Mara Triangle

• BBC Big Cat Diaries: The Return of Notch?

  Posted: October 10, 2008, 11:29 am by William

  Sarah Skinner has been a great friend and visitor to the Mara Triangle for many years now, and wrote recently to Wilson Naitoi with identification of Notch from the BBC show Big Cat Diaries as the old male in our coalition of 'Six Boys'.

  Notch in September 2008, by Andy Skinner.
  

  Certainly some of the strongest males we have in the Mara Triangle, with Notch the strongest of the group, Sarah tells us:
  

  it was so nice to see them, and I am almost 100% they are the males that were kicked out of the pride over the river near the Marsh/paradise plains in Set 2007,  that as you say used to and do cross over the river. One of them I think used to feature on the BBC big cat diary. We have done an ID on the ear patterns and whisker patterns on the dark maned boy (our favourite) and almost sure that it is the old Marsh pride male (Notch) and his sons, quite strange that he is still with his boys, they are obviously all very tolerant, more than normal!
  

  I have attached for you to see. See what you think, we last photographed him 2 years ago so he is looking much older now. There are now 3 males in the Marsh pride (nr Gov) that took over Notch last Sept, so I can’t see him being in a hurry to cross back over, especially all the time the migration is in swing.
  

  Notch 2006

  Notch 2008?
  

  Notch 2006

  Notch 2008?
  

  Notch 2006

  Notch 2008?
  

  Andy and I were over the moon to find him, thanks to you, and was so special that he sat and roared, that’s one cat that’s not giving up! Amazing if so as he has just been overthrown and he must be 9/10 by now - look after him, he's an old boy now!
  

  Long live Notch and his boys!

  
  

• Yesterday's patrol brought many obstacles, but team still managed to make two arrests.

  Posted: October 10, 2008, 11:08 am by Naiguran

  The Iseyia patrol team teamed up with Ngiro-Are and Tanapa rangers to patrol areas of Limana, Nyakitapembe and the island along Mara River in Serengeti.

  No  poaching signs were seen in places first patrolled, but as they were approaching island a very big group of poachers ever seen woke up from their hidings at the other side of the river and started to run back, heading to their village. Nothing could rangers do since the river is full, hence difficult to cross. They therefore decided to go to Kokatende to find a bridge, which they did so successfully and went to the scene, tracked the poachers and managed to arrest two. This activity caused our rangers the whole of the day, up until 9pm.

  Thank you everyone for your donations so far. If you are pleased with our work we appreciate you making a donation towards our anti-poaching efforts. Thank you.
  

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