Singita Grumeti & Lamai
Singita Grumeti & Lamai: August 2024
August has brought a distinct shift to the Singita Grumeti Reserves as the dry season settles in with full force. The occasional brief showers have done little to quench the thirsty land, and the Grumeti River, while still flowing, continues to shrink as the water levels dip lower with each passing day.
The vast herds of wildebeest that once dominated the plains have largely moved on, making their way northeast toward the Mara River and the greener pastures of Lamai. The great migration’s momentum has carried them northward, but their presence still lingers in the form of trampled grasses and the occasional dust clouds stirred by zebra and gazelle. Even as the bulk of the wildebeest move on, life in the reserve thrives. The plains are alive with thousands of zebras, gracefully weaving through the golden grasses. Gazelles, giraffes, and eland also dot the landscape, adapting seamlessly to the changing conditions.
The aftermath of seasonal fires has left behind a striking contrast of scorched earth and new growth, providing photographers with incredible opportunities to capture the stark beauty of the reserve.
As the month drew to a close, we began to notice a few small groups of wildebeest trickling back into the area. It’s as if they’ve been drawn back to the reserve, perhaps lingering on the edge of their migration route, creating a sense of anticipation for what the next few weeks might bring.
August has been a month marked by resilience and subtle change. The landscape, though dry, continues to offer up its wonders, and the wildlife sightings have been nothing short of spectacular. As we move into the later stages of the dry season, the promise of more migration activity keeps us eager for what lies ahead.
Grumeti sightings overview for August:
Lions
- Lion sightings were extraordinary from the western side of the reserve all the way to the eastern edge.
- Butamtam Pride continued to move around Koroya, Chui drainage and Pundamilia areas. We have seen one lioness with new cubs on top of Koroya Hill and we think some of the other females also have new cubs hiding in the drainage line.
- Ridge Pride was seen around Mak Link/Sabora Access junction, Ridge Hill area and along Sabora plain.
- Kombre Pride was seen along Kombre drainage for most part of the month, Sabayaya staff area and thereabouts. This pride is growing up and we have seen six new cubs, bringing the total number of cubs to nine.
- West Pride spent most of the time south of Marula Explore and Raho drainage, and Marula BB site.
- Rokare Pride was seen around Manchira Bridge, north of Nyamamba Bridge and along Rokare drainage.
Leopards
- Leopard sightings exceeded those of previous months.
- A mother and two cubs spent most of this month along Mbogo drainage north of Faru Faru.
- The Maruru male was spotted near the Maruru River crossing for one week, feeding on a warthog kill. He has chosen this watering spot to ambush antelopes and warthogs when they go to drink.
- A large shy male was seen along Kombre drainage, rhino sanctuary and north of Arab Camp Hill.
- A large relaxed male was seen south of Arab Camp thicket lying down in the grass.
- The Serengeti Hill male leopard was seen with a wildebeest calf kill on the Manangai drainage.
- A shy female was seen at Mbega Bridge earlier in the month.
- Another shy male was seen south of Bangwesi Hill earlier in the month.
Cheetahs
- Great cheetah sightings on the open plains.
- Junior Veteran was seen covering a very wide range of the open plain between Sasakwa plain, Nyati plain and Gambaranyera plain.
- A single female was seen often west of Sabora and north of Raho, downstream of Mbuni crossing.
- Another female seen at Gambaranyera plain, west of Balanitis Explore.
- There was a new adult shy male which was seen south of Sabora, and we think he may have come from the Serengeti National Park.
- Mother and one sub-adult cub were seen at Kawanga plain at the end of the month.
Elephants
- We have experienced great elephant sightings across the reserve.
- Earlier in the month we could see up to ten different herds arriving at Sasakwa Dam to drink in the afternoon.
- On the western side of the reserve, small herds were seen along Raho drainage drinking and wallowing.
- On the eastern side of the reserve Grumeti River was the retreat for elephants for the most part of the afternoon.
- Due to dry season and limited food, we saw elephants coming to feed up on Sasakwa Hill during the night and descend onto the open plain in the morning.
- Large herds seen north of Bangwesi Hill, along Nyamamba plain and Nyabeho River.
Buffalos
- As always, buffalos were seen in large herds across the reserve.
- A large herd of about 300 buffaloes at Sasakwa plain.
- The breeding herd around Marula Explore continue to be seen east and south of the camp.
- Sabora plain had, as always, quite a few herds around Fisi and Sabora plains.
- We experienced a very large herd of about 400 buffalos moving around in between German Bridge, Grumeti north and Grumeti west areas.
- West of Faru Faru were small herds seen at close proximity for most of the month.
- A very large herd of about 300 was seen on the Pundamilia plain.
Rhinos
- Rhino inside the boma were seen often, Eric being seen a lot more than Laikipia.
- Eric and Laikipia were seen together again earlier this month, so hopefully there is impending good news.
- An unknown young female black rhino was seen on the Sabora plain, and nobody knows where she came from.
- Zaituni is doing well in her boma.
- The rhino teams continue to keep a close eye on these individuals as they disperse over considerable distances.
Sightings for Lamai
Lamai, as usual, has been so productive in terms of wildlife diversity.
From the beginning of August to the end, we had some wonderful sightings of cats, including rare mating sessions of leopards.
The abundance of prey animals including large numbers of resident zebras, topi, impala, Thomson's gazelles, among others, facilitated the abundance of predators in the area.
A big concentration of a large community of animals resides along the productive valley of Kenyangaga drainage and the borderline high ground along the Table Hill.
A rather rare lion sighting along the perimeter of the Mara River was replaced by hyenas. The most vocal hyenas denning along the Mara River provide daily unforgettable experiences for our enchanted guests.
