| The most charismatic of all the animals that | | | | leopards were found living in a Kampala city |
| roam the savannas of East Africa are the big | | | | train station.The full grown adult stretches |
| cats. Safari enthusiasts exercise great | | | | between 1 to 1.5 m and can reach a weight of |
| patience and go to great lengths to ensure a | | | | 60 kg. Man (and especially woman) has always |
| sighting. To behold the beauty and splendour | | | | been jealous of the leopards beautiful coat. |
| of the big cats in the wild is a prospect | | | | Those of East Africa have round spots unlike |
| that warms the heart of every nature lover. | | | | the square spots of the southern African |
| Among a number of the ancient civilizations - | | | | species. Leopards are solitary animals and |
| the Romans, Sumerians, and Egyptians- the big | | | | you hardly ever find them in groups. The |
| cats were held in fascination and in higher | | | | sexes associate only long enough to mate! |
| esteem than any other wild animals. Some were | | | | Females are ready to breed at about 2 years |
| indeed taken as gods, and many are the kings | | | | of age, when they produce up to 3 cubs after |
| who have set images of the big cats on their | | | | a gestation period of about 90 days.The |
| royal emblems.The big cats have in the past | | | | leopard therefore faces less danger than |
| been more widely dispersed in the world than | | | | either the lion or the cheetah. |
| they are today. In our time, the redoubts of | | | | Notwithstanding that they are very widely |
| the big cats are in Africa and small pockets | | | | distributed in East Africa, you are unlikely |
| of Asia. The cat family is known by | | | | to see them in large numbers. In addition, |
| scientists as felidae and refers to an | | | | this most secretive of cats is nocturnal. The |
| assortment of animals grouped as small and | | | | traveler who is determined to see them must |
| big cats. The small cats are less well known | | | | be very calm and patient, for only the most |
| and appreciated. In East Africa small cats | | | | persevering are rewarded. Even scientists |
| include wild cats, sand and serval cats. The | | | | have such trouble spotting them, with the |
| small cats are very widespread in almost all | | | | consequence that they are not as well studied |
| habitats in East Africa. But they keep their | | | | as the other cats.The leopard is the |
| heads down and elicit little conflict with | | | | strongest climber among the carnivores. And |
| man- the ultimate enemy of all wild | | | | they spend mostly their days inactive, draped |
| animals.The big cats you find outside Africa | | | | over tree branches. So, to se them, set your |
| include tiger, jaguar, leopard, cougar and | | | | sights to the treetops. You are further |
| Iberian lynx. The big cats are the most | | | | advised to take your game drives very |
| committed carnivores in the entire animal | | | | silently and watch out at rivers and water |
| kingdom. They are mostly nocturnal and rather | | | | holes. The leopard is a stalking predator and |
| secretive in nature. In common with primates, | | | | lies ready to pounce at such places where |
| they read a lot from facial expression and | | | | prey would seek food and water. Some lucky |
| love to play. The big cats capture and kill | | | | people also come across leopards basking on |
| their prey. To witness a lion on a hunt is | | | | the rocks early in the mornings.The cheetah |
| truly fascinating- if for a moment you take | | | | is the smallest of the big cats of East |
| your mind from the fate of the prey. For all | | | | Africa. It can reach up to 1.4 m in length; |
| the fame of the big cats of East Africa, | | | | males can weigh up to 55 kg and females 40kg. |
| there are just three of them: lion, leopard | | | | For the inexperienced, it is difficult to |
| and cheetah.The lion, so called the king of | | | | tell apart from a leopard. But you can |
| the jungle, is the largest carnivore in East | | | | distinguish it by the long teardrop-shaped |
| Africa. The adult lion stretches between 1.4m | | | | lines on each side of the nose, from the |
| to 2.2 m - excluding the tail. The male can | | | | corner of the eyes to the mouth. It also has |
| attain a weight of up to 225kg, while the | | | | protruding and streamlined neck and thin |
| hefty female reaches 168kg. The lion is noted | | | | legs. This animal is specially adapted for |
| for its exceptional strength and has been | | | | speed and it is indeed the world's fastest |
| known to bring down the much larger buffalo, | | | | mammal.From a resting position, the cheetah |
| which has about 4 times its weight. For this | | | | can reach a speed of 80 km/h in less than 3 |
| reason, kings have understandably sought to | | | | seconds. It can run a stable speed of 105km |
| be associated lions. But they hesitate to be | | | | h, compared to a man's 37km/h. But take |
