Cheetah mum with 5 of her best.

[marc]

A wonderful cheetah mum to 5 x 10wk old cubs and just recently happy to report all (*now 6) are still doing well!
*So well in fact that this mum now known as "Moma Sita" (Swahili for mother of six) recently adopted a stray cub of similar age,
just extraordinary and almost unheard of for cheetah, with only 1 other recorded case.

Namiri Plains/Eastern Serengeti- TZ

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Cheers
Marc

 

[Yezdi]

Awesome series Marc....The cubs are so cute...6 Cheetahs in one frame is indeed a rare find. Love them all

 

[Oztours]

Ditto on the awesome

EDIT:

@marc I took a look at your website. You have some fantastic images there. Love your story telling set.

 

[Kathy G]

Awesome series Marc!

 

[Ralph]

Adorable, ESPECIALLY the first one.

 

[gordon_g]

Oh wow gorgeous Marc!!!

 

[Mike Bull]

Wonderful images especially the first one, let's hope she rear's them all.

 

[Venkatesh VT]

Superb shots

 

[gaknott]

Fantastic set of images!!

 

[Viathelens]

I love these shots, just wonderful to see. Thanks so much.

 

[Charlie Lasswell]

These are all spectacular; I especially like the first one. Great set!

 

[Replytoken]

Great shots, great story!

--Ken

 

[Gongster]

Wow! Super series.

 

[ruley74]

sensational!

 

[marc]

Many thanks for the positive comments folks, much appreciated.

 

[Harry.G]

Outstanding shots marc the first image is my Favourite of the bunch closely followed by the Fourth ....

 

[Vixpix]

Ditto all of the above comments! Absolutely stunning shots! Beautiful to see them, thanks for sharing.

 

[marc]

Wonderful images especially the first one, let's hope she rear's them all.

Thanks Mike, just recently ALL were sighted and still going strong.

 

[Gottshotz]

A wonderful cheetah mum to 5 x 10wk old cubs and just recently happy to report all (*now 6) are still doing well!
*So well in fact that this mum now known as "Moma Sita" (Swahili for mother of six) recently adopted a stray cub of similar age,
just extraordinary and almost unheard of for cheetah, with only 1 other recorded case.

Namiri Plains/Eastern Serengeti- TZ

Nikon D5
Nikkor 180-400E FL VR f/4 +1.4tc engaged.
f/5.6
1/800s
ISO2200@ 560mm.

View attachment 4173



Nikon D850
Nikkor 70-200E FL VR f/2.8.
f/5.6
1/1000s
ISO2500@ 200mm.

View attachment 4175



Nikon D5
Nikkor 180-400 f/4E PF FL VR +1.4tc engaged.
f/5.6
1/640s
ISO5600@ 400mm.

View attachment 4179


Nikon D5
Nikkor 180-400E PF FL VR f/4.
f/4
1/640s
ISO6400@ 400mm.


View attachment 4183

Cheers
Marc

Wonderful set of stunning shots Marc ---- the kits look so adorable , difficult sometimes to appreciate that (with luck) they will grow into the ultimate feline killing machines !

 

[marc]

Wonderful set of stunning shots Marc ---- the kits look so adorable , difficult sometimes to appreciate that (with luck) they will grow into the ultimate feline killing machines !

Built for speed indeed, but now highly vulnerable with numbers currently only between 6500-7000, these majestic speedsters could be well be the first of our big cats to go extinct in the wild.

 

[Charles Loy]

Fantastic! Had no idea they would drop 5 cubs. Thanks for the photos

 

[marc]

Fantastic! Had no idea they would drop 5 cubs. Thanks for the photos

Thanks Charles,
There is a record of a Cheetah mum raising all 8 of her cubs to maturity, and just last season I saw 1 mum with 7 in the Mara, and 2 others both with 6 in the Mara Conservancies.

 

[OohMatron]

Marc as you know, the sad reality is that maybe two will survive beyond a year. Followed two brothers who hunted together for several seasons in KZN and even one of the adults (at 18-20 months of age) got taken down by lions. It's a hard life out there....

 

[marc]

Marc as you know, the sad reality is that maybe two will survive beyond a year. Followed two brothers who hunted together for several seasons in KZN and even one of the adults (at 18-20 months of age) got taken down by lions. It's a hard life out there....

Very true, of all the big cats, Cheetah have the highest mortality rate of around 90%.
Right now, total overall numbers are down to between 6500-7000.
Having said that, of all the areas throughout Africa, the greater Mara/Serengeti ecosystem is still a stronghold for cheetah, with numbers remaining reasonably steady, whereas in Namibia and RSA have seen noticeable decreases.

 

[ColinBailey]

Beautiful shots Marc. They are my favourite big cat and was fortunate enough to spot a pair of brothers in Mkuze Falls reserve in RSA recently. They are the last two on the reserve as the females had all passed away and no sign of suitable females to introduce for breeding.