subject: The Kenya Big Five [print this page] The Kenya Big Five The Kenya Big Five
These are the Lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and the Rhino. These mostly are the reason tourists visit the country though there are many other animals that reside here. It is spectacular to watch the big five especially in there day to day affairs. The lion especially known as the King of the Jungle, has taken over the heart of everyone who visits Kenya. A visit is not complete without a tour to watch these great cats. The Lion lives in a community with several other lions. It is one of the biggest cats in the world. It is purely a carnivore and thrives on fresh meat. You will be able to watch them hunting in the savanna grasslands for gazelles, impalas, wildebeests and zebras.
The male Lion has a mane that runs from the neck to the back. The female lion is smaller in size and has no mane. It is the female Lion that hunts and therefore it is the breadwinner. A lion pride or family has about three males and even fifteen females and therefore cubs. There is a dominant male in the pride. The work of the male lions is to protect the family from other male lions that would want to take over the family.
If the males are defeated by the intruding lions, they would be chased away and the new ones take over, kill the cubs so as they can be able to mate with the females and start a new family. During the day when the sun is hot you can take a glimpse of the lions under shady trees and shrubs playing with the cubs. It's a very lovely scene and one might be tempted to approach them but to your own peril. Lions are very dangerous especially when they feel threatened. They can tear you up into pieces in seconds; therefore it is always good to be in the company of an experienced tour guide when approaching them.