| associated with its reputation for sloth- for | | | | heart, it is not a man-eater. The cheetah |
| the lion shamelessly spends up to 20 hours | | | | lacks the stamina to be more than a short |
| daily resting.Lions are social animals and of | | | | distance runner. It is not a very social |
| the big cats, they are the only ones to live | | | | species and lives either singly or in small |
| and hunt in family groups. The group or pride | | | | groups. Females are ready to procreate from |
| usually consists of a number of related | | | | about the age of 2 years and after a |
| females and few unrelated males. Young | | | | gestation period of about 90 days give birth |
| females usually join their mother pride, but | | | | to up to 6 cubs. Hunting by day only, this |
| young males venture into the outside world to | | | | solitary hunter relies on its famed speed and |
| seek female company. Females in a pride | | | | keen eyesight. It technique is to stalk |
| practice communal cub rearing and | | | | stealthily and then take a short killer dash |
| hunting.Lions are highly territorial. Males | | | | when prey is within 30 m.The cheetah is |
| enforce territorial integrity, by means of | | | | mainly found in grasslands, woodland savannas |
| their characteristic fierce roars, scent | | | | and semi deserts. It survives best in vast |
| marking and periodic border patrols.Lions of | | | | ranges where prey is plenty. This cat has |
| the same pride develop strong social bonds | | | | never enjoyed wide geographical distribution |
| and practice head rubbing and social | | | | or high densities. And numbers have |
| grooming. Females give birth after a | | | | drastically fallen over the last few decades. |
| gestation period of 3.5 months. After only 6 | | | | Today not more than 12,000 remain worldwide, |
| weeks, the cubs are induced into a lifelong | | | | mostly in eastern and southern Africa. In |
| habit of meat eating. Cubs play in imitation | | | | East Africa, the only areas where you can |
| of adults and this helps in the development | | | | easily spot cheetahs are Maasai Mara in Kenya |
| of such useful skills as stalking prey. | | | | and Serengeti in Tanzania. But the cat is |
| Though born to kings, cubs need protection | | | | also present, though in fewer numbers, in |
| from hyenas and leopard. And also from | | | | Tsavo in Kenya, Mkomazi in Tanzania and Queen |
| non-pride male lions- for the reason that | | | | Elizabeth in Uganda.Scientists have |
| females will not mate until cubs are about 18 | | | | classified the cheetah as an endangered |
| months old. The cubs therefore stand in the | | | | species and think that it faces possible |
| way of a mating encounter.Fighting off males | | | | extinction. Only one species -jubatus remains |
| bent on infanticide appears to be one of the | | | | today. The lack of genetic diversity, |
| reasons why females live in prides. The | | | | possibly caused by inbreeding, is yet another |
| moniker "king of the jungle" is misleading, | | | | handicap in ensuring the long-term survival |
| for buffalo and hyenas sometimes kill lions. | | | | of this cat. In its daily life, the cheetah |
| Elephants too have no fear of the king - they | | | | faces competition from other carnivores such |
| will charge at lions to encourage them to | | | | as lions and hyenas. In some areas, Maasai |
| move on. But man remains the biggest threat | | | | Mara of Kenya for example, instances of lions |
| to lions and he has hunted the lion to | | | | killing cheetah cubs are very common; hyenas |
| extinction in most of the world. The lion | | | | too eat them. The lion kills the cubs only to |
| population in Africa is today estimated at | | | | destroy and never eats them -an extremely |
| only 23,000 and the survival status is listed | | | | disgraceful show for an animal that would be |
| as vulnerable in international conventions.In | | | | regarded as king.Cheetahs are active only by |
| most parks and game reserves of East Africa, | | | | day. In East Africa's game sanctuaries, |
| however, the lion is impressively visible. | | | | tourists interrupt critical activities like |
| Particularly in the grassy plains and dry | | | | feeding and suckling of the young. There are |
| forests where the large plains herbivores | | | | incidences of mothers abandoning their cubs |
| they prey on thrive. You will easily see the | | | | under the pressure of human curiosity. |
| king in Ngorongoro and Serengeti in Tanzania | | | | Considering the challenges facing the |
| and Amboseli, Nairobi, Lake Nakuru, and | | | | species, conservation options are yet limited |
| Maasai Mara in Kenya. In some other | | | | by the fact that cheetahs do so poorly in |
| locations- such as Lake Manyara in Tanzania, | | | | captivity and almost never breed unless free. |
| Tsavo, in Kenya and Queen Elizabeth in | | | | Spare a thought today for the cheetah, whose |
