Hunting or being hunted

Tanzania | Anno 2009

 

Friday 17 July | Isebania – Serengeti National Park

Saturday 18 July | Serengeti National Park

Sunday 19 July | Serengeti National Park – Naabi Hill

 

 

Friday 17 July | Isebania – Serengeti National Park

The crown jewel of Tanzania, that is what you can call the Serengeti. Nowhere else in the world is the life-and-death battle between predators and their prey fought out so openly and vividly as in this seemingly endless savannah. The spectacle there is said to be even more spectacular than in the Masai Mara. That’s a big promise, especially considering that our experiences in the Masai Mara are forever etched in our memories.

 

The crown jewel of Tanzania, that is what you can call the Serengeti

We find ourselves at Isebania, the border crossing between Kenya and Tanzania. Koi and Pedro are waiting for us with two green Toyota Land Cruisers. As swiftly as our luggage is transferred from one jeep to another, our passports are stamped with the necessary visas. Our yellow fever vaccination certificate – supposedly a strict requirement for entering Tanzania, as we were told beforehand – isn’t even glanced at. As for the Mexican flu, they’ve never heard of it here, let alone H1N1.

 

Impalas

Wildebeest

In the coming days, Koi and Pedro will serve as both our drivers and guides. Koi, a Masai, takes the reins with an official, almost bureaucratic precision from the outset. Pedro, who is Meru, remains quiet; by the end of the evening, we still won’t know what his voice sounds like.

We leisurely drive southward along the comfortable, wide asphalt road. The pace is so slow that – with nearly 300 kilometres still ahead – it starts to get on our nerves. Even on long, straight stretches with no signs of habitation, the speedometer needle barely climbs above seventy kilometres per hour. A cyclist riding on the right side of the road receives a warning from Koi – though it has no visible effect. Gradually, we begin to see Koi as the prototype of a bureaucrat who meticulously follows the rules. Or perhaps it’s a lingering influence from the German colonizers who once left their mark on this land?

 

Buffalo with yellow-billed oxpeckers

Warthog

Just before the bridge over the wide Mara River, Koi makes a rather unexpected stop. It’s half past one, and there are two trees near a small hut. The time and place seem suitable to Koi for eating our packed lunches. In a nearby field, a few bent-over women look up in surprise at our arrival. Children playing nearby observe the strange scene from a safe distance.

The body and tires of the jeeps are sprayed with a product that sterilises male tsetse flies

Once again, the lunch boxes are overly packed, to the point where we could assemble another meal with the leftovers. Koi informs the women, and one of them comes over with a large green bucket. Even that isn’t enough to carry all the leftovers. By the time we leave, neither the women nor the children are anywhere to be seen. No doubt they are gathered inside a hut, huddled around the green bucket.

 

Zebras

Wildebeest

A quarter of an hour later, a turnoff leads to Musoma, near Lake Victoria. Apparently, the vast lake is just twenty kilometres away from here. Shortly after three, we reach Bunda, and not long after that, we cross the famous Grumeti River – along with the Mara, one of the most significant obstacles for the wildebeest during their annual migration north.

 

The moment zebras step in, the line halts. Because unlike the wildebeest, they do notice our vehicle

It's nearing four o'clock when we reach the Ndabaka Gate of Serengeti National Park. The park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, covering an area of 14,763 km², about half the size of Belgium. Now, we have 136 km of unpaved road, the B144, ahead of us, running parallel to the Grumeti River, through what is known as the Western Corridor of the park. This will likely take us three to four hours. It seems possible that we may only arrive at our destination after eight o'clock, in complete darkness.

 

Serengeti National Park – Western Corridor

The roofs of the jeeps are opened, indicating that Koi is turning this part of the journey into a safari ride after all. The body and tires of the jeeps are sprayed with a product that sterilises male tsetse flies. The dark blue cloths we see hanging in trees here and there are also soaked in this substance. Apparently, tsetse flies are easily lured into landing on such cloths.

