Wednesday, September 15, 2004

Masai Mara, Kenya VI

Waves of zebra and wildebeest crashed over the dry stream’s steep banks. A lioness rested in the brush, unperturbed. Young zebra foals walked with meters of her, followed by the full force of the migration. She struck quickly, taking down a wildebeest calf on the fly and gripping it by the throat. Panic only magnified the rush of animals, and she lay crouched as hundreds of animals flew past, some actually leaping over her.

This was a bit much, and she finally reached up and grabbed another in middair, bringing another struggling calf to the ground with a thud.

Her first victim began to twitch, fighting its way back to life. It stood up unsteadily and tried to make a run for it, but she dropped the new catch and dispatched her original prize. And then the second one sprang back to life.

It was all a bit confusing, but eventually they were all thorouoghly dead and she went off to take a nap in the shade.


Kenya

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