Carnivores

The various Carnivores that you can see in Uganda – Information, Background, Parks and Wildlife Reserves where carnivores namely;Lions, Leopards, Cheetahs, Serval Cats, Mongoose, Hyenas can be found in Uganda.

There are 38 different kinds of Carnivores found in in Uganda and you will see your share of them as you visit the National Parks of Uganda beginning with king of the Animal Kingdom and the one that everyone wants to see the Lion.

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This is the largest carnivore and lives in prides ranging between 5 and 15 animals. Lions normally hunt at night and they can bring down animals as large as Buffaloes and antelopes such as the Uganda Kob.

It is usually the females who do the hunting in teams. On the other hand the males certainly have to defend their position in the pride and often do so with a battle unto death. Young lions are also often forced out of the pride when they are about three years of age.

In the daytime lions mostly rest, in places like the Ishasha Plains at Queen Elizabeth and Kidepo Valley National Park you might find them climbing trees and resting in the shade of a tree away from pesky bugs that are found on the ground.

Additionally, male Lions can weigh up to 500 pounds, females ranging between 240 and 360 pounds in weight. They have an average life span of 10-14 years and females have a gestation period of 110 days.

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This is the most common large feline and leopards can often be found near villages but not often seen since they are quite secretive and loners. They are very effective hunters and usually store their kill up in a tree for later consumption.

They are fast and cover a large territory roaming around in order to find a prey to kill. Thus stealth and Power would be the key words to describe a leopard.

You might be able to spot them at Queen Elizabeth Park, Murchison Falls National Park, Kidepo Valley National Park and Lake Mburo National Park. They have a life span of 12-17 years.

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The Cheetah appears similar to the leopard but you see itduring daytime hours. The cheetah is the fastest animal on land running at speeds up to 70 kilometers an hour for short durations.

The males are very territorial in nature and will defend their area sometimes in pairs or more.

In addition, they are not as strong as leopards and lions and often are chased away from their kill by other predators.

Cheetahs can be found at Kidepo Valley National Park and not as frequently at Murchison Falls National Park – at times they have been spotted at Murchison Falls Park. They have an average life span of up to 17years.

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This cat is one of those hard to find creatures from the forests of West Africa and in Uganda where the West African forests meet East Africa. They are found in western Uganda in every national park forest except in Semiliki.

African Wild Cat: Very close to the domestic cats, and has interbred with them and you can find this cat in savannah parks of Uganda.

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This medium sized cat can also be found in open habitats of Kidepo Valley National Park. It has a reddish brown coat and tufted ears.

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If you see a cat with a pale spotted coat, you have found a serval cat. Found from woodlands to forest all over Uganda.

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Canidae are a part of a group of medium-sized carnivores which are doglike creatures found in Uganda but not very common.

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Small and silver grey fox is most common in Kidepo Valley National Park since it likes dry areas.

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Small to medium in size and found in every savannah area of Uganda. They also hunt small mammals and birds, but also feed on fruit and bulbs. The side striped jackal is the most common in Uganda and found in the parks with savannahs but also in Mgahinga Gorilla Park and Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, the park where you are most likely to find them is Murchison Falls National Park.

The black backed Jackal is found at Kidepo Valley National Park. The golden Jackal found on list of mammals for Uganda has not been spotted in recent times.

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It is a bulky, long haired, cat-like viverrid. Civets are found in Uganda’s wooded areas and in most of the National Parks. Since they are nocturnal, they are rarely seen during daylight hours.

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This animal is related to the civets, but people spotting them will often refer to them as cats. It is notably secretive except when habituated, meaning that it is used to humans. They are slender viverrids with spotted coats and long tails.

There is also the servaline genet and the large spotted get are all found in various places in Uganda. The giant forest genet is particularly found at Maramagambo Forest in Queen Elizabeth Park.

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There are 5 different species of Mongoose found in Uganda. There is the Marsh Mongoose, Egyptian Mongoose, the Slender Mongoose, the White Tailed Mongoose, and the Banded Mongoose.

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There are 3 kinds of otters found in Uganda and Lake Mburo records all three. Namely; the spotted-necked otter, DRC Clawless Otter, and the Cape Clawless Otter.

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Hunchback Carnivores, seen as scavengers, but are excellent hunters and can kill an animal as large as an antelope. Hyena clans are led by females that are more powerful than males, the most common park to find Hyenas is QEP but you can also find them in other savannah parks.

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Lastly is a medium sized mustelid. It has a puppy-like head, black sides and under parts, and the back is grey-white. They are also wide-spread in Uganda but not often seen. Other mustelids found in Uganda are the Zorilla and the striped Weasel.

Therefore, the Carnivores found in Uganda make up an exciting part of the game drives when you spot and see them – some of the carnivores are best seen during night game drives and you can take such game drives at Murchison Falls Park, Queen Elizabeth Park, in the Semiliki Valley and see the carnivore predators on the prowl – enjoy Uganda.

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