The Standoff

We visited the Maasai Mara North in Kenya in November, 2024. The Maasai Mara North area is a tribal grazing area owned by the Maasai People, which has been converted into a conservation area. The savannah was very green with new grass from the November "short rains." Every morning started out with mostly clear skies and lots of sun. Every afternoon the clouds gathered, and we had some momentarily heavy downpours. But the rain did not put a damper on our drives. We expected the afternoon rain, and took some of our best pictures both during and in between the showers.

The photographic high point of the visit was an amazing interaction between a bull hippopotamus and an entire clan of about 30 spotted hyenas.

We noticed that several hyenas were running in the same direction and decided to follow. Apparently, one bull hippo had fatally injured another in a fight. The dead hippo was floating in a pond in the middle of a narrow water course. We got there at the same time that the first of the hyenas arrived. A second bull hippo – very possibly the winner of the fatal fight – arrived at the pond and charged into the hyenas, intent on driving them away from the first hippo’s carcass. We watched while the hyenas and the bull hippo violently charged and chased each other to a complete standoff. Any time the hippo was driven away from the carcass by some of the hyenas, the rest of the pack would move in to gorge as quickly as they could on the dead animal. Up to 12 hyenas at a time were feeding on the dead animal at the water level, while one or two more were standing on top. Whenever the bull hippo returned, the hyenas would run for their lives to the far side of the watercourse from the hippo, who had his mouth as widely opened as possible to display his 50 centimeter (19.5 inch) long tusks. It was one of the most dramatic sights I have ever seen in Africa.

The smell was appalling! The "water" was equal parts mud and decomposing hippo. After jumping into the pond the hyenas looked like they had been dipped in crude oil. I give great credit to our Ngare Serian guides Joseph and Kim, and to my wife, for not even trying to get me to speed it up to get away from the stench. (My wife knew it would do no good to even try.) We spent over an hour at the edge of the pond watching the animals interact.

I took the image with a Canon EOS R6 with a Canon 16 - 35 mm F2.8 L III IS USM lens equipped with a polarizing filter. The settings were f3.5, ISO 100, 1/400 sec, 35 mm, handheld. The image was taken on 11/20/2024.