sorts missy is sometimes in his
in the box of the apps they will they
will put a range of food that they’ve
seen these owls feeding on and may may
have been once not something that they
feed on regularly but let’s see if
they’ve got something so birds and
rodents lizards snakes bats interesting
diet – for these little owls but I would
say probably a rodent or a bird is
probably the largest type of prey that
it would go for
natural you asked if I can do an outlet
call well you are in luck
I can indeed so we try to save yeah
alright let’s see if I can do it for you
and hopefully it decides to call back so
we can compare yeah do you see that see
if it calls back that would be amazing
that’s the pearl spotted outlet call at
whistle
looking straight at me doesn’t seem very
impressed looks like it’s judging me
actually Oh heard an elephant in the
distance
Angeline you asked what is my favorite
owl but they have to be that little
scopes all I think beautiful an owl and
always hear them at night although I
mean the giant eagle owl is beautiful
the spotted eagle owl is great actually
here the spotted eagle owl in
Johannesburg see them often
yeah our house believe it or not in just
outside of the city now these little
pill spotted owl it’s the barred owl it
little scops owl is great it’s kind of
wonderful little cool good sounds
exactly like that see I can be to our
calls stopped down yet just looking out
for that leopard maybe it maybe it pops
out and and we see it before it crosses
it was heading south that male Lippett
so maybe we’re lucky gold rays you asked
if the if all elves hover when hunting
as far as I know they don’t howls will
fly and basically dive-bomb if I can put
it that way they’ll dive bomb and and
catch their prey they don’t hover
Shravan you asked if I’ve ever seen an
owl hunt I’ve never seen an outlet hunt
on owl hunt seen an hour feeding on
something before but never actually hunt
when there was some Franklin running
under the under the tree and that all
took a little look
but I think if Franklin would be a bit
too big for this for this bird I’m glad
we got to show you an owl I’m going to
move on see what else we can find
let’s head across to James and he’s
waiting for Lions to hunt not an owl I
am waiting for Lions to hunt I hope that
they will get up and hunt the waiting
process has certainly been lengthy many
many times over the course of the last
few weeks and now the dad do not hear
the renewing of the GU news anywhere
close to me I fear me that it’s going to
be even longer but their heads are up
can we go a little bit around to the
left hand side there Kroger’s – he sort
of over the top of my right shoulder is
that what you were
there’s my finger straight over there oh
the heads gone down again no okay there
was a lioness up there in the background
you can see this that’s what I wanted
she’s listening very intently to
something
so I don’t know what she’s listening to
and she’s perfectly camouflaged in
amongst the grass there I can hear
vaguely in the background one or two
hyenas calling and I may have in the
very far distance have heard a male lion
chastity you want to know if lions are
gonna hunt in a storm would they hunt in
a storm yes they would if the
opportunity presents itself they will
hunt in just about any conditions but I
suppose if the rain was really hard and
really quite sort of uncomfortably hard
then they are probably going to take
cover underneath a bush rather than hunt
so they might do that but there’s
certainly no well it’s getting pretty
black off to the east but I’m not sure
if that rain will reach us these
conditions and the drizzle that we had
earlier will allow them to hunt but we
can’t follow them on the hunt in the
rain unfortunately because we’ll get all
this equipment wait and then it will
break and then we will be sad because
there will be no broadcast at all ever
now that’s our big male I would put his
aged around about seven maybe even eight
tsehai winked at me when I said eight
definitely that’s how old he is and I’m
fascinated by the age of the other male
like I said two young males actually
both of them around about four three and
a half to four years old
kimberley wondering of the young male
lions have to feed every day they have
to eat every day and Kimberly the answer
is no absolutely not
these guys are still gonna grow but
they’re not sort of like ravenous human
teenagers who will eat their parents out
of house and home but certainly they do
need to eat probably more than the
lionesses do and more than a big male
does but they are I mean they don’t feed
every day certainly during them they
don’t need yesterday and they’re still
look very fat indeed but life is very
hard on a Sunday here you see you can
see that they’re rather exhausted but
they’re also very satisfied with how the
week has gone lying on their backs and
sweetie repose as the Sun has
disappeared and night comes which is of
course their time
Casta vu wondering which big cats live
longer and you know the best figures for
these come actually from zoos and from
captivity because in the wild be so very
seldom actually know how long they live
and the records that we do have I’m so
limited that to sort of extrapolate some
kind of an average from them either is
very difficult but in a place like the
sabi sand for example or the Mara where
the lions and leopards or our world are
certainly the Lions and the cheetah are
known very well you will find that the
average male lion lives to around about
10 years up to 16 though they have a
potential lifespan of 16 still dominant
at Lund Alosi in the southern parts of
