Lions in Masai Mara
Lions in Masai Mara National Reserve
Lions Masai Mara national reserve are the biggest cats found in the reserve. Masai Mara is home of the largest population of African big cats not only Kenya but in Africa. The reserve is famous for its greatest number of lions and millions of wildebeests that migrate annually. It is from Masai Mara national reserve lions that the park is termed as the mecca of tourism destination in Africa. The great documentaries of lions are being done from Masai Mara national reserve making it the most premium tourism destination. You cannot dream of African wildlife safari in Kenya and miss out on Masai Mara national reserve due to Masai Mara national reserve lions. It is only in Masai mara that guests are sure of seeing the large prides of lions and other big cats like the shy Leopards. Masai Mara national reserve lions have two large famous prides which include the Cheli and Peacock pride and Enesikiria pride.
Masai mara national reserve is one of the tourism destinations with incredible wildlife that includes the African big 5 (Lions, leopards, Buffaloes, Elephants and Rhinos) Masai Mara national reserve lions have steadily increased after long time when the locals could kill the lions if they attack their cattle. The Maasai people also used to hunt the lions as a way of initiating the youth to the warriorhood level. One has to kill a lion in order to be considered as a warrior in Masai land.
The lions are always considered as a king of the jungle not because they are the largest but very brave and courageous animals. Lions can have the courage to attacking large herd of Buffaloes or Antelopes when it is alone. Lions always leave in prides that are headed by the male adult lion with several cubs and lioness. The female lions are always the one on a hunt for the prey only been helped by the male sub-adults in case of a big animal. The Masai Mara national reserve lions leave in territories. Each territory is conquered by the adult lions, the fight always breaks if one pride crosses to another. This has made it easy for the rangers to known which pride the guests have seen, how many lions are in the reserve and other important information about the Lions in Masai Mara national reserve.
However, much lions are the kings of the jungle, Masai Mara national reserve lions are vulnerable with more competitors hindering their population increase. The humans, leopards and male adult lions themselves kill the young ones. This has affected the growth of the lion numbers in Masai Mara. The Male lions kill the young ones so as to put the females on heat as soon as possible. That is why lioness tend to isolate themselves when almost giving birth and later return when the cubs are grown. They return normally after a minimum of 3 weeks from the date of birth. The lion’s gestation period is 110 days and they give birth to between 1 to 6 vulnerable blind cubs which takes two weeks to start seeing. The female lion always builds a small den where she will keep her cubs with close monitoring from other competitors. She breasts feed and hunts food for the cubs when the time for shifting the lioness carries her cubs by their necks.
Lions in Masai Mara national reserve have complicated communication systems upon all the big cats simply because they are the most social ones in all the big cats. However, cheetahs try but lions overpower them in their social mobility, one pride can have even 30 members. They hunt in groups like African wild dogs. The lioness calls softly if they are calling the cubs while the male ones roar while looking for others. If there is an attack and they are charging the lions can Puff, roar, Meows, Moans, Snarls or purrs. They all know the meaning of each call and they act as fast as possible. If the young ones are with their mums, they walk gently but mostly alert, in case of any call from the mothers the cubs have to react very fast.
During the mating period, Masai Mara national reserve lions move in pairs of two males and females away from the pride. The lions usually mate once every two years, the females are always restricted to one or two lions for mating in a pride. The females are always in their heat for 2 to 4 days and these few days they over enjoy mating which is done after every 20 to 30 minutes. The lion can reach 50 copulations in a day during the mating period and when the pair is separated from the pride.
Lions in Masai Mara National Park
Lions in Masai Mara National Park
The newly born cubs follow their mothers until they reach 3 months. They are weaned by around 6 to 7 months of age. They start practicing the hunt when they reach 11 months but most active from 2 years of age. The lions have good maturity rates but the survival rates are very low, the lion is sure of surviving if they reach 2 years of age. The lions in the wild reach to their sexual maturity at the age of 3 to 4 years. At this age, some lions remain within the pride while others go and start their own ways and start their new pride. The males mostly separate from the pride and defend their territories while the female lions always tend to remain at the pride.
Masai Mara national reserve is a home of wild range of wildlife that attracts more travellers to the reserve. The high concentration of the wildlife makes guests enjoy daily game drives at the park which do not disappoint. The great game includes Buffaloes, Leopards, Cheetahs, Warthogs, Elephants, Wildebeests, Gazelles, Giraffes and many others. Come and enjoy the best of wildlife together with Masai Mara national reserve lions in the most affordable tour packages available.