Cheetah Brother Searching for Prey, Maasai Mara, Kenya

WARNING! This post contains images of animal kills. Viewer discretion is advised.

More Cats On The Mara

To say that there are a lot of cats in the Mara is an understatement. One of the most famous are the Cheetah Brothers. The Brothers are easy to find resting under a tree in the Mara. They are also very predictable and successful hunters.

Cheetah Brothers and Kill, Maasai Mara, Kenya

Cheetah Brothers Hunting

Our guide found them one evening as they woke up to hunt a nearby herd of wildebeest. The brothers quietly approached the herd as a number of safari vehicles waited nearby.

A sudden explosive attack by one of the brothers led to a short chase. The other brother quickly joined in and the wildebeest was taken down quickly. Unfortunately we were too far away to capture the chase.

Beautiful Young Leopard Mother, Maasai Mara, Kenya

Leopard and Cub

Early in our trip our guide found a leopard who had just killed a bushbuck. We watched her as she carried the kill up a tree for safe keeping. Leopards have powerful neck and jaws that allow them to lift prey weighing as much or more than they do high up into trees.

Cats in the Mara have different strategies to protect their prey. Lions are large and can keep other predators at bay as they eat their kill. Cheetahs catch and consume their prey quickly before others can steel their prey. Leopards hoist their prey into trees out of reach of other predators.

Leopard and Kill in Tree, Maasai Mara, Kenya

On the last day of our trip we returned to the bushbuck kill in the tree. The mother leopard was eating on the kill. After a while she descended from the tree and went to another tree nearby. Alone in the tree was her small cub.

Mother Leopard and Cub, Maasai Mara, Kenya

After some persistent coaxing from mom, the cub came down out the tree. The cub followed her mother to the tree with the kill. They climbed up the tree and began feasting on the bushbuck.

Leopard Cub and Kill, Maasai Mara, Kenya

Spotted Hyena

Hyenas are another predator on the Mara, but will also scavenge for meat of almost anything. We found them close by lion and cheetah kills waiting for a chance to steal some bits.

Female hyenas have more testosterone than males and are larger, stronger and more powerful. Hyenas have very strong jaws and the bite strength twice that of a grizzly bear. They can consume bones and hooves.

Spotted Hyena, Maasai Mara, Kenya

There is still more to come from the Maasai Mara. In the meantime you can see more images in my Maasai Mara Image Gallery.

Female Cheetah on Maasai Mara Plain, Kenya