Re: Goveners Camp Masai Mara

**Doogs** Mon Aug 25, 2014 2:04 pm

From Governors Camp FB Page - Saturday 23rd August 2014

One Day at Governors'

What a day - the weather was as good as it’s been since I arrived here 5 weeks ago, and the pure quality and variety of wildlife that we’ve seen is just unbelievable…!

I was lucky enough to join Kantai’s group of guests again today, and we even managed to see a couple of things that HE had hardly ever seen before! We had a group of Marsh Pride lions playing with a yellow mongoose that they had killed (a species of mongoose that Kantai had NEVER seen before), and we saw a GIRAFFE crossing the Mara River (Kantai has only ever seen it happening once before in all his years of guiding)…! On top of that we saw a ground hornbill grabbing a frog from the long grass, throwing it in the air (as they do when they eat), catching it, and swallowing it whole; we had a family of elephants walk within a couple of metres of the front of our Land Rover; we managed to find the ever-evasive leopard with her very young and playful cub (so having taken 5 weeks to see leopard #1 I’ve now seen three in two days…!); and then right at the end of the day we came across two adult male lions - one lazing in a bush while his brother wandered out to say hello! Altogether a pretty amazing day, with a great variety of photographic opportunities to go along with it..!

James Townsend Photography - Governors' Camp Intern

https://www.facebook.com/?ref=tn_tnmn#!/media/set/?set=a.850896341589255.1073742111.127029937309236&type=1

**whitestarling** Tue Aug 26, 2014 1:01 pm

certainly sounds as though that was an exciting day. I never thought before, but I've not heard of a Giraffe crossing a river before either, and I've also not heard of the golden mongoose . Great to hear the Marsh Pride ar enjoying themselves. That's typical of Leopards, they are like bus's you don't see any for ages then 3 come along

WS

**Doogs** Tue Aug 26, 2014 1:50 pm

From Governors Camp FB Page - Tuesday 26th August 2014

Boys will be boys

Here are the males from the Marsh Pride of lions, hanging out and making sure the youngsters know just who is in charge around here. Photos are courtesy of Moses Manduku Governors Camp Head Driver - Guide

https://www.facebook.com/?ref=tn_tnmn#!/media/set/?set=a.852366871442202.1073742114.127029937309236&type=1

**Doogs** Thu Aug 28, 2014 1:50 pm

From Governors Camp FB Page - Tuesday 26th August 2014

Highlights from the past few days in the Mara

With all eyes on Siena over the past few days, you could be forgiven for thinking that the more regular game-viewing hasn’t been up to its usual high standards, but that really couldn’t be further form the truth - we’ve been treated to a seemingly never-ending series of astonishing sightings, with the majority of them within the VERY close vicinity of the collection of Governors’ camps… Governors’ is famous for occupying one of the best, if not THE best, locations in the Mara, and the wildlife that we’ve seen in recent days certainly serves to support that reputation…!

The migration is well and truly still in town, with thousands of wildebeest often visible from the comfort of guests’ breakfast tables; we had a both beautiful and hilarious sighting on the way back from spending the day with Siena (as Moses, Governors’ Camp Head Driver, put it to me at the end of the day - “Today was your day…!”) which consisted of THREE different ages of cubs, all feeding on a wildebeest kill and simultaneously attempting to climb a nearby fallen tree, leaving me in no doubt that lions really are NOT natural-born climbers; we had three young lions attempting to pick off the youngest member of a group of male buffaloes; and we caught up with Siena, reunited with her cubs, the morning after Dr Limo and his team had cleaned, stitched, and treated her re-opened wound. And remember, this is just a selection - to put things into perspective I took 1121 photos JUST ON SATURDAY, so not only has the quality of sightings been unbelievable, but the sheer quantity has been equally as astounding too…!

Altogether a great few days - these photos spanning Friday, Saturday, and Sunday - stay tuned for Monday and Tuesday’s updates coming very soon as, to put it lightly, the top-of-the-bucket-list sightings haven’t exactly dried up…! Watch this space…

James Townsend Photography - Governors' Camp Intern

https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/media/set/?set=a.852531478092408.1073742115.127029937309236&type=1

**Doogs** Thu Aug 28, 2014 1:51 pm

From Governors Camp FB Page - Wednesday 27th August 2014

Lovely Leopard

We received this message and photos from guest Holger Franke staying at Governors Camp in Masai Mara.."We’ve been very lucky today. I am sending you pictures of a very good leopard sighting. Best wishes from Governors Camp Holger Franke". Many thanks to Holger for sharing these with us.

https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/media/set/?set=a.853041438041412.1073742116.127029937309236&type=1

**Laikipia** Fri Aug 29, 2014 10:29 am

Doogs. Thanks for all the updates and links.

