Interesting lives of cats: Cheetahs, Masai Mara

As you'll see in our previous post, Mara Big Cats in April, the long grass affects how cheetahs hunt. As one of the most vulnerable cat (facing extinction due to dwindling habitats, competition for prey from other bigger cats/predators, lack of a big gene pool, climate, etc), cheetahs are fighting a battle for survival.

Cheetah Facts:

✓ The word "cheetah" is derived from the Sanskrit word citrakāyaḥ, meaning "variegated body".

✓ The cheetah is the fastest land mammal, reaching up to speeds of 120kph (75 mph).

✓ A cheetah can accelerate from 0 to 110 km/h in 3 seconds, but cannot sustain that speed for very long, otherwise it's brain would heat up excessively and cause permanent brain damage!

✓ Adults weight between 40 - 65 kgs.

✓ They have distinct 'tear marks' running from the corner of the eyes down the sides of the nose to the mouth to ward-off bright sunlight from the eyes and to aid in hunting and seeing long distances.

✓ Their total body length is from 115 to 135 cm (45 to 53 in), while the tail can measure up to 84 cm (33 in) in length. They use their tails for 'steering' - changing course in full flight while hunting.

✓ Like most cats, cheetahs can purr as they inhale, but cannot roar like lions or tigers.

✓ Cheetahs are not adaptive to new habitats, and are an endangered species. They once roamed Africa and Asia, but are now found in small pockets in Africa, and souther western Asia.

✓ The gestation period is 90 - 98 days, and they give bath to a litter of up to nine cabs. Cubs leave their mother between thirteen and twenty months after birth.

✓ The life span is up to twelve years in the wild, and about twenty if in captivity.

✓ They are carnivores, eating small prey like Thomson's gazelles, impala, hares and young wildebeest. They are fussy eaters, and will not eat sickly animals or animals they have not killed themselves (as seen in this footage)!

This famous band is fondly referred to as "the three brothers", and are stars in BBC's Big Cat Diary Series, which is short in the locality of Mara Intrepids. They have caught a young wildebeest, which seems to be injured.

He seems to have picked up an injury, possibly due the hazardous crossing. The three brothers are unsure – they only eat prime!

Finally they leave him alone, and in fact choose to hang out. They discuss his travels from distant lands and the family that has left him at their mercy..

✓ Last but not least, cheetahs are not known to climb trees - but trust us to get rare footage! This happens when grass in the savannah is tall, and they want to watch out for their enemies, who are the other big cats, hyenas, buffalos or elephants.

On a regular game drive, our Assitant Chief Guide at Mara Intrepids, DC (Dixon Chelule) came across this collector's item.

Mother cheetah hiding her cubs in the long grass..

But she is not comfortable. She is wary of attacks from hyenas, lions, leopards or buffalo.

So she opts to go up a tree to scan the horizons

She looks this way

and that..

Mommy, I want to see too..Sonny scampers up the tree

I've seen enough, coast is clear..

And here's a video of the whole fam up the tree.

Book and pay for two nights at Mara Intrepids (online) and get the third free! This offer is valid till June on a first-come-first-serve basis, and subject to availability. http://www.heritage-eastafrica.com/specials/3-for-2-safari-special/

Admin, Lo'mon LeHeritage; Pictures DC (Dixon Chelule) Assitant Chief Guide at Mara Intrepids, 

(Lo'mon is Samburu for news; Le Heritage means from Heritage) 

Masai Mara, Big Cats in April

Lions

It’s been a little quiet during the first half of April and this has to do with the rains. The grass has grown tall and as is the case always at this time of the year, most animals have moved to areas where the grass is shorter.

There are two main reasons for this. One is that it’s easier for the herbivores to spot the predators where the grass is short. The second reason is that the shorter grass offers more nutritious shoots.

We are lucky at Mara Intrepids and Mara Explorer for the Olkiombo Pride has not moved away despite having a difficult time hunting as most grazers are in the short grass plains. The Olkiombo Pride has 30 lions, which consists of three males, small cubs, sub adults and females. They are still prowling the area east of Mara Intrepids and Mara Explorer while the other prides have extended their territories to cover large hunting grounds.

It’s interesting to note that the young males are trying to inch their way into other males’ territories to establish themselves as the new dominant male of the pride - but they have no chance as the dominant males’ stand their ground and see the intruders off.

The Sekenani Pride is still seen west of Sekenani gate giving the Heritage guests at Siana Springs superb sightings of these lions.

Leopards

Leopard sightings have never been better. We have seven leopards in our game viewing areas, which have been seen several times over the past two weeks.

Olive is still around her territory with her two cubs that we have named Nkaiyoni and Paja.

Meanwhile guests at Siana Springs continue to enjoy leopards around the Kissinger area. They are often seen up in the trees scanning the plains for prey. It’s easier to scan the plains from the trees instead of being at ground level because the long grass makes it difficult to see anything.

Cheetahs

The long grass has not made it easy for the cheetahs to hunt and so we have not been very lucky spotting them. Most of the cheetahs have followed the herds outside the park. However we still get to see two females with their cubs around Rhino Ridge because of the small herds of gazelles, impala and topi present. The female to the east of Rhino Ridge and the female near Mara Explorer each have a cub. 

Honey’s three young sons are also around Rhino Ridge and our guests have had great sightings of them showing off their hunting skills.

Paul Kirui, Chief Safari Guide, Heritage Hotels

You can read more on Mara Intrepids at http://www.heritage-eastafrica.com/tented-camps/mara-intrepids/

Book and pay for two nights at this property and get the third free! http://www.heritage-eastafrica.com/specials/3-for-2-safari-special/

Giraffe giving birth!

Don't some people just have the best jobs in the world? On a game drive in the Masai Mara, Dixon Chelule (or DC as he's popularly known), the Assistant Chief Safari Guide at Mara Intrepids came across this mother giraffe giving birth and shared these pictures.

The calf's hind legs come out first.

As you notice, the giraffe gives birth while standing.

Ain't nature a marvel? No midwives, gloves or theatre needed here!

The calf is born, and mommy giraffe is kissing her and welcoming her to this shocking world!

This is when the calf is most vulnerable from predators, and mommy is all too aware.

Within a few minutes of birth, he can stand and will be trying out his first wobbly steps.

Easy does it..

Another marvel, and beauty of nature – he already knows where food comes from! Mommy giraffe is beside herself with joy! "My son, I shall name you Mrefu. That is Swahili for tall, as you shall be one day!" she seems to be saying.

Fun facts: Giraffe

✓ The  giraffe is the tallest of all land mammals, and can be as high as  5m tall. It uses the long neck to browse the succulent leaves high in the trees.
✓ They inhabit the African  savannas, open grasslands or woodlands,, especially where there are acacia trees.
✓ The gestation period lasts  between 400 and 460 days.
✓ The young of a giraffe is called a calf, and is born almost 1.8m (6ft tall)!!
✓ It can run around within a few hours of being born to get away from potential prey like lions, leopards, hyenas and wild dogs, but normally send s the first two to three weeks hiding in the tall savannah grass.
✓ The giraffe's heart weighs 24 pounds (10.9 kg).
✓ The giraffe has one of the shortest sleep requirements of any mammal, which is between ten minutes and two hours in a 24-hour period, averaging 1.9 hours per day.

You can read more on Mara Intrepids at http://www.heritage-eastafrica.com/tented-camps/mara-intrepids/

Book and pay for two nights at this property and get the third free! http://www.heritage-eastafrica.com/specials/3-for-2-safari-special/

Admin, Lo'mon LeHeritage 

(Lo'mon is Samburu for news; Le Heritage means from Heritage)