A cheetah has recently welcomed a supersized litter of seven adorable cubs, defying the norm of typically giving birth to three to five young in the wild. It is quite uncommon to see such a large number of siblings together, especially considering that cheetah cubs are vulnerable to predators from birth. This bumper brood was discovered by photographers Yaron Schmid and Amy Montminy in the Maasai Mara this week.
A cheetah has welcomed a whopping litter of seven cute cubs who have managed to outsmart a lioness and escape her clutches.
In the wild, cheetahs typically have litters of three to five cubs, which are vulnerable to predators from the moment they are born. Therefore, it is quite unusual to witness a group of seven siblings together.
Photographers Yaron Schmid and Amy Montminy, founders of YS Wildlife Photography and Safaris, recently spotted the adorable young cheetahs known as the bumper brood in the Maasai Mara. Their guide, Dominick Maatany, led them to where the cubs were seen. It’s a dangerous world out there for these little ones, as they had narrowly escaped an encounter with a lioness the night before. Fortunately, their vigilant mother, Siligi, was there to protect them. Yaron, a wildlife photographer and vet, mentioned that they were returning from an incredible safari trip with their guests who were lucky enough to witness this heartwarming scene.
Being a young cheetah is full of danger, especially when they recently narrowly escaped being captured by a lioness who attempted to harm them the previous night.
Fortunately, these small felines had the privilege of being cared for by a smart mother named Siligi, according to wildlife photographer and veterinarian Yaron.
The cute little cheetahs were discovered near the Enkewa camp in the Maasai Mara. However, the real highlight of the trip was witnessing Siligi the cheetah along with her seven adorable cubs.
Despite being just a few weeks old, these cubs had already been through a lot. Our incredible guide, Dominick Maatany, was the one to spot this rare and amazing sight.
The night before these photos were taken, a lioness attempted to harm the cubs, but Siligi cleverly distracted her and managed to escape with two of the cubs.
We left Siligi that night, feeling sad and worried about the remaining five cubs. But Dominick didn’t give up and found her the next morning with all seven cubs safe and sound.
Yaron exclaimed, “These little ones are barely a few weeks old and have already faced so many challenges. Our incredible guide, Dominick Maatany, was the first to witness this incredibly rare sighting.”
Amy Montminy, co-owner of YS Wildlife Photography and Safaris together with Yaron, expressed optimism that Siligi would successfully raise some of the cubs to adulthood.
The cute cheetah cubs were spotted near the Enkewa camp in the Maasai Mara, facing the harsh reality of low survival rates due to predators like lions, hyenas, and diseases. Amy Montminy, co-founder of YS Wildlife Photography and Safaris along with Yaron, hopes that the mother cheetah, Siligi, will be able to successfully raise some of the cubs to adulthood. It’s rare to see a litter of seven cheetah cubs at once, as only about 10% of them make it to maturity. Siligi is working hard to ensure the survival of at least one or two of these adorable little ones.
Scientists collaborating with Dr. Elena Chelysheva frequently keep a close eye on juvenile bears from the safety of their study vehicles.
Unfortunately, the chances of cheetah cubs reaching maturity are quite low, with only around 10% making it to adulthood. Witnessing seven cubs from a single litter is a rare sight indeed.
“She’s unlucky to be in the Mara, as she will face immense pressure from cars and other predators,” said a source.
However, cheetahs in the Mara area have some assistance from The Mara Meru Cheetah Project. Researchers, led by Dr. Elena Chelysheva, keep a close eye on young cubs from their research vehicles. They ensure that tourist vehicles maintain a safe distance to protect the animals.
Unfortunately, there was a setback when one of the research vehicles broke down. This means that Siligi, the mother cheetah, will not have the additional protection from researchers unless crucial funding is secured for the project.
