General habits of Cheetahs

Most people know that cheetahs are the fastest animal on land. Some of the other general habits of cheetahs include:

• Unlike the other big cats, cheetahs do not roar. Their vocalization includes growls when in danger and high-pitched chirp when communicating with each other.
• Cheetah is the only big cat that can turn in the air while running.
• Male cheetahs would usually live in groups with their siblings, while the female cheetah is primarily a solitary animal. A male grouping of the cheetah is called a coalition.
• Male cheetahs have territories that they protect while female cheetahs would follow the herds. Males attempt to mate with females when they pass through their territories while following the herds.

Killing and Feeding habits of cheetahs 

Unlike the leopards and the lions, cheetahs are diurnal, which means that they hunt during the day. The strategy helps the cat to avoid competition with the other bigger carnivores.

Cheetahs are cursorial animals, meaning that they are adapted to run. The cats can reach a maximum speed of 110 km/h (68.35 mph. However, they are unable to sustain the pace for long. Thus, timing is vital for cheetahs while hunting.  

The main prey for cheetahs in Africa is the medium or smaller sized ungulates such as the gazelles. In community conservation lands, the cheetah will also hunt unattended goats and sheep. It is rare for a cheetah to pursue livestock when the herder is taking good care of the livestock. When food is scarce, a cheetah will go for even go for smaller prey such as hares and birds.

Because they have an advantage of speed, they have the ‘fast-twitch’ muscle fibers that provide power over endurance. Cheetahs are quite successful hunters. However, larger predators like lions and hyenas steal most of their kills.

Unlike the other big cats, cheetahs do not ambush or attack within springing distance. Instead, they begin the chase when the prey is between 70 and 100 meters (230 to 330 ft.). The hunt would rarely last a minute and is commonly at 20 seconds. The cat would knock down its prey and quickly use its canine teeth to strangle its catch.

Cheetahs would seldom scavenge prey that they did not hunt. A lone adult cheetah may hunt after between 3-5 days while a mother with cubs may need to hunt every day.

After making a kill, a cheetah may need time to catch its breath. Research shows that cheetah with cubs take a longer pause compared to other cheetahs. Probably because they must ensure the site is safe before introducing the cub for the kill. Then it would devour its prey before a scavenger emerges. At times, cheetahs would drag their kill to a hiding spot.

Widowbird

• Fan-tailed widowbird (Euplectes axillaris)
• Jackson’s widowbird (Euplectes jacksoni)-Near-threatened
• Long-tailed widowbird (Euplectes progne)
• Marsh widowbird (Euplectes hartlaubi)
• Red-collared widowbird (Euplectes ardens)
• White-winged widowbird (Euplectes albonotatus)
• Yellow-mantled widowbird (Euplectes macroura)

Quelea

• Cardinal quelea (Quelea cardinalis)
• Red-billed quelea (Quelea quelea)
• Red-headed quelea (Quelea erythrops)

