Pettifer HL. 1981. Aspects on the ecology of cheetahs on the ...

ECOLOCI OF CEEETAIIs
preterred rrea. Several Bhort duration excurslon trtps occurred, ofteo
over reaaonqbly la.ge distances. ftey conslstently !eturned to their
preferred area the followlng day with the exception of d few excursions
to the l,est of thelr plefe!led aree (this area was lncluded tn the 60
percent home range).
In all cases the radio marked chestah3 geldoD returned to th€ ldenticat
spot even when they had spent considerable itDe withtn en area. No tree
or bush could be identlfied as a regutar visiting site. The selection
of sleeping o! le8ting sites was opportunlstic with the provision that
the site offered a clear panorainlc vlew of the sulrounali[g area _ normally
Eituated on hlgh glound.
Cheetah ilovements i|| Relatlon to Pley Movements
The cheetaha on Suikerbosland hunt predoDinently lflthtn the shaated a.eas
Bhown in Figure 6. These areaa concur rtth th€ pleferreat habttats of
blesbok and 3pringbok on the reselve. Although cheetahs are comonly
regarded aa animals ol vast open pl&lns, the conlrary rras observed et
Suikerbosrand. fhe cheetahs tended to uttllze th6 slopes and lavrnes
snd very seldoD ventured out onto the plains. They dtd, however, f!e_
qu€ntly ro&t| the lmaller plateeus and open valley bottoms where, alons
with the slopes, the rDajortty ol kllls wer€ maale.
on no occaalon $ere cheetahs obderveal
length of time. I.tre genelsl tlend was
fill, then vacate the area.
Predator-pr€y Relat lonships
to follo$ prey herds for any
to Dake their kill, eat thei!
Slesbok are the prlnclpel prey spectes of cheetehs on Suik€rbosrsnd.
Iable 2 sumDerizes prey spectes ateftcits on the teserve between November
l9?8 anal November r9?9. ,Ibese dat a x€r€ accrued by dtrect observsrrons on
cheetah kilts as eelt rs lroln carcesses recorded du!ing regular line-
srveeps conducteal on th€ reserve. Although not all the aleficits can De
o8cribed to cheetshs, tt can be safely postulated thdt the majortty of
theln were cheetah kills. Of pa.ttculsr interest lB the htgh propoltron
of blesbok le rales arld juv€nll€s sel€cted.
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