When last we left our intrepid traveling vultures, we had noted the amazing differences between the small, gregarious African white-backed vulture, the cliff-nesting Ruppell's Vulture, and the large and solitary Lappet-faced Vulture. During the last two weeks, Homer, our African White-backed Vulture has continued his movements from Masai Mara to the Tsavo National Park and even moved east of the large parks towards the border of Tanzania. Roger, the Ruppell's Vulture has returned from the north. Recently, he has stayed dangerously far from the safety of the national parks and other protected areas, choosing to home in on the Athi River and Magadi area, a beautiful place of tall Acacias and flowing streams.

Though only an hour outside of Nairobi (by car, not flight), Athi has a much smaller human settlement density and thus might appeal to this sensitive master of the savanna. Lisa, the Lappet-faced Vulture, has moved out of Masai Mara and gone south all the way to one of the most famous and beautiful places in Tanzania, Ngorogoro Crater. Though famous for its rich fossils, including the footprints and skeletons from early humans, the Crater is also a great place for wildlife. Interestingly, the one animal you won't find in Ngorogoro is the giraffe. Due to the steep slopes plummeting down into the crater, the long-legged and tallest land mammal has been unable to make the trip into the crater itself. Fortunately for the vulture, plenty of other wildlife, such as wildebeest, elephant, and Grant's gazelles abound.

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