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Rekero News
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Newsletter - 16th December 2009 |
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Written by Rob
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Wednesday, 16 December 2009 10:04 |
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I have been involved with this corner of Kenya for 16 years and in that time enjoyed many fine game moments. On this particular trip, after being away for nearly a year, I have had one of the very best of all those wonderful experiences.
While at Acacia House enjoying an afternoon by the pool with Gerard, Jackson and their respective families, my attention was drawn to an almost unbelievable sight at the other side of the waterhole. I had to do a double take, as what I had seen 50 metres away on the lawn was something that not even Gerard has enjoyed in a life time of living here.
The excitement was about a White Rhino which had chosen to join us over lunch while the kids splashed in the pool. This particular rhino, one of very few in the Mara, usually confines itself to the deep bush on the other side of the hill that Acacia House nestles against. Today it had seemingly decided to come out, like us, to enjoy the early December sun on the lawns outside Acacia House. It spent the afternoon grazing away and we watched it until the sun dipped below the horizon.
This year the re-emergence of wild dogs and now rhino on this very lawn is proof enough to me that our conservation efforts are well on track. A truly special day for us all and I cannot urge you enough to come here and see for yourselves.
Salaams from us all,
Rob |
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Last Updated on Wednesday, 16 December 2009 10:08 |
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Newsletter - 2nd December 2009 |
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Written by Dudu
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Friday, 04 December 2009 08:30 |
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As the light November rains draw to a close, the stunning clear days are making our game viewing some of the very best we have had. However all is not well if you are a cat, the migration glut has now passed and picking up a meal has become a whole lot more challenging for these fine felines.
Even the cheetah brothers Snap, Crackle and Pop are finding the new conditions more testing. This teams’ highly successful, but unorthodox, night hunt is being hampered by the brilliance of the full moon and suitable selection of targets. The guests in the past two weeks have watched countless missed strikes from the three boys which was something that was not thought possible back in August.
With fewer wildebeest, the lions have turned to raining terror on themselves. Notch’s boys are prime suspects for a number of lion cubs that are now unaccounted for. It is I am afraid not uncommon at this time of year and a rather unpleasant side of being a young lion.
These failures are more about adapting tactics than anything else as the plains game remains abundant. The topi fawns and young warthogs will soon have transformed from a disappointing nibble to a more suitable sized snack. So for the larger predators this compulsory pre-Christmas slim down will not last long and I am confident that within a couple of weeks the normal ruthless hunting service will once again be restored.
Best wishes from us all,
Dudu
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Last Updated on Friday, 04 December 2009 08:35 |
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Newsletter - 25th November 2009 |
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Written by Gerard
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Thursday, 26 November 2009 16:08 |
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Many of you at some stage may well have come across one of the worst smelling things in our world; the dead hippo. The decay of such a large beast is wonderful for the hyenas and crocodiles who jostle constantly for the rancid meat but is of course a nightmare for any human within a few hundred metres. In the past week one of our resident hippos has gone this way. Fortunately it is sufficiently far enough upstream for the camp to be spared the after effects, but only just. The hippo was called Rob, and if you can say such things his passing has been most timely.
You may remember that around nine months ago our able assistant by the same name turned his back on the Mara plains to return to policing the streets of Newcastle, UK. We have managed to lure our man, after whom the hippo was named, back for two weeks in the run up to Christmas.
I know that Rob is looking forward to firing up his camera, catching up with old friends and polishing up on his Swahili. He does not know it until now but we have a number of other tasks lined up for him, some of which I hope you will read about. He will, I am sure, start by paying respects to his namesake (who will no doubt be still rotting) and perhaps chose himself a fresher and no doubt slimmer model to carry on his name.
Salaams from us all in a wonderfully green camp and homes,
Gerard
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Last Updated on Thursday, 26 November 2009 16:11 |
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Newsletter - 18th November 2009 |
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Written by Gordie
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Wednesday, 18 November 2009 12:31 |
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My name is Charlie and this is my younger brother Sam. We live near Acacia House and our daddy and mummy are Gerard and Rainee. We have a small schoolroom nearby and mummy teaches us in it. Sometimes we go to the Rekero guides’ classroom and play games with them.
It is never quiet at night outside our bedroom but a few days ago, as we were getting ready for bed, there was a really loud noise, like a breaking tree and then we knew our friends the elephants were back! Mummy and daddy were also excited but they were worried about them breaking the water heater, luckily they didn’t. Sam and I were just happy to have them back because it has been a long time since they have been to our house. These elephants have a family of their own to look after and in the dry season, like every year, the whole herd went away to find food further down the valley.
Mummy said we would have to wait until the morning before we saw the whole family but said we could stay up until they moved away. When they did move to Acacia House we went to bed really excited about the next day because our favourite visitors have come back.
Charlie and Sam (4 and 2 years old)
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Last Updated on Wednesday, 18 November 2009 12:32 |
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Newsletter - 11th November 2009 |
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Written by Gordie
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Thursday, 12 November 2009 15:20 |
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The news today comes not from the Mara but from a rainy and windy London. It is of course Responsible Tourism Day and a day when Rekero, along with over two thousand initial hopefuls, awaited the results of the 2009 Responsible Travel Awards. After six months of research and consultation, the panel of judges chose to highly commend Rekero Camp, Acacia and Topi Houses for the achievements in poverty reduction. The recognition was on the basis that for two decades the small team of guides, guards, drivers, cooks, cleaners, mechanics and managers have strived to create a better place to live and a better place to visit. With no real blue print to follow they continue to work tirelessly to ensure that we evolve a model that focuses on returning an ever increasing amount not just to the communities from which they come but also the environment in which they live. So, as we turn our attention back to the wonderful plains in which this team operates, we just want to thank you once again for your contribution to the ‘exceptional successes’ that the experts paid tribute to today.
Have a good one won’t you,
Gordie
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Last Updated on Thursday, 12 November 2009 15:23 |
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