03/03/2024
Home ranges of male and female cheetahs overlap, and, on the one hand, different males encounter each other, but on the other hand, males have the opportunity to meet different females. Meetings between males often result in fights, in which some cheetahs may get injured. On January 26, Mpaka, who is roaming mainly in the Triangle and Serengeti, encountered two males from the Tano Bora coalition on their territory in the Reserve. Both Winda and Olonyok attacked the intruder, but eventually Mpaka was the only male who wasn’t hurt! Both coalition-mates, were limping after the brawl, and Olonyok’s ear was seriously damaged. In conditions of fierce competition, especially with coalitions, some lonely males not only manage to survive, but also to reproduce. One of these males was Olchorre, who, having lost his littermate, once created a temporary alliance with the son of Miale, and who at the at the age of 7 years, managed to mate with two different females in the territory of two male coalitions within 2 weeks! In early February, 2024 another single male, approximately 4-year-old Olbarikoi (on Maa “light color”) came from conservancies to the territory of the Reserve and also managed to successfully mate with an 8.5-year-old female Neema (daughter of Rani, granddaughter of Shakira). Neema also had the opportunity at different times to meet with coalitions (Milele and Mbili, Tano Bora) and different floaters including mating with both coalition males and singletons – Olchorre and Olbarikoi. With productive mating, different males have a chance to enrich the genetic pool of the cheetah population. And in some cases, it is even easier for a single male to mate, since he is not disturbed by his coalition partner. Early May will reveal whether mating was successful.
