Lightening reactions

The scene in Ngamo on the afternoon of the 23^rd can only be described as apocalyptic.  It has been unpleasantly hot and humid for the past few days and both the lions and our research team were looking to the skies for some much needed relief. By 4pm the skies began to grey.  By 4:30 they were black, and by 5:30pm a threatening electrical storm began to dance around Ngamo.  As the wind howled and bellowed the pride were spotted closing in upon a mixed herd of zebra and impala in the thickets of the Amboseli area.  Our researcher struggled to keep an eye on the hunting lionesses as the lightening strikes drew closer and closer. Before the resolution of this hunt could be determined it was decided that the research session should be quietly terminated, and the metal vehicle returned to camp and out of striking distance!

Lightening was still being forged in the skies above Ngamo the following morning  at 5am and  continued through to 7am. Upon arriving in Ngamo we located Ashanti and Kenge resting within the open grass area of Maasai Mara. As the lightening lit up the morning sky around the lionesses the torrential rain also began pounding down upon the less than impressed cats.  Yet it appeared the weather would soon be in their favour.  Prey was seen approaching the females up-wind of the waiting lions. None of the herd spotted the crouching huntresses and the young zebra stallion leading the way was heading straight into Kenge’s striking distance. Our researcher stood dripping in the rain in the open vehicle unable to flinch a muscle as the zebra rambled tantalizingly closer to Kenge.  Kenge had virtually became one with the grass as she pressed her body hard against the ground.  The zebra came within 30m of the lionesses yet neither moved an inch.  More often than not a lion will wait patiently for game to approach within 30m, or will stalk to this distance, before giving chase; this appeared to be the ideal hunt. Sadly neither lioness went for it and both sat sodden as the herd began to move away.

Yet Kenge decided that she was not about to give up. As the herd disappeared over the brow of the hill, Kenge began flanking north up Route 66, anticipating the herd’s movements.  Amazingly, she couldn’t have been more precise as the zebra also headed to Route 66 then into the large thicket of Amboseli. Kenge slid into the thicket downwind of the herd leaving Ashanti a little confused about where she had gone. Ashanti rose to her paws and began frantically searching for her hunting partner, eventually entering the thicket herself. We decided with such a poor visual obscured by the dense vegetation, to leave the girls to it and headed off to find the rest of the pride.