Big Cats of Africa

The cat, regarded by some as an animal that natureand weighs in around 34-54 kg, with males being
had made perfect from the outset, has undergoneslightly larger than females.
only the subtlest of changes, in evolutionary terms,Far more slightly built that either the lion or the
over the last 30-odd million years.leopard, its strategic hunting advantage is its
It is Africa's three great cats, the Lion, Cheetah andwell-known ability to accelerate to incredible speeds
Leopard that inspire the most passionate legends theover short distances. While not particularly adept at
world over. Each of these cats is an icon in their owncovering long distances, it can reach its maximum
right.speed of around 110km/h (70mph) in mere seconds.
The Power and Majesty of the LionUsing careful stalking techniques, it tracks prey and
Often called, "King of the Beasts", the lion has anapproaches to within 20 -30 metres before unleashing
iconic reputation as a cat of great strength andits pace weapon, leading to successful kills in about
beauty. The largest of Africa's big cats, its regal50% of chases.
legacy is enhanced by the male's magnificent mane,Decline in prey, loss of habitat, poaching, and its
which ranges from a rich golden colour to a darkerreputation as a livestock predator threaten the
brown hue as the animal ages.survival of the cheetah throughout its range.
Of course, the dominant male lion seldom does itsThe Ruthless Efficiency of the Lone-Hunting Leopard
own hunting, preferring instead to allow the femalesLeopards, sometimes called the "quintessential cat"
and adolescent males of the pride do the hard workare the most elusive of the three big cats of Africa.
before coming along and claiming its share of the kill.Standing at around 80cm at the shoulder, and
Weighing in at well over 200 kg in the wild, andweighing between 40 and 70kg, these cats are more
standing at up to 2 metres at the shoulder, this hugepowerful but slower than cheetahs, and substantially
animal cuts a formidable figure.smaller than lions.
The most socially co-operative of all the big cats,Solitary hunters, leopards seek company only to
their real strength lies in their ability to work togethermate, and are constantly in danger of losing their kill
as a pride, using group hunting tactics to make the kill.to lions. For this reason, they use their supreme
While they are primarily nocturnal, they are easilyclimbing ability to drag their prey into trees for
found during the day, conserving energy and restingsafekeeping. While the more substantial kills are
in shady areas. The unwary tourist, enjoying the sightcached in this way, with the cat returning later to
of these listless and "tame" animals while out on afeed, leopards are opportunistic animals with an
safari game drive, would be well advised to note thatextremely flexible diet. They are happy to consume
lions are quick to become active if ever an easy mealprotein in almost any form, from beetles to animals
opportunity may present itself.almost twice its own weight and will readily eat
The Cheetah a Symbol of Speed and Gracecarrion.
Renowned as the fastest animal on land, the cheetahTo observe these big cats in their natural habitat is a
has a slender body, long legs and semi-retractableprivilege not to be missed. Reading about them, or
claws, with a short, coarse coat dotted with small,seeing them on TV often gives an interesting insight
round, black spots.into their lives, but getting up close to these
It stands with a shoulder height of about 70cm, hasmagnificent beasts when on a game drive, will leave
a body length of 112-135 cm, a tail length 66-84 cmyou inspired.