the or central parts of the sabi sand
until there was 16 the famous Sparta
males then they they will there have
been leopards in the sabi sand that we
have known but we certainly know one of
at least lived to 17 and possibly
another to 18 those are females and
males oldest probably 14 or so and so
yeah you know on average I’d say a
leopard probably lives longer than a
lion or lioness probably seldom gets
beyond sort of 12 13 maybe 14 years if
she’s very very lucky so I’m gonna say
it leopards I think of the longest-lived
cheetah potentially in captivity could
live as long but I think out here you
know cheetahs life is one of is a very
risky one I think for them to reach the
ripe old age of 12 or 13 would be
unusual lioness rather I guess today
very intently looking around wondering
what perhaps there is on the menu for
this evening is it going to be veld
abyss – stroganoff is it going to be
zebra sausages is it perhaps going to be
impalas – who know
and Anissa as you say what a beautiful
scene
well that is inescapably true and I
think I can hear a night chalk cording
I’m not sure which one it is but keep
going I’m sure you can hear it doing
that to be so often you’re going to need
to go and infrared – what does that mean
Craig okay so do we need to link away or
can we stay here
no Rob we’re going to go across to Byron
he was searching with his flash
headlight thing so we’re going to put
this camera into infrared and when you
see us next we will be in black and
white now we just got our spotlight
charts and me having a look for any
nocturnal animals maybe some like
tonight we were lucky last night and
last night had a wonderful Bush baby and
you know it’s maybe some morals I’ve
said to Sebastian not to worry we are
going to find honey badgers
I think I’ve bitten off a little more
than I can chew with that promise but
who knows maybe imagine we find some
honey badgers now I’d be very happy
it’s a beautiful evening here tonight
there’s look at the color in the sky
that golden silhouette that we’ve got at
the moment of the trees it really is
beautiful
wonderful colors
apparently it’s about 22 degrees Celsius
72 degrees Fahrenheit I think it’s a bit
colder than that our weather station not
very reliable as we’ve said I don’t know
I won’t know where we get that reading
from me I need to find out perhaps go
turn the thermometer down a little bit
so white bronze grab Robin that we can
your calling
mixer solder sorry
naturally there are not necessarily
fewer chameleons but what happens is
they because there are reptiles there’s
not a lot of food around for them you
don’t see many of them around they do
conserve the energy so they’ll go into
hiding almost and the states of almost
estivation oh hang on those lines I
think that James has got it roaring
let’s go and listen to that well they
still going a little bit young male
roaring which is very cool
the big guy started it and then the
youngsters began and then the females
went to its go across to them quickly if
we can to the right you can see we’re
now in full infrared and they’re in
there somewhere a whole bunch of them
started yelling that’s often a precursor
to movement but just stressing it’s
often not a precursor to hunting
let’s see if they do the game it was
really very special to hear she’s up and
she’s missing
all very well fed so Lucy slight limp
there on her front left foot very slight
wouldn’t affect her in a hunt but
certainly you can see she is favoring
the right front she can farm to the
male’s iqc I’m watching the screen not
exactly the same as youself and I can’t
tell if they are I have to watch my
screen
make it go just going to try and
extricate myself out of this very large
rock field if they do start to move
she’s a 12 o’clock no she’s out too
often they move just a little bit away
which is quite polite to them either
you’re wondering if lions are nocturnal
em yes they are nocturnal to some extent
most animals aren’t here are largely
crepuscular which means they’re active
dawn and dusk but certainly lions move
towards the nocturnal you know we’ve
spent a lot of time with them all night
over the last sort of three months or so
and quite often what you find there
they’re gonna call again
well she’s courting now she might see a
lizard
we found this is sleep I’m sort of in
the clock to 5 o’clock in the morning
that’s more contact cool than a
territorial one
just see how I clinking between two
stalks of grass through the middle just
moved away the backs of their ears
it amazes me that black back years are
just a little bit difficult to get
focused on something so an obvious maybe
even conspicuous in amongst the grass
there
naturally as the lightning flashes there
you say does it make any of the animals
scatty do you mean mad by Scotty or do
you mean scared I don’t I think it makes
them afraid sometimes differently I
think Thunder certainly makes them
afraid from time to time does it make
them mad does it make them run around no
I don’t think it does I think any animal
that is scared will leave the attempt to
move away oh if it’s right overhead
would attempt to find some form of cover
so they’ll get under a bushel and
retreat but like my dad’s old dog trucks
all used to do he used to put its nose
in the corner and sit there whenever
there was any thunder I think wow these
lines are certainly braver and more
courageous than tribes aw hey hey also
we get nervous in a huge lightning and
thunder storm maybe I is just shining in
the darkness
ah
mkl you only know there’s other lights
that are the safari trucks no they’re
not
they are the lights of a place called
