#Maasai Mara National Reserve

[sitting-on-me-bum]

Shared Parenting

A lion cub gets a “bath” from a pair of lionesses in a pride at Kenya’s Maasai Mara National Reserve.

by Mark Boyd

Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice Award

[pangeen]

Ever seen anything like this? Watching these bulls for long periods is fascinating. Their behaviour is part of complex social structures that serve many purposes. They spar aggressively to establish dominance, determine hierarchy and test each other’s strength and skill. After sparring, they embrace as a way to strengthen their social bonds. It demonstrates that the sparring wasn’t meant to cause harm but part of their natural interaction. It helps maintain peace and cohesion in the group. The trunk intertwining is a sign of a mutual respect. If one bull emerges more dominant, the act of embracing acknowledges the other’s strength and reinforces the social structure without escalating aggression. So fascinating and utterly captivating.

// © Harry Blakey

Music: © Lord Huron - The Night We Met

[travelella]

Southwest African lion in Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya

Catherine Merlin

Scientific name: Panthera leo bleyenberghi

Class: Katanga Lion

Family: Felidae

Diet: Predominantly ungulates (zebras, antelopes)

Geographic Range: Southwestern Africa

Habitat: Deserts, grasslands, forests, mountains

[sheltiechicago]

Narok, Kenya

Maasai villagers perform a traditional dance in the Maasai Mara national reserve

Photograph: Xinhua/REX/Shutterstock

[hiroshitanaka]

Best Places to Visit in Kenya: A Traveler’s Path to Unforgettable Adventures

Kenya is a beautiful country with magnificent scenery, vibrant culture, and fantastic wildlife. Kenya offers a diverse range of experiences for adventure seekers, nature lovers, and cultural enthusiasts alike. What is With so many wonderful destinations, it can be difficult to decide where to begin your journey. In this guide we’ll be taking a look at some best places to visit in Kenya that need to be on every traveler's bucket list.

1. Nairobi National Park: A Unique Urban Safari

It is located just outside the busy city center of Nairobi, so you would not expect to find a park quite like this! The only wildlife reserve in the world that’s located in a major city, this park also provides a rare opportunity to spot animals like giraffes, zebras, lions, and rhinos with the city’s skyline visible from the distance.

Nairobi National Park is great for those who have limited time but want to see a safari. It also organizes a variety of activities including walking safaris, bird watching and visiting the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, where visitors can interact with orphaned elephants.

2. Maasai Mara National Reserve: The Heart of the African Safari

No visit to Kenya is complete without seeing the Maasai Mara, one of the most renowned wildlife reserves in the world. The Maasai Mara in southwestern Kenya is famous for its extraordinary wildlife encounters including the “Big Five” (lions, elephants, buffaloes, leopards, and rhinos). The Nyati Sawa Reserve is also known for the Great Migration — an incredible natural phenomenon during which millions of wildebeest, zebras, and gazelles migrate across the plains in search of better grazing grounds.

Visitors can take exhilarating game drives, guided bush walks and hot-air balloon safaris that offer a bird’s-eye view of the reserve. A visit to Maasai Mara is Indonesia’s best chance for experiencing Kenya’s wildlife in its natural habitat.

3. Amboseli National Park: A Snapshot of Mount Kilimanjaro

Amboseli National Park is the best place to have a magnificent view of Mount Kilimanjaro. Suzumura is one of the largest parks in Japan Located in southern Kenya, this park is known for its vast savannahs and large herds of elephants. Watching these gentle giants against the backdrop of the snow-covered top of Mount Kilimanjaro is something not easy to forget.

Home to a diverse range of wildlife, including lions, cheetahs, giraffes and zebras. Its desert ecosystems, from marshes to dry plains, also make it an excellent location for bird watching. While visiting Amboseli National Park, you can admire stunning scenery and experience gorgeous wildlife.

4. Lamu Island: A Historical Retreat by the Sea

For a perfect mix of history, culture and scenic beauty, Lamu Island is the best place to visit. Situated off the coast of Kenya, Lamu is one of the country’s oldest towns, and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Charming Swahili architecture, narrow winding streets and lively markets provide a step back in time.

Lamu is also a beach lovers oasis. Pristine beaches and a range of water activities including snorkeling, dhow sailing and fishing surround the island. The energetic vibe and diversity of culture in the city make it an ideal location to relax & discover one of the most popular places in Kenya.