 

Wildebeest

 

Not even ten minutes later, we find ourselves surrounded by wildebeests. For kilometres in every direction, as far as the eye can see on both sides of the road, the landscape is dotted with black specks – all the way to the base of the Simiti Hills. There must be tens of thousands of them, if not hundreds of thousands. By now, it's clear that the vast majority of the wildebeests have yet to cross the Mara or even the Grumeti rivers. The famous herd of one million is still on this side of the rivers.

 

 

The line of animals coming from the left seems endless. It's mostly wildebeests, though there are also small groups of zebras among them. In an orderly line, they meander through the savanna and cross the road. Koi gets quite close, but it doesn’t faze the wildebeests in the slightest. Unbothered, they continue their path – after all, wildebeests have poor eyesight and rely heavily on their sense of smell. But the moment zebras step in, the line halts. Zebras, with their excellent vision, have clearly noticed our vehicle. Koi drives forward, and the zebras detour around the back of the jeep in a wide arc before resuming their journey. The wildebeests follow in line, indifferent to the shift in direction. Meanwhile, a herd of about a hundred buffalo watches the spectacle unfold.

 

A tree that has to endure a visit of 27 elephants urgently needs psychiatric help

In the distance, an elephant emerges from the brush. Who cares about a solitary elephant? But then it turns out that it’s not alone. Gradually, twenty-six more appear, mostly adult females, but there are quite a few young ones too. They all seem to have their eyes set on the same tree. With their trunks, they reach for the highest green leaves, and when that’s not enough, they simply break off a few branches. A tree that has to endure a visit of 27 elephants urgently needs psychiatric help.

 

Just picking a branch

Suddenly, a truck rumbles loudly down the unpaved road. The dominant female elephant interprets this as a sign of danger and trumpets her alarm. In the blink of an eye, the adult elephants form a circle, their flanks pressed against each other, with the young ones in the middle. Any enemy that might target them would be faced with an impressive ring of tusks.

 

 

Safe among the adult animals

Koi seems completely oblivious to any sense of time pressure. His itinerary includes a detour towards the Ruwana Plains, so we will take our time. We head north, cross the mostly dry Grumeti River, and then turn back westward for a while.

High above a waterhole, a hanging bridge crosses the river. Concentric circles on the water's surface suggest the presence of hippos. However, for now, we can only spot two pairs of eyes – one set belonging to a hippo and the other to a crocodile.

 

 

 

Following in Koi's footsteps, we cross the hanging bridge and venture into the forest in search of Nile crocodiles. However, we only catch a fleeting glimpse of two specimens at the base of the high bank. The skittish reptiles quickly disappear into the water as soon as they hear us approaching. For a brief moment, two hippos also poke their heads above the surface to investigate.

 

Waterhole with impalas in the Grumeti

Then Koi declares the safari part of the trip closed and quickly heads toward our lodge in the heart of the Serengeti. Apparently, he feels more at home on unpaved roads than on asphalt – impalas, zebras, and wildebeests zip by at 60 kilometres per hour outside the window.

A handful of tsetse flies are hitching a ride in the jeep. But they only bite in open, hot weather. Not during cloudy conditions or at dusk like now, Koi reassures us

A handful of tsetse flies are hitching a ride in the jeep. A bite from either a male or female can cause sleeping sickness, as these flies can transmit a parasite that prefers to nest in human brains. When the parasite devours more brain cells, the victim begins to exhibit increasingly confused behaviour and gradually falls into a coma. If left untreated, an infection will always lead to death. Should we then not bury our noses in the sand like the topis?

 

 

No worries, Koi reassures us. Tsetse flies only bite in open, hot weather. Not during rainy or cloudy conditions, and not at dusk like now. Hoping that the tsetse flies riding with us adhere to all the same rules as Koi, we continue our journey.

