Big cat destinations in Kenya

Big cat destinations in Kenya : With more than 2000 lions living there, Kenya has the third-largest lion population in Africa. The nation is also home to a robust 12,000 cheetahs and over 800 of them. The ability of leopards to adapt too many habitats is thought to be the reason for their high population numbers. If leopards weren’t so prickly, you would have a greater chance of seeing them in most of Kenya’s safari destinations. We will discuss some of the top big cat locations in the nation in this guide.

Maasai Mara National Reserve.
Kenya’s best place to see wildlife is Maasai Mara National Reserve, which is known for its high concentration of species. More than 900 lions that live in the game reserve and other conservancies call the 1510 square kilometer park home. One of the most prevalent coalitions in the marshlands at the heart of the game reserve is the well-known Musiara pride, which has been highlighted in a number of nature movies. This is nearly a certainty that you will see an amazing hunting scene in action. The greatest lion prides in the Mara North Conservancies are the Seketa and Naboisho prides, which you could come across on a guided walking safari. A remarkable number of leopards can also be seen in Maasai Mara; they like to live in the deep riverine woodlands of the area. With a sizable population of cheetahs observed in the southern portion of the park, Maasai Mara is also one of the top four cheetah locations in East Africa.

Tsavo National Parks.
The largest wilderness in Kenya and among the largest in Africa, Tsavo National Parks span about 23,000 square kilometres and constitute a single, continuous, and diverse wilderness. Approximately 675 lions, the second largest population in Kenya, live in the parks. The fabled “man eaters” lions, which scared railroad workers during the early 1900s construction of the Ugandan railway, are the reason for the notoriety and notoriety of the Tsavo lions. As a result, at least 35 people died. The male Tsavo lions are maneless, similar to those in southern Africa, which distinguishes them from other lions in the East African region. But Tsavo is not a place to go cheetah hunting. Leopards are likewise sporadic and prefer to live in deep forests.

Amboseli National Park.
Amboseli National Park is a small park close to Kilimanjaro in southern Kenya. The park boasted one of the largest lion populations in the 19th century, maybe rivalling that of Maasai Mara. But persistent disputes over grazing area between the local Maasai people and the wildlife resulted in widespread poaching and a sharp decline in the lion population within the park. However, Amboseli continues to have one of Kenya’s largest populations of lions, with almost 200 of them remaining in the park. The remarkable cheetah population in the park and the neighboring Selankay Conservancy is another highlight. But leopards are not easy to find.

Ol Pejeta.
One of the well-known Laikipia conservancies, Ol Pejeta, is well-known for having a significant population of southern black and white rhinos. Additionally, there are six to seven lion prides in the conservancy, with a maximum population of ninety animals. To facilitate the tracking of the pride locations by researchers and tourists, a few of the lions have been equipped with radio collars. Because of this, the park is the ideal setting for scenarios involving hunting on the African savannah. The brotherhood pride, which resides on the eastern side of the conservancy, is the most impressive lion pride there is. With 24 members, the pride is greater than other lion prides found in different safari locations. The pride has the most cubs that survive and is quite nimble when hunting. In addition, the park is home to about 20 leopards and 30 cheetahs, which is a decent quantity for a tiny park.

Nairobi National Park.
There are 39 lions in the 140 square km park, which is a fairly good number for such a tiny area. Even if seeing the big cat might not be as often as it is in Maasai Mara, there is still a fair opportunity, particularly during the dry season. Within the park, near the kingfisher picnic spot, a wildlife-rich riverbank picnic area, one of the main prides of lions can be seen hunting. A small number of cheetahs and the more elusive leopards can also be seen in the park.

Samburu National Reserve.
The most sought-after game sanctuary in northern Kenya are the Samburu national reserve. Over fifty lions reside in the three parks, which together cover an area of 535 square kilometres. One of the largest populations of leopards lives in the parks, and visitors may nearly always spot one of the three reserves or the Kalama Conservancy. There have been reports of cheetahs in the reserves, despite their rarity. However, the majority of Samburu’s big cats can be found along the Ewaso Ngiro River, which is home to a sizable population of prospective prey, primarily grazers like buffaloes and gerenuks. The ideal environment for habitation and hunting their prey is also provided by the grasses and shrubs around the river.

Ol Doinyo Lemboro ranch.
Ol Doinyo Lemboro Ranch is a tiny wilderness area in Laikipia, Kenya, owned by a family. The Ewaso Narok River flows through a forested portion of the ranch on its northern boundary, providing habitat to one of the largest populations of leopards in the world. On occasion, one can also glimpse lions in the ranch. The ranch is among the places where sightings of “black panthers,” or black leopards, have been reported in the past. Crucially, black panthers are not a subspecies; rather, their skin colour varies as a result of pigmentation changes. There is a report of one such leopard residing on a rock close to the Laikipia wilderness camp, which is located within the property.

Meru National Park.
The fabled lioness Elsa, who was mentioned in the novel Born Free, lived in Meru National Park. The park was home to a wide variety of animals in the 20th century, including lions and other large cats. But in the 1970s, poachers took over the park, nearly eradicating the big cats as well as other important species like elephants and rhinoceros. But efforts were made to begin rehabilitating the lions back into the park in the early 2000s, and the process has been fairly effective, resulting in an impressive population of about 80 lions today. The riverine forests along the Tana River, which forms the park’s northern boundary, are home to an astonishing number of leopards.

Lake Nakuru National Park.
In the centre rift valley sits a tiny lake park called Lake Nakuru. The park is well-known for harboring over 100 black rhinos and for having significant flamingo concentrations. Despite being among the most severely impacted areas during the big cat fall of the late 20th century, the park is seeing a steady increase in the population of big cats because to the coordinated efforts of conservationists. Approximately 65 lions are said to make up the very outstanding lion population that calls Lake Nakuru home today. The park is also one of the greatest places to see leopards, and your chances of seeing them are higher if you hang out on the yellow-backed fever trees that are scattered throughout the area.

Lewa.
Renowned for its large population of rhinos, Lewa is one of the Laikipia conservancies. The park is also very important to the preservation of large cats, particularly lions. Today, there are about 44 lions in Lewa. A remarkable quantity of lions have been fitted with collars to track their movements, discover their migratory habits, and investigate their eating habits. This also aims to lessen the sporadic conflicts between people and wildlife, which have encouraged illicit hunting. In addition to lions, Lewa is home to a sizable cheetah population. There are some leopards in Lewa, despite sightings being extremely rare.