The (4 inch plus) canines of the largest carnivore in Africa are something to keep away from. These lethal teeth hold and kill prey with ease which even a thick skinned cape buffalo would find it difficult to get away from.

male lionlionbig catafrican lionPanthra leocaninesMasai Maa National ReserveKenya

To get advantage of height, the little young african elephant climbed on top of an anthill and continued play fighting with a taller elephant in the Masai Mara National Reserve. This way the play fighting contiued for quite a long while.

F1R9538African Elephantafrican wildlifeelephantplay fightingmammalMasai Mara National ReserveKenya

On seeing the running cheetah, the hartebeests ran like mad, The cheetah was running after them at top speed, Having caught up with the hartebeest, the cheetah uses his front paws to topple the running hartebeest in Masai Mara.But the heavier hartebeest kept on running and thus the cheetah had to give up. Hooray for the hartebeest.

0363CheetahAcinonyx jubatusHartebeesthuntpawsMasai MaraNational ReserveKenya

Every time I go to Masaai Mara, I feel overwhelmed with pain and anger. The land of the Masaai is now overpopulated with lodges, which have driven most of the game away. The place where I go to, to be one with nature, has now become a distant memory.
As we were driving around, we noticed lots of Marabou storks scouring the land for food. I found a group on the ground in an empty area and got the opportunity to capture their true essence.Whilst watching the Marabou storks, we observed they would fight amongst themselves for whatever scraps were found. This struggle had to be documented to show what we humans are doing to the wildlife around us.

0662Marabou StorkMasai Mara National ReserveBird of preysquabblingScavengerStorkKenya

Lack of rains in Laikipia made the zebra herd visit the waterhole to quench their thirst. The peaceful herd drinking water suddenly panicked. A loud snort by a warthog with little ones started the commotion. Such is the behavior of drinking Zebras.

1791zebrawaterwaterholeherbivorosmammalslailipiaKenya

The dry spells in Laikipiia shifts the animals priority - which is water. This zebra went past the camera unnoticed as his focus was to find water.

1871zebraherdherbivorousmammalLaikipiakenya

Crocodile attacking Zebra

The zebra herd has grazed all the edible grass near the river, leaving the soil barren and dusty. The grass on the other side of the river appears to be greener.
So the urge to cross the river is strong and thus the zebras start entering the water. A crocodile is waiting nearby and starts swimming underwateras the crossing starts. There is a great splash and the reptile is seen to clamp one adult zebra by its mouth. Such is the danger in crossings.
The clamped zebra is pulled underwater and drowned. The crocodile is now ready for a feast.

0562AfricaKenyaEast AfricasafarianimalmammalManojShahPhotographyKenyan Photographerwildlifewild animalfree rangingnatureSavannahcolor imagetourist attractionMaasai MaraMasai Mara National ReserveGame parkNational ParkCommon ZebraEquus burchellistripesPlains zebraNile crocodile attackrivers crossing attackcrocodile jaws

I was casually following these two young white rhinos when suddenly they did a massive U-turn and fled from the area within a blink of an eye, in Laikipia, Kenya. I have heard rumors about their speed but have never witnessed it before. It sounded like a growling.
What happened was they ventured into another male’s territory. When they were spotted they made a dash for it. Even though they were two, they were no match for the bigger male.
Seeing this photo – the sky, the dust, I can still feel the growling of the earth.
To see a 5,000 animal make a fast u turn with an equally heavy companion is something very unique. We should not assume that these heavy animals can not move quickly. I was watching with my mouth open!

2937White rhinoRhinocerousRhinosquare lippedHerbivorousrunningLaikipia savannaKenya

At the Ol Pejeta Chimpanzee Sanctuary, Kenya, a 4 month old chimpanzee baby clung tightly to its mother. After many days it finally dared to show its face to me. Curious but scared, this baby's raw emotion made me question human's interference with nature. A baby born in captivity, never knowing what it is to be free; trusting its fate in the hands of the humans. The baby’s behavior drew me closer to it and it’s mother- the large eyes were so captivating. The hands clinging to the mother's fur creating partings brought out the texture of her black fur.

