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Leopard Kills Cheetah in the Mara and Hoists it up a Tree
A big male leopard recently killed a well-known female cheetah, known by researchers as Rongai, near Sala’s Camp in the Masai Mara.
The dead cheetah was found hoisted into a tree, where the leopard had been feeding on its prey for a while. The leopard, named Mukubwa, killed the cheetah late at night, pulled her up a tree and then feasted on her carcass for a full three days.
Here are a few graphic images taken on a Masai Mara safari by Femke, from the Mara Cheetah Project, an organisation that monitors cheetah populations in and around the Masai Mara.
This was a sad day for us at Sala’s Camp, because we know the cheetahs in the area very well. We assist the Mara Cheetah Project with research information and sightings during game drives.
Our guides carry cameras with GPS tags, and whenever they see a cheetah, they take a photo, which is then used to ID the cheetah using its spot patterns, and marks the point on the map with a date and time. This is very useful for building up population density estimates.
We encourage Sala’s guests to do the same by downloading an app to their phones to assist with research
Femke the MCP leaders come and stay at Sala’s regularly, and are available to meet guests if they are interested in cheetahs, giving lectures to explain the work being done in the Mara.
If you are interested in further supporting conservation efforts in the Mara, join the Mara Cheetah Project crowd funding campaign here.
For more information on the Mara Cheetah Project, see here.
Written by Paul Steyn
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