Like a Christmas tree adorned with a thousand lights, Serengeti Serena Lodge reveals itself in the dark distance just before eight, standing fifteen hundred meters above sea level. The lodges are spread among the trees surrounding the main building. All paths are carefully lit, but still, we are not allowed to go to our lodge unaccompanied. We are guests in the savannah, and the animals are our hosts. Along the way, we might encounter a buffalo, a lion, a hyena, or perhaps even an elephant, as they all feel at home here.

But tonight, it’s just a hare that crosses our path. Such a dangerous creature is something we can just about handle, we think.

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Saturday 18 July | Serengeti National Park

A strong morning wind rustles through the trees between the lodges. From our hilltop, we look out over the immense open space that stretches a hundred meters below our feet. It feels as though there is no end to this rolling plain. Endless plain – that is exactly what the name Serengeti means in the Masai language.

 

Endless plain – that is exactly what the name Serengeti means in the Masai language

What makes the Serengeti so special is precisely that rolling, nearly treeless grassland. The eight volcanoes surrounding Ngorongoro are not unrelated to this phenomenon. Until two million years ago, they regularly spewed ash over the undulating hills of this area. Rainwater caused this ash to coalesce into a cement-like, impenetrable layer. On top of this layer, a coating of fertile soil formed, where short grasses thrive effortlessly. However, this layer is far too thin for trees and larger shrubs; their roots immediately hit the impenetrable layer beneath.

Thus, these vast, treeless grasslands came into being. Naturally, large grazers feel quite at home here – wildebeests, zebras, buffalo, gazelles... In turn, these herbivores attract various carnivores – lions, leopards, cheetahs, hyenas... The absence of trees or shrubs in the vicinity makes it all the more thrilling. Prey animals cannot hide from predators here. For a predator to approach prey unnoticed is nearly impossible. In the Serengeti, it's a game of spying and being spied upon, hunting and being hunted – a game that never seems to end. Yet it's an extraordinarily stressful game of life and death. And it’s precisely this spectacle that we can observe almost unobstructed in this open space.

In fact, the wooded Western Corridor that we traversed yesterday is not pure Serengeti

In fact, the wooded Western Corridor that we traversed yesterday is not pure Serengeti. Today, we will make up for that and head to the treeless grasslands around Seronera, about twenty kilometres to the south.

 

Spotted hyenas at their lair

 

A herd of about 150 to 200 Thomson's gazelles crosses the road. Two spotted hyenas scan the surroundings from their lair. As soon as one of them leaves the lair, the Thomson's gazelle resting a bit further away keeps a close watch on it, not taking its eyes off the predator for a second.

 

Thomson’s gazelles

White-bellied bustard

Three white-bellied bustards waddle through the grass – two males and one female. They can fly quite well, these small crane-like birds with their long grey necks, but they still prefer to rummage around on the ground in search of tasty morsels.

In the distance, a pair of black-backed jackals patrol the grass, also on the hunt for prey. According to Koi, once they form a pair, it’s for life.

For trees and larger shrubs, this layer of fertile soil is far too thin; their roots immediately hit the impenetrable layer beneath

Hyena spies on zebra

A hyena is watching about thirty zebras, its head just visible above the tall grass. One hyena is no threat to the zebras, as it is far too small. However, if its companions were to join it, the situation would become serious.

 

Seronera River – Hippo pool and yellow fever trees

 

About thirty hippos are huddled closely together in a bend of the Seronera River. Yellow fever trees rise high above them. Further along the bank, three marabou storks stand almost motionless by the water's edge.

 

Olive baboons

If the lioness were to leave her cub behind, the baboons would certainly tear it apart

Lioness brings her cub to safety

In the shade of a bush, a lioness is feeling overwhelmed by all the commotion. Nervously, she takes her cub in her mouth, hesitates for a moment, and then makes a run for it. She’s trying to get her cub to safety. Not from us, Koi explains, but from the olive baboons that are hanging out in the trees. If she were to leave her cub behind, the baboons would certainly tear it apart.