Lai

**Doogs** Fri Aug 29, 2014 1:18 pm

From Governors Camp FB Page - Thursday 28th August 2014

A Close Shave

There was a very close shave in the Marsh yesterday evening when two male buffaloes at the Marsh came across the breakaway lionesses and their cubs. The buffalo gave chase and it was a very close call with one of the Buffalo nearly getting to Kini's cubs. This is typical of buffalo and predator aggression. Photos are courtesy of Governors Il Moran Camp Guest Rubayat Alzaber

https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/media/set/?set=a.853521804660042.1073742117.127029937309236&type=1

**Doogs** Thu Sep 04, 2014 1:50 pm

Why We Love September in the Masai Mara :-

http://www.governorscamp.com/blog/why-we-love-september-masai-mara

**Doogs** Thu Sep 04, 2014 1:52 pm

From Governors Camp FB Page - Tuesday 2nd September 2014

5000 Wildebeest Crossed the Mara River this Morning

This morning the wildebeest that we saw moving close to camp yesterday crossed the Mara River. Around 5000 wildebeest crossed the Mara River at 8.00am this morning and our guests and guides were there to witness this.

Photos are courtesy of guest Phil Crawshaw and Governors Camp Head Driver - Guide Moses Manduku.

https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/media/set/?set=a.856410654371157.1073742120.127029937309236&type=1

Goveners Camp Masai Mara - Page 21 2266980347

Goveners Camp Masai Mara - Page 21 2266980347

**Doogs** Mon Sep 08, 2014 1:42 pm

From Governors Camp FB Page - Monday 8th September 2014

Wildebeest as far as the eye can see!

The wildebeest migration are back with thousands of them covering the plains all around our camps in the Masai Mara. There are wildebeest as far as the eye can see in every direction around the Governors Camps. There were also some good river crossings over the weekend with 5000 crossing the Mara River on one occasion, the resident male leopard made an appearance at this crossing but didn't attempt to hunt, our guests were there to witness this.

https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/media/set/?set=a.859471544065068.1073742122.127029937309236&type=1

**whitestarling** Tue Sep 09, 2014 12:22 pm

That is one Mega crossing by the sight, and sounds of it.

WS

**Doogs** Tue Sep 09, 2014 1:43 pm

From Governors Camp FB Page - Tuesday 9th September 2014

24 Hours in the Masai Mara

Do you have 24 hours to spare? Would you like to come on safari with us, why not book a weekend safari with us? Justin our marketing director took his family to the Mara for 1 night over the weekend and this is what they saw… lions, leopard, hippos buffalo and loads of wildebeest.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Governors-Camp-Collection/127029937309236?ref=br_tf#!/media/set/?set=a.859894790689410.1073742123.127029937309236&type=1

**Doogs** Fri Sep 12, 2014 1:19 pm

From Governors Camp FB Page - Friday 12th September 2014

Musiara's Story

One of the reasons people come on safari with us is to see the Marsh Pride of lions our camps lie within their territory and everyone who comes on safari with us is bound to see them often when you first arrive at the airstrip and throughout you safari.

There is always plenty going on with the Pride, politics and drama. This week proved no different, with the four pride males away across the River sowing they wild oats, the hyenas moved in to the area in large numbers and last weekend there was an almighty fight on Saturday night between the lionesses (many of whom have young cubs) and a large pack of hyenas.

The next morning we spotted the lioness together looking particularly beat up. One lioness Musiara was of particular concern she had bite marks and scratches from the hyenas all over her legs and her two cubs were no-where to be seen. We have been following her since Saturday reporting her condition to the Kenya Wildlife Service veterinary team and The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust and she has been slowly improving but with no more sightings of her cubs we thought they had been killed in the fight with the hyenas and then this morning a little miracle happened. Five days after the fight they appeared from the woodland together with Musiara their mother! We think that the cubs must have run off to hide when the fight began, lost and without their mother they remained where they were for 5 days until last night they were re-united! The cubs look a little thin having been apart from their mother for so long but they look well enough to recover and Musiara is also recovering well from her injuries.