Weavers

• African golden-weaver (Ploceus subaureus)
• Baglafecht weaver (Ploceus baglafecht)
• Black-billed weaver (Ploceus melanogaster)
• Black-capped social-weaver (Pseudonigrita cabanisi)
• Black-headed weaver (Ploceus melanocephalus)
• Black-necked weaver (Ploceus nigricollis)
• Brown-capped weaver (Ploceus insignis)
• Chestnut-crowned sparrow-weaver (Plocepasser superciliosus)
• Chestnut weaver (Ploceus rubiginosus)
• Clarke’s weaver (Ploceus golandi): Classified as endangered
• Compact weaver (Pachyphantes superciliosus)
• Donaldson-Smith’s sparrow-weaver (Plocepasser donaldsoni)
• Fire-fronted bishop (Euplectes diadematus)
• Forest weaver (Ploceus bicolor)
• Golden-backed weaver (Ploceus jacksoni)
• Golden palm weaver (Ploceus bojeri)
• Gray-headed social-weaver, (Pseudonigrita arnaudi)
• Grosbeak weaver (Amblyospiza albifrons)
• Heuglin’s masked-weaver (Ploceus heuglini)
• Holub’s golden-weaver (Ploceus xanthops)
• Lesser masked-weaver (Ploceus intermedius)
• Little weaver (Ploceus luteolus)
• Northern brown-throated weaver (Ploceus castanops)
• Northern masked-weaver (Ploceus taeniopterus)
• Orange weaver (Ploceus aurantius)
• Red-billed buffalo-weaver (Bubalornis niger)
• Red-headed malimbe (Malimbus rubricollis)
• Red-headed weaver (Anaplectes rubriceps)
• Rufous-tailed weaver, (Histurgops ruficauda) vagrant
• Rüppell’s weaver (Ploceus galbula) vagrant
• Salvadori’s weaver (Ploceus dichrocephalus)
• Slender-billed weaver (Ploceus pelzelni)
• Speckle-fronted weaver (Sporopipes frontalis)
• Spectacled weaver (Ploceus ocularis)
• Speke’s weaver (Ploceus spekei)
• Taveta golden-weaver (Ploceus castaneiceps)
• Vieillot’s weaver (Ploceus nigerrimus)
• Village weaver (Ploceus cucullatus)
• Vitelline masked-weaver (Ploceus vitellinus)
• White-billed buffalo-weaver (Bubalornis albirostris)
• White-browed sparrow-weaver (Plocepasser mahali)
• White-headed buffalo-weaver (Dinemellia dinemelli)
• Yellow-mantled weaver (Ploceus tricolor) (Probably extinct)

Bishops

• Black bishop (Euplectes gierowii)
• Black-winged bishop (Euplectes hordeaceus)
• Northern red bishop (Euplectes franciscanus)
• Southern red bishop (Euplectes orix)
• Yellow bishop (Euplectes capensis)
• Yellow-crowned bishop (Euplectes afer)
• Zanzibar red bishop (Euplectes nigroventris)

The tern-like bird belongs to the Laridae family of birds. It inhabits the rivers, lagoons, and lakes of sub-Saharan Africa. The migrating bird has a black back, long wings, crown, and hindneck. Its forehead and remaining body are overly white. The African skimmer is regarded as an intra-African migrant. 

African skimmers come to East Africa when water levels in the lakes and rivers have fallen substantially. They mostly prefer migrating to the region at the onset of the long, dry season. They mostly choose this season since it coincides with their breeding season. Once the breeding is over, these birds move northwards in readiness for the rainy season. Although IUCN lists it as Near Threatened, some conservationists claim the species could be vulnerable or even endangered.

General habits of lions

The mane is one of the features that gives the species is majestic look. Some of the general habits of lions include:

• Lions are social cats. They live in groups called the pride. Lions in a pride would hunt and live together. A pride could have as few as four lions or as many as forty lions. Most prides have between ten and twenty lions.
• Each pride has its territory which can be small where prey is abundant or as large as 400 square kilometres where prey is scarce. Territories have a core area that is fiercely defended compared to fringe areas where a pride can allow other lions to roam.
• Another majestic habit of lion is roaring. Both male and female lions roar can be heard over 8 kilometres away.
• Roaring is one way which lions mark their territories. Another way is using scent markings. Males would urinate on bushes and the ground to demarcate their territories. They also defecate or rub against bushes to leave their scents.
• Apart from roars, lions have other vocalizations including purrs, growls, and even meows.
• Lions appear affectionate as they spend time licking, head rubbing and purring while resting.

Killing and Feeding habits of lions

The lion kills a variety of prey ranging from rodents to cape buffaloes. Heck, they could even take down an injured elephant or giraffes. One advantage of living in prides is the ability to take on large prey. Although they are powerful, lions often steal prey from other predators including hyenas, cheetahs, even jackals.

Hunting, like roaring, is done at either dawn or dusk. Typically, a lion would stalk prey and run it down in a short rapid burst. The cat then jumps on the prey’s neck until it is suffocated. Alternatively, lions would trip the hind legs of its pursuit, and quickly grab the neck of the prey when it falls.