| Uganda, patience and skill is called | | | | future is so uncertain. If you want to do |
| for.Early the last century, lions received | | | | more, talk to the Cheetah Conservation Fund( |
| extremely bad press when they disrupted the | | | | And hope that such glorious days as when it |
| building of the East African railway in the | | | | was honored as a cat-goddess in ancient |
| Tsavo area of Kenya by feeding on the | | | | Egypt will yet come again.East Africa is a |
| workforce. The movie "The Man-eaters of | | | | year round safari destination. The rains come |
| Tsavo" has captured this macabre drama. It is | | | | around April- May and November-December. This |
| in this atmosphere that Theodore Roosevelt, | | | | does not however, much affect the travelers' |
| the American president who was a pioneer | | | | ability to get around. In general the best |
| safari enthusiasts said of lions: "except | | | | time to go on safari to see the big cats is |
| when resting and in the breeding season, the | | | | over the drier months when the grass is short |
| whole career of a lion may be best summed up | | | | and sighting animals is so much easier. But |
| in the single word: rapine".Lions when | | | | in areas such as the Maasai Mara, the animals |
| deprived of their usual prey occasionally | | | | are so plentiful that you are going to see |
| attack domestic animals and even human | | | | lots of them regardless of the season. The |
| beings. Lions that are infirm- such as the | | | | peak tourist season falls around January to |
| old and the sick can easily attack humans and | | | | February and July to August. April to June is |
| you are advised to exercise caution and take | | | | the low season and prices for accommodation |
| your photos from the safety of a car. So if | | | | in the lodges can be as much as 40% lower |
| you are out camping, watch out! All said, | | | | than in the high season.Accommodation on |
| incidences of lions attacking humans are | | | | safari varies from basic camping to luxury |
| extremely rare. The image of the lion has | | | | lodges and tented camps. Out there in the |
| recently been rehabilitated in the minds of | | | | bush, you will be pleasantly surprised that |
| many by the popular children cartoon drama | | | | there is a variety of East African safari |
| "Lion King", whose hero is Simba- Swahili for | | | | lodges:-- Kenya Hotels & Lodges- Tanzania |
| lion.The future of the lion in the savannas | | | | Hotels & Lodgeshaving all the trimmings of 5 |
| of East Africa is not assured. The main | | | | star luxury. But if you want to rough it |
| challenge is conflict with man, his ancient | | | | out,you will find campsites in almost all the |
| enemy. People living in areas bordering | | | | game reserves and national parks. It is |
| parks, sometimes inflict the ultimate | | | | generally recommended to take an escorted |
| punishment to lions when they are caught | | | | safari package:-- Kenya Safaris- Tanzania |
| preying on livestock. In the Serengeti plains | | | | Safaristhat includes transport, park fees and |
| of Tanzania, the king has recently | | | | accommodation. The reason for this is that |
| experienced attacks by a viral disease know | | | | the tour guides are usually well versed about |
| as FIV -Feline Immunodeficiency Virus. FIV, | | | | the animals, where to find them and how to |
| just like HIV in humans, results in lowered | | | | get there and have other such useful local |
| immunity making the animals vulnerable to | | | | knowledge. But if you have a lot of time and |
| other diseases. Unlike HIV, however, the | | | | need more freedom as you get around, then |
| primary means of transmission of FIV is bite | | | | taking a rental car is an option.On safari, |
| wounds and not sexual intimacy.Of the big | | | | wear light cottons and linen. Warmer clothing |
| cats of East Africa, the most elegant is the | | | | is needed for the evenings and for your early |
| leopard. The leopard is the most naturally | | | | morning game drive. Some rainwear is |
| adapted of the cats. It can survive in almost | | | | advisable between March and June and October |
| in any habitat offering sufficient food and | | | | and December. You should bring along a decent |
| cover. That is why, of the big cats, leopards | | | | pair of sunglasses. The glare you experience |
| thrive in the most diverse range of habitats; | | | | in bright tropical light is a new and |
| and of land mammals they enjoy the widest | | | | uncomfortable experience for most. It is also |
| distribution in the tropics. In East Africa, | | | | a good idea to carry a pair of binoculars. |
| they have been found in the most unlikely of | | | | They are very useful for spotting animals and |
| places- from deserts, to mountaintops and | | | | will earn you the envy of your less |
| even in cities. That not withstanding, | | | | |
| scientists were surprised, when in 1990 three | | | | knowledgeable traveling companions. |