This is more than likely the most widely spread and most abundant of the cats in Africa. They are mainly nocturnal and are usually only seen well after sunset. Both male and female are highly territorial. The species in Southern Africa is under threat, due to inter-breeding with the domestic cat, reducing the gene pool of the wild cats.

They will feed on mainly rodents, which would explain their successful distribution. They will also take birds, small mammals and reptiles. The female will give birth to about 3 kittens after a gestation period of 65 days. The young are usually born in holes dug out by other mammals, where available, although thickets of long grass, cracks in rocks and under bushes have been used for this purpose.

LION Panthera leo

Distribution: Northern Natal, Transvaal, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Mocambique.

Diet: They will eat almost any kind of animal from insects to Elephants.

Habitat: They are mainly found in woodland type areas but can survive in semi desert or bush areas.

Habits:

• They are the only true social cats.
• The territory is owned by the lioness with the territorial males only protecting the area for approximately three years.
• The females in the pride are all related - mothers, aunts, daughters, grandmothers, granddaughters, cousins and sisters.

• The mane on the males is used to increase his size and is for protection against bites and blows delivered during fights.The front paws are larger than the back paws.
• Lions can spend as much as 20 hours a day sleeping.
• Lions will hunt in the day or in the night and are more active on overcast, cool days.
• Lions will readily scavange and often do so.
• Males will feed at a kill first or chase off the other Lions if they get there after the others have started feeding.
• They have excellent night vision.
• Lions show enormous strength.
• Lions will always drink after eating.

Breeding:

• Females will give birth to 1-5 youngsters after a gestation period of three months.
• The cubs can suckle for as long as 18 months but are normally weaned by 8 weeks.
• There is a high mortality rate amongst cubs.

Predators:

• Hyena sometimes kill lion but only in conflicts.
• New territorial male will kill another males' cubs.
• Leopard will kill a Lion cub if found unprotected.

Distribution: These cats can be found all over Southern Africa excepting in the O.F.S. and in the built up areas around Transvaal and the Cape.

Diet: They will take a wide variety of prey from small to medium antelope, to beetles, fish and scavenging.

Habitat: They are usually found in riverine bush but do have a very wide tolerance level for many different habitats.

Habits:

• They are normally solitary and are only found with other Leopard if they are mating, fighting or have got cubs.
• They are probably the most nocturnal of the predators but have been known to make kills in the middle of the day.
• Both males and females are territorial.
• They are probably the most powerful of the predators from a power to weight ratio.
• They are one of the only cats to hoist their kills into trees.
• They have incredible camouflauge and are known for their tireless patience.

Breeding:

• A female will give birth to a litter of two cubs on average.
• The female will move her cubs every three days or so as a form of protection.

Predators:

• Mothers are wary of large birds of prey.
• Lion, Hyena and Wild Dogs will kill cubs if they find them.
• Man kills these animals for their skin but this does seem to be having less and less impact on the population.

Distribution: Zimbabwe, Mocambique, Botswana, Cape, and Namibia.

Diet: Feed on a wide variety of animals from hares to the young of all ungulates, young of ostrich, small to medium sized antelope.

Habitat: The cheetah is most commonly found in fairly open terrain but can be seen in thick bush as well as semi desert type situations.

Habits:

• They move over a large area and do not climb very well.
• Females are normally found on their own or in a family group.
• Males are more commonly found moving around together in groups.
• They do not have very well developed jaws and they have small teeth.
• Physically they are not strong animals and there has never been an attack recorded on man in the wild.
• It is the fastest land mammal on earth.
• It is one of the few animals who hardly (if ever) scavange.
• Once they have selected an animal to hunt they will not veer away from their choice.
• It is said that cheetah nearly became extinct and re-bred from just two individuals.
• They are so similar genetically that a skin graft from one cheetah in one area to another cheetah in another area will take.
• Prey normally has to be running away from the cheetah before it can catch it.
• They have a long flat tail with a heavy tip which aids them in changing direction at high speeds.

Breeding:

• The female will give birth to one or five young with an average of about three.
• There is a high mortality of Cheetah cubs normally due to Lion.

Predators: The young are sometimes killed by Lion, hyena and Leopard.