In Uganda, cheetah occurs almost exclusively in the Karamoja region, in Kidepo valley national park. Here, an estimated 53-315 cheetahs flourish with an abundance of the wild cats most preferred prey, the small-sized ungulates.
Kidepo valley national park is among the places where you can see cheetah on your tour to Uganda, and the other place in Uganda to see cheetahs is Pian-Upe game reserve also in located in Karamoja region.
Cheetahs prefer the open grasslands, savannas, hills and mountains – all terrain in Kidepo valley national park. The openness of the park with its grasslands fits the cheetah lifestyle and how they hunt, where they run instead of stalking and pouncing like other cats on planet earth
Although the leopard is listed as most elusive of the big cats to locate on safari, in fact the truth is cheetah on safari can be even more difficult to sight or spot because of their population is less abundant.
Regular sightings of cheetah on a safari are usually sporadic and local; hence they are limited to only a few regions where the habitat and predator pressures are most favorable to their presence since they prey on small antelopes species.
Almost everyone knows that cheetahs is the most running animal in cats family it’s the fastest land mammal on the planet and its speed reaches up to 120km/h
The cheetah also has many other remarkable qualities, in fact the cheetahs unique body structure, long legs, flexible spine, semi-retractable claws and the long tail is what allows this incredible creature to achieve the unbelievable speed.
Thanks to their tremendous speed, the cheetahs are among the most successful hunters. However. Their advantage of speed comes with lack of strength to fight the lions and hyenas usually snatch their food from them.
The cheetahs they have tan coats with black spots, black tear like stripes from their eyes to their mount, and black rings at the end of their bushy tails.
Cheetahs are endangered and their survival is threatened by human activities like farming, settlements and illegal hunting.
The best time to see cheetah is before sunrise and at sunset, and you can see cheetahs on a game safari in the park. Some recommend using a customized safari car and arriving within the game viewing zone around 6M and 4PM. You can also pick up a ranger at Apoka tourism office to increase your chances of seeing the fastest land mammal in their habitat.
