We started bright and early today so we could hike Oldoinyo Sambu, the mountain near our base camp.  In Maasai, ‘oldonyo’ means mountain and ‘sambu’ means striped. Three Maasai (Peter, Paulo and Urunda) and our Dorobo guides joined us and were able to identify different animal tracks (hyena) and scat (lion and elephant). One of the most interesting finds was the discovery of a species of Trap Door spider, the Barking Spider, in its lair.

The trail was very steep, rocky and dense with tall grass, but everyone made it to the top safely. The view was absolutely amazing. We could turn 360 degrees and see nothing but acacia trees and tall grass; not a single building or car in sight. Through our binoculars we saw elephants drinking at a watering hole, a Klipspringer and Rock hyrax on a rock 25 meters away, and many different birds and insects. Then it was time to head back to camp for lunch and a power nap.

In the afternoon, we set out on a trek through the tall grass. We saw several termite mounds, some that reached an amazing height of ten feet. Along the trail, Killierai and some of our Maasai friends spotted fresh lion tracks. We continued with caution towards a dried out watering hole. We observed giraffe droppings and foliage that had been trampled by elephants. It was incredible to see evidence of so many different species in one small area. We spotted a water buffalo skeleton just after leaving the watering hole. The size of the skull was remarkable and we had a lively time discussing what bones belonged where and how they articulated with each other. As we moved on, we discovered hyena droppings. What made it particularly interesting was the fact that they were white due to the calcium intake in the hyena’s diet. Killerai told us hyena consume every part of the animal, from hair to claws and bone. It was obvious hyena are a key species in Tanzania’s biodiversity.