The Maasai in Shompole run their own conservation area. Admittance is highly restricted, and we were granted access because our in-country coordinator, Shani, is the director of the Shompole Community Trust. The community's assistant chief also came along with us. Nobody gets this kind of tour!
An unfortunate wildebeest. The area had good rains this year, but the previous several years were marked by terrible drought. This fellow might have starved... or been a lion's lunch.
The secretary bird is a carnivore that stomps its prey (it loves snakes) to death.
We counted 14 giraffes in this spot alone!
Baboons
Whistling thorn tree. In an example of brilliant adaptation, the tree has developed a fascinating defense mechanism. When its long thorns fail to deter, say, a giraffe, the tree has a backup: large pods contain biting ants that, when bumped, swarm and bite whatever nose or tongue is in the area!
