This newborn topi was all awkward enthusiasm as it romped through its new home in the Masai Mara of Kenya. Topis are a very common sight in the Masai Mara in November and it seemed as if every mother was with a calf.

Nothing much to say here — just a lilac breasted roller enjoying breakfast. These colorful birds are very common in much of Africa. This one was photographed in the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in Kenya.

This young lady was in the middle of a nice power nap late one morning in the Masai Mara of Kenya. Lions usually sleep up to 20 hours a day, which makes sense when you think about it. They are fierce hunters and most hunts end in failure. They’re only successful about once a week and must exert a lot of energy to catch that one meal. Most of the rest of their time is spent recovering and resting up so that they can do it again.

Seemed about time for another lion cub post. This little guy appears to have found something awfully tasty on the bottom of that foot, or maybe he was just scratching an itch with those sharp teeth. There were six cubs in this pride from the Masai Mara in Kenya. The above foot biter was one of three that were roughly a month old.

These two rutting male impala appear to be taking a break from chasing each other around so that they can show a little affection. This was in Laikipia, Kenya, an area that used to be mostly farmland but has been reclaimed for wildlife preservation.

Well, maybe not telling a joke, but it kind of looked that way. Zebras are, however, the subject of many folk tales in Africa, which tell of how they got their stripes. According to the bushmen of Namibia, zebras were once all white before an unfortunate encounter with a baboon at a water hole. Seems the two species got into a fight and the zebra kicked the baboon so hard that it tipped over a fire. The fire sticks hit the zebra and left the scorch marks all over the white fur. I’m not saying they’re good stories, just that stories exist. Enjoy.

This cheetah mother had two cubs. The other one was running around behind her, still playing while this little guy seemed to be settling in for the night. The photo was taken in the northern section of the Masai Mara in Kenya.

The male impala were in their rut when we were in Kenya in November. The males were chasing each other all over the place, vying for mating rights with the females. This guy seemed to be getting the best of  his competition, running down any challengers.

During the day, hippos rarely leave the water, but at night they typically sleep on land. They are very susceptible to sunburn and as soon as the sun starts to get hot, they get back in the water. This was first thing in the morning when the sun just broke the horizon and several hippos were out foraging on the plains of the Masai Mara in Kenya. In the background, a few buffalo keep a close watch on their often cantankerous neighbors.