Like lions, cheetahs form male coalitions as a means of survival after maturing and separating from their mothers. And for cheetahs –– a species whose wild population only numbers around 7,100 –– coalitions are extremely important to increase the chances of survival, as the number of cheetahs continues to decline. Accordingly, on the plains of Zambia’s huge Greater Kafue Ecosystem with Kafue National Park at its core, we eagerly anticipate the formation of a three-brother coalition — rare for this landscape.
This event is two years in the making. It begins with the birth of four cheetah cubs in this vast landscape, where the Panthera Zambia team focuses much of its attention on lions, leopards and, of course, cheetahs. Following their mother, the four cubs –– three males and one female –– made the trek into the southern portion of Kafue National Park.
Using GPS collars, our team can track the young family’s movements. This is part of our partnership Halo Approach of Protection, a comprehensive conservation strategy to monitor wild cat movements and safeguard them with patrols as they move throughout the Park. Wild cat advocates and avid Panthera followers may remember we are employing this method to monitor and protect King, a male cheetah who has since found great success in this ecosystem.
From their first appearance in the south, the family began a long journey. Guided by their mother, the four siblings wandered their way north, covering roughly 300 kilometers (186 miles). As they traveled from one point to the other, the cubs remained healthy and grew strong. Now, the young males are almost ready to leave their mother. They will form a coalition three males strong — and that’s not very common in this park. For almost ten years, most cheetah male coalitions here have numbered only two. This new coalition will be a formidable one, with three brothers setting out to establish their territory and find mates.
It's an encouraging sign of things to come. In a recent blog, my colleague Dr. Kristoffer Everatt noted that when lion coalitions are larger, it usually means that the regional lion population is healthier. For example, male coalitions in Senegal’s Niokolo-Koba National Park — a place where lions were nearly extirpated — have returned in recent years. With only about 7,100 cheetahs left in the wild, a strong male coalition is perhaps a sign of cheetah cubs surviving in a landscape once plagued with snares and poaching.
What’s next for these brothers? They’ll soon take their next steps forward. Panthera, Zambia’s Department of National Parks and Wildlife and all our partners will make sure to follow their movements and continue to implement a halo of protection around this fraternal coalition. Their exciting story is still only in its first chapters.
To learn more about cheetahs, click here.
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© Sebastian Kennerknecht
