Big Cats in Serengeti National Park : If you want to view wildlife and culture or discover the majestic Mt. Kilimanjaro, head to Tanzania. You don’t want to miss all these. Serengeti National Park is one of the most sought-after attractions.
The great wildebeest migration remains the major draw to this park. In addition, Serengeti is home to the Big Five, big cats, and diverse wildlife roaming in the endless plains.
The Big Cats
Are you familiar with the term ‘big cat’? If not worry not, we have you covered. The big cats are members of the genus Panthera. They lion, leopard, cheetah, jaguar, and tigers. Serengeti is home to three of these five cats: a lion, a leopard, and a cheetah. Tigers and jaguars are not available in the Serengeti or Africa. They are native to the Americas.
Lions
The lion is the most terrifying big cat in the jungle. Some call the “king of the jungle.” It also symbolizes dominance, and many celebrities and other famous people like to call themselves ‘lions’ or ’lionesses’.
A quick reminder that Tanzania has the largest number of lions in the world. The country hosts roughly 14,500 lions across its protected areas. Serengeti hosts the largest population of lions of all national parks. It has over 3,000 lions residing in its endless plains, kopjes, and woodlands.
Facts about lions
Lions are very social animals. They stay together in groups of 15 to 20 individuals. Such a group is called a pride. And there are over 300 lion prides in the Serengeti. These prides mainly consist of adult males and females and cubs. A single strong lion rules the pride.
Lions are territorial. Once a pride establishes a territory, the males protect it. They prevent other lions from hunting within this territory. Fights might arise when any lion tries to enter another pride’s territory.
Female lions hunt for the pride while males protect the territory. The lioness is usually clever in hunting. It brings the devour to the territory for cubs to eat. They also teach their cubs the best ways of preying on small animals like rabbits, and weak or young wildebeests. Females are also overprotective of their cubs. Don’t get too close to the cubs. They may charge.
Male lions are migratory. They move from pride to pride to rule and spread their progeny. Once they find a weak pride, they take control of it and settle. Females usually stay with their mothers for a long time and maybe a lifetime bond.
Where to see lions in Serengeti?
No worries about where you should get to see lions in Serengeti. Lions are everywhere in Serengeti. They scatter around short and long grasslands. You don’t need special techniques to see lions while in this park. A game drive in the vast plains will make you see them. A morning or evening game drive is better if you want to witness the lion on the kill.
Leopards
Unlike lions which are social, the African leopard is elusive. It requires special techniques to encounter, especially during the day. It spends much of its daytime resting on tree trunks. Most of them are nocturnal: they become very active during the night. They’re also active in the early mornings and at dusk.
Facts about leopards
Leopards live in small groups of up to four members. The members are usually a female adult and their cubs. The male usually disappears after mating. Feeding the cubs and protecting them are duties of their mother.
Leopards use a disturb-and-run hunting mode. This technique is usually successful. It spends time scanning and surveying its next kill. They prefer a healthy one. It will disturb the group and chase its prey until it catches it.
Leopards blend with the surroundings. Their coat color usually blends with the surroundings to avoid aggressive animals like lions and hyenas. It may be difficult to spot it.
Where to see leopards in Serengeti?
Leopards are abundant on the banks of the Seronera River. Sightings are guaranteed in the kopjes in the central Serengeti. Morning game drives are perfect for spotting leopards. They also become active in the late evenings as they search for a hunt. If lucky, you witness them hunting.
Cheetahs
Another elusive big cat in the Serengeti is a cheetah. It is the fastest land animal in the world. Their features are pretty common with those of a leopard. In Serengeti, they dominate the southeastern plains.
In most scenarios, cheetahs hunt alone. The female takes care of the cubs. Male cheetahs may form small groups called coalitions. Cheetahs prey on impala, antelope, gazelles, hares, and birds. Coalitions may take up huge games like wildebeest and kudu.
While driving in the southeastern plains, keep an eye open for the kopjes and rocky outcrops. They prefer to bask in the sun in the early mornings. They also stay there in the evenings to scan for their next prey.
Witnessing the big cats of the Serengeti is a big deal. You should not miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Serengeti has a lot of other attractions worth seeing. So, as you long to see the big cats, you may encounter wildebeests in their annual migration, elephants, birds, big herds of buffalos, etc. Plan a trip with Explore African Safaris for an unforgettable adventure.