Photos are courtesy of Patrick Reynolds, Governors Il Moran Camp Manager.

https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/media/set/?set=a.861157527229803.1073742125.127029937309236&type=1

**Doogs** Tue Sep 16, 2014 2:01 pm

From Governors Camp FB Page - Monday 16th September 2014

Following his safari with us at Governors Camp Rick Sammon
is writing a series of blogs on his photographic safari :-

http://ricksammon.com/blog2/2014/9/15/on-photo-safari-with-the-canon-5d-mark-iii-who-gets-the-credit-for-my-photographs

**whitestarling** Thu Sep 18, 2014 11:24 am

Love that pic of the Male lion, and Lioness, wonderful. Also the Wildie migration shot

WS

**Laikipia** Fri Sep 19, 2014 11:38 am

Thanks Doogs. Always lovely to see the Governors pics and interesting blogs from Rick Sammon. That 200 - 400 lens is £12K and hugely heavy but it takes some brilliant photos.

Lai

**Doogs** Fri Sep 19, 2014 1:35 pm

Yikes £12K affraid

**Doogs** Fri Sep 19, 2014 1:37 pm

From Governors Camp FB Page - Wednesday 17th September 2014

Caracal, Serval Cat & change in the weather gets wildebeest going

It was a glorious afternoon yesterday on the plains of Masai Mara close to Governors Camp, but a sudden gust of wind brought a change of weather, an unexpected rain shower which got the wildebeest all excited, they grouped together and began to move. It is amazing how sensitive they are to changes in the weather. Photos courtesy of Patrick Reynolds Governors Il Moran Camp Manager. Then Governors Il Moran Camp guide Maina Wachira had an interesting afternoon game drive coming across a serval cat up close and a young caracal, which is a rare sighting.

https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/media/set/?set=a.863298003682422.1073742126.127029937309236&type=1

**Laikipia** Fri Sep 19, 2014 3:31 pm

Doogs, amazing just how sensitive the wildies are to the change in weather

Lai

**Doogs** Tue Sep 23, 2014 1:16 pm

I know Lai - there will be a fair bit of tooing and froing from the wildies in the next wee while

Goveners Camp Masai Mara - Page 21 2266980347

**Doogs** Thu Sep 25, 2014 1:17 pm

From Governors Camp FB Page - Wednesday 24th September 2014

Yet more cubs for the Marsh Pride of lions

Marsh Pride lioness Sila has 4 new tiny cubs, sighted by Governors Camp guests yesterday as she moved them to the safety of the forest near the Marsh. This makes the numbers of cubs in the pride to an astonishing 23 cubs right now. This is the strongest we have seen the pride in 10 years and is thanks in part to the pride having 4 strong males (Sikio, Morani, Hunter and everyones favourite Scar) at its heart. Guests coming to Governors Camp will be in for a real treat with so many cubs in the pride. Photos are courtesy of Governors Camp Guide Moses Manduku.

https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/media/set/?set=a.866407393371483.1073742128.127029937309236&type=1

**Doogs** Thu Sep 25, 2014 1:20 pm

Unfortunatley since that report and photos went on Governors Camp FB Page yesterday there has been a report this morning that one of the cubs is limping and one is missing Sad

This was on the 'Marsh Pride of Lions' FB Page Today :-

"Sad news to report which is one of Sila's cubs is lost our guides have seen her this morning with only 3 cubs, one of whom is limping a bit, there was no sign of the 4th cub, we will keep you posted of any further developments".

**whitestarling** Thu Sep 25, 2014 2:19 pm

Thats a lot of cubs, and mouths to feed, th Pride is really growing. Shame about Sila's cubs is missing, it sounds as its been some sort of attack if another is limping as well
WS

**Doogs** Tue Sep 30, 2014 1:18 pm

From Governors Camp FB Page - Friday 26th September 2014

Sila's 3 remaining cubs, wildebeest a plenty and elephants around

Sad news to report, Marsh Pride lioness Sila only has 3 cubs with her, two nights ago she must have got into some sort of altercation and then the next day we saw her with only 3 cubs (previously she had 4 cubs), one of whom is limping a little, we will keep an eye on her. There are still plenty of wildebeest about from the migration, covering the plains all around our camps

https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/media/set/?set=a.867286379950251.1073742129.127029937309236&type=1

**Laikipia** Wed Oct 01, 2014 10:53 am

Thanks for the updates Doogs. Sad that Sila only has 3 cubs remaining, but they are just gorgeous. Oh to be in the Mara just now Very Happy

Lai

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