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800 cheetahs on the prowl in Kenya

Cheetahs, along with the African lion and leopards, are some of the “big cats” that live in Kenya. Its distinguishing features are its spotted light brown fur and the black tear line that runs down both sides of its face.

Anyone who has seen one will always say that it looks quite sad, an expression that comes from the appearance of black tears that run down the inner corner of each eye. However, there is no need to worry, they are not tears, but a special anti-reflective mechanism that helps these animals keep their eyes fixed on the prey in the bright heat of the savannah.

Speed

The Ferrari of the animal world; Cheetahs are the fastest animals in the world, graceful and with great traction control. It can reach speeds of up to 70 miles per hour over short distances due to its long, muscular legs, small head, deep chest, flexible tail, and long tail.

Lightening bolt

These Kenyan animals recently received good international publicity when Usain Bolt, the world’s fastest man, adopted a cub and named him “Ray of Light.”

The Jamaican sprinting champion was on a four-day trip to Kenya to help a German charity, the Zeitz Foundation, launch a new conservation initiative when he met a three-month-old puppy and named it after him. It’s amazing that one day I will run faster than him.

Family oriented

Cheetahs are solitary animals; they prefer to be alone rather than spending time with others, with the sole exception of when a mother is raising her cubs. They are what every mother should be, patient and protective.

They spend about a year teaching their cubs the trade of hunting, even getting the cubs to practice stalking and hunting for live prey. Then the mother spends another year and a half with the cubs before they go off to face the wild world on their own. Males live in small groups of two or three, usually with their littermates.

What do cheetahs eat?

Unlike most of their relatives in the cat family, these cats hunt early in the morning or at night, getting as close to their target prey as possible before starting the chase. Once they have thrown their prey to the ground, they suffocate it with a bite on the neck. Everything is very fast, and if they are lucky enough to go unnoticed, they will drag their catch to a shady hideout.

You also have to eat very quickly, as other predators such as the African lion, hyenas and vultures are soon on the scene and do not give up. This cat is shy and will not argue with bullies, he would rather walk away and leave them with food.

So on the menu there are mouthwatering dishes like impalas, gazelles, wild boars, hares, jackals and also birds. Cheetahs only need to drink every three to four days, so water doesn’t exactly top the priority list.

Habitat

Food requirements dictate where you can find these cats. Their favorite habitat is the open and partially open savanna.

Also, they need some cover, such as tall grass, bushes, and bushes to properly stalk their victims before attacking. Some of the best places in Kenya with this type of terrain are the Masai Mara National Reserve and Amboseli National Park.

The setting for the wild Masai Mara movie is a huge expanse of land, stretching as far as the border with Tanzania and covering 320 square kilometers. The park’s ecosystem attracts a large number of animals and these cats are drawn to the open grasslands of the park.

Amboseli National Park is much smaller but has beautiful views, especially of the highest mountain in Africa, Kilimanjaro. However, what is most interesting to cheetahs is the dry riverbed of Lake Amboseli on the western side of the park. Although it does sometimes flood during the rainy season, most of the time, it provides a large amount of open terrain suitable for chasing.

If you’re only in Nairobi for a short time and can’t get to the parks, the Nairobi Safari Walk is a great place to see one of these cats in near-wild conditions. Just walk up the elevated boardwalk, through the savannah and keep your eyes peeled.

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