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The last  few weeks that have passed by in the Masai Mara have seen little rain and have been rather hot and dusty. The now stubbly grass is drying out fast as the large numbers of Wildebeest and Zebra have taken the goodness and now moved on.

Just under a month ago there were well over 500,000 wildebeest strewn over the Bila Shaka Musiara and Northern Masai conservation areas. With the Mara river in steady flow, this has been a superb time to visit the Mara. The river has seen a vast amount of traffic lately, with elephant joining in at some points as the throngs of wildebeest fight for space in the chaotic river crossings.  With thousands of Wildebeest crossing at one time, this has been a true safari spectacle.  With the fast moving crocodile having a field day at some narrower points of the river which have created a bottle neck for desperate wildebeest trying to climb out on the far banks.

On the plains that stretch out beyond the chaos there are the Topi which are in good number this year. Many Topi have now given birth to their young and the youngsters are now wobbling on their legs as they take the first few steps of life. In small little pockets you might also see Cokes Hartebeest with their young taking shelter from the sun alongside them.   The Warthog have too birthed their young as many piglets can been seen trotting along with their tails in the air.   All of these young vulnerable offspring don’t go unnoticed unfortunately as the resident lion are taking note and reacting with vigour at every opportunity.

For those avid safari goers who have yet to tick off seeing Wild Dog we would recommend spending a few days in the Tarangire National Park as a pack of fifteen Wild Dog seems to have taken up residence close to the wonderful Oliver’s Camp.  As guests set out on a walking safari near the camp two Wild Dog were observed at fairly close range staking out Impala.  Only when the Dogs saw the guests did they decide that humans are a lot more interesting and they decided to join the walk, trotting along quite happily just five metres away!  It must almost have seemed like one was out taking the dog for a quick morning.

My first visit to this wonderful country was back in 1998 when I travelled together with my parents and some of our friends in our own 4×4 convoy. Back then the roads were terrible, infrastructure basically non-existent and the choice of accommodation very limited. Since then, a lot has changed. It amazes me that in relatively short time, Zambia has become one of the best safari destinations for those who wish to combine an unforgettable safari experience together with a true feeling of a classic safari.

Today there are more and more international flights flying into Lusaka than ever before, with good links to Europe and the USA. Lusaka is now a buzzing city with great restaurants, shops and very good nightlife. Certainly a lot more welcoming and friendly than 10 years ago! The safari camps and lodges also have improved a lot, now offering a wide range of accommodation, from the absolute basic to the very luxurious.

It might come as a surprise for many that Zambia is a major contributor to the safari experiences we take for granted today – the walking Safari. Walking Safaris started in Zambia back in the 1950s and have been the foundation of today’s safari industry. Whenever I join a walking safari, I am reminded of how much one misses whilst being on a vehicle. Being on the ground and learning about the bush really is an amazing experience and widens your horizons as to the fact that Africa has more to offer than the “Big Five”. Even during my two years of living in Zambia, I never got bored of exploring the bush on foot with one of the many brilliant guides. There are so many small things that usually get overlooked when trying to spot a Lion or an Elephant, (and let me tell you, seeing one of them on foot is something far more memorable than a photograph taken from a vehicle. )

I have now been to Zambia nearly every year since my first visit in 1998. I love its variety, from the hot and game rich Luangwa Valley, the open Grass plains of the Kafue to the majestic Victoria Falls. During my many visits I was also lucky enough to experience some of Zambia’s less known attractions. The most memorable would have to be the Fruit Bat migration in the remote Kasanka National Park. Imagine, 8 Million fruit bats migrating from all over central Africa to a small woodland in Zambia. It is a spectacle that boggles the mind. The migration is further enhanced by the fact that the bats leave for their evening meal at a very specific time, around 6pm. So, 8 million Fruit Bats departing at once, darkening the skies above you whilst you sit back with a nice drink or try and get as many photographs as possible! The migration happens every year in November and is one of the many specialist attractions Zambia has to offer.

To list all of the possible destinations in Zambia would exceed the length of this blog, but I hope that you will read this and will want to know more. I will keep you posted! I certainly cannot wait to be back again.

20-23 JANUARY -  This morning you will drive to the Serengeti National Park via Olduvai Gorge for a stay of four nights at Dunia Camp.