5. Tsavo National Park: The Largest Wildlife Sanctuary in Kenya

One of the oldest and largest wildlife parks in Kenya, Tsavo National Park is split into two, Tsavo East and Tsavo West. Situated in the southeastern region of the country, Tsavo is famous for its sprawling, dry landscapes, remarkable red elephants, and rich wildlife.

Tsavo East is known for its large herds of elephants and Tsavo West has more varied terrain, including volcanic hills, hot springs and thick bush. The park is also home to predators including lions, cheetahs and leopards, in addition to plenty of bird species. Tsavo’s wildness and remoteness lends itself well to an off-the-beaten-path safari experience.

6. Lake Nakuru National Park: A Paradise for Bird Lovers

For anyone who loves birds, then Lake Nakuru National Park is a must-visit! Located in the Great Rift Valley, this reserve is famous for its large gatherings of flamingos that line the shores of Lake Nakuru. Thousands of flamingos spotted in a bright pink color are among the most memorable sights of Kenya.

Besides flamingos, the park has a diverse range of other birds that inhabit it, including pelicans, herons, and raptors. But it also delivers amazing wildlife spotting, from rhinos to lions to giraffes to leopards. With much of the park being silent on the wildlife observatory front, Lake Nakuru is an indelibly tranquil park and an ideal location for those who enjoy nature.

What is the Best Time to Visit Kenya?

Kenya is an all-year destination, but the best time to visit Kenya depends on what you want to see. The dry seasons from June to October & December to March are the best for game viewing, as animals concentrate around water holes, making them more visible than during the rainy seasons. The best time to visit Maasai Mara to see the Great Migration is from July to October.

The migratory birds visiting Kenya during bird watching season from March to May & November to December would most likely be of interest to bird watchers.

Kenya Visa Cost

Travelers must provide essential details, including a valid passport and itinerary, during the application process. With the Kenya ETA, discovering the country's vibrant landscapes and unforgettable adventures is now more accessible and hassle-free.The usual Kenya visa cost for a single entry is about $51, but this may vary depending on your nationality. Hence, you should always stay updated about the exact price and conditions for getting an ETA.

Key Insights of this Blog

Kenya has an unimaginable wealth of natural beauty, cultural experiences, and wildlife that is unmatched. Whether you are on a safari in the Maasai Mara, on the beach on Lamu Island, or with the elephants in Amboseli, everything here will blow your mind. Depending on what you love, you can pick the best due to the best time to visit Kenya. But whichever time you come, Kenya will fall in love with you.

With so many beautiful Kenya places to visit, it’s no surprise that this East African nation is one of the world’s top travel destinations. So what are you waiting for pack your bags and get ready to experience the adventure of a lifetime with destinations to visit in one of the most amazing and culturally diverse countries in Africa!

[mammalianmammals]

Spotted Hyenas (Crocuta crocuta), family Hyaenidae, Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya

photograph by Ann Aveyard

[snototter]

A black backed jackal (Lupulella mesomelas) pup in Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya

by praveen pandian

[animalsandanimals]

Harry Blakey captures a Serval cat in Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya.

Instagram: harryblakeyphotography

[xtruss]

In Kenya, Martial Eagles Hunt Lion Cubs For Lunch

Martial eagles, with wingspans that can exceed six feet, can take out young impalas or gazelles. Recently, researchers have seen them targeting another species’ young.

— By Joshua Rapp Learn | October 3, 2024

Martial Eagles (One Shown in Serengeti National Park) Occasionally Hunt Lion Cubs, New Rsearch Shows. Photograph By Klaus Nigge, National Geographic Image Collection

In December 2012, tour guides in Kenya’s Maasai Mara National Reserve witnessed a series of killings targeting one of the savannah’s top predators. An adult martial eagle followed a pride of lions for weeks, waiting for the right time to swoop in and kill three cubs in total.

“This is an eagle really looking at these lions and thinking, ‘I’m going to systematically hunt these lions,’” says R. Stratton Hatfield, a Ph.D. candidate at Wageningen University and Research in the Netherlands.

A Juvenile Martial Eagle snatched this three-week-old lion cub on March 15, 2019, in the Mara North Conservancy, Kenya. No one saw the bird kill the cub. Based on the fledgling eagle's behavior, researchers suspect that an adult female gave the cub to the fledgling. Photograph By Jes Lefcourt

While the supposed kings of the jungle may dominate the land around them, this incident and others like it show that African lions (Panthera leo) may not always sit on top of the food chain when it comes to the skies. In fact, martial eagles (Polemaetus bellicosus) likely prey on lion cubs when the opportunity arises, Hatfield and his colleagues recently reported in Ecology and Evolution.

