Grevys zebra photo: Brigid Forrest |
Over the next few hours the landscape
changes several times: well tended small holdings, coffee plantations, and a
large pineapple plantation. As we climb around the outer foothills of Mount Kenya, extensive
greenhouses support export crops of roses, carnations and vegetables. Wheat fields stretch across the plains and
then, without fanfare, we cross the Equator.
The road is sealed the
whole way and in good condition. It seems the last section as we
reach Samburu is relatively new..... since the discovery of oil in the desert
further north. We are now about halfway to Ethiopia , and Somalia lies that and a bit more to the east – at the time we don’t think that’s remarkable, but events this week tell a different story.
A 24km dirt road takes us to the park gates, where Henry and Richard our two drivers complete the paperwork and get us in.
Gerry, the reticulated giraffe |
Naively, I decide to list all the
animals and birds I see on the Kenyan trip. As with many of my resolutions, this lasts
less than half an hour. By then we have spotted vulturine guinea fowl, ground
squirrel, Oryx antelope, red billed hornbills, white backed vultures, dik dik - which might just be the cutest wee antelope ever - reticulated
giraffe (as opposed to two other kinds we'll see further south) baboon,
ostrich, and zebra. If I keep writing them down I won't have time to look at
them, so I abandon the effort.
When we go out for our evening game
drive - there are two each day, one at dawn and one late in the afternoon - we
are treated to the spectacle of a herd of elephant, 15 or 16 including babies,
coming down to the river for a drink and a bit of a wash. It is amazing how
comfortable they are passing close to the vans, but they are used to them. This has a downside or course as poaching is still a huge problem. Remember the highway? Since Chinese construction started
in Kenya,
it is estimated 150 elephants have disappeared. Call me cynical, but this can't be a coincidence.
Out on a drive you never know what
you will see. As word of a cheetah or leopard sighting is conveyed to our guide over the CB radio, a red mist descends and he transforms from mild mannered driver to rally champion.
Our adrenaline surges and we laugh maniacally as we careen
down rough roads to get to the spot. The suspension on our pop top van
must be amazing, and I silently thank the blogger who recommended a tight fitting sports
bra.
This cheetah comes so close I could touch him - I don't. |
Of course we are not the only ones
in the park. At one point when we arrive
at where a cheetah has been seen,
I count 22 vehicles, all waiting for the cheetah to show itself. I
wonder if the cheetah thinks he is supposed to be the hunter not the
hunted. When he emerges from the bushes
and wanders past us, he's so close to my window I have to restrain myself from
reaching out to stroke him.
Gerenuk almost walk upright |
We all marvel at the unusual athleticism of the gerenuk antelope as it stands on its hind legs to graze on leaves.
It doesn't lean against the tree but stands erect and even uses its front legs to pull down higher branches. Not surprisingly, it is also know as the giraffe antelope.
It doesn't lean against the tree but stands erect and even uses its front legs to pull down higher branches. Not surprisingly, it is also know as the giraffe antelope.
By the time we depart Samburu we see what seems like hundreds of animals and birds, and can tick off the five species that are only found in East Africa, generally around the Equator:
- Somalian Ostrich (yes, really),
- Grevys Zebra (the stripes are closer together than other zebra),
- Reticulated Giraffe(different marking),
- Gerenuk , and
- Beisa Oryx.
Beisa Oryx photo: Brigid Forrest |
Samburu Lodge overlooks a
river which runs from Mt Kenya
into the desert north of here, culminating in a sandy swamp. Vervet monkeys are everywhere and you need to
be careful to close everything up or they'll move into your room and set up
house. They are very cute, but as I did
not get a rabies vaccination I am keeping my distance.
In the evening, the
staff throw lumps of meat to the crocodiles that live in the river - not
joking. It is a testament to Pavlov's theory
that at 7.00 pm every night the crocs haul themselves out of the river to the dusty
bank a few meters away from where we are having our gin and tonics. It makes walking back to your room quite an
adventure when you've seen a massive, and I mean massive beast chowing down. There's another great Kenyan disaster news item: croc consumes tourist.
Watch out for crocodiles |
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