After all, baboons are opportunistic omnivores that can easily adapt their diet to changing situations. They will eat just about anything that comes their way, from fruit, grass, and leaves to resin, roots, insects, grasshoppers, lizards, and even young antelopes. However, things aren’t going well for the lioness. Further ahead, there’s another group of baboons, forcing her to continue on, uncertain of what to do next.

 

 

Two lionesses are stealthily creeping through the tall grass towards each other, sometimes barely visible. One of them wears a collar, allowing the park management to track her movements. They greet each other and then continue walking together. Are they on the lookout for prey?

 

One of the hippos has left the cool water and ventured into the sultry open savannah

 

One of the hippos has left the cool water and ventured into the sultry open savannah. About three hundred meters from the river, it stands alone, grazing. It can consume up to sixty kilograms of grass per day.

 

 

 

A herd of about fifty-five elephants are busy with some trees and bushes. They are expertly dismantling a yellow fever tree, just as only elephants can.

Two southern ground hornbills are foraging for food in the grass. They are quite ugly, with their black feathers, curved beak, and bright red wattles on their throats. Standing on their long legs, they are hardly smaller than the Thomson's gazelles among which they live.

 

Thomson’s gazelles, southern ground hornbill

A weaver crawls into its nest

Eight jeeps lined up; there must be something interesting happening. Everyone is peering at a tree about sixty meters from the road. But for now, all we can see is a tufted tail that seems to be hanging from a branch, swaying slightly in the gentle wind. The binoculars clarify the situation – on the branch lies a leopard sleeping, waiting for the night.

At first, all we can see is a tufted tail that seems to be hanging from a branch, swaying slightly in the gentle wind

Leopard

A lioness under a tree has realised that a small herd of Thomson's gazelles hasn’t noticed her. Cautiously, she approaches, waits, moves closer again, hesitates, and then begins to stalk. Gradually, she is swallowed up by the tall grass, and we can only guess where she is. But it’s clear that the gazelles still haven't spotted her. Suddenly, the lioness springs into action, a large cloud of dust rises as the gazelles scatter in all directions. However, the lioness comes up empty and retreats in frustration, while all the gazelles keep a close watch on her – perhaps trembling on their legs.

 

Spying lioness

The Visitor Centre is located on and around several large granite boulders. These boulders, which jut out of the earth like enormous fists, are called kopjes here. This name is inspired by the African term koppies, meaning little heads.

 

Kopjes, that's what they call the boulders that stick out of the earth like enormous fists

Mongoose

Scientists, on the other hand, prefer to refer to them as inselbergs or island mountains. They originate from bubbles of molten rock that are pushed upwards through the Earth's crust, slowly cooling into granite or gneiss. For the past 500 million years, these hills have been pushed higher. Meanwhile, erosion from the sun, wind, and water has done its work, leaving only the hard kopjes protruding above the landscape. This area is a chosen habitat for rock hyraxes and banded mongooses. The hustle and bustle of tourists does not bother them at all.

 

Rock hyrax

A short walking path winds its way between the wooded kopjes. Educational panels alongside the path provide us with some information. It’s no surprise that the migration of the wildebeest is central to this. We learn that ninety percent of calving occurs in February on the grasslands south of Ngorongoro. During this three-week period, an average of eight thousand young are born each day.

During this three-week period, an average of eight thousand young are born each day

Once born, life moves quickly for the tiny calves. A carefree youth is not in store for them. Within minutes, they must be able to stand on their legs, within an hour they need to reach their top speed, and within two days, they must be able to escape from a predator. If a mother and calf become separated in the chaos of the massive herds, they will stand apart and call to each other. It seems a bit awkward, but it works.

 

Elephant at the Seronera River

After the long rains from February to May, the waterholes in the south gradually begin to dry up. This forces the wildebeests to embark on their long migration. First, they head northwest to the Western Corridor, near Lake Victoria. Only there, in the wooded grasslands, do they find enough food. For the wildebeests, this also marks the beginning of the mating season. Then they cross northward over the Mara and Grumeti rivers, heading toward the Masai Mara in Kenya. This is the phase we are currently experiencing.

