Uganda Carnivores

Information, Background, Parks and Wildlife Reserves where carnivores such as Lions, Leopards, Cheetahs, Serval Cats, Mongoose, Hyenas can be found in Uganda.

There are 38 different kind 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 Lions.

Feline Carnivores:

Lions:  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 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.

Male Lions can weigh up to 500 pounds, females ranging between 240 and 360 pounds in weight, now you can see how they can bring down a large Buffalo.

Large animals killed are eaten by the pride, while smaller ones may be consumed by one lion

In Uganda Lions can be found In Queen Elizabeth National Park, Murchison Falls National Park, Kidepo Valley National Park and just recently lions have been spotted on several occasions at Lake Mburo National Park.

The biggest threat to lions is encroachment by people such as there has been Queen Elizabeth Park when pastoralists moved in their herds and began to kill some of the lions in the area.

Leopards:  This is the most common large feline and leopards can often be found near villages but not often seen since they quite secretive and loners.  They are very effective hunters and 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.  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.

Cheetah:  The Cheetah appears similar to the leopard but you see him during daytime hours. The cheetah is the fasted 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.

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.

Small Cats found in Uganda:

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

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

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

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

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

Jackals: Small to medium in size and found in every savannah area of Uganda.  They 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.

Other types of Carnivores:

African Civet:  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. 

Genets:  They are related to the civets, but people spotting them will often refer to them as cats.  They are secretive except when habituated, meaning that they are used to humans.They are slender viverrids with spotted coats and long tails.

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

Mongoose:  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.

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

Spotted Hyena:  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 find them in other savannah parks.

Ratel or Honey Badger:  A medium sized mustelid. It has a puppy like head, black sides and underparts and the back is grey-white.  They are wide-spread in Uganda but not often seen.  Other mustelids found in Uganda are the Zorilla and the striped Weasel.

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