Jan 20 – began drive to Serengeti and stopped at Masai village.  You have to pay $50 per car and are treated to a Masai welcome song, a dance where Masai warriors jump to impress the females, and then taken to a traditional house made of mud dung.  They are rounded and about 5 feet high and about 12 feet in diameter.  The shell is acacia branches and then other brush is woven between the branches and then the  wet mud/dung is applied to the outside.  About 120 people lived in this village of 24 huts.  The kraal is in the middle of the huts which are in a circle around the kraal.  This holds the cattle, sheep, and goats at night.  Around the outside of the huts is a thorn fence to keep out lions and other animals.  The house Steve and I visited was cooking maize in the middle of the hut.  Inside were two beds, if you could call them that, and a few belongings.  The smoke was filtering out a window about 8”x4”.  The village owned about 1000 cows and 300 sheep and goats.  Outside hanging on the kraal were beaded things and lion’s tooth things that one could buy.  I was on to that since I had done this before so I didn’t take any money with me, not that I wanted anything anyway.  They have lots of eye problems because of the flies and the smoke in the huts.  They do not go to doctors; everything is traditional medicine and everyone knows it.  When the young boys go out with the cows an older warrior accompanies them and explains which trees and bushes are medicinal so that when they are alone, they will know how to take care of any problems.  Circumcision is practiced at 14 and the boys go off into the wilds for 6 months to a year.     They come back a warrior.  Traditionally they used to have to kill a lion but now that the area is a conservation/national park area, that has stopped.  Girls also at 14 have a cliterectomy.   That is illegal now, but everyone knows it still happens.  Boys can’t be married unless they are circumcised and the same for girls–at least in the past. 

Next stop was Olduvai Gorge.  I wrote about that last time I was here.  Louis and Mary Leaky made many discoveries here.  I photographed 2 Agama lizards. 

Next stop was the shifting sand dune made of sand and iron so it is very heavy.  The winds move it 15-20 meters per year.   It is dark charcoal in color.

Just before going into the Serengeti, we drove off road (you are not allowed to in the park) to witness the migration of wildebeest.  There were wildebeest running, eating and lying down for 360 degrees as far as the eye could see on the plains.  There were thousands. 

While out there we also saw two Golden (Common) Jackals, Secretary Bird, Grey Heron, Yellow Billed Stork, Spotted Hyena (4 of them beside a waterhole and a fifth one farther out by a large rut that had water in it), Giraffe (8), Crowned Crane, Elephant, Ostrich, Warthog, and Hartebeest. 

There are 4 million animals in the Serengeti–mind you, not 4 million and one but just 4 million.  Serengeti means “endless plain” and the park is 14,763 sq. km., or roughly the size of Connecticut. 

We arrived at the tent camp about 5:30 p.m.  Our tent is one of the largest I have ever stayed in.  In addition to the 2 single beds, a chair, headboard with lamps, and a chest, and the bathroom behind the flaps behind the beds, there is an extension in front of about 6 feet which has another chair, small table and a couch.  It is quite spacious.  The bath has a long table with the sink.  Water is in a jug beside the sink and when that runs out, there is a bucket below the table with more which you dip from.  That area is about 3 feet by 16 feet.  Behind that is a flap with the toilet and the other half is a flap with the shower.  You tell the staff when you want a shower and they will bring the 15 liters of heated water and put it in the bag outside and let you know when they have done so.  Then you have a shower head in the shower with a chain that you regulate the flow with.  There is a wooden floor over a hole where the water drains. 

And every night we get treated to a campfire–the African Bush television–with only one channel.