Nevertheless, most hunts conducted by lions fail. Partly because they tire after short distances and they disregard the direction of the wind. As such, the prey usually picks up the lion scent and escape.

Most hunts in a pride are conducted by lionesses. Regardless, male lions are adept hunters. A male lion can eat 35 kilograms of meat in a single kill and rest for around a week before hunting again. In places where prey is readily available, lions would rest for up to 22 hours, and hunt for only 2 hours.

Other animals could also steal kills from lions. A cackle of hyenas could chase one or a few lions from their kill. But it is a high-risk game. One bite or paw stroke from a lion would kill a hyena. After all, an adult male lion is twice the size of a hyena and up to four times its weight.

General habits of leopards

Some of the general habits of leopards include:

• The leopard is mainly a nocturnal animal. Nevertheless, it can be spotted basking in the sun during the daytime.
• They are solitary cats. When two or more leopards are spotted together, they are either mating or raising the young. They could also be fighting for territory.
• Although they are the most common and widespread of cats, they are also the most elusive. Because they are shy and secretive.
• It is an agile climber and would often take its prey to trees. This habit keeps its kill safely from other carnivores in the wilderness, such as hyenas and lions. Pound for pound, leopards are the strongest big cats. They can carry prey heavier than themselves up a tree!
• They have a varied vocalization, including purrs, growls, and coughs.
• The leopard will mark its territory by scratching trees or use a urine scent. The territories range from tens to hundreds of square kilometers. A male leopard may share its territories with females but not other males.

Killing and Feeding habits of leopards

The leopard is not a picky eater. It would kill and eat almost anything it can overpower. It can feed on anything from rodents to birds to snakes to waterbucks. Nevertheless, its most common prey are medium-sized antelopes.  It has a particular liking for dogs and baboons. In fact, leopards and baboons are mortal enemies. A troop of baboons could even attack (and kill) a leopard during the day.

Like many wildlife, leopards generally avoid humans. However, they could also attack humans. As they often hunt baboons, they also target the neck of humans.

The leopard would stalk its prey in the bushes by stealth movements. It would attempt to get as close as possible to its prey before attacking it. It can stalk its prey for hundreds of meters, maintaining its head low. Then, it would make an explosive run pouncing on the prey with a killer bite on the nape of the neck or the throat. A leopard does not chase prey over long distances and will abandon a hunt when the element of surprise is lost.

A swipe of the paw kills small prey, such as rodents and birds.

Apart from stalking, leopards can camouflage in trees and pounce on its targeted prey from above.

It is a strong swimmer, too, and would even hunt fish in the water. It is the definition of a non-picky eater. No wonder it is widely distributed for a big cat.

A leopard would lick the fur of the hunted prey before eating. Sometimes, leopards would discard the stomach content before consuming the prey. Usually, it will start consuming the carcass with the chest and thighs.

It may go for days without drinking water as it gets its water needs from the prey it eats.

Leopards will scavenge if they get the chance. A leopard may chase a hyena or a cheetah from its kill. It can even eat rotten meat with ease.

The black and blue wildebeest

The species has two subspecies in blue and black wildebeest. What is the difference between the blue and black wildebeest?

• In both species the male is larger than the female. Generally, the blue wildebeest is larger compared to the black wildebeest.
• The horns of the blue and black wildebeests differ as the latter curve upwards while those of blue wildebeest curve towards the skull.
• The blue species has a grey colour with a bluish sheen as compared to black which has brown coloured hair.
• The blue specie has a wide habitat range inclusing Kenya, Tanzania and most of Southern Africa while the black is restricted to Southern Africa. The blue wildebeest is known for its migration unlike the black species.

The Great Migration

• The famous wildebeest migration occurs mainly because the species search for food.
• The Great Migration sees over 1.5 million wildebeest, 200,000 zebra and a large group of antelopes travelling cross country between the Serengeti of Tanzania and Masai Mara of Kenya  
• During the migration around 250,000 wildebeest and 30,000 zebras are die off each year not only because of predation by carnivores but also from thirst, craving, and fatigue.