From October to December, the short rains gradually bring the southern plains of the Serengeti back to life. The great return journey can now begin, as there is more than enough food at the final destination to sustain the quarter-million young calves.

 

Lioness spies on hippos

Each year, the wildebeests complete an enormous circular migration with a circumference of a thousand kilometres. Moving counterclockwise, someone should investigate whether the Coriolis effect plays a role here.

Every year, one million wildebeests participate in this migration, but there are also resident herds – wildebeests that are attached to their home range and prefer not to travel extensively. In addition, there are about two hundred thousand zebras and four hundred thousand gazelles that undertake a similar but smaller route.

Each year, the wildebeests complete an enormous circular migration with a circumference of a thousand kilometres

Zebras move faster than wildebeests and keep the grass short, as wildebeests prefer the lower parts of the grass. After the wildebeests have grazed, the smaller gazelles take their turn to nibble on the remaining scraps. Due to their vulnerability, gazelles do not like tall grass.

Zebra birth planning is much less strict than that of wildebeests. They give birth throughout the year, although they do have a slight preference for the rainy season, when fresh grass is abundantly available.

 

Masai giraffes, zebras

It's no surprise that this mass of animal protein attracts the interest of carnivores. They not only hunt for prey but also clean up the carcasses of animals that die along the way from exhaustion or old age.

Lions and leopards are territorial creatures. They don’t follow the migration; instead, they wait for their food to pass by and seize the opportunity when it arises. In contrast, hyenas often trail closely behind the herds but frequently clash with local hyenas. The locals are unwilling to let the migrants encroach on their territory and take away their food sources.

 

Dik-diks

Indeed, it’s a cumbersome affair, this annual migration, but only in this way could the gigantic herds that we now know have developed on the East African plains. The national parks of the Masai Mara and the Serengeti are perfectly designed to accommodate this migration, protecting the entire migratory area.

 

Egyptian geese

We continue our journey along the Seronera River. Well over a hundred zebras are quenching their thirst. However, they hurriedly scatter as soon as a single male elephant approaches. Only after the giant has turned its back do they dare to drink again.

 

Lions and leopards don’t follow the migration of the wildebeest. Instead, they wait for their food to pass by and seize the opportunity when it arises

 

Apparently, the two lionesses from earlier are still on the move together. They are stealthily making their way along the riverbank. A large herd of zebras on the other side of the road is attracting their unhealthy interest. According to Koi, they are waiting for the moment when the zebras come to drink at the river. However, the zebras first need to cross the road, and unfortunately, there are two lines of five jeeps with only about fifty meters of space in between. That gap is rather small, and it seems doubtful that the zebras will dare to venture into it. Four giraffes are nibbling on green leaves high up in the trees.

The lionesses' patience is exhausted. One by one they slip between the jeeps. The four giraffes don't like that at all. With a sudden movement, they turn around and take off running. That alarms the zebras, who promptly begin to run ahead of the giraffes. The lionesses have missed their chance. We feel fortunate that it takes us considerably less effort to find food; simply returning to the lodge suffices.

Often the bush fires are deliberately lit. By the park management, for example, or by poachers

During the evening safari, Koi has hippos and crocodiles in the Grumeti in store for us. Vast strips of grassland are charred black. Sometimes a part of the savannah accidentally catches fire. But more often the fires are deliberately lit. By the park management, for example, to give new, short grass a chance and thus clear the way for small gazelles. Or by poachers, to catch the hunted game more easily.

 

Von der Decken's hornbill (m)

Hundreds of zebras return in a dispersed formation across the barren, black landscape from a visit to the waterhole. Perched on a branch is a small hornbill – a Von der Decken’s hornbill, Koi notes. It’s a male, identifiable by its red beak. Perhaps he’s searching for something edible in this wilderness.

 

 

We cross the bridge over the Orangi and reach Retima about fifteen minutes later, where the Seronera flows into the Orangi. Stone picnic tables and a toilet cabin among the trees are present.