Jan 21 awakened at 6 with coffee and hot chocolate ordered the night before.  Breakfast at 6:30 and morning drive 7 am-1:30 p.m.:  Cape Buffalo, Impala, Topi, Fischer’s Lovebird, Ruppell’s Longtail Starling, White Headed Buffalo Weaver, Baboon, fever trees, acacia trees, Red necked Spur Fowl, White Headed Shrike, White Backed Vulture, Grant’s Gazelle, Lioness, Tawny Eagle, LBR, Blacksmith Lapwing, Red Winged Bush Lark, Lesser Kestrel tree (about 23 in a very small tree), Black Coucal, Ostrich, Grey backed Fiscal, LBR, Superb Starling, Tawny Eagle, Fischer’s Lovebird, Giraffe, and finally a Leopard in a tree.  We waited for about a half hour watching and she came down and disappeared into the grasslands.  That completes our BIG FIVE:  Lion, Leopard, Elephant, Rhino, and Cape Buffalo.  The Big NINE will be complete when we see a Cheetah.  Those are:  Cheetah, Hippo, Giraffe, and Zebra.  And I have to admit to Lens Envy:  One 4×4 had two guys each with an 800 mm lens shooting the leopard.   Continuing on with the drive we saw a Magpie Shrike, Hippos, Grey Heron, Rock Hyrax, Grey HB, Dark Chanting Goshawk, a huge herd of Elephant (close to 100) spread out on the plains, a Nile Crocodile, a herd of 40+ female Impala with their one male.  The males typically only last for 2-3 months before being removed by another male fighting to have his genes carried fwd by the herd. 

Afternoon drive:  90-100 female Impala with their one male (he will last only 2-3 months because he is constantly fighting other males who want his harem and he is constantly looking for danger for the herd.  Baboon, Topi, Reed Buck, Hartebeest, Two banded Courser, Gray HB, Cape Buffalo, Egyptian Goose, 2 male impala in the batchelor herd practicing their fighting skills, Black Chested Snake Eagle.  We were looking for Black Rhino which were introduced a few years back and there are now about 17 of them.  They have guards 24 hrs per day and the rangers must account for all of them each day.  We didn’t find any but the scenery was beautiful as it had many kopje, which are rocky outcrops. 

Jan. 22nd – I was picked up at 5:10 a.m. to go on my hot air balloon ride over the Serengeti.  My partner in my section of the carriage was Mark from Canada.  He asked if I had ever been in bed with a stranger and I replied ‘No.”  He replied that I had now.  It was awfully tight quarters.  We saw 4 lioness on the ground, 2 Golden Jackals, Topi, Giraffe, Hippo, Baboons and monkeys in acacia trees and the landscape and sunrise were beautiful.  Afterwards had champagne to celebrate, and were taken to a place in the bush where they had tables set up for breakfast of fruits, bacon, sausage, eggs, beans, bread, and tea or coffee.  And we got our certificate. 

Then was taken to one of the Gates of the Serengeti where I met our guide and Caroline, Steve and Ellen.  We continued on our drive:  Lioness and 3 cubs close to the road and who moved back to a tree where the cubs were practicing climbing the small tree*, Tawny Eagle with a kill and we watched as he picked the feathers from his kill (couldn’t tell what type of bird he had), walking Leopard on a kopje about 15-20 feet from us, herd of elephant close to road, Blacksmith Plover, Crowned Crane, Ostrich, juvenile Dark Chanting Goshawk.  Began to rain big fat drops but lasted only 5 minutes.  4 lioness with older cubs, 2 lion cubs in tree, Secretary Bird, Baboon, Black Backed Jackal, Buffalo, warthogs, Fever Trees and other Acacias. 

This is the beginning of their rainy season and apparently the week before we arrived, at least one camp was washed away.  There are dirt roads and tracks and when it rains many are full of ruts and deep water holes.  The Acacias and Fever trees are turning green, and the Baobab trees were fully leafed out.  They are usually called ‘upside down trees’ because when they lose their leaves in the dry season, their limbs look like roots.  This is the first time I have seen Baobabs with leaves.

Afternoon game drive:  Caroline, Steve and Ellen decided they wanted to stay at camp and play bridge so it was just me.  Red billed HB, Impala with babies, Wildebeest, Cape Buffalo, Red necked Spur Fowl, Black Rhino and I now have the Big 5 in one day in the Serengeti.  Jackson told me that was not often accomplished.  4 Black backed Jackals (a mom and 3 juveniles playing very near a Crowned Crane who ignored them at a waterhole) and they made me miss Sasha.  Also saw Warthog, Elephant, Tawny Eagle, and Secretary Bird.  In addition I failed to mention that the camp is set in Tsetse  Fly territory.  And we have all been bitten so if I exhibit symptoms of African Sleeping Sickness, take me to a doctor; don’t assume I am just tired because you know I’m not usually tired.  The kopje had Euporbia bussei also on the hills.  LBR, Agama lizard, Helmeted Guinea Fowl, Baboon, Coqui Francolin, same jackals as above (mom and 3 juvs.), White Backed Vulture and Ruppell’s Vulture waiting for the leopard to move off from his Impala kill.  We didn’t see the leopard but knew he was still around because the vultures were in 2 trees just waiting.  Giraffe, Redbilled HB, Dwarf Mongoose.

