Animals of the Masai Mara

About this book 7
Geography of the Masai Mara 10
Map of the Masai Mara 12
Where to watch wildlife in the Masai Mara 14
The great migrations 18
About the guides 22


Mammals

Lion Panthera leo 26
Leopard Panthera pardus 30
Cheetah Acinonyx jubatus 34
Serval Leptailurus serval 38
Caracal Caracal caracal 39
Wild Cat Felis sylvestris 40
African Civet Civettictis civetta 41
Small-spotted Genet Genetta genetta 42
Large-spotted Genet Genetta tigrina 42
Spotted Hyena Crocuta crocuta 44
Aardwolf Proteles cristata 46
Striped Hyena Hyena hyaena 47
Dwarf Mongoose Helogale parvula 48
Banded Mongoose Mungos mungo 49
Slender Mongoose Herpestes sanguineus 50
Ichneumon Mongoose Herpestes ichneumon 51
Marsh Mongoose Atilax paludinosus 52
White-tailed Mongoose Ichneumia albicauda 53
Zorilla Ictonyx striatus 54
Honey Badger Mellivora capensis 55
Black-backed Jackal Canis mesomelas 56
Side-striped Jackal Canis adustus 57
Bat-eared Fox Otocyon megalotis 58
Wild Dog Lycaon pictus 59
Pangolin Smutsia temminckii 60
Aardvark Orycteropus afer 61
African Elephant Loxodonta africana 62
Black Rhinoceros Diceros bicornis 67
Hippopotamus Hippopotamus amphibius 68
Warthog Phacochoerus africanus 70
Plains Zebra Equus quagga 72
Maasai Giraffe Giraffa camelopardalis 76
Cape Buffalo Syncerus caffer 80
Eland Tragelaphus oryx 84
Greater Kudu Tragelaphus strepsiceros 86
Bush Duiker Sylvicapra grimmia 88
Oribi Ourebia ourebi 89
Kirk's Dik-dik Madoqua kirkii 90
Klipspringer Oreotragus oreotragus 91
Mountain Reedbuck Redunca fulvorufula 92
Bohor Reedbuck Redunca redunca 93
Bushbuck Tragelaphus scriptus 94
Defassa Waterbuck Kobus ellipsiprymnus 95
Impala Aepyceros melampus 96
Grant's Gazelle Nanger granti 98
Thomson's Gazelle Eudorcas thomsonii 100
Coke's Hartebeest Alcelaphus buselaphus 102
Topi Damaliscus lunatus 103
White-bearded Wildebeest Connochaetes taurinus 104
Cape Hare Lepus capensis 108
Scrub Hare Lepus saxatilis 108
Springhare Pedetes capensis 109
Unstriped Ground Squirrel Xerus rutilus 110
Striped Ground Squirrel Xerus erythropus 110
Grass Rat Arvicanthis niloticus 111
White-bellied Hedgehog Atelerix albiventris 112
Crested Porcupine Hystrix cristata 113
Bush Hyrax Heterohyrax brucei 114
Greater Galago Otolemur crassicaudatus 116
Lesser Galago Galago senegalensis 117
Guereza Colobus Colobus guereza 118
Red-tailed Monkey Cercopithecus ascanius 120
Blue Monkey Cercopithecus mitis 122
Vervet Monkey Chlorocebus pygerythrus 124
Olive Baboon Papio anubis 126

Reptiles

Nile Crocodile Crocodylus niloticus 130
Savanna Monitor Varanus albigularis 132
Nile Monitor Varanus niloticus 132
Leopard Tortoise Geochelone pardalis 134
Helmeted Terrapin Pelomedusa subrufa 135
Flap-necked Chameleon Chamaeleo dilepis 136
Striped Skink Mabuya striata 136
Tropical House Gecko Hemidactylus mabouia . 138
Cape Dwarf Gecko Lygodactylus capensis 139
Mwanza Flat-headed Agama Agama mwanzae 140
Blue-headed Tree Agama Acanthocercus atricollis 141
Black-necked Spitting Cobra Naja nigricollis 142
Black Mamba Dendroaspis polylepis 143
Spotted Bush Snake Philothamnus semivariegatus 144
Velvety-green Night Adder Causus resimus 144
Puff Adder Bitis arietans 145
African Rock Python Python natalensis 146

References and useful resources 148
Acknowledgements and photographic credits 149
Index 150