Marsh Babies
THE MARSH BABIES
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| The Marsh Babies - a little glimpse of what Africa is all about. |
If you visit the Maasai Mara then you will more than likely hear the name Marsh Pride whispered with great reverence. A pride of lions whose tenacity and fierceness has earned them a place in the history books.
Not too long ago two females, Siena and Charm whose story was told over and over again roamed the plains of the North. Charm was the matriarch of the pride and she was the fiercest of all. In her time that she was with us she led her pride with courage and determination.
Our arrival in the Mara, coincided with the birth a few months before of 4 cubs who were Siena’s cubs. At the time I wasn’t really aware of the names of the lionesses as I tend to want to shy away from the practice we have of naming these wild animals who, I feel, deserve to live wild and free and naming them somehow, seems to reign in that freedom. As a result of this I don’t want to know the names of the prides or the names of individuals, but inevitably one becomes acquainted with them as you become more engaged with your surroundings.
In the crisp morning air we leave our camp in the south of the Mara just as the sun peeps out from behind the horizon. However, today the clouds are heavy above us and a soft rain descends all around us. We turn our vehicle towards the North and head off to where the Marsh Pride have their hangout. We arrive at the clearing where they normally spend their days but there is not a single lion in sight. We decide to take a slow drive through to where we can see some Thompson’s Gazelles grazing in the long grass. A lone cheetah is sitting next to a termite mound gazing determinedly at the antelope and we decide we should move back so as to give it room for a much anticipated hunt.
As we head into the blue gum trees just to the North of the cheetah we head into a clearing where we decide that we can hunker down in the rain, have some breakfast and wait for the cheetah fun. As we approach the clearing and position the vehicle near some fallen trees, Sammy, our guide smiles broadly and reveals in a hollowed out log four tiny little bundles of fluff tucked up close to each other.
These are Siena’s cubs that she has stashed away while she and the rest of the pride head off to fill their bellies. Quite incredibly these cubs that can be so boisterous and playful are lying so still you would not see them if you do not possess the eagle eyes of a Mara guide. Sammy positions the vehicle to take the best opportunity for photographs and while I start clicking away my two companions organise breakfast around me.
We spend the better part of about three or four hours, time does tend to slip away when you are having fun, the cubs hardly stir. One will reposition itself slightly and then another one will move, sometimes their eyes are open but for the most they sleep. This is one of those gooseflesh moments when you realise that you are participating in something only seen by a select few. Lion cubs, in the wild, all on their own, unprotected. But, they know just what to do to survive.
Reluctantly we have to head back to camp. We forget entirely about the cheetah and as we drive away I know that a little bit of my heart stays there with those vulnerable little creatures that have become part of my Africaness.
We don’t return to the same spot but the grapevine allows us a further glimpse into this amazing event. Siena it would seem disappeared for a few weeks and Charm, the dedicated leader of the pack returns to the clearing and fetches the cubs. She then takes over the rearing of them and increases the size of her pride.
I often think back to that little interlude on the Mara plains and my admiration for Africa’s cats is boundless. Against all odds these beautiful creatures are surviving.
Title: Marsh Babies
Size: 79cm x 156cm
Framed in White Wood Frame
Medium: Charcoal on 300gsm paper
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