Jan. 23rd. -  All day game drive:  Cape Buffalo, Warthogs, Impala plus 1 juvenile Wildebeest, juv. Bateleur Eagle, Spotted Hyena at Impala kill from last night, Topi, Grant’s Gazelle, Blacksmith Plover, Hyena on road, Black backed Jackal, Cory Bustard, Giraffe, Zebra, Ostrich, Thompson’s Gazelle, Eland, Nubian Vulture (also called Lappet Faced Vulture), Agama lizard, Lapwing Plover, Secretary Bird, 4 Bat eared Fox, CHEETAH so I now have the Big 9 as well.  Hyena by waterhole, Cheetah – same one – Black Chested Snake Eagle, Golden Backed Jackal, Topi, Grant’s and Thompson’s Gazelles, Male Lion and 2 females (and I spotted them!!!!  I don’t think Jackson could believe that he had missed them).  It began to rain from 1:12 to 1:18 and then stopped completely.  We are on the Southern section of the Serengeti which is really the  shortgrass ‘endless plain’–the Swahili meaning of Serengeti.  Continuing on we saw Ostrich, Elephant, Cape Rook, Hartebeest, Lions in trees!!!! (7 in one tree and 1 female in another–Lake Manyara is famous for their lions which climb trees but we didn’t seen any there.  This sighting was of the same lions where the cubs were practicing climbing the small tree yesterday.    Hippos, Egyptian Goose, Crowned Crane, Topi, Cory Bustard, Warthog, and Giraffe. 

Jackson can’t get over having essentially no rain for our entire safari trip.  I explained that he was with me and about my luck with rain. 

‘What if” gene:  When a question begins with “what if” we …?  as in What if we get charged by an elephant.  What if we run out of gas?  What if we get lost?  Caroline seems to have that gene in spades.   It was rather endearing. 

Meals at this camp were rather spectacular considering we are in the middle of nowhere at a bush camp. 

First night:  Broccoli and cheese soup (they made me just broccoli soup).  Carrots and green beans wrapped in bacon, roasted chicken, potatoes au gratin (they made me a small bowl without the cheese), snowpeas, homemade rolls, and Chocolate Samosas for dessert.  I have had veg. samosas and meat and veg. samosas, but never a dessert samosa.  Was great.

Lunch next day was cucumber salad, beet and apple and cashew salad, veg. lasagna, and meat lasagna (they made me a bowl of meat, tomato,  and onion), a green salad and dessert was and Chocolate profiterole

2nd night:  Mashed potato puffs, beef stroganoff,herbed rice, chickpeas and zucchini, grilled red and green peppers, and Apple Charlotte

lunch Tandori chicken, rice, Tadka Dhal, mixed green salad, chutney, poppadums, and dessert was pineapple rum.

3rd .  night: Using a grill:  BBQ beef or chicken kebabs, pork ribs, boerowoeres (sausage), coleslaw, green salad, roast pumpkin, roast potatoes, BBQ and satay sauces, and lemon meringue pie.

4th night:  Roasted bell peppers with bacon wrapped ground beef inside,  potato cakes, roasted zucchini,  and I don’t remember rest. 

Ok, James J., are you satisfied with all the descriptions of the meals since you requested them???

The Masai Mara had some heavy rain up until the end of the month then the weather dried out and we had a week of glorious weather. The temperature averaged about 28 degrees Celsius and we received 191.5mm of rainfall over the month of May. The Mara River rose almost to capacity a few times mostly due to rain at the source in the Mau forest on the western escarpment of the Rift Valley. All this rain followed by sunshine has caused a flurry of growth out on the plains and the savannah grasses are fantastically long, the red oats grasses are showing their fruiting seed, giving an orange tinge to the plains towards the Serengeti.

Birding has been great this month with a few species hatching young chicks and teaching their fledglings how to gather the abundant insects that are about. We still have hundreds of Open-Billed Storks in the marsh as well as a small flock of White Storks preparing for their flight back to Europe. The Jacksons Widow Bird male has been hopping up and down in the grass displaying to females, as well as many of the Fantailed and a few White-Winged Widow birds. Some of the less common birds seen were the Leviallant’s Cuckoo, Marshal Eagle, Dark-Chanting Goshawk, Grey-Headed Bush Shrike and Double-Toothed Barbet.

