Leopards in Masai Mara

Leopards in Masai Mara

Leopards in Masai Mara: Masai Mara is much famous with the big cats, as it’s much easier to spot them in the reserve, including the hardest, which needs an eagle eye in order for you to spot it, and can be easily seen in Masai Mara (Leopards)

Scientifically called Panthera pardus (Leopard) is the shiniest, Smallest and dangerous cat in the big four. As a result, a part of the reserve was named Leopard Gorge, which is situated near a small water pool that attracts numerous Impalas, kobs, warthogs, gazelles, and other herbivores seeking to quench their thirst.

The area is rocky with big fig trees that favor the breeding pace of the leopards, as the young ones are hidden in the caves and the big ones set themselves as traps in the big fig trees for easy hunting. The tree makes it an added advantage since leopards prefer eating while on top and keeping the balance of their food for the next meal safe from Lions, Hyenas and other predators who feed on flesh.

Male and female leopards are almost the same but have small differences that can be easily identified by the trained rangers and experienced guides by their body size and well-built muscular front legs. Leopards are well known due to the strange strength they have, which makes them carry prey that can be two times bigger than them on top of the tree.

They give birth to 1to 2 cubs after a gestation period of 3 months, the cubs will depend on milk till they reach around 72 days, when they start tasting meat but continue to breastfeed till they reach 100 days.

In Masai mara the notorious and famous Leopard is Bella, who is always easily seen around Talek River, it has a half tail that makes it different from other leopards and it is now habituated to most of the film crews.

The basic notes of Leopards is that they like living in wooded savannahs and rocky parts of the reserve, as they can easily encounter the prey with their great hunting skills and good climbing skills.