Serian’s Pyramids of Life course focuses on the smaller details, such as this tortoise beetle.
ROISIN ALLEN / ALEX WALKER’S SERIAN
An army of hundreds march through the mud in a solid black line, dutifully following their leader. We follow too, mesmerised from the moment they leave their home territory until the massacre comes to its gruesome conclusion. Their attack is swift, a sting operation designed to cause maximum chaos. It ends in carnage, with each assailant carrying at least one soon-to-be-eaten corpse back to base.
We’re witnessing a wildlife phenomenon that is astounding in its ferocity and focus, yet few people take the time to study Matabele ants hunting termites. They’re called sizzling ants in Kenya’s Masai Mara: we blow on them, and hear their collective hiss that’s intended to deter predators. “Those ants are definitely the highlight of the day!” Judy, one of our 10 guides, enthuses. It’s a strange choice perhaps since we’d earlier seen a gorgeous young leopard preening herself. But she’s no ordinary guide, and this is no ordinary safari.