“It’s really a testament to the predatory nature of martial eagles,” Hatfield says.

Queen of the Skies

Martial eagles’ wingspans can exceed six feet. Adult females weigh more than 10 pounds, while adult males typically weigh around seven pounds. Though comparable in size and ecology to golden eagles, the species often kills larger prey. The birds swoop in and dig their razor-like talons into their prey’s spine at the back of their skull, sometimes taking out young impalas or gazelles far above their weight class. “[Their talons] are just massive killing utensils,” Hatfield says. “From a predator perspective, they are impressive in what they’re able to do.”

Hatfield’s team only recently realized the birds also preyed on other predators. The team collected seven records, including the 2012 incident, that describe martial eagles preying on lion cubs, resulting in the deaths of nine cubs and one near miss. Most of these episodes probably involve larger females, Hatfield suspects, though two records included juveniles preying on cubs.

The earliest case comes from 2008, when a photographer captured an image of an eagle feeding on a freshly killed cub, while the most recent was in 2023, when a safari guide saw a juvenile eagle hunt and kill a cub large enough that the raptor couldn’t fly off with it.

Risk Versus Reward

Despite their aerial antics, martial eagles are typically risk averse. “When they go to take a lion cub, it’s with a lot of recognition of the risks,” Hatfield says. But not all records seem to show this careful calculation.

In the one failed killing, a martial eagle swoops in to snatch a six-week-old cub right next to its mother. The lioness spots the approaching danger, and “literally leaps in the air to try to take the martial out of the sky,” Hatfield describes. “You can just see the lioness’s eyes lock onto something, then she crouches and launches.”

The eagle dodged the counterattack, and didn’t get the cub, but the whole maneuver “was just stupid.” Hatfield speculates that the raptor didn’t see the lioness. Episodes like this are so dangerous for the eagle, “you wonder if they are doing something ever just for fun,” he says.

Amy Dickman, a conservation biologist at Oxford University in the U.K., isn’t surprised that eagles will go after cubs again and again if the strategy proves successful. She also leads Lion Landscapes, a nonprofit focused on coexistence of humans and wildlife in Kenya and Tanzania, and says the conclusions of Hatfield’s team “seem sound.”

As far as the lions are concerned, “it’s just another kind of risk that lions have to deal with,” Dickman says, like predation from hyenas or male lions from competing prides. While she doesn’t think the eagles pose a conservation threat to the big cats, an individual pride in a given area might feel pressure if a martial eagle has honed in on their cubs as a food source. “It shows you how interesting and diverse the natural world is,” Dickman says.

Predators or Prey?

Martial eagles aren’t picky when it comes to big cats. Some have taken cheetah and leopard kittens, as well. Hatfield also notes the risk probably goes both ways—lions could and probably have hunted adult eagles or nests. At least one YouTube video shows a leopard killing a martial eagle.

“The relationships between top predators at the top of the [food] pyramid are complicated,” Hatfield says.

Martial eagles are considered endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and Hatfield hopes that studies like this bring more attention to their plight. Like other large raptors in Africa, the species faces habitat loss, poaching for parts, electrocution on power lines and persecution.

“We are all so focused on the elephant and lion and rhino,” Hatfield says. “A lot of these big eagles and vultures are going to go extinct right in front of our eyes.”

[whatpandorasaw]

Cheetah mother and her week-old cub, Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya

[mutant-distraction]

📷 “We came across this amazing little creature early one morning in the Mara. Nobody, not even the guides, knew what it was. None of us had ever seen anything like it. Thanks to a Google image search, we managed to identify this little beauty as a very rare melanistic greater galago. They are both nocturnal and extremely shy. So to have found one out in the open like this was absolutely incredible!”

Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. © Ivan Glaser

[sitting-on-me-bum]

A male lion lies near a female after mating in the Maasai Mara national reserve, Kenya

Photograph: Baz Ratner/Reuters

[pangeen]

‘ Walking Tall ’ // © Harry Blakey

[travelella]

Maasai Mara National Reserve, Narok County, Kenya

Taken by Sutirta Budiman

[sorrysomethingwentwrong]

Milko Marchetti's "Stuck Squirrel"

Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya.

2024 Nikon Comedy Photography Awards.

© Milko Marchetti | Nikon Comedy Wildlife

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Spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta) Maasai Mara National Reserve, Narok County, Kenya

Photos [1, 2] © Oleg Chernyshov