There are three herds of buffalo in our area at the moment, one herd is remaining close to the Marsh and it numbers around 600 individuals and two herds above the ridge numbering 300 and 200 individuals.

Massive herds of Elephants have been milling around the Musiara Marsh area and moving up to Rhino Ridge eating the grass on the plains. We have had a large presence of bull elephants, some a little testy and in musth, but mostly just content to eat alongside the female herds. A couple of mating sessions was witnessed, which is an incredible sight.

With all the elephant and buffalo manure to take care of we have had an influx of the larger species of dung beetle. They are not seen as regularly rolling their balls along, but simply dig below a prospective meal as the ground is soft in most places. The dung beetle will stash their ball below the surface and lay an egg, this will eventually hatch and the larvae will feed on the dung until it metamorphosis’s and digs its way up to the surface as an adult.

The hyena packs are fairly scattered as they are mostly scavenging at this time of year. There is one hyena den site close to the airstrip with three small black pups and two larger ones just changing colour now at about seven months or so. The scavenging took on a large scale this month when some of our guests had an incredible sighting of twenty three hyena chasing three lions off a buffalo kill, the noise and energy were unbelievable.

The Marsh Pride have scattered a bit this month, only being seen in two’s and three’s. At the beginning of the month they were spending their time in the plains close to the Marsh, and then they moved into Masai Land bordering the Masai Mara Game Reserve where their territory extends up to Leopard Gorge and to the west. In these areas the grass has been mostly grazed down by Masai cattle making perfect grazing conditions for plains game. Big herds of zebra have come in to these areas from the Loita Plains area in the east, all this game has been an attraction for the Marsh Pride. Towards the end of the month most of the pride headed back to the Musiara Marsh area.

The Ridge Pride have been seen more frequently in their usual, smaller territory. There seem to be the two pride males, three females and three cubs. They have had some lean times, but are doing well enough with the large numbers of warthog in the area.

The Paradise Pride are doing exceptionally well, they have spent more time as a pride as their hunting tactics differ. They have become specialist hippo hunters managing to take down three hippos during May. There is also plenty of plains game in their territory, as the grass is shorter in a few areas. The six males are still together, although sometimes spending time apart from each other. We are not certain which males, but certainly the younger ones cross the river to visit another pride of females. Having a coalition of six males, they most definitely call the shots in that area.
The three cheetah brothers have spent most of their time up on the high plains. This area has been slightly grazed down by the large herds of topi and other plains game that have continued to stay in this preferred area. This area gives them a great vantage point to see predators and they have added security of safety in numbers. The three boys have obviously been attracted by the bounty of prey on these plains. They have had some success hunting Topi on the shorter grass, but have mainly been concentrating on the warthog in the bordering longer grass.

There has been a single female cheetah in our area which we believe to be pregnant. A second lesser known female was also seen within our area with two cubs of about eight or nine months old.

Shakira and her cubs have not been sighted, we are sure they must still be on the west side of the Mara River. The river has been high for many months prohibiting her movement back onto our side.

This month we enjoyed some wonderful leopard sightings close to the camps with two leopards regularly making an appearance. The large male made his presence felt between the forest and the Marsh and the female leopard, which we have become well acquainted with, has frequented the Ilmoran area and the small patch of forest in the Marsh near ‘Lake Nakuru.’

Back in camp a family of giraffe have been regular night visitors sleeping on the grass in front of the plains tents giving guests a wonderful view in the early mornings.

LAGOON

The northern Kwando region has been home large numbers of zebra, giraffe, tsessebe and wildebeest which have been attracted by the excellent grazing resulting from the seemingly never ending rains. The relative absence of lions this month as they follow the buffalo herds means that Wild dog and leopards have been a regular sighting, including a large male found in a tree guarding his impala kill. The buffalo sightings remain sporadic due to the excessive water and grazing found in the mopane forests though guides have spotted small herds on several occasions.

An additional and unusual sighting made this month was the regular sighting of large herds of Livingstone’s eland. This is the largest member of the antelope family and is extremely shy, generally residing in dense forests. Sightings are therefore very unusual and often fleeting.

