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AFRICAN CATS
The most common African cats include the caracal, serval, cheetah, leopard and lion.
Lion
The lion is a large, heavy, light-coloured carnivorous cat, which lives in habitats varying from savanna woodland to desert.
Male lions can reach 2.5m (10.8ft) in length, and weigh in at up to 240kg (530lb), while females are shorter at 1.9m (6.2ft) and lighter at 182kg (400lb).
Lions prefer to feed on hoofed mammals like zebra, gazelle, antelope, giraffe and warthog, but will also hunt young elephant and rhino. Smaller prey like birds, reptiles and rodents are also taken on occasion. You can see lions chase a zebra in the clip Lion cubs observe their first hunting lesson.
Lions hunt at night, but in very dry weather will often ambush prey at waterholes. Small to medium prey is captured by females, while the males pursue larger, slower animals like buffalo and giraffe. Male lions are also known to steal the prey killed by animals like cheetah, leopard and African wild dogs.
Females become sexually mature at 3-4 years of age. They give birth to between 2-4 cubs. Watch cubs venturing out in the Okavango Delta in the clip Cubs negotiate water crossing.
Lions are highly social animals which live in prides comprising 3-10 adult females and 2-3 adult males, plus their young. Tactile interaction, as seen in the clip Grooming strengthens pride bonds, is an important part of their bonding. Although lionesses suckle other cubs, they favour their own offspring. Watch the action when prides’ territories overlap, in the clip Confusion as lion prides clash.
References:
Smithers’ Mammals of Southern Africa, A Field Guide, edited by Peter Apps, Southern, 1996.
The New Encyclopedia of Mammals, edited by David Macdonald, Oxford University Press, 1994.
Cheetah
The cheetah is built for speed, with a small head, long legs and a narrow waist. It is the fastest land animal and, in short bursts, can reach speeds of more than 100km/h (70mph).
Its head, body, legs and most of the tail have black spots against a pale yellow to tawny coat, with white underbelly and a white patch on the chest. Each cheetah has its own unique spot pattern, as you can see by comparing the duo in Two cheetahs make a late appearance. The cheetah has distinctive ‘tear stripes’ which run from the corners of the eyes down to the mouth.
Mid-sized antelope species like impala form the mainstay of a cheetah’s diet, while they also feed on newborn antelopes and hares. The clip Lone cheetah on the hunt shows a hungry cheetah watching a herd of impala.
Cheetahs breed from the age of two and live for up to 12 years. They are listed as endangered.
Leopard
The leopard is a more solidly built feline, with distinctive black rosettes on its golden-yellow coat. It has a relatively long tail with black bands and two black bands across its upper chest.
Rocky and forested environments are favoured by leopards, since these habitats provide good cover for hunting. Prey ranges from small vertebrates like rock hyraxes and hares to birds, reptiles, fish and its favoured species, impala and springbok. You can see it in action in the clip Leopard hunts a jackal.
Leopards prefer to hunt at night, but are sometimes seen during the day, usually resting in a tree, spread along a branch or in a fork, as in the clip Leopard rests and grooms in jackal-berry tree.
Serval
The serval is an orange-brown cat with distinct black bands and spots, long legs, a small head and yellow eyes. It prefers to live in dense grasslands or reedbeds, always in close proximity to water.
The serval feeds mostly on rodents, but will also eat birds, reptiles, amphibians and insects. See the cat eating a snake in the clip Serval feasts on mamba.
Females give birth to 1-3 cubs in a den, in long thick grass or under dense bushes.
Servals are active from late afternoon to late morning. They will pursue and play with prey, which is eventually caught by pouncing or by being swatted with a forepaw. Birds are snatched in mid-flight.