07.05.2018
Some cheetahs are shyer than the others are, and they all differ in their tolerance to vehicles. Having cubs, females become more timid and avoid people, hiding in tall grass or under bushes, where they are difficult to detect. Imani has already lost three cubs, and takes care of the remaining cub with extra caution. Being a successful hunter, Imani also applies a special feeding strategy. To keep the carcass available to the young and at the same time not to attract the attention of predators as long as possible, Imani often only eats muscle meat and does not open the peritoneum, so that the liver and heart remain untouched. After eating, she hides the carcass by digging the grass over it with paws and rests nearby keeping an eye on the spot. Sun-drying preserves the meat, and the family returns to it several times after hunting. Two days ago, in search for food and peace, Imani covered over 8 km within 7 hours with short breaks. Next morning, she had made a kill and spent entire day near it undisturbed, feeding with a cub several times.
With the heavy rains in the Mara, not only following cheetahs in the field, but even reaching home becomes challenging due to the floods. We are grateful to Matira Safaris and Bush Camp for their continuous support by helping us finding cheetahs and for accommodating us during heavy rains. Thank you Antony Tira and Monika Braun for your help!
