Animals of the Masai Mara

"This is the guidebook for every child, and child inside of us, between the ages of 5 and 105 that has ever dreamt of learning about the fascinating animals seen on a safari in Africa."--Gabriel Thoumi, MongaBay.com "Like its avian companion volume, you will love this book--even if you never visit the Masai Mara!"--Devorah Bennu, GrrlScentist "If you are going to visit the Masai Mara, this is a must have book. But I recommend this book equally to anyone who wants to take an imaginary journey to this part of the Serengeti. It is a fascinating book about the world's most charismatic community of animals."--DRK, Wildlife Activist

Since 2008, Adam Scott Kennedy and Vicki Kennedy have managed remote luxury safari camps in Tanzania and Kenya and now operate as private safari guides, specializing in photographic and wildlife safaris. Information on their tours and stock image library can be found at http://www.rawnaturephoto.com. Adam Scott Kennedy is the author of Birds of the Masai Mara (Princeton).

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