Leopards in Masai Mara

Leopards in Masai Mara

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

Scientifically called Panthera pardus (Leopard) is the shiniest, Smallest and dangerous cat in the big four.  It’s out of that some part of the reserve was named as Leopard Gorge which is located around the small water pool that attracts more Impalas, kobs, warthogs, Gazelles and many more grassers that come there 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 hunt. 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 difference which 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 their strange strength they have which makes them carry a prey which can be two times bigger than it 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 breast feed 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 half tail that makes it different from other leopards and its now habituated by most of the film crews.

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