the Morris Sun and I don’t know what the
other one is so there are two places
where you can stay as a tourist on the
hill so they’re way away on the other
loaded escarpment in fact they’ve just
gone out and there’s obviously been a
power cut now that’s a useful good part
of the park at at camp as well luckily
we have an uninterrupted power supply
system that works some of the time it
seems to be working now Dixon and it’s
interesting good luck though staying at
the Morrison
[Music]
okay let’s just get across the others
because he probably not moved with the
others girl hunting
he’ll probably Disney Nick there’s some
more laughing in the background
the generators have kicked in of the
places I was talking about okay we’re
gonna have to move now
just need to get it on the top there
move with us because of the rock field
now let’s stop there but we seem to have
stopped yeah they’ve gone to sleep we
won’t need to move just yet he’s giving
a little bit of lemon grimacing us will
tell us quite quickly if he is related
to these lionesses I think on reflection
that he probably is but that lemon
grimacing indicates that he’s attempting
or certainly testing whether or not
these lionesses are ready to mate and if
the male tolerates that I’ll be amazed
the big male I mean that is obviously a
male he’s playing her very very close
attention in the same way that a male
follows an e stress female and I’m
marking his territory quite close to her
for him to be roaring at this age is is
unusual he’s in nowhere he’s no her
close to being a territorial male lion
yet he’s not nearly big enough but he
may have tacked himself onto this other
big male it’s good just to the right
there try and see if we can’t spot some
of the others
can you see the others there true then
we got one there looking there okay
alrighty we’re not gonna move from here
we’re gonna wait and see what these
lions do in the meantime we’re going to
get back across to byron who’s wafting
his spotlight around like Sholto there’s
a Quran in front of us I don’t to shine
the light on it I’m actually just gonna
turn the lights off sorry say I
understand these you’ve got infrared but
that is the Quran I can hear another one
calling in a distance it looks like the
way it’s walking it looks like it’s a
little little tipsy perhaps from left to
right
anyone is it
I’m safe it’s just yeah just making a
glimpse of this little Quran again if we
can process there
just I just wanted to double-check so
it’s fine say you say it looks like I’m
honey ostrich somebody’s it does a
little bit nice to see the Quran red
crested Quran you seen a few of them
actually we haven’t seen the
black-bellied bastard yet to our list
this is one that we trying to get I am
really so excited about the bird that we
did get this afternoon
the black cuckoo Shrike the female black
cuckoo Shrike beautiful bird and that
was a surprise I didn’t think we’d get
one of those I’ve only seen one before
i mean now in the area you just i
suppose you don’t see them that often
so that was a really nice surprise we
are 91 species of birds that we’ve
managed to get on camera nine more until
we reach that hunt 100 mark and we’ve
still got a few more days to get this so
I’m hoping so all right we’re going to
continue using our illumination device
to find animals let’s go across to Scott
who also has his spotlight art
Honus was that Betty at Fox that Scott
got to see that’s a nice surprise
beautiful bat-eared Fox unfortunately
apologies in lost sound day for a second
hopefully it’ll be up again soon but
Scott’s managed to spot a lot of these
little creatures the servos bat-eared
Fox wonderful creatures that we don’t
really see down here we don’t see
battered foxes yeah I’ve seen the
battered foxes up in the Kalahari we see
plenty over there but not this area
what’s that in the cross looks like a
jackal perhaps no I lied to Decker
I apologize everyone I was just checking
I was just checking I was actually
jealous it’s got good to see all these
other little creatures I was hoping then
I found one too but no it’s a baker in
order to shine the spotlight on the
little daycare just look strange the big
eyes that were shining back at us so it
looked almost like it was something else
in the grass
that’s as terrible
sometimes we get it wrong but at least
we corrected it
asou habe you asked if cats or owls have
better night vision I would guess
owls to be honest but I don’t know I
have no idea my guess would be owls
because you know they oh now this is
interesting now I’m trying to think I’m
doubting myself a little bit yet
the owl’s
let me think on this for a second before
I answer because if you think about it I
suppose
let’s think of a cat like the African
Wildcat or the serval
they’ve got incredible eyesight but that
will soon rely on this on their hearing
and they’ll listen out for movement in
the grass and then they’ll pounce and
try and catch all a rodent or anything
they might be moving through them
through the grouse
the Owls will sit and will perch on
trees and they’d look around and I think
they pick up on the movement that they
are sightfirst
so maybe the hearing of the cats is
better but the eyesight of the Owls
might be better that would be my guess
so maybe we can ask James or Scott if we
head back to them and let’s ask James
what he thinks let’s go to him now he’s
got that lioness that he’s been sitting
with for a while I’m not sure who’s got
better night vision I would say possibly
an owl and all of course has got
binocular vision I think a lion probably
does as well but an owl has to pick up
