ANIMALS BEHAVIOUR

SIMBA – LION
TEMBO, NDOVU – ELEPHANT
KIFARU – RHINO
CHUI – LEOPARD
NYATI – BUFFALO
DUMA – CHEETAH
MAMBA – CROCODILE
TWIGA – HIPPO
PUNDA MILIA – ZEBRA

LION

This is the largest of the wild cats. Females are smaller than males and lack a mane. Male begin to show a noticeable growth of mane at one and a half years old; it is fully developed by the time they are five or six years. Lions roar to mark their territory and a contact call between pride members. They are mostly found in lightly wooded country, rocky outcrops, thorn bush and thickets bordering open plains. The lions are nocturnal. Lions are exceptional among the cat family in that they are social, with adults’ males & females living together in groups called prides.
Males weigh 190 – 225kg, females 110 - 135 kg, height 3 feet, Length 5 - 7 feet. Gestation period 3 - 1/2 month; young of 2 - 4. Male - lifespan of 12 years, females 15 - 20 years.

ORYX – AN ANTELOPE WITH LONG SPEAR-LIKE HORNS FOUND IN NORTHERN KENYA

Gestation period 8 ½ - 9 months, lifespan 12-15 yrs, Weight 170-210 kgs, Height 4 ft, Length 6ft 7in

WATERBUCK – A DEER LIKE ANTELOPE, ONLY MALES HAVE HORNS.

Gestation period 8 ½ – 9 months, Lifespan – 10-12 years, Weight 200-250kgs, Height 3ft, Length 6ft

DIK-DIK – DWARF ANTELOPE SLIGHTLY LARGER THAN A HARE.

Gestation period – 6 months, lifespan – 10 yrs, Weight 4-5 kgs, Height 1ft 2in, Length 1 ft 10in

ROAN ANTELOPE – ANTELOPE WITH BLACK FACE MASK, TUFTED EARS & LONG BUFF-BROWN COAT. NOTABLE BACKWARD-CURVED HORNS.

Gestation period – 9 ½ months, Lifespan 10-12yrs, weight 270kgs, height 4ft 3in, length 6ft –7ft

BUSHBUCK – MEDIUM SIZE ANTELOPE WITH DISTINCTIVE WHITE THROAT PATCH & WHITE CHEST BAND. ONLY MALES BEAR STOUT RELATIVELY STRAIGHT HORNS.

Gestation period 6 – 6 ½ months, lifespan 12 yrs, weight 40-70kgs, length 2ft-3ft 1in

BONGO – REDISH BROWN FOREST ANTELOPE WITH NARROW WHITE STIPES RUNNING VERTICALLY WON THE BACK. ALMOST SIMILAR TO BUSHBUCK BUT ABIT LARGER

Gestation period 9 ½ months, lifespan 12-15 yrs, weight 240-400kgs, length 3-4ft 3in

WILDEBEEST – A BEARDED ANTELOPE WITH A LONG HEAD, FACE FOUND IN THE GRASSLANDS AND ACACIA THICKETS.

Gestation

SIDE STRIPED JACKAL - Jackals are similar to modern domestic dog, pointed face, rounder ears, white tipped tail & a diagonal white stripe along the flank. Side Striped Jackals are primarily nocturnal.

Gestation period 2 months, weighs 7 - 13 kgs, height 1 foot, Length of 2 feet, lifespan of 8 - 10 years.

GOLDEN JACKAL - Dusky, yellowish grey with a dark tip to its tail. Commonly seen on the open plains and they are nocturnal. They are mostly omnivorous.
Gestation period of 2 months, weighs 7 - 14 kgs, height 1 foot, Length 2 feet, Lifespan 8 - 10 years.

BLACK - BACKED JACKAL -

The most common of the three Jackal species found in East Africa. Fox - like in appearance. Black - backed jackal has large ears, a black tip to its tail and shorter legs. Mainly nocturnal though they are often seen during the daytime, particularly in the early morning.
Gestation period of 2 months, weighs 6 – 14 kgs, height of 1 foot, Length of 2 feet, lifespan of 8 - 10 years.

SPOTTED HYENA

They are large and most powerful species of hyenas. With large, rounded ears and a sloping back, a bushy tail erected & flared in aggressive situations. The spotted hyenas possess the strongest jaws of all land predators, equipped with extraordinary powerful molar teeth of crushing bones. Their habitat is widespread in a variety of semi - desert, dry bush land to moist savanna. They are primarily nocturnal.
Male Weighs 57 - 64 kgs while the female weighs 64 - 75 kgs, height of 2 feet, Length of 4 - 5 feet, gestation period 3 - 4 months, lifespan 10 - 12 years

LEOPARD

Leopard has a prominent necklace of spots all over its body. They are less frequently seen though they are far more numerous. They have a deep, rasping cough similar to the sound of wood being sawed. They inhabit a wide variety of terrain from thick forests, rocky outcrops and bush country bordering open plains to semi - arid scrub and deserts. They are primarily nocturnal. Both males & females are solitary; associating only long enough to mate. Leopards are highly opportunistic hunters, obtaining their prey by stealth and ambush. They breed at all times of the year and cubs are born in thick cover or in caves. Their prey varies habitat, though leopards generally prefer antelopes, Thompson's gazelle, impalas, warthogs, monkeys, hares and baboons.
Weigh 50 – 80kg, females 32 – 55kg, height 2 feet, Length 3 feet. Gestation period 3 -1/2 months, lifespan 12 - 15 years.

