12:34, Saturday, 30 July, 2011

I think one of the big male baboons is finally tolerating my presence, because yesterday he was very aware I was close and watching, but continued to forage, only looking up at me every once in a while. This troop must be getting used to the strange homo sapiens individual who repeatedly sits to watch them.

It was nice to finally return to obs last night. We collectively decided to wear our Maasai clothes to see what kinds of looks we’d get; Benson was obviously the only one who was completely convincing. So here we were, five Maasai in a hyena research vehicle, four of us slightly unconventional. The reactions were hilarious. Benson sped up to catch a combi and ask if they had seen any hyenas, and the two tourists in back couldn’t stop staring, unsure whether to smile or if we were legitimate or what in the heck to think. We kind of spoiled it by cracking up the whole time, but no explanation was given, and we just drove off after thanking the driver for his help. Later, while we were watching hyenas at Horseshoe Lugga (where they have been hanging out in hoards), a tourist standing up out of the hood of a combi did a complete double take. He looked and smiled politely as usual, looked away (at which point our Maasai dress must have registered), and promptly turned his head back to stare, again unsure of the appropriate reaction. Geesh, you’d think they’d never seen a Maasai before.

Female ostriches were dancing last night, literally spinning around and sprinting or ridiculously trotting along. Lia and I laughed until we cried, because they lined up and then went dancing ahead one by one, wings alternately flailing out to the side so it looked like they were going to tumble over, and then ruffling them up backwards in a great show, big tail feathers bouncing like mad. They were totally freaking out, and I can only figure that they were showing off for a male who was foraging in the distance. I would pay to see that again.

Mama B did a boogeyman dance at Kelsey last night, jumping along after her on her hind legs. Poor Kelsey just wanted some of the ugali we were sharing with the babies, but I don’t think Mama B liked her that near to Triple B. According to Estes, genets will sometimes eat bush babies, but I’m slightly skeptical. They sure make Kelsey and her mom nervous.

It’s been like home sweet Serena at night, hippos and buffalo, one night even elephants and lions very near to camp. It’s good to have the noises back.

This morning, we were going to go out to Prozac, and so awoke at 4:45 to hit the road. At Fig Tree, we came upon six lions and some hyenas in the aftermath of a wildebeest kill. The lions soon moved off, two old subadults playing pounce. Then one of the hyenas stole in to carry of the remains of the kill, surprisingly able to lift the entirety of the rib cage and what was left. We lost them to the muddy field, and didn’t even make it to Prozac because we started to severely fishtail back and forth in the mud. But I’m so happy we had to turn around...

I’m not going to write too much about what happened next, although it’s worth a thousand pages, because I’m afraid that trying to describe it might cheapen the memory. Super Mom and her six cheetah cubs were laying and sitting around back in the bush; there were no combis around. I don’t know if I would believe me reading this, but it really happened; three of the cubs came over and jumped onto the car. One of them started to purr, and we stood up out of the windows, staring into the sweetly beautiful reddish-brown, round-pupiled eyes and yellow speckled, furry black tear-dropped faces of the subadult cubs a foot away. And then they let us touch their tails, and I cautiously reached up to scratch one’s flank, and that gentle cat only turned its head to look at me. I cannot endure my love, awe and utter joy. I still think I may have been dreaming, and just stared after them when they moved off after five to ten of the best minutes of my life.