WILD KENYA SAFARIS - Kenya Safaris, Diani Beach Safaris, Mombasa Safaris and more

A pair of Grey Crowned Cranes One of Africa's most identifiable bird species the Grey Crowned Crane, is also known as the East African Crowned Crane. They can normally be seen in the wetlands and open grass habitats searching for insects, lizards, frogs, fish and seeds. These birds are easily  identifiable by their grey plumage, black and white wings and the unmistakable crown of golden feathers on top of their head. The beautiful grey crowned crane is sadly on the endangered species list, mainly due to their loss of habitat by human population settlements and pollution of agricultural and wetland areas by pesticides. Best wishes, Shazaad Kasmani

Lioness at Tsavo Ngutuni Yes i have finally come out and admitted it, there is nothing comparable to my big cats of Tsavo and especially the lions of Ngutuni Sanctuary. Having spent years visiting and revisiting the lion prides there and having followed the lives of these families so closely, i have shared in their happiness, sadness, successes and failures as if i were a part of their prides. Memories of the late 'Scar Face' who was a rare fully maned lion of Ngutuni came flooding back to me this morning. He was a popular topic of conversation among tour drivers as he was known to charge at their vehicles and i have often witnessed this first hand. He would barely give the tourists more than 5 minutes of his time to catch a quick glimpse of him, before he raced towards their windows.  Yet, Scar Face and i had a very different kind of bond. We had become so accustomed to one another that he even grew to recognize the sound of my little Totota Carina. I remem...

Lioness in Tsavo Kenya There's just something about the magical effect that light has while on a safari in Tsavo. For many passionate photographers, the preferred ambiance of the golden hour seems to break its habitual twice daily observance by presenting itself recurrently. The beautiful light that can be found in Tsavo, cinematographically emphasizes the colours of the habitat with the tawny shades which most wildlife such as lions possess. These spectrum's of red, yellow, green and orange almost merge into one another recreating timeless magical hour conditions. This Tsavo lioness for example is surrounded by the surreal effects of these naturally blending colours.  Love and Light, Shazaad Kasmani

A lions forward set of teeth consists of 4 canines and 12 incisors While watching a lion yawn or growl, one cannot help to be immediately impressed by the two large pairs of sharp canines that this top savanna predator is armed with.  Contrary to the belief that the four large canines are used for feeding, they are actually the lions principle tools when it comes to concluding a successful hunt. These large teeth pierce deep through the skin of its prey to create a tightened grip during the choke hold. As the lion uses its enlarged canines to tightly clamp down around the prey's throat or mouth, its game slowly asphyxiates as the canines are locked in to prevent the prey from breathing and escaping. The smaller 12 incisors which are located in between the canines, are also used as a supplemental grip during the choke hold, as well as for tearing and yanking out flesh from bones during its feeding. Till the next post, Shazaad Kasmani

Lioness in Ngorongoro Crater A lioness at Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania, grabs a quick glance to see what is happening behind her. While clicking this photo, i tried to frame it in such a way to highlight how the lioness is acknowledging me as she gets her photograph taken. Her poise and look is exciting as she enjoys the magnificent safari landscape as much as i do, as if to say, 'look i was there!'. In her picture, a crowned crane is peacefully feeding, the brown dots are actually wildebeest shifting along the horizon and the green crater wall is sharply rising.

A scribbled puffer fish on a reef in Kenya The scribbled puffer fish is sometimes known as the map puffer fish and can be found in the sheltered lagoons, drop offs and reefs along the East African coast.  Notice the network of yellow, golden, grey and brown lines that are leading out from the eye to the rest of the body.  It has some of the most interesting and colourful patters of all the puffer species and the colour patterns may vary according to the specimens. They are diurnal, generally found alone and feed on sponges, algae and invertebrates that can be found on the sea floor.  When feeling threatened, the puffer fish will suck water into its stomach and "puff up" like a ball to double its original size in an attempt to intimidate or make swallowing difficult for a predator.

A leopardess climbs down a tree in Tsavo West Tsavo West National Park is renowned for its historical significance as well as many wonderful wildlife lover attractions. Some things that make this park unique include the rhino sanctuary, breathtaking landscapes, crystal clear Mzima Springs, volcanic lava flows, conspicuous hills and of course the leopard. The parks diversity in vegetation and its hilly terrain combined with an abundance of small game, makes it an incontestable favored habitat for leopards. There are also plenty of baobab trees, acacia woodlands, riverine forests and secret caves tucked inside these hills which offer them cover aplenty. Due to its brimming natural environment, the light is generally softer and offers our wildlife photographers some really great photo opportunities. Take this leopard for example, it was 3 hours before sunset but the moistened leaves and reflecting light from the surrounding hills makes the leaves glow so beautifully green. The...

A sibling lion telling off his brother Sometimes an interesting photographic story just comes together before your very eyes without you having to seek it. Wildlife behavior is fascinating and at times quite unpredictable but with some good background knowledge on the species you are photographing, you can come up with some interesting results.  We had first come across this duo of sub adult lions on our full day game drive at about 3:30pm. Knowing that the best time to generally see some kind of action between lions is an hour after sunrise or an hour before sunset, we decided to part ways with them and catch up again later towards the end of the day. As we finished our evening safari watching cheetahs and were now on the drive back towards the lodge, we came back to these lions and clearly there was some tension in the air between the two brothers. The siblings big cat games seems to have got carried away alittle too far. All of a sudden the lion on the right leaped up...

A leopard in its natural element at Taita Hills Hidden among the shadows of large boulders and the hypnotic swaying of grass in the breeze, a leopard peacefully rests atop of a hill enjoying the uninterrupted views of the savanna below.  In this photograph i try to let the hill's natural vegetation and terrain fill most of the frame as my intention of this image was to highlight the leopards rich and rugged terrain. Its light colored coat covered in darkened rosettes helps it to blend almost perfectly into its natural landscape. Were it not for our experience and knowledge of almost every nook and cranny of this particular hill in the Taita Hills Wildlife Sanctuary, it would have surely gone unnoticed.  For More Wildlife Videos:   https://goo.gl/Ty3Qrb Wildlife Photography Gear:   https://www.amazon.com/shop/shazaadkasmani