Reproduction

• Between January and March, half a million wildebeest are born each year in the Serengeti. In February, the month with the highest calving rate, around 8,000 wildebeest are brought into the world every day.
• Pregnancy lasts 8.5 months, and it closes with a single baby. Female conceives in the middle of her. 80% of calves are designed during a similar 2-multi week time frame, just before the rainy season.
• The calves can stand up and dash just after birth and have short straight horns that bend as they become more seasoned.

Behaviour

• Despite their size, the black wildebeest is a quick runner so that they can escape from their main predators, lions, leopards, hyenas and African wild dogs. They have estimated at up to 80 kph. They additionally must be careful about crocodiles when they get a drink or cross a large river.
• Males likewise attract females by rubbing a scent (created in the preorbital and interdigital gland) into the ground. They will urinate and defecate to mark their breeding an area and to keep other males off.

The wildebeest migration is the largest of mammals. It is no wonder that wildebeest migration is one of the seven new wonders of the world. Despite the spectacle, habitat fragmentation is threatening the survival of the species. Moreover, some livestock keepers deliberately kill the species to reduce competition for pasture and spread of zoonotic diseases.

Reproduction

• Pregnancy lasts seven months and ends with one child. Female leaves the crowd toward the end of pregnancy and hide its baby barely any days after birth (when it is still extremely frail).
• Impala are usually born around noontime as this is the most secure time to conceive since a large number of their enemies are resting. Still, predators kill half of the new-born within the first few weeks of life.
• Main predators of impala are lions, African hunting dog, cheetah, leopard, hyenas and pythons.

Ecology and adaptation

• Impala is herbivore (plant-eaters) which eats grass, herbs, bushes and leaves on the trees. Impala additionally eats acacia pods and fruits. Impala have the ability of being both a grazer and browser.
• Impalas make seasonal migrations from high to lower ground according to the availability of food
• The impala shows two characteristic leaps-it can jump up to 3 meters (9.8 ft), over vegetation and even over another impala. It covers distances of up to 10 meters (33 ft); the other kind of jump include, a series of increases in which the animal lands on its forelegs, move its rear legs mid-air in a kicking design, arrives on each of the fours and afterwards bounce back. The jumps may appear uncoordinated, but they are actually an anti-predatory technique
• Impala lives in crowds made out of creatures of just one sex. Size and sort of the group rely upon the climate conditions and availability of food.
• Impala produces barks-like sounds to alarm other members of the herd in the case of danger.
• Horns are used for protection against predators and in the battles for dominance in the herd. The horns in males may be as long as 90 cm long.

Impalas face a serious conservation challenge as they are often hunted for game and bushmeat. Furthermore, habitat fragmentation is causing impalas to lose their homes.

Interesting facts about most monkeys

• Monkey eat animals, plants and Earth, organic products, creepy crawlies, blossoms, and reptiles. They strip the bananas and throw the skins.
• They walk on their knuckles to prevent the body weight from landing on their hands.
• Monkeys are long-lived, surviving in the wild anyplace somewhere in the range of 10 and 50 years.
• A few types of monkeys can see on colour while others can only be able to distinguish between black and white.
• Monkeys communicate using facial expressions, vocalizations, and body movements.
• Trees, grassland, mountains, forest, and high fields are the most common place where monkeys live.
• Monkeys are considered a pest in certain areas. They murdered because they are destroying crops humans have been trying to grow.
• The biggest monkey is the male Mandrill, which weighs almost around 35 kilograms and 1 meter long.
• The gestation period lasts between 7 days, contingent upon the species. Most monkeys give birth to just one child in turn.
• Grooming is a significant part of socialization for monkeys. They will spend long periods removing items from the fur of each other. They are social animals that usually eat, sleep, and travel in groups.
• The Old-World monkeys live in Asia and Africa, and the New World monkeys live in South America.
• The louder monkeys are Howler monkeys; their howls can be heard for around three miles in an open area and two miles in the forest. They spend 80% of their energy resting.
• Monkeys are found wherever on Earth, except Australia and Antarctica.
• The tip of their tail can support the whole weight of their body. Some have prehensile tails that can snatch and hold objects. Some use their fingers and toes to get a handle on objects.

