June 2024

Singita Grumeti & Lamai

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Singita Grumeti & Lamai: June 2024

June this year has seen the return of the migratory herds. Great numbers of wildebeest and zebra arrived on the eastern boundary of the Ikorongo towards the end of the month. The animals surged west down the Rokari River towards the Bangwezi hills and on to the Grumeti River. Other columns of wildebeest began pushing in from the south towards Sabora Camp and the central Sasakwa plains.

With the grasslands drying out quickly and the movement of huge numbers of zebra and wildebeest, many other species begin to move in with increasingly better conditions. Lovely herds of Thompson’s and Robert’s gazelle have taken up residence, good herds of eland begin to appear and topi in their thousands are out on the western plains.

The Grumeti River continues to drop, exposing the banks and encouraging animals to utilise not only the water but the cool, shady spots in the riverine forest.

A sightings snapshot for June follows:

Lions:

  • Good lion sightings this month with Butamtam and Ridge Prides stealing the show.
  • Great activity around Sasakwa Hill with the Ridge Pride clinging to the southern slopes and the Mkomure Pride making themselves comfortable at the northern base. Some fantastic audio from these lions in the evenings and early mornings.
  • A Nyasirori mating pair seen at Mbuni crossing.
  • Two mature lionesses seen at Boundary Pan.
  • Seven members of the Nyasirori Pride seen just north of Nyasirori Dam.
  • Seventeen members of the Butamtam Pride seen on Pundamilia Hill.
  • A mature lion seen walking in front of Marula Explore.
  • Five lionesses seen at Mbuni crossing.
  • The Butamtam Pride were seen, 24-strong, close to WD waterhole. The animals had killed a buffalo in the night.
  • The Ridge male lions seen on Farasi Road, at the base of Sasakwa Hill.
  • The coalition of four lions seen at the northern base of Sasakwa Hill.
  • A mating pair seen on the Sabora drainage.
  • Three lionesses from the West Pride seen on the Raho drainage just west of Mbuni crossing.

Leopards:

  • Some fantastic sightings this month of the Mbogo female and her two cubs. She has shifted to the north, upstream of Mbogo drainage, with her two youngsters, and has been successfully intercepting wildebeest as small columns file through the valley.
  • The Serengeti Hill male leopard was seen walking on Twiga Road early one morning, and then again just south of Pundamilia Hill.
  • The Boundary pan female was seen on the Boundary Pan drainage line.
  • A large unknown male seen just north of Sabora Camp with a warthog kill.
  • A young leopardess seen at Nyasirori Dam.
  • A male and female seen sharing a Thompson’s gazelle kill in a false marula tree, Nyasirori drainage.
  • The Sasakwa female seen on the airstrip road with her two five-month-old cubs.
  • The large Sasakwa male seen close to Boom Gate One.
  • A young male seen on Chui Link, western edge of the Rhino Boma.
  • A shy male seen on the northern fringes of Mbogo drainage.
  • The Grumeti north male was seen walking upstream of the old German bridge.

Cheetahs:

  • Cheetah sightings have been few and far between for the majority of the month, however, towards the end of June we started to notice some individuals moving back into various regions.
  • A female with a sub-adult youngster has been seen a number of times just west of Sabora Camp. The mother has been seen on two occasions hunting impala successfully.
  • A male seen close to Koroya Hill hunting Thompson’s gazelle.
  • A single female seen on the Nyasirori high ground.

Elephants:

  • Beautiful elephant sightings this month with good breeding herds throughout the reserve.
  • Lovely elephant bull individuals seen wandering amongst the breeding herds.
  • Very good bull sightings in the Ikorongo and central plains.
  • Fantastic to seen the elephants back in the Grumeti riverbed. As the grasslands dry out and the waterholes shrink, the herds have been spending time on the sandy banks digging for clean water.
  • A fleeting sighting of “Zito” south of the Raho drainage before moving further south into the national park.
  • Elephants beginning to disperse towards the end of the month with the migratory herds arriving.
  • Some fantastic sightings of elephant herds coming to Sasakwa Dam during the heat of the day.
  • Large aggregations seen in the rain tree woodlands in the west.
  • Breeding herds observed drinking at Pelican Pan on the Grumeti River.
  • A breeding herd of seven feeding on Sasakwa Hill during the nights.
  • Large elephant bulls seen on the Rubana drainage close to Mbogo crossing.

Buffalos:

  • Two very large herds seen on the Sasakwa plain.
  • A lovely herd seen crossing the Grumeti River, just upstream of Nyamamba Bridge, Ikorongo.
  • A herd of 13 bulls seen on Sasakwa Hill in the Farasi region.
  • Another herd of 12 bulls seen close to WD watering hole.
  • Large herds on the western plains as expected. Some of these herds numbering up to 700 individuals.
  • A large herd seen on the Nyati high ground.

Rhinos:

  • Some great sightings of both Eric and Laikipia on the eastern edges of the boma this month.
  • Rhino continue to do well further afield on our eastern boundary and in the national park.
  • All rhino are healthy and strong and the calves are doing well.

Other interesting sightings:

  • Some great sightings yet again of serval this month.
  • A number of very large crocodiles seen on the Grumeti River and Sasakwa Dam.
  • Very good rock python sightings this month too which is always interesting. A very large female seen crossing the Ikorongo Spine Road at the beginning of the month, and another lying in the morning sun on the edge of the Nyabehu River.
  • A visitor from the west arrived in the Sasakwa Lodge driveway towards the end of the month which had us all captivated… For the very first time, An African thrush was spotted hopping around on the grass lawn. This could possibly be one of the first records of this species occurring in the Serengeti ecosystem!