Wildebeest Crossing Mara River at Night

Muddy water churns around the dark, wet hides of a wildebeest herd pressed tightly against a reed bed. Starlight reflects off the rippling surface of the Mara River, illuminating the coarse texture of their fur and the tension in their shoulders. The animals stand low in the water, their heads raised with ears swiveled forward, silhouetted against the faint glow rising from the far bank. Reed stalks rise vertically from the mud, framing the dark shapes of the cattle. Droplets rest on the wet grass, catching the dim starlight. The river edge curves sharply, defining the boundary between the submerged herd and the solid ground. One droplet slides from a reed tip onto the water's surface.