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Kenya – Mara North Photo Tour with Dale Morris

A Maasai Mara Morning

I have just returned from leading another wonderful Oryx photo tour in the Northern Mara Conservancy in Kenya.  This patchwork of open grassy plains and wooded hills is a photographers dream due to an abundance of wildlife.We found all the usual African mega stars, from Lions, leopards and cheetah, to hyena, elephants, and giraffes.

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It’s iconic Africa at its very best, and unlike the Maasai Mara National Park (with which the Northern Mara shares an unfenced border) there are no crowds of tourists here. A limited and exceptionally well managed collection of boutique lodges are permitted access to Mara North, and as such, sightings of wildlife are rarely shared with more than one or two other safari vehicles.

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Many times, my guest and I found ourselves all alone, surrounded by uncountable numbers of plains wildlife, with not one other vehicle in sight.

Its serenity and bliss

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Of course, we saw and photographed many wonderful species, and were treated to scenes of pure natural splendor. The morning and afternoon game drives in our open roofed safari vehicle rewarded us with photographic opportunities to shoot a variety of topics, from herds of zebra and wildebeest, backlit by the rising sun, to flocks of white storks, parades of elephants, and of course, lions and other predators (of which there are many)

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But my favorite game drive was on one particularly chilly morning as our Masai partner guide took us deep into the golden grasses of the Mara’s legendary plains.

We were hunting for predators….

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It takes more than a modicum of skill to find lions in such a vast landscape as the Mara. They don’t just appear at the side of the road and wait for you to show up. You must hunt them. And to do this, a variety of senses and expertly honed skills must be used.

Firstly, in the pre-dawn dark, one must listen carefully to the sounds of the animals all around. A snort from a wildebeest, the cackle of a guineafowl, or the trill of a tiny bird will alert you to the potential presence of a predator.

As the light begins to filter above the horizon, we must look at what the other animals are doing. Are those zebras all looking towards one area? If so, why? What are those giraffes staring at beyond those acacia trees? Why are the wildebeest gathered in this particular spot? Why is that clan of hyenas traveling in a specific direction? These are all clues that can help solve the mystery at hand. That mystery being… Where are those lions?

To track an animal this way, and then find it, can make you feel a little like Sherlock Holmes.

Mika, our expert Masai guide, and I had been putting all the pieces together on this particular morning; reading the signs and navigating further into the plains. Something was up, that’s for sure. The hyenas were somewhat excited, and wildebeest starred in unison up towards the crest of a hill.  And then, faintly, almost inaudibly, but evident if one is alert and listening, we heard the warbling cry of a buffalo in distress.

That was the last piece of the puzzle for us. The key was turned, the engine revved, and off we sped up and over the rise and onto the next plain… and straight into a scene of carnage and mayhem.

“Look. It’s Lions” announced Mika. He wasn’t surprised. He had grown up here in the Mara, and has all the prerequisite skills to find almost any animal we, as photographers, could so desire.

But this was no ordinary lion encounter.

A big maned male was busy throttling a large buffalo, but about 200 meters away, yet more lions were tucking into the remains of an earlier kill. A third Buffalo was being dispatched by another large maned male… All at the same time.

We hardly knew which direction to point our cameras at, so much was happening all at once.

As unusual as it is to witness lions on three kills simultaneously, the scene revealed itself to be even more fantastic when we moved over to where a mass of hyenas were piling into a carcass of ribs and bones and horns. They had banded together to displace the lions, who reluctantly conceded and moved off to assist the big male in devouring the freshly killed buffalo cow.

I counted 70 Hyenas. There were probably more.

“They are from two opposing clans” said Mika “and having them both here at the same kill is bound to lead to drama”

And of course, he was right.

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The hyenas took turns to get what they could from what remained of the rapidly dwindling carcass. One clan would advance and there would be fights and mayhem. The other clan would retreat, only to amass again in a united front to drive away the competitors.

Back and forth they went, taking turns to take what they could. Clamoring atop one another in a feeding frenzy that sometimes resembled a rugby scrum or an NFL mush pile.

It was a remarkable sight, and accompanied by such a raucous din of wail, shrieks, and giggles, that I gave up trying to translate the drama for my guest, because he couldn’t really hear me.

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And then, much to our utter disbelief, we noticed there was a lioness still at the carcass. At times, she was actually beneath the hyaenas, as they vied for a spot at the feast.

Typically, lions and hyenas will not tolerate each other at a kill, but in this case, this one lone female had decided she was going to stay and feast, cheek to jowl with her traditional enemies.

Remarkably, the hyenas ignored her, and she, in turn, ignored them as well- or at least as best she could.
It’s hard to eat when you are being trampled by a huge clan of hungry carnivores.

In 20 or more years of working in the African bush, I have never seen such a spectacle.

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Eventually, the sun rose to such a degree that the heat drove the hyenas and the lions back to the shade of some nearby bushes, leaving just jackals and a flock of arriving vultures to take over the dinner proceedings.

We visited this graveyard of Buffalos several times throughout that day. Watching the meat, then bone vanish piece by piece. Come the following morning, there was nothing left to see.

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An African safari will almost always offer up something new. Those who have been several times will know, that no safari experience is ever the same.

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Come join me with Oryx Photo Tours, and experience the drama, the beauty, and the untamed wilderness on this marvelous photogenic continent. But be warned, Its never a once in a lifetime trip. You’ll surely want to come back, time and time again

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Dale Morris 

If you are interested in joining Dale on a photo tour  then do get in touch!

For a private photo tour to Kenya or anywhere in the world, please get in touch with us at [email protected].

To join Dale on a scheduled, small group photo tour to Kenya and beyond, please get in touch with us at [email protected]

 

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Dale Morris

AN ADDICTION TO WILDLIFE FILMS AT A YOUNG AGE INSTALLED IN DALE A DEEP LOVE FOR ANIMALS AND THE GREAT OUTDOORS.

Since then, he has spent the last 25 years travelling the globe, working with and photographing its wildlife and cultures. He has lived and worked in a diversity of destinations,  from Asia, and Africa, to the Americas and Europe and is as equally at home on the open plains of Tanzania’s Serengeti as he is in the steamy jungles of Borneo, or the frozen icescapes of the Antarctic.

Dale’s deep-rooted fascination and dedication to the natural world has given him a diverse portfolio of photographic skills: whether it be macro photography, portraiture, wildlife or landscapes. With a personal history grounded deeply in conservation ethics and academic research, Dale’s wealth of knowledge and imagery has found its way into numerous publications. He has produced more than 500 nature, travel and photography oriented magazine articles and has worked on numerous wildlife documentaries with clients as prestigious as the BBC, National Geographic and the Discovery Channel. His photographs have appeared on high profile front covers and he has won several awards with global publishing companies.

His sense of humour and relaxed demeanour ensure that he is a hit with all the people he guides, both young and old, creating long-lasting clientele whilst easily captivating new guests on tour with him. From the Highlands of Ethiopia to the lowlands of Madagascar; and from the wetlands of Botswana to the dry deserts of Namibia and beyond, Dale’s endless passion and knowledge make him a perfect Photo Tour Leader for your next ORYX tour.

Dale Morris is a Senior Photo Tour Leader for ORYX private and scheduled departures.

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