CHEETAH

Are easily distinguished from leopards by the distinct black 'earmarks' running down from the inner corner of their eyes to the edges of their mouth. They have muscular body and lack the rosettes and stocky physique of a leopard. Cheetahs have a high - pitched, bird - like contact call that sounds almost like a whistle. Their habitat is open plains, savanna and dry bush territory. They are diurnal and terrestrial, hunting mostly during the day. Females are solitary unless when mating, while males normally stay together as coalitions. Being the fastest animal on land, cheetahs single out a particular animal and then stalk to within 50 - 60 yards of it before giving chase. They can run at a maximum speed of 70mph and have a stride of 23feet when running flat out. Cheetahs hunt medium sized and small antelopes such as impala & gazelles. They take the young of wildebeest, Topi, warthog piglets and occasionally zebra foals.
Weigh 41 - 57 kg, females 36 – 45 kg, height 2 feet, Length 4 feet. Gestation period 3 months; young of 2 - 4. Lifespan of 10 years

AFRICAN ELEPHANT

They are unmistakably the largest of the land mammals. Males a have rounded forehead and heavier tusks, while females have pointed foreheads and smaller tusks. The tusks are upper incisors that continue to grow throughout the elephant’s life. Their habitat is from savanna and semi - arid bush to montane forests. Elephants are diurnal and nocturnal. They are gregarious, living in family groups of 10 - 15 individuals, consisting of related cows and their offspring, led by an old female known as the matriarch. Bull elephants leave their natal herd when they are 12 - 15 years old forming loose associations of up to 15 individuals with other bachelors. A cow conceives when she is 10 - 11 years of age, and in optimum circumstances will continue to produce a calf every four or five years for the rest of her life. Elephants mainly feed on grass, leaves, seedpods, wild fruits, tree bark and roots. They consume 135 - 180 Kilogram’s a day and drink 135 - 270 liters of water. They are rarely preyed upon due to their enormous size though their calves may vulnerable to attacks by lions, hyenas and crocodiles. The most devastating 'predator' has been man who hunts them for their ivory, but the trade in ivory has been banned worldwide.
Weigh 5000 – 6000 kg, females 2730 – 3250 kg, height 9 feet. Gestation period 22 months. Lifespan of 60 years

WHITE RHINO

The males weigh 2000 - 2300 kg, females 1500 kg, height 5 feet, Length 11 - 12 feet, Gestation period 16 months; young of 1. They have a lifespan of 30 - 40 years. The White Rhinoceros is a huge animal. The name white rhino derives from a Dutch word ‘weit’ meaning wide due to the wide, square mouth that is adapted for grazing. This rhino is larger and heavier than the black rhino. Their habitat is grassy savanna country. White rhinos are more placid and sociable animals found in small parties of females and their young. Adult males are generally solitary and territorial. White rhinos are grazers preferring short green grass. Their size makes adults immune to predation though lions and hyenas do attack and kill young rhinos.

BLACK RHINOCEROUS

They generally weigh 900 - 1400 kg, height 5 feet, Length 10 - 11 feet, Gestation period 15 - 16 months; young of 1. They have a lifespan of 30 - 40 years. Their identification is unmistakable, prehistoric looking creature with two horned head. Males have a shorter, thicker front horn than females. They have pointed apprehensible upper lip adapted for browsing. They are notably smaller than white rhinos. A variety of habitats from savanna and semi - arid bush with a preference for areas with scrub and thick bush. Black Rhinos are most active early morning and evening also during the night. Adults are usually solitary, there well defined home range marked by dung piles or middens. They browse on a wide variety of plants with a preference for herbs and shrubs, particularly legumes. During the rains they occasionally take grass. Their large size means adult rhinos are generally immune to predation but crocodiles pose a threat to a rhino crossing a river. Lions and hyenas occasionally kill young rhinos though females can horn and kill predators in defense of their young.

HIPPOPOTAMUS

Hippos are distantly related to pigs and have four webbed toes on their front and hind feet. Their habitat is rivers, lakes and swamps, preferably with sandy banks to lie on and access to grassy areas as foraging sites. They are nocturnal and diurnal usually found in groups of 10 - 20 females and their young, together with a territorial male who has exclusive breeding rights with the females. Hippos spend most of their time partially submerged on sand banks. They can stay beneath the water for periods of one to five minutes and are capable of snoozing while submerged resurfacing to breathe automatically. Hippos generally walk on the bottom rather than swim. They are also surprisingly quick on land and in water. They are the only known mammals that live in the water and land that mate in the water. They are grazers preferring short green grass and creating neatly cropped lawns with their huge wide lips. Lions occasionally attack adult hippos and crocodiles sometimes take calves, though a healthy hippo is capable of killing a predator with on bite from it's massive jaws.
Males weigh 1500 – 3000 kg, females 1000 – 2000kg, height 4 - 5 feet, length 10 - 12 feet, Gestation period of 8 months, lifespan of 35 years

FLORA & FAUNA

The contrast and natural beauty of Kenya is indeed outstanding! From the savanna in the south, the deserts in the north to Lake Victoria the 2nd fresh water lake in the world in the west, tropical beaches in the east and the snow capped peaks of Mount Kenya.