Honey the cheetah dies in the Mara
Mar 5th, 2007, 01:57 PM
#21
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Imelda - that was an attempt at humor. But I especially liked my quip about Honey not surviving the British medical care plan she had. Did you Brits fail to see the humor in that?
Kavey I was told by a ranger at Lil Gov camp the Honey was not related to Kike. Of course we all know that Kike's original name "Queen" (or was it Queenie?) was changed to Kike by the BBC. (BBC, BRITISH Broadcasting Corp, QUEEN of England, get it?)
regards - tom
Kavey I was told by a ranger at Lil Gov camp the Honey was not related to Kike. Of course we all know that Kike's original name "Queen" (or was it Queenie?) was changed to Kike by the BBC. (BBC, BRITISH Broadcasting Corp, QUEEN of England, get it?)
regards - tom
Mar 5th, 2007, 02:09 PM
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Tom, I'm not sure if the Brits comment was meant for me but just in case it was, I'm Irish not British!!!! ;D
And I thought your British Medical Care was very funny but I'm afraid my brain is just not working this evening and I thought you might be referring to something else re the lions (I was watching a documentary last week when it showed a baby ellie stuck in the mud and a pride of lions eating the poor animal alive. This went on for hours before the baby died - it greatly disturbed me).
Imelda
And I thought your British Medical Care was very funny but I'm afraid my brain is just not working this evening and I thought you might be referring to something else re the lions (I was watching a documentary last week when it showed a baby ellie stuck in the mud and a pride of lions eating the poor animal alive. This went on for hours before the baby died - it greatly disturbed me).
Imelda
Mar 5th, 2007, 02:21 PM
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I thought there was a cheetah named "Princess" who jumps on jeeps in the Mara as well?
We had a roof hopper at Gol kopjes (Serengeti) last April but these Tanzania cheetahs apparently lack paparazzi and press agents and so remain anonymous
Bill
We had a roof hopper at Gol kopjes (Serengeti) last April but these Tanzania cheetahs apparently lack paparazzi and press agents and so remain anonymous
Bill
Mar 5th, 2007, 02:38 PM
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Dang it Imelda, you mean I didn't zing you after all??? Well, did you hear the one about the drunken Irishman named Patrick who went . . . . .
My mother's maiden name was Mick. No finer Irish name than Mick. They came over because of the potato famine.
regards - tom
ps - we could never on safari see lions kill an elephant. My dear Carolyn would freak out. I'm sure she would jump out of the vehicle, grab a big stick and start beating on the lions.
My mother's maiden name was Mick. No finer Irish name than Mick. They came over because of the potato famine.
regards - tom
ps - we could never on safari see lions kill an elephant. My dear Carolyn would freak out. I'm sure she would jump out of the vehicle, grab a big stick and start beating on the lions.
Mar 5th, 2007, 02:59 PM
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Mara, 1997:
www.afrigalah.com/kenimg/Hoodedcat.jpg
This one had three cubs with her...maybe Honey, Kike, Princess or whoever? This was a pretty common sight even back then.
John
www.afrigalah.com/kenimg/Hoodedcat.jpg
This one had three cubs with her...maybe Honey, Kike, Princess or whoever? This was a pretty common sight even back then.
John
Mar 5th, 2007, 05:09 PM
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My wife tells me Kike is the daughter of a very well-known cheetah called Amber, and that it is Kike and some of her (now grown) kids who are likely to jump on vehicles. The kids learned from Kike... not sure if she learned from Amber...
Mar 5th, 2007, 06:35 PM
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Oh, how sad. I saw her and the little ones last summer and was looking forward to a reunion on my next visit. Lefew. Surely we have to appreciate it when it is with us, huh? I am grateful for having "met" her.
Rhoda
Rhoda
Mar 5th, 2007, 07:12 PM
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I've just unearthed my 1997 safari notes, and they remind me that the cheetah I photographed on the car bonnet/hood (it was a Mara Safari Club vehicle) was called 'Petal'. Anybody recall that name?
John
John
Mar 6th, 2007, 12:22 AM
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Ah yes, I do remember now - Kike = Amber's daughter.
And yes there are a few animals that have had alternate names used by the BCD team - I think sometimes it's just because at the time they first encounter them they don't always know that individual already has a name and other times just because.... ?
And yes, I think quite a few cheetahs climb onto vehicles in that area - it's a learned behaviour in part and also, if they trust the vehicles (being used to them since birth) they aren't scared of them but find them useful vantage points!
And yes there are a few animals that have had alternate names used by the BCD team - I think sometimes it's just because at the time they first encounter them they don't always know that individual already has a name and other times just because.... ?
And yes, I think quite a few cheetahs climb onto vehicles in that area - it's a learned behaviour in part and also, if they trust the vehicles (being used to them since birth) they aren't scared of them but find them useful vantage points!
Mar 6th, 2007, 02:30 AM
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Hee hee Tom, 'which' drunken Irish man might that be!! 
Mick is indeed a fine Irish name - normally used as a shortened first name for Michael here but many first names became surnames when people emigrated.
Re the Ellie being killed, I had to switch the TV over - there was no way I could watch something like that and if Carolyn and I were in the same vehicle I would be right out there with her and a big stick!
Imelda
Mick is indeed a fine Irish name - normally used as a shortened first name for Michael here but many first names became surnames when people emigrated.
Re the Ellie being killed, I had to switch the TV over - there was no way I could watch something like that and if Carolyn and I were in the same vehicle I would be right out there with her and a big stick!
Imelda
Mar 6th, 2007, 05:05 AM
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Kavey... Apparently Amber's mother and siblings were first observed jumping on vehicles while they were being part-time fed and watched over by the Mara drivers after their mother died. Jonathon Scott suggests it possibly is a natural behaviour when cheetahs become used to vehicles but he also suggests that it was learned by Amber's mother and some of Amber's offspring by being partially fed by humans. Keeping his options open.... but it does seem too much of a coincidence that it seems to happen only?/mainly? in the area where Amber and her mother grew up.
I also never heard of Petal (and more persuasively neither did my wife) but the first series was Fundi, I think Hari. Wasn't the one on Animal Planet in our region last year the first one ever? With Fundi and the two cubs with very different personalities learning to hunt? I can never remember the names but my wife knows them like some people know the characters from soap operas.
Trivia: Kike also licked Simon King's shining pate (reason to shave your head before that next visit to the Mara, Hari?) but it was edited out of the Big Cat Diary series because they thought it would be irresponsible to give people the impression that it might be safe to have such close interaction with wild animals (Jonathon Scott getting peed on was clearly a reaction to his hairiness and perhaps what she did to Mad Mike was edited out).
I also never heard of Petal (and more persuasively neither did my wife) but the first series was Fundi, I think Hari. Wasn't the one on