Most monkeys are considered as pests in agricultural systems. As such, they are often poisoned and killed.

Interesting facts about baboons

• Male baboons are significantly bigger than female baboons, twice bigger to be definite. Baboons reach a height of 14 to 30 inches when estimated at the shoulder, and a weight of 50 to 100 pounds.
• Unlike other monkeys, baboons lack the prehensile tail. This means that they are incapable of using their tails as their hands.
• The body of the baboon is shielded with fur that can be black, olive, or yellow. Males and females look like the other the same, and again, females don’t have lengthy hair round their necks.
• Baboons have long, dog-like muzzle and strong jaw furnished with sharp canines.
• They take any kind of food that is available at the moment (pioneering feeders). Most of their eating habit embrace fruits, seed, berries, roots, tree covering, tree sap and different creepy crawlies, shellfish, fish, birds, and small mammals.
• They have a sign of communication that includes vocalizations, facial expressions, posturing, and gesturing.
• Baboons have a similar number of teeth and the same dental pattern as a human being.
• A female baboon will stay pregnant for a half year, and birth usually ends up with one offspring. The mother will convey her family near her stomach while she moves.
• It can survive for 30 years in the wild until 45 years in captivity, because of an absence of predators.
• Baboons and leopards are ancient enemies. At night, leopards often stalk and pick sleeping baboon from a troop. There are reports of baboons troops that attack and kill leopards during the day.
• The baboons are social and live in groups called troops that average with about 50 baboons. Females and juveniles are the core members of troops, as the males could move in and out.

Although they are listed as ‘Least Concern’ by IUCN, baboon conservation faces challenges.  Humans consider baboons a pest species because they raid their farms. As a result, they are often poisoned and killed. Moreover, baboons are also hunted for their skin and are used as test animals in the laboratory.

Although they have a clumsy look, hartebeests are among the most evolved antelopes as they are fast (reaching speeds of up to 70 km per hour) and enduring runners. It is no wonder that they are nicknamed ‘tough ox.’

Interesting facts

ü  They have weird shaped horns

ü  Males are bigger than females.

ü  The species is thought to be named after the Dutch in South Africa. Its name loosely translates to a ‘deer beast.’

ü  The hartebeest found in groups on open fields and scrublands of sub-Saharan Africa. When the most extensive going of African antelope, they likewise once lived in North Africa.

ü  It is a herbivore (plant-eater) whose main diet is based almost entirely on the grass. As such, hartebeest competes with livestock for pasture.

ü  Although they primarily feed on grass, hartebeests are not picky in feeding on the grass. They feed on grasses that other livestock and game consider unpalatable

ü  The tail, 40 to 60 centimeters (16 up to 24 inches) in length, ends in a dark tuft.

ü  Its legs, which regularly have dark markings, are strangely long.

ü  Mating in hartebeest happens throughout the year, with one or two peaks that can be influenced by the availability of food.  Gestation is 8 to 9 months in length, after which a single calf conceived.

ü  There are also very alert and non-aggressive.

ü  Hartebeest reaches sexual maturity at the age of 1 and 4 years.

ü  Hartebeests are social animals living in organized groups of up to 300 animals.

ü  Even though youthful hartebeest relies upon the mother’s milk just during the initial four months of its life, it, for the most part, remains with its mother until the age of 3 years. Youthful males leave their local groups and gather in the ranger of heard.

Despite being listed as least concern by IUCN, hartebeest population in the wild face severe challenge of poaching. Their meat is a highly regarded game. Some livestock keepers also poach the species because it competes with livestock for grass.