Mara Diaries: Takeaways from Kenya

I’m not fond of remakes. But when I witnessed the grand Savannah extravaganza- Disney’s Lion King, remade in live action I was left in awe at their ability to (re)capture the landscape in such painstaking honesty. It was magical to watch Masai Mara, in paint two decades ago and more so, now in 3D.

The savannah sun: Masaai Maara reserve

And yet the on-screen sojourn could never match the thrill of strolling on those plains for real. My previous trips in the wild have been limited to the innermost depths of Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Mumbai, and the Dandeli forest in North Karnataka. Both allowed wild encounters close enough, for me to count the teeth of an Asiatic lion in the first trip and a fresh water croc in the second. Naturally the Mara was constantly being compared by me to the Indian jungles.

World’s largest bird: Ostrich

I was pleasantly surprised by the nonchalance of the inhabitants of the Savannah plains who lazily stare back as you ogle at them through foot long lenses. This is in contrast to our camera shy Bengal tigers and spotted chitals that compel one to penetrate the depths of the thickets for a glimpse. It was tough to convince ourselves that it’s a jungle out there and not an open playground. Well maybe for the lions…

World’s tallest animal: Giraffe

Ably guided by our driver Moses (aptly named), we cruised over the bumpy grasslands through herds of wild buffalos, sturdy zebras, gazelles and occasional impalas. Wildebeests and warthogs were sprinkled amongst the bigger herds.

It was exciting to spot secretary birds (known to stomp on mambas), vultures and owls. I was quite taken by the grace of the lithe gazelle, especially little ones springing gaily.

Moments of calm: Gazelle

All land cruisers and jeeps communicated through walkie-talkies, guiding towards the main attractions. Even a baby giraffe could be tall enough to peep into our vehicle. I learned that objects in reality are much larger than the images we perceive from the Discovery channel.

Lion King

The sheer size of the average African lion makes one gawp. I held on to my tiny tot every time we chanced closer to the king or his pride. They’re regal in every sense of the word. While the females are foremost in bringing down a prey the spoils are largely taken over by the king of the jungle. So, it was heartening to watch a queen gnawing at the innards of a fresh kill in solitary peace… Lucky her!

An African lioness enjoying a rare solitary meal

The herbivores that evoke as much trepidation are the giant elephants and the rhinoceroses. I remember the walkie-talkie yell, “Back off” in Swahili as some land cruiser like ours was in danger of being charged at.

Back off! Two horned Rhinoceros

The gentle (unless provoked) giant: African elephant

The only animal amongst the big five that acted as elusive as our Bengal tigers was the leopard. We swallowed our sour grapes and consoled ourselves saying they’re smart enough to enter our malls, back home in Mumbai.

Vulnerable: Cheetah mom hiding her babies

The image that stuck in my mind to the end was of a cheetah mother trying to hide her curious but cautious litter in those open plains. Fastest animal on planet holding on to dear life.

It’s tough out there.

Death watches: Savannah Vulture

But then, so are the Maasais, the natives of this richly biodiverse land. They live in settlements known as kraals set in the vicinity of the Maasai Maara Game Park. A kraal, comprises of small mud huts arranged in a simplistic circle and fenced by a tall wall of acacia thorns that protects their community from the sight of foreigners and more importantly, lions. We are allowed a glimpse of their domestic life at a substantial charge negotiated by them.

A Maasai Kraal

The tourists are welcomed by the ladies of their group with a song and a welcoming dance. The warrior men follow up with grunts and chants breaking into their famous jumping dance (Maasai Adamu), which is said to be a part of a mating ritual of the tribe.

The Maasai Tribe

The ancient tribes would follow what is known as communal land management system, where each kraal land was meant to be shared collectively by its families, and their livestock- being a common property, was managed by all families in seasonal rotation. Women were the literal homemakers as it was their job to build the mud and dung huts. The males were warriors who defended their people and cattle from external threats mainly the big cats. It is said, the African lions have learned to fear the scent of a Maasai.

While the primary means of survival for the traditional Maasai folks was cattle rearing and trading, diminishing livestock was forcing a lot of groups to abandon this tradition and move on to farming and tourism. Many began converting grazing lands to human cultivation, which was deemed a sacrilege. Children and cattle were their most precious treasures. But modernization had brought many changes in the Maasai way of life, and they now largely depend on tourists for their survival.

We get a sighting of the model of the skeleton of ‘Lucy’, a young female Australopithecus afarensis hominid, who is touted to be the mother of all humanity, exhibited at the Kenya National Museum, Nairobi. Walking (riding) through the savannah grasslands is like strolling through the cradle of humanity itself. The journey of man and his place in the ecosystem can never be as deeply appreciated as it was in those wild plains.