on something much more accurately so
something worked depends upon the artist
but but something that he’s catching
rats and monkeys and that sort of thing
in the night time has got to be very
very accurate about where it lands and
places its talons whereas a lion like
that it’s hunting a wildebeest or a
zebra well she’s just got to kind of run
at the thing and then jump on it and
it’s a much bigger target so I’m going
to say that owls this is entirely a
guess based on what they have to catch
have probably got slightly better eyes
then Lions do that is my take on the
matter
it’s completely silent now just the odd
cricket game creep leap leap leap leap
leap leap leap leap and every so often
these lions turn their heads to listen
and that’s normally because there’s
another lion calling miles and miles
away I’m interested to know if Scott’s
lions are calling at all I’m just trying
to listen over to where he is I can’t
see any there was there two young ones
and I don’t think there would be calling
but anything goes during migration
season and a lot of the theories we’ve
had about how animals should and
shouldn’t behave around clean out of the
window as we’ve watched this migration
season unfold
whether you’re wondering of lions have a
mating season whether they don’t have a
mating season they have they will mate
anytime and what’s interesting is that
it’s pretty much goes in cycles of about
two and a half to three years so a
lioness will give birth to Cubs they and
then she will breed again and two and a
half to three years and she’ll come into
Easter’s but of course you’ll come into
East hrus much more quickly than that if
she loses those Cubs so those Cubs die
probably any time up to their till
they’re about two to two-and-a-half
years she will almost immediately come
into Easter’s again though in fact it’s
probably two to three years that the
cycle exists and what’s interesting that
she will not give birth again so most
animals of course are capable of giving
birth once many animals are capable of
giving birth once a year but the strain
of raising and feeding a group of
youngsters is enormous on lions so
unlike something like a wildebeest for
example which means it around about
three months three or four months or so
then linka starts eating grass will
burst immediately obviously lions and
lion cubs have to be fed until they’re
about eighteen months to two years old
because they’re pretty useless on the
hunt before then and so in order for her
to look after them effectively
she can’t have new Cubs even they’re
physiologically there would be no
problem with her having Cubs I think
we’re gonna have some greeting this
doesn’t look like a an attempt to go on
the hunt just yet
she’s just moving towards the males as
she crate like I said I can’t see I’m
just watching the screen same as you
and they’re they layer of the males
greet greet often a precursor to
movement often a precursor to a hunt as
I’ve said but I don’t know this lot
confounded me last night with their
sleeping not more than 50 meters or so
from a large herd of sleeping wildebeest
and I’m down to sleep young male is
moving out of the way
now I’m very glad that Scott seems to
have not only found a Betty at Fox but
he’s found his gravelly voice thanks
James yes it was a great little sighting
of that bat see at Fox and I’m glad that
my voice is working again I’m a little
bit out of focus because mono has got a
bazooka on the pedestal and therefore
cannot focus on me but I just thought I
would say goodbye from a blurry faced me
and thanks for joining in on the safari
we are not closing up shop just yet we
all still be out all night essentially
one of us tell is going to be doing the
late night shift
mono and I as well as James and Craig
are gonna be standing by with the lines
until she comes out a little bit later
on so if there’s some good potential
action lined up for later on for another
for the regular p.m. Safari it’s been
great I’m gonna say goodbye to you and
over to Byron we were still wandering
around the Sabu sounds I actually don’t
have a clue what he’s doing but I’m sure
he’s going to show you a good time well
thank you very much Scott and James up
in the Mara this afternoon wonderful
afternoon with them before the lions
and that battered fox of course that
that Scot head I’m very happy about that
that’s wonderful
something different we had a great
afternoon to that big elephant bull in
the beginning and then of course ting
gana
it was great to follow him again that
beautiful big male leopard and an owl a
pull spotted owl it so it was a
successful afternoon for us
no honey badgers though we tried but
unfortunately no luck with honey badgers
maybe before I leave we get a view of
one that would be great and of course
that black and cuckoo Shrike so added a
really nice sighting of that cuckoo
strike so that every tallest 91 species
apparently I’ve had a request from
Rebekah and final control in the Mara
she wants to see a bush baby Rebekah
I’ll trauma-based but if I can’t find
you one in the next 60 seconds go and
watch last night’s show we we found we
had a great view of one last night
anyway thank you again to the team in
the Mara always nice having them join us
and thank you Sebastian
the French Connection himself on camera
with me those nice afternoon
Thank You Meg’s in final control and
thank you everybody
and thank you for your questions and
comments it’s always nice to hear from
you we’ll see you tomorrow morning on
our Sunrise Safari have a wonderful
evening
erasing your day goodbye everyone
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