In celebration of International Cheetah Day, I'm featuring my most favorite mother in the wild - mama duma (Swahili for mother cheetah). "Mama" translates to "mother," and "duma" refers to "cheetah." The photos are of a remarkable mama duma feeding on a gazelle with her five cubs. This is the most number of offspring in a litter that I've seen in the wild and I spotted this family together with clients as we drove from central Serengeti to Kogatende in August. The journey to raise these magnificent animals is fraught with challenges, as rearing cubs in the wild is no small feat for a female cheetah that is solitary in nature. Unlike lions, they don't live in prides and single cheetah moms are basically the sole "breadwinner in the family." With the demands of hunting to provide food while keeping her young safe, every day is a test of resilience and skill. For a single mom with no help in the wild, it's already hard to raise one, how much more five? As the primary caregiver for her cubs, she embodies both nurturing and tenacity, skillfully balancing the demands of hunting to provide sustenance while ensuring the safety and well-being of her young. Her agility and speed are paramount as she navigates the savanna, chasing down prey to feed her growing family. Typically, a cheetah mother gives birth to a litter of three to five cubs after a gestation period of approximately 90 to 95 days. Cheetah cubs typically leave their mother and become independent between 16 to 24 months of age. During this time, they gradually learn to hunt and survive on their own. Females tend to remain with their mother a bit longer compared to males. Female cheetahs may stay with their mother until they are about 18 to 24 months old, while male cheetahs often leave earlier, around 16 to 20 months of age, to form groups or coalitions with other males. In fact, the survival rate of cheetah cubs in the wild is alarmingly low, with approximately 50% failing to reach adulthood due to threats from larger predators, disease, and starvation. The transition from playful cubs to young adults is filled with hard-fought battles for survival in an unforgiving landscape. An example of this is how cheetah moms stay alert and vigilantly scan the surroundings while her cubs feast on a kill, lest it’ll be taken away by other predators and scavengers. In the face of numerous challenges—including threats from larger predators and the constant need to protect her cubs—cheetah moms stay committed. In a world where the odds are often stacked against them, cheetah mothers exemplify strength, dedication, and determination. These incredible characteristics not only foster the survival of their offspring, but also instill essential skills and lessons that prepare cubs for the harsh realities of life in the wild. The cheetah mother's ability to face adversity with grace makes her a powerful symbol of maternal strength in the natural world.
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