LEBALA

The above average number of zebra, giraffe and wildebeest in the region has led to an increase in the number of predators hunting a wide variety of game species. A mating pair of lion were found on giraffe kills on two separate occasions while several other male lions have been sighted this month stalking wildebeest. Several leopards were also followed on drives both during day and night drives as they stalked warthog and impala. The three cheetah brothers, not to be out done, were observed hunting wildebeest, while the three separate packs of wild dog were sighted hunting regularly and kills were made on lechwe and two kudu.

Further sightings of an eland herd, of approximately 20 animals, has also been spotted on more than one occasion. These sightings bode well for the eland population which is notoriously difficult to estimate due to their shy nature and the remoteness of their habitat

KWARA

The Kwara concession continues to disprove that the commonly held view that the rainy season is not a good time of year to see game. Consistent quality game viewing in February and March continued in April with regular sightings of lion, cheetah, wild dog, leopard, hyena, honey badger and elephant. Of course there was also the usual lechwe, reedbuck, giraffe, zebra, tsessebe, wildebeest, warthog kudu, impala, hippo, crocodile, jackals, cobras, pythons, ostrich, ground hornbills and wattled crane to name but a few!!

Significant sightings included a lion pride chasing a male leopard up a tree and an incredible confrontation between two pack of wild dog, in which the heavily pregnant alpha female was targeted and almost killed. She was last seen with serious wounds and the guides are unsure whether she survived or not.

If this is the green season we can only imagine what the dry season holds in store!

The Ngorongoro Crater in northern Tanzania is understandably regarded as the eight Natural Wonder of the World and quite rightly so. This unique World Heritage Site is the largest intact caldera in the world and with its walls standing proudly at over 2,000 feet it is estimated that its original height would have overshadowed Mount Kilimanjaro.

The floor of the crater covers an area in excess of 100 square miles and provides a sheltered haven for nearly 25,000 animals including all of the Big Five (elephant, buffalo, rhino, lion and leopard). Aside from wildebeest and zebra which migrate away from the crater during the wet season, all of the resident wildlife are more than happy to stay put throughout the year. The only animal notably absent from the Ngorongoro Crater is the giraffe which apparently find the walls too steep to negotiate.

Perhaps one of the most interesting aspects of the Ngorongoro Crater is the fact that man and beast have survived alongside one another here for centuries. The local Maasai often graze their cattle on the fertile crater floor with barely a flicker of the tail from the perilously high concentration of lion which inhabit the open plains.

The Ngorongoro Crater has dramatically increased in popularity over the last two decades and it can be quite a busy place with high numbers of safari vehicles during peak season. Our advice is – don’t be put off as this is a “must see” on any northern Tanzania itinerary and with a good choice of comfortable accommodation in the area, combines perfectly with Tarangire, Lake Manyara and the Serengeti.

Some of our clients’ favourites properties in the Ngorongoro Highlands:

Crater Lodge is undoubtedly the most opulent accommodation in the area and is perched right on the rim of the crater within the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The design of the lodge was inspired by the traditional Maasai manyattas and each of the thirty luxurious suites has with spectacular views down into the crater.

Plantation Lodge is located amongst the coffee plantations in the lush green hills around Karatu just outside the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. With sixteen individually styled suites, good food and a warm welcome, this is one of the best small lodges in the area.

Gibbs Farm is a characterful working farm located on the slopes of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, mid-way between Lake Manyara and the crater. There are twenty cosy cottages all of which have recently been upgraded to even higher standards than before. One of the features of Gibbs Farm is its “Farm Life” program where guests are given an insight into the interesting history and culture of a working coffee farm.

A pack of wild dogs have been spotted on the Chobe River flood plains.  This caused great excitement for some clients staying at Sanctuary Chobe Chilwero as they were enjoying a sundowner cruise and watching a herd of elephants swimming across the river when the peace was broken and a pack of wild dogs kicked a dust cloud in the air as they keenly pursued an impala running towards the safety of river. The impala almost threw itself in the river and instinctively swam towards one of the islands.  Unfortunately after all of that effort a crocodile grabbed the impala and drowned it barely twenty meters away from the guests on their boat. The wild dogs didn’t even notice as they had now rounded up another Impala which they were now chasing around in every decreasing circles.