Whales, Wildlife & Wilderness                                                                                                                                                 Pam & Wayne Osborn

Kenya - Samburu

Samburu Nature Reserve

We have a soft spot for Samburu. Dense riverine forests and doum palm groves track the path of the Ewaso Ng'iro River and rolling hills fringe the grasslands. We stay at the Elephant's Bedroom, a tented camp right on the river bank.

 

Samburu abuts the infamous Northern Frontier District. Somali shifta bandits and more recently al-Shabab can be a problem in the harsh waterless desert to the north east. We have been told don't miss the turn off at Archer's Post or you may end up in a place you don't want to be. Maybe we were just being wound up.

 

In this image, a Somali camel herd drinks from the Ewaso Ng'iro River.

Doum Palms

Sunset and dust on the Ewaso Ng'iro River.

Chacma Baboon Family

Warthogs

A warthog piglet sticks close to mum.

Oryx

The eternal quest for male supremacy. This large antelope is also known as gemsbok.

Grevy's Zebra

A confident male Grevy's zebra. Grevy's are distinguished from mountain and plains zebras by their narrow stripes.

Reticulated Giraffe

Two males engaged in the ritual of 'necking.' A classic Darwinian test of strength and endurance.

Gerenuk

Gerenuk are a long necked antelope.

Their long necks and practice of standing to feed give them access to foliage not accessible to other antelope.

Grant's Gazelles

Impala

Male Dik-dik

Female Dik-dik

These tiny antelope are monogamous. They are well adapted to arid environments deriving moisture from plants and have no need to drink.

Female Kudu

Male Kudu

Vervet Monkey

Prickle Problem

This young vervet monkey was having dificulty getting rid of a prickle.

Injured Cheetah

We felt sorry for this cheetah given the wound it was carrying. However we have seen some old cheetahs with nasty but healed wounds. Hopefully it survived.