Carnage on the Savannah

Greetings.

Long has been the struggle over the past year in London. Working tirelessly up to 70+ hours per week has taken its toll, while the cash flow continues at a steady trickle like an over-ranched Salinas creek. The cattle of this picture are the nameless, faceless businessmen that run London and it's education. The vultures that patrol these arid lands, the politicians, who corrupted the masses into voting us out of the EU. I will call these masses the sheep, who dwell mainly in the countryside/midlands, etc. [BREAKING NEWS: British accents do only make Brits sound more intelligent than they actually are].

Meanwhile on the African Savannah, a struggle for life and death rages on just as it has for millions of years. Fleeing far from my 1st world problems, I was joined by rafikis Martha, Jackson and Wilson for an epic quest to finally fill a deep, gaping void in my soul: the lack of leopard. To find this elusive beast, we hired a van to take us to Samburu and Meru for a 3 day Safari. It did not disappoint.

Our driver, Duncan, was a last minute substitution for the bird-savy Robert, a consequence of African organisation. Let's just say he wasn't exactly on the same page as us when it came to birds and budget accommodations. Echoes of simama hapa (stop here) and nyuma kidogo back up a little bit) will be troubling his dreams for many nights.

Now, imagine life as diminutive, ground-dwelling reptile or small rodent on the savannah. Your entire existence consists of avoiding an arsenal of aerial predators, such as this Brown Snake-eagle surveying the savannah from its prominent perch. Nearby, a small lizard falls victim to a Taita Fiscal. Fiscals are relentless killing machines that impale their prey on thorns, which has garnered them the nickname "butcherbird." Pole.

It took this Tawny Eagle mere seconds to rob a baby impala of its pathetic existence.

We continued to the river, where we met a small group of lions.

These future killers have already been given a taste for blood

Up ahead, a land cruiser was stopped, intently watching something we pulled up behind them and it was evident why they had stopped. Sitting in the shade of some shrubbery was a leopard. After some minutes, we watched it wander around, appearing to give zero care for being watched by 2 vehicles. It was a young one as evident by its small size and lack of hunting experience, as it seemed that bounding hare startled it more than the other way around. Suddenly, the non-challant feline took a slight interest in us, only to rub its head against our front tire! As it approached us in that brief moment, I was able to to capture its expression in a photo which I consider the best I've ever taken.

I hope this lousy hunter finds something to eat soon. It could take a lesson from the lioness we were about to encounter.

Following the river, we spot a pair of ears poking up from a bush. A lioness, waiting patiently by the river. Nearby, a herd of impala grazes peacefully, unaware of the possible impending death.



The herd made its way over the exposed riverbank, ever closer to the lioness but oblivious to the danger. We waited patiently. I paid a lot to organize this safari and we were all desperate to see blood. Suddenly, the impala became restless and started bounding around. The lioness continued to bide her time for the perfect moment. It came. The impala scattered, one male hesitated and started zigzagging, a rearward retreat blocked off by the river. The lioness capitalized on its hesitation, going straight for the neck. It was all over in seconds. The impala subdued but not yet asphyxiated, it was dragged up the shoreline in a powerful and savage display, its legs kicking in the air as it waited to die.

In nearby Shaba nature reserve, we set out to scout William's Lark habitat for the following day. We were accompanied by an armed guard to this remote area, who agreed to show us the grassy lava desert where this habitat-specific Kenya endemic dwells. His substantial rifle was not for protection against animals, but Somali bandits. By the roadside, a young Grevy's Zebra, who did not have this same luxury. Its mom was devoured by lions. Pole sana. 

A flock of vultures prepares for the evening roost, perhaps the same ones that may have fed on the entrails of the mama zebra. Hard life.