Cheetah sightings have been fairly consistent over the past couple of weeks at Londolozi which isn’t always the case. The thicker habitat coupled with a high density of lions, leopards and hyena across the reserve for the most part, make it difficult for the nimble cheetah to establish themselves in the area, not to mention the fact that their overall population in this part of South Africa is rather thin, albeit quite stable.
The two sub-adult cheetah that have been spending a fair amount of time on Londolozi lately, amble down one of the vehicle tracks. Given that they are of opposite sexes, they will likely split within the next few months, but for now they still rely on each other quite a bit for protection, food and company.
The recent consistency of cheetah sightings have largely revolved around three individuals; two newly independent sub-adult siblings (a male and female) which are almost always viewed together, as well as a lone male who appears to have set up a territory in the open plains of the south west. While we can still easily go a few days without seeing any of these animals, we still consider ourselves quite spoiled having them appear every now and then.
But why? Why do we not see that many cheetah at Londolozi? Is it really just the competition that keeps their numbers down?
Some argue that cheetah are in fact overspecialized for speed in that they have sacrificed too much power and strength in order to be the fastest land animal in the world which makes life hard for them, especially at Londolozi.
The quintessential cheetah . Cheetahs will often climb atop termite mounds and fallen over trees so as to scan their surroundings for any potential prey or threats nearby. Notice how open the landscape is in the background as well; ideal cheetah habitat where they are able utilize their speed in the open spaces and avoid larger predators which generally prefer thicker, more densely vegetated environments.
Competition between species is largely what fuels evolutionary changes. Species form and develop new attributes so as to occupy a specific niche in the ecosystem where they are able to exploit a particular area or food source that other species cannot. It goes without saying that cheetah have become specialized for speed. Their bodies are long, tall and slender with a light frame and thick, heavy tail which acts like a rudder, balancing the animal when making high speed turns.
Their claws are semi-retractable, left exposed to act like football cleats, offering a more secure grip on the rough and, at times, loose terrain. Their heads are small and streamlined with fewer teeth so as to make space for larger nasal cavities to maximize their oxygen intake while on the chase.
The majority (over 60%) of their muscular weight sits around their flexible backbone which gives the cheetah that extra leap in its stride. These are but a few of the more notable adaptations that allow the cheetah to reach speeds of up to 110km/h (68mph), bounding up to 8m (26 ft.) in a single stride at full speed which they can maintain for over 500m (0.3 miles) while making dangerously sharp turns in the process. On the open plains, there is simply no match for the speed of the cheetah.
Although still sporting an impressive set of teeth, the cheetah are still no match for the larger predators in the areas.
However, these adaptations have arguably come at a cost. When compared to the other large predators of the region, of which the cheetah are in direct competition with, they have been left almost entirely defenseless. These above mentioned adaptations have meant that the cheetah lack the necessary strength, weapons and skills to match up to lions, hyena, leopard and even wild dogs; all of which out rank the cheetah on the so-called predator hierarchy. Lions, hyena and leopard are far heavier animals, adapted for raw power and strength and can easily over power a cheetah, sometimes fatally. Londolozi also happens to have a significantly high density of these three species which, as a result does not afford the cheetah the opportunity to establish themselves here with any great certainty. They are forced into the more open plains and go about their activities during the daylight hours so as to avoid crossing paths with other predators.
A photograph from some years back shows an adult male cheetah making a hasty getaway from the advances of a large male leopard. Cheetah spend a great deal of time avoiding other predators due to the fact that they lack the necessary defenses take them on.
When cheetahs make a kill, they have to feed as fast as possible before the commotion attracts the attention of scavengers in the area. Cheetah have even been known to be chased off their kills by vultures which are usually the first to arrive at a kill site. As a result, cheetah devour the nutrient-rich parts of the prey first and often leave a fair portion of the kill behind so as to avoid any potential conflict with larger predators.
We cannot take away from the fact that cheetah are still incredible animals though. Their specialization for speed is something that we can all still marvel at. However, it could be said that they have fallen short in some other adaptations that leave them fairly vulnerable to their competition. Nonetheless, the mere fact that there aren’t many of these amazing carnivores around at Londolozi makes them that extra special to see, if you happen to be one of the lucky few.
Great blog Chris. Cheetah are endangered, and it is always a privilege to see them. Is it because of the competition with the other predators, or habitat loss, or does the greater Kruget mot suite their hunting methods?
Chris I thank you for highlighting Cheetah’s which rarely get mentioned. I was lucky enough to see one up close some time ago while visiting Londolozi. All animals seem to adapt if they are left to their own ways and outside pressures ( man) does not infringe on them. Enjoyed the blog and some really great photos as well
One of the most incredible sights is a cheetah making a sharp turn while chasing prey–an unbelievable combination of grace, agility, power, and speed.
Chris, great story!
Thank you for this. Unfortunately we never saw any cheetahs when we at Londolozi last September.
I always learn something new when I read the blog of the day. Thank you. Victoria
Hopefully they will find a home in the south because they are SOOOO beautiful to photograph!
Wonderful creatures, once saw a cheetah hunt and kill from start to finish. But not common in the Kruger and considered a pest in Namibia 🇳🇦
We saw a cheetah on Londolozi, with a bad eye. Unfortunately she was killed, but her two offspring are still out there somewhere. When we were in Kenya, we saw a cheetah with five small cubs, hunt, kill, and she made her cubs wait mile away with a flick of her tail, and literally she called them with one small yip, and they all came running down to where she made the kill. It was quite impressive!
I love watching cheetahs but have yet to see one in all my visits to Sabi Sand – they are amazing hunters and I was fortunate to see a cheetah mum stalk and run down an impala in Botswana to share with her two cubs. I believe your points are valid concerning their survival within Londolozi due to such a healthy population of leopards and lions. Perhaps the siblings will find a niche for them to hunt successfully and they will be around for awhile.