2014-01-15 Masai Mara, Kenya

This morning we caught up with the three Cheetahs, Amani’s 2012 cubs, right out of our camp. Their belly looked rather full. Nearby them there was a Spotted Hyena feasting on a male Impala, and we wondered whether it was killed by the Cheetahs in the night and then stolen. The Cheetahs were descending towards the Talek river, and it was beautiful to watch them cross it on the rocks. A Hippo nearby showed all his discomfort to the three Cheetah by opening his jaws and splashing aggressively in the water. They emerged on the other side and laid to rest on a termite mound. A few hundred meters from them the Rekero pride of Lions, three Lionesses and four cubs, were lying in the open. They seemed hungry so we kept an eye on both from the top of a hill. It wasn’t until past lunch time that a Warthog female with a piglet approached the Cheetahs, unaware of their presence. As they got closer and closer, the female Cheetah bolted out. She chased the piglet, but she in turn was chased by the Warthog mother. We lost them beyond a slope and when we found the Cheetah she was standing above a hole in the ground, looking inside. Obviosuly the piglet had escaped inside. As she was reached by her brothers, all of a sudden they started trotting away. The Lions had heard the commotion and were coming up to see if there was any food for them. They tracked the Cheetahs until they found them on another grassy mound. One of the Lionesses chased the Cheetahs away. It was interesting to see the three Cheetahs scatter in the plains in different directions to confuse the Lioness. They soon reunited when the Lions continued on. We kept up with the Lionesses as they really looked keen to find some food. As they stood on top of a hill looking down on the empty plains, you could feel their struggle for survival in these green months, without Wildebeests. There was a lone Warthog grazing, which they tried to ambush, but unsuccessfully. We left them hoping they would find something for them and their cubs in the night.