The cheetah was famous for the number of litters she raised. She has since passed away, however, Chris Hadfield remembers the sighting of the mother and her cubs with fond memories.
Rain’s cubs spotted in open veld area
Rain’s cubs were fairly big by this stage, and clearly affectionate towards one another and their mom.
They were well camouflaged against the tawny hues of the surrounding bushveld area and leaned in towards one another in a display of affection.
This was clearly leisure time for this little family and the agile creatures lay sprawled out in the sunlight.
The dutiful tasks of a cheetah mother
Cheetah mothers are responsible for teaching their cubs the skills they will eventually need to survive. Young cheetahs begin following their mother and watching her behaviour closely.
Hunting lessons are particularly important. Cheetahs are specialised predators built for short bursts of extraordinary speed rather than prolonged chases.
Their lightweight bodies, long legs, flexible spines and large nasal passages help them accelerate rapidly. They can reach speeds of around 90 to 110 km/h in short bursts, although they cannot maintain those speeds for long.
Get our Best Sightings as they Come in
Cubs gather together with their mother for display of affection
When the third cheetah, one of the grown cubs, entered the scene, it was clearly welcomed by the others.
The beautiful cat sat to alert and surveyed the surroundings. All three of the cheetahs remained impeccably camouflaged. This was clearly their turf and they blended in seamlessly.
One of the most difficult periods comes when the cubs are old enough to travel but are not yet experienced hunters. During this stage, the mother’s vigilance remains crucial.
Cheetahs also face a particular problem when they make a kill. They are comparatively lightly built and are poor at defending food against larger predators. Lions, hyenas and wild dogs can steal their kills. A mother may therefore have to eat quickly while remaining aware of what is happening around her.
A journey towards independence
After this video was taken, these cubs would have become increasingly independent. Usually cheetah cubs remain with their mother for approximately 12 to 18 months, sometimes longer depending on circumstances.
During this period, they learn where to find prey, how to approach it and how to recognise danger.
Eventually, the young cheetahs would have separated from Rain, however, not without having been equipped with everything they would need to survive in the wild.
Rain rises with evident limp
Rain had been resting in the heat of the day, then stood to walk and it became clear that she had been injured. She walked with a limp, with ther cubs loyally beside her.
This injury didn’t stop her from being the best mom she knew to be.
This clip honours the cheetah whose gentle, impactful, refreshing presence lived up to her name.
Join our WhatsApp Group with thousands of other followers to view more spectacular interactions between members of your favourite species.
http://latestsightings.com/whatsapp-updates