4163Ol Pejeta chimpanzee sanctuaryChimpanzeeBabyMammalapeLaikipiaKenya

It is mid morning and the zebra families are making their way to the waterhiole in Laikipia savanna, Kenya. The zebra is a horse like mammal with sharp senses and powerful movement. A warthog with babies suddenly runs nearby and the lead zebra snorts an alarm call. Then the suspicious zebra quickly darted away, its hooves bearing the earth, sounding like a Harley Davidson motorbike The hooves pulverised the ground into fine dust and I could see fleeing feet. What a powerful energetic animal.
The speed at which the zebra turned was amazing, Lightening fast. The message I get from this zebra behavior is 'better to be safe quickly than sorry later'. Being alive is all that matters.

2836ZebraBuechell's zebramammalhorse like animalfleeingLaikipia savannaKenya

Strength was in numbers. The migrating wildebeest walked down the road in the direction of Mara River in the Masai Mara National Reserve. Being tired and thirsty on this hot and dry day, they were probably thinking of the greeen and sweet grass on the other side of the river.

4618wildebeestherdMasai Mara National ReserveConnochaetes taurinusKenya

A secretly hidden remote camera captures a herd of Zebras at the river crossing point in Masai Mara, Kenya The camera is un noticed and the zebras start grooming each other. This natural behaviour was made possible by hiding the camera amongst natural rocks. It looks like a view a mosquito would have seen when flying through the herd.

5752ZebraEquus BurchelliMasai Mara National ReserveKenyaherdriver

The two cubs had filled their brllies and were watching (sitting on top of an ant hill) their mother and aunt finishing up the wildebeest kill. A sudden movement on the savannah grass caught the cubs attention. It was a jackal who had come to pick up any pieces of meat lyiing around. I noticed a pattern of four beautiful ears and did mot waste any second in pressing the camera shutter button.

8229earslion cubslionpanthera leoMasai Mara National ReserveKenya

Giraffes browsing at footsteps of Mt kenya in Laikipia.

4351giraffesmt KenyamammalherbivorousLaikipiaKenya

Jumping for joy.

The Mara River was infested with hungry crocodiles. The wildebeest were crossing hurriedly. One adult in particular seemed to happily jump for joy upon reaching the opposite bank. What a relief!

8944wildbeestConnochaetes taurinusjumpingcrossingMasai Mara National ReserveKenya

This is what future generations would say. An elephant will be just a memory, no more a reality. A dream where they will walk on Earth at peace, as they were born to do; kept alive only in our minds. In April 2016 105 tons of Ivory was burnt in Nairobi. It pained me to see how many elephants were brutally killed. It became a part of my life's work to capture on camera the remaining few living. This picture captures two things (depending on how you look at it): 1. They are walking out from heaven to earth and 2. The elephants slowly fading to nothing but memory. Their fragility is in our hands. This image gives a dramatic feel to many juxtapositions- power & frailty, gentility & giant.

9298African ElephantLoxodonta africanaMasai Mara National ReserveKenya

Yellow baboon conflicts with Marabou stork in Amboseli Mational Park, Kenya

9769Yellow baboonMarabou storkconflictAmboseli National ParkKenya

The spotted hyena mother had left her puppies playing near the den as she went to look for food for the hungry ones in the Laikipia savanna, Kenya. One inquisitive pup walked walked gingerly towards the camera. Even with their quiet demeanor and the puppy eyes, the pups are still very dangerous. The others watch and learn as this courageous one explores.

helloSpotted Hyenasafari animalpredatormammalLaikipiaKenya

Stampede

A stampede occured when a bull elephant came at the herd in full spead. With the dust rising, we couldn't see much, but our camera seemed to have captured the beautiful moment of fear and flight within the herd. If you look closely you can see the elephant and behind it a buffalo watching it.
These were the last members of the herd making way for the playful elephant. All this commotion caused by one elephant. Clearly numbers don't out weigh size in this natrual world.

stampedeAfrican buffaloSyncerus caffermammalherbivorousLaikipiasavannaKenya