So yesterday morning (about 5am) I awoke to the guttural groans of a lion. He was close. I have no idea where he was, and was not about to venture outside for the fear that he was outside my door. He went on calling for about 30 minutes. It was a glorious sound. I have never heard that before. It was beautiful.
Yesterday day I went to the office to meet Mutinda. There was a black rhino (8years old) that had fought with an older male. It is reported that he has an injury to his eye, and also possibly a leg injury. Mutinda and I were on beck and call waiting for the guides to find the rhino again. They found him in the middle of the day, but then lost him again when it was time for us to go back out. So I did some studying up on how to anaesthetise a rhino. Its quite a different world than what I know with dogs and cats. Pretty much I could kill myself if the tranq dart grazes my skin. And we were worried about Nairobi bombings? The packaging always comes with the human antidote. Strict instructions to always have the antidote ready before beginning to touch the tranquilliser. I think I will let Mutinda handle all of the darts.
As I left the office yesterday,…by the way let me describe this office. It is a bunch of simple orange clay buildings with windows. Thatched roofs, and greenery. It is a small square room. Every once in a while a big fly comes into the room, and can't find his way out. He then spends about 15 minutes buzzing about in the room. Entertaining and distracting. Yesterday I got to see a herd of impala decide on a jaunt in front of he window. One by one, they ran past. I have it on video amazingly. And as I left the office the impala were sleeping under a tree, they became very cautious of me and started to scatter. There were 3 plain zebra hanging out with them as well. They wanted nothing to do with me either. I also almost stumbled upon a hornbill that was intently watching me. It reminded me of Leslie's encounters with the hornbill at Mpala. On the walk back to my room, I also go to see the vervet monkeys picking away at the grass. I stopped and pulled the camera out….Although most of these guys were rather shy.
Mutinda just walked in and said that there is a lion at Ol Pejeta that needs attending to! I am quite excited. He is calling to confirm and we will leave in about an hour. I don't know how long of a drive it is, but I believe that we have to go through Nanyuki…so I think an hour and a half. It is on the way to Mpala if I remember correctly.
We will see what the day has to offer!!!!!!
Lots of love.
PS Mum the little kettle is coming in handy every morning for my coffee! :)
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