 

About eighty groaning, sighing, and hissing hippos are packed shoulder to shoulder in the hippo pool

Hippo pool at Retima

Unpleasant odours waft toward us from the filthy sludge at the foot of the steep bank. About eighty groaning, sighing, and hissing hippos are packed shoulder to shoulder in the hippo pool. We can barely distinguish which pair of eyes belongs to which back. They are constantly at odds with each other, incessantly bickering for a bit more space. Snapping and pushing are common, and sometimes two rivals butt heads with each other.

 

Nile crocodile

We spot exactly one crocodile in the mud on the opposite bank, some distance away from the hippos. Adult specimens like this can measure five to six meters in length and weigh over seven hundred kilograms.

 

Impala, baboons

Baboon

Reluctantly, we turn back to the lodge. The zebras from earlier have since moved quite a distance. They pose nicely against a photogenic sunset over the hills.

 

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Sunday 19 July | Serengeti National Park – Naabi Hill

The volcanic area in and around the Ngorongoro caldera will be the next stop on our journey through the spectacular nature of Kenya and Tanzania. But first, we still have a bit of Serengeti to explore, specifically the southern plains. In the meantime, we know that this is the cradle of the wildebeest – but also, according to some scientists, the cradle of humanity.

The southern plains of the Serengeti are the cradle of the wildebeest, but also of humanity

Tawny eagle

Marabou stork, white-backed vulture

As driver-guide Pedro begins the journey along the unpaved B144, a tawny eagle watches us from a distant branch. Fresh carcasses are its favourite meal. However, rabbits, reptiles, and guinea fowl would do well to stay far away from it.

 

Mongoose

They grow to be four to six metres tall, a male can easily weigh 1,900 kg, a female 1,100 kg, that's what suddenly sounds like in the jeep. Yesterday we barely heard Pedro's voice, today he turns out to be a fountain of facts and figures. Their gestation lasts fourteen months, he continues unperturbed, on average they live twenty-eight years.

 

A lion with a bit of sense will prefer to attack a giraffe while it is drinking or sleeping

 

Clearly, Pedro is talking about the two Masai giraffes a short distance from the road. Humans and lions are the main enemies of these gentle giants. Yet, the giraffe is a formidable opponent – kicking a lion to death is not something he shies away from. A lion with a bit of sense will prefer to attack a giraffe while it is drinking or sleeping. In a forested environment, the giraffe tends to doze while standing. Only in the open plains does it dare to sleep sitting down.

 

 

As we continue south along the western bank of the Seronera, a handful of marabou storks and African white-backed vultures are feasting on a large carcass deep in the thicket. Even from this distance, Pedro can't determine whether it was a buffalo, a wildebeest, or a zebra while it was still alive. In any case, it must have been lions that took down this animal, allowing these scavengers to enjoy the leftovers.

 

Zebras, impala, topi

Along the river, it seems to be an ideal spot for animals – zebras, wildebeest, topi, impalas, and plenty of hippos can be seen all around. We make a brief stop at the Visitor Centre before continuing our journey along the eastern bank of the Seronera, heading towards the Masai Kopjes.

 

Buffaloes

The landscape changes dramatically now. Trees and shrubs are almost non-existent. A lone bull elephant is grazing in the open savannah. Each day, he requires 300 kilograms of food and 200 litres of water. Normally, he spends 16 hours a day foraging to meet these needs. In this barren area, it's unclear where he plans to find such sustenance.

 

High up in an acacia tree, a leopard has settled for the day

Leopard

Ten jeeps lined up – something more significant is clearly happening than just a grazing elephant. High up in an acacia tree, a few dangling legs loosely swing from a branch. A bit higher, we spot the spotted coat of a leopard, who has settled there for the day. As the other vehicles gradually move away, we inch closer. Every now and then, the lazy creature stirs, briefly lifting its head to survey the surroundings.

 

Black-headed heron

Marabou stork on acacia

Zebras, wildebeest

Further ahead, a black-headed heron stands in the grass. The large grey bird with its long neck closely resembles the more familiar grey heron.

 

 

A lioness is moving through the tall savannah grass with two cubs in tow. Only her back is visible through the dense grass. She is likely part of a pride, a group of lionesses with cubs, led by one or two males. If those males are brothers, both are allowed to mate with all the females. Male lions consume up to forty kilograms of meat per day and can live for about fifteen years. Females, on the other hand, are content with less than thirty kilograms and generally live up to twenty years. If needed, lions can go without food for up to three days, which is probably not uncommon in such a sparse area.

For a moment, we mistake a group of hartebeests for topis. That's not surprising, as both species have lyrate horns

Hartebeest

The other male lions typically form a bachelor group. Occasionally, one of these bachelors will attempt to challenge the dominant male of a pride and try to overthrow him. If successful, the new leader will immediately kill the cubs of his predecessor to bring the females back into oestrus, making them ready to mate with him.

 

Hartebeest

In a charred stretch of grassland, we spot our very first hartebeest. The animal's name comes from African farmers who thought it resembled a deer. Both male and female of this large antelope species have sickle-shaped, ridged horns.

 

Masai Kopje

The road winds between the Masai Kopjes, a series of about ten densely vegetated hills made of granite boulders. There are no animals to be seen.

 

Hartebeest

Open savannah

The few waterholes along the road, some still filled with spring water, are much more popular. Yellow-billed storks and sacred ibises find what they're looking for there, and even a crocodile is basking in the sun. In ancient Egypt, the ibis with its black head and neck and white body was revered as the sacred animal of the god Thoth – hence the name sacred ibis.

 

Nile crocodile

Sacred ibises, yellow-billed storks

For a moment, we mistake a group of hartebeests for topis. That's not surprising, as both species have lyrate horns.

 

Saddle-billed stork

Very beautiful is the saddle-billed stork, standing at a waterhole. It is an odd one out among storks, because it is not a migratory bird and it does not stay in a colony either. It prefers to stay alone, or together with a temporary partner. It owes its name to the yellow, saddle-shaped spot at the top of its partly red, partly black beak.

 

Literally nothing rises more than ten centimetres above the ground here. It’s clear that we are approaching volcanic territory

Two African white-backed vultures survey the savannah from the canopy of one of the few acacias. As far as the eye can see, only a handful of trees and some termite mounds rise above the parched grass. Nevertheless, hartebeests, dik-diks, Thomson's gazelles, and ostriches are willing to brave the relentless sun in this desolate landscape.

 

African white-backed vultures on an acacia

However, they are not completely at ease. The head of a hyena is just visible above the grass. A few hartebeest keep a close watch on the predator. The herd of Thomson's gazelles is clearly on high alert as well.

 

Lion (m)

It’s a quarter past twelve when we reach the B144 again, about 48 km south of the Visitors Information Centre.

 

Where an elephant gets its food from in this barren area is a mystery to us

Amidst the treeless savanna, a male lion lies conserving his strength. He briefly raises his head and opens his eyes, but we can't expect much more performance from him for now. In the distance, a solitary elephant is foraging in the dry grass for his meal. We wish him good luck – he’ll need it.

The unpaved road leads us straight to the solitary Naabi Hill in the southeastern corner of the park. There, we climb up from the plain to picnic under the trees, accompanied by dozens of superb starlings. From experience, they know that there's always something that falls from the table.

 

Superb starling

To the east of Naabi Hill, the landscape is even more desolate than to the west. Literally nothing rises more than ten centimetres above the ground here. It’s clear that we are approaching volcanic territory. Yet, even here, the fauna does not remain absent – a solitary jackal, a dozen ostriches, and about twenty Thomson's gazelles wander through the dry grass.

Then, a few acacia trees appear, a unique sight for miles around. Beneath the trees, a simple wooden gate hides an invisible boundary. Our journey through Serengeti National Park is coming to an end, and our exploration of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area can begin.

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Jaak Palmans

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At the bottom of the volcano