By Ferdinand Mwongela
I have heard a lot about Amboseli National Reserve (formerly Amboseli National Park). From her famous elephants to the view of the snow-capped peak of Mt Kilimanjaro, the park is one you canât miss to visit.
It is Kenyaâs most spectacular displays of wildlife â lion, elephant, leopard, cheetah, and buffalo creating Kenyaâs most sought after photographerâs parade.
Translocated Zebras disembark.
So when a chance to witness the just concluded aerial wildlife census by the Kenya Wildlife Services came, I didnât hesitate.
Amboseli lies about 250km from Nairobi on the border with Tanzania at the foot of Africaâs highest mountain, Kilimanjaro, whose highest point, Kibo, peeps beautifully from the clouds especially in early mornings and evenings.
On this Sunday evening, the clouds are ominous with rain. With nothing much to see I opted to sleep early. Little did I know that the rains would affect the census the following day.
After a few hours delay due to poor weather the census kicked off in earnest. Together with a team of elephant researchers and the Amboseli elephant research project we boarded four small aircrafts for a flight before heading back to their camp about three kilometres from Ol Tukai Lodge where we were staying.
The camp is in the middle of the park and without a fence. One practically lives with the animals, itâs no place for the faint hearted. The elephant bones arranged outside showed their dedication to this large animal. The thought of an elephant bursting through the bushes is enough to give even the mightiest an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of the stomach.
Even a little rustle in a nearby bush made my heart race, how I longed for the comfort of my house in Nairobi, the noise and pollution notwithstanding.
The following day, we opted for a game drive, taking the meandering circuits around the park, looking for animals. At Longinye swamp, we came across a herd of buffalos grazing in the swamp. They glared balefully at our intruding party probably wondering why humans could not just mind their own business.
A few metres away, a herd of elephants was grazing too. Beside the swamp, indications of last yearâs crippling drought were still evident as remains of an elephant lay on the parched ground. Ironically, in dry season, the swamps increase in size as the ice on Mt Kilimanjaro melts flowing into the low-lying basin in the park.
