Ugandas Gregarious cheetahs
The scientific name for the Uganda’s Gregarious cheetahs is Acinonyx jubatus. Cheetahs have a slender body, deep chest, spotted tan body with black, black tear like a streak on the face, long thin legs and long spotted tail. They are the fastest land mammals; with an average speed of 64 km/h during a sprint with a few short bursts of speed. Cheetahs inhabit savanna, scrub forest and dry forests. In Uganda, cheetahs roam the savanna area of Kidepo valley national park.
Ecology and behavior of Ugandas Gregarious cheetahs:
Uganda Gregarious cheetahs are also carnivores that feed medium size prey weighing about 23 to 56 kg. The prey they feed on include; antelopes, Thomson’s gazelles and reedbucks. Cheetahs are also stealth hunters with a distinctive spotted coat that allows it to blend easily into high dry grasses. However, they usually stalk their prey within 100-300, meters charge toward it and kill it by tripping it during the chase and biting its throat to suffocate it to death. Cheetahs are highly conscience of other animals even while resting they take turns at keeping on a lookout.
Cheetahs are active during the day. Adult males are sociable despite their territorial forming group called a coalition. Males also display territory marking behaviors using urine, faeces and craw scratches. While females are not territorial, they may be solitary or live with their offspring home ranges. Breeding takes place throughout the year with a gestation period of 3 months. They give birth to 3 to 5 cubs. However, cubs usually face high mortality rate compared to other mammals. Weaning off the cubs occurs at six months. After weaning juveniles, however, form mixed-sex herds. Therefore, females mature between 21 to 22 months of age.
Cheetahs can not roar, so they purr. Their lifespan is between 10 to 15 years in the wild.
The Uganda Gregarious cheetahs live in Kidepo valley national park. It’s the only national park in Uganda to see cheetahs in their natural habitat. Book a wildlife safari to the vast wilderness park in Uganda and see the fastest land mammal in the world.