Love in Masai Mara

Since today is the eve of Valentine's Day. Let's celebrate it with all the loving couple that I met in Masai Mara.

Leopard may be fierce but when they are with their couple, they are just as gentle as we are.

The very loving couple of Grey crowned crane. They are known to pair for life.

This is the cutest couple that I came across in Masai Mara - The Ostrich.

This pair of Secretary Birds is in the middle of getting their nest ready on top of the tree crown.

Another couple from the cat family, fastest animal on land - the cheetah!

Last but not least, the zebra couple.

What an experience I had in Masai Mara! Full life cycle for both prey & predators, individual roles in the pyramid food chain... Masai Mara have it all.

Babies of Masai Mara

In the big Masai Mara plain, the young ones or babies are the cutest group. They are also the most vulnerable and are often targeted by the predators. 

Warthog may be easy to spot in Masai Mara, but not their babies. In a split of the second, this family of Warthog disappear in to the bush.

Even though this baby zebra feel secured surrounded by wildebeest, she is not too far from her parents.

The baby zebra is under close watch and well protected by both parents when they travel from one  place to another.

Baboon will carry their baby on their back when moving around looking for food.

A Giraffe with the young one.

Baby elephant right in the middle of the adults well protected.

Another baby elephant seen accompany by her parents.

Hippopotamus with baby out from the water.

Cheetah may be a fast and fierce predator, their baby is vulnerable and often targeted by other predator such as hyenas.

Lion may be called king of Masai Mara, their baby is easy target when their parents is not by their side.

Lioness with her cute baby.

Robber of Masai Mara

Different animals adopted to different approach to survive in the big Masai Mara plain. Most predator will hunt for food, some will scavenge and some simply just rob for food.

This cheetah is in attack position and all set to hunt for food to feed her cubs. The mother cheetah was too concentrate on the target prey and didn't realise the Spotted Hyena is watching her every moves.

 Once the cheetah go for the hunt, the hyena follow her foot steps.

 When the cheetah successfully hunt, a baby impala the hyena intercept and rob away her prey.

Since cheetah rely on speed for their hunt, they can't afford to get injured in the fight. So, the cheetah just let the hyena take her winning prize away.

 Poor cheetah cubs will have no dinner this evening and can only watch their dinner being taken away.

 Knowing the food is secured, the hyena start to feast on the robbed prize.

 In fact, in the next 2 days of my stay in Masai Mara, different hyena are using the same tactic.

This hyena didn't manage to secure the whole food and just got away with a limb...