Kenya 2023: Chapter 25 – Cheetah on the Move
Our giraffe compatriot wandered off towards the end of lunch. It was now 14:40 and we started our way back towards Purungat Bridge with the goal of seeing the Owino Pride, finding Shujaa again, and then searching for the Black Rock Pride.
After a long drive south, we achieved our first objective. The lion honeymoon was bedded down in the grass right next to the main road, not far from where we had seen them that morning. They were bathed in a warm afternoon sun to the west with dark clouds building to the east. Other than a short walk through the grass, they were unexciting and we pressed on.
The sun disappeared and we were plunged into an ashy light. A lone male cheetah was visible on the side of the road, the two other trucks stopped acting as a key indicator. He was sitting on a termite hill. Suddenly the wind picked up from a new direction and the quiet sleepy cheetah became alert, scanning the fields behind us. His eyes grew big. What did he see that we didn’t?
The clouds overhead grew darker as he trotted off the hill and into the brush. Something was up, and we started to follow him down the road. In and out of bushes and brambles and long grass until he reached another high point, then he’d scan, sniff, and re-plot his course.
He was especially curious about the scent on a tree. He was only 50 yards at most from the road at any time. We would get in front of him, wait for him to pass, and then move up again. At one point, he headed north from the road, deeper into the Olpunyata Swamp, and we were fortunate to have another road right there to follow. It was darker now, the wind a bit stiffer. The hills in the far distance slowly disappeared behind a curtain of rain.
To our left was a small herd of Topi, Thompson, impala, and some wiry warthogs. The cheetah was flanking them, looking to stay upwind of them until the last minute. He bedded down on the side of a termite mound, taking in the scene while remaining hidden. A warthog with some piglets came very close to the truck and within 30 yards of the cheetah. This is it. He’s going to go after one of the piglets, especially the fat little one that wanders closer. The air was electric, tense with anticipation from all sides. The warthogs may have caught sight or scent of the cheetah because they all stopped. The piglet hurried to rejoin the others and they in turn retreated to the safety of the larger mixed herd. The cheetah never stirred.
Black clouds now swirled overhead.
“Do you ever get tornadoes out here?” Greg asked.
“No.” replied Lenny.
“Sure looks like tornado weather.”
The gray rain front of the storm marched its way across the plains and a light drizzle started. Then the skies opened up. Surely this is it. The cheetah will use the additional noise and distraction of the rain to make his move. The downpour increased and we were forced to lower the canopy. From inside the truck we watched. And waited. We made sure to bless the rains again.
After about ten minutes, the heaviest rain passed and we were back in a light drizzle. The cheetah was hunkered down on his mound watching as the herd pressed tighter together. Fearing that the rain would make the black muddy road impassable, we decided to head out. There would be no hunt today.