Meet the great predators of the Serengeti

The Serengeti is home to an astonishing and unique phenomenon: the great migrations. Nearly two million wildebeest, followed by thousands of zebra and Thomson's gazelle, set off on an epic journey thousands of kilometres long. Ignored by scientists for a long time, it was not studied until the 1950s. During these great marches northwards, the herbivores of the Serengeti are followed very closely by their predators, who are always on the lookout. On their way to the Masai Mara and the river bordering Kenya in search of new pasture, wildebeest, zebra and gazelle have to contend with all the dangers of the savannah. Lions, leopards, wild dogs and cheetahs. They are omnipresent, on the lookout to pounce on their prey at the slightest moment of inattention.

The leopard likes wooded areas and often hides on the banks of rivers near the Seronera. Each individual has a well-defined territory ranging from 10km2 to over 63km2 in some cases. They mark their territory using a variety of media. In other words, using a variety of media. Visually, through the scratches it leaves on bark, and olfactory and audible through its urine and calls. It is a solitary, nocturnal animal, but it is not uncommon to come across a specimen in the middle of the day resting, perched high in a tree, accompanied by its victim. After hunting, the leopard hoists its prey up on a branch to keep it safe from other predators and scavengers. Seen as a great carnivore, it devours anything made of flesh. Yet it has a hunting success rate of 5-10%, the lowest of all felines. In fact, it often steals cheetah prey. In fact, it hunts by lying in wait and never pursues its prey. It therefore expends little energy, which is why it has such a low success rate.

The African lion is the largest of the felines, also known as the king of the savannah. Its title is fiercely defended, and the male lion stands majestically with his thick, woolly mane and powerful roar (which can carry 5 to 8 km, no less!) Only the adult male has an imposing mane, a seductive asset for females but also a protective shield against the claws and teeth of his companions. Most of their food comes from the females, who hunt wildebeest, buffalo and zebra. Lionesses hunt in groups and chase their prey over short distances, eventually suffocating or cutting their victims' throats. The power of their hind legs enables them to stun or break the neck of their prey. The hard law of community life is that lions have hierarchical access to food. Cubs are systematically fed last. Fun fact: the Swahili name for the lion is none other than... simba.

A feline in its own right, it has the appearance of a greyhound. Very stifled, it has a narrow, deep chest and a deep belly. Unlike other large African cats, its claws are not retractable. This is undoubtedly an adaptation to running, a sport in which it excels. Like a sprinter with spiked shoes that grip the ground, the cheetah is built for running. In fact, it is the fastest land animal in existence, capable of reaching speeds of 100 km/h! As a result, the cheetah's preferred method of hunting is running, which consumes a lot of energy! It hunts small prey such as dik-dik (small antelopes), young wildebeest and warthogs. The hunt takes place over a maximum distance of 300 metres and over a very short period of 20 seconds (1 minute maximum). When it comes to killing its prey, the cheetah does not have the same facilities as other felines, as its strength does not allow it to break the neck. As soon as it reaches a certain weight, its victim must be suffocated. It is one of the most efficient hunters on the savannah. This is why it is often followed by other, larger predators that simply come to help themselves once the hunt is over. The weaker cheetah doesn't even try to resist and goes home empty-handed.

Unloved in the savannah, its morphology is similar to that of a medium-sized dog. Large, rounded ears, fawn coat. It is an outstanding runner that can cover long distances and hunts in packs. It is a great carnivore that goes in search of large prey. The troop is on the lookout for wildebeest and young zebra. They finish off their prey by biting, as their small jaws are unable to cut the animal's throat or suffocate it. So they first devour the poor animal alive. This hunting technique has earned them a reputation as cruel carnivores, even though they simply have... no choice. These canids are social animals that live in groups, led by an alpha male and an alpha female, who are the only ones able to reproduce.