Category: Cheetahs | Date: Apr 14 2008 | By: Kimojino

Honey, from BBC’s Big Cat Diary fame, died in the middle of February, 2007, and for the following weeks we were unsure if her cubs were going to survive the ordeal. I monitored their progress every day for almost a year, and since this time I have always had a strong attachment to them and instantly recognise them whenever I see them.

The last time I saw them was at the beginning of March, when I took this picture and since then they completely disappeared from the Mara Triangle.

Yesterday, early in the morning I left Oloololo Gate where I had spent the night, and proceeded to Olchorro Conservancy to pick up some of Anne K. Taylor’s scouts who had been doing de-snaring patrols in the area. On our way back from Olchorro, about 15km from Oloololo, I saw three cheetahs by the side of the road. When I drove closer to them I recognised that these were Honey’s cubs.

Three sons of Honey, from BBC’s Big Cat Diary.

I was astonished to see how far they had traveled. They looked very healthy, and were lick cleaning, which indicates that they had within the last hour eaten a kill.

Two of the brothers lick cleaning.

Their mother was always a very good, good hunter. It was very rare to see her hungry. I am pleased to see that her three sons may have inherited these good hunting skills, and I hope to see them back in the Mara Triangle some day soon.

More photos at Flickr, where you can also see the lions and their recent hippo kill.

Another interesting thing I saw this morning was a troop of baboons who had killed a Thomson Gazelle. It was a young tommy that I had seen being born just a couple of days ago, and it seems that the baboons were able to steal it away from it’s mother.

Baboon eating a Thomson Gazelle

I know it is currently not possible to make donations online, but please please send an email to William, wdeed@wildlifedirect.org , who will notify you once the situation with Paypal has been rectified, so that you can then make your donation.

We still very much need your help at this time.

Share This

Tags: 1088, 220, 247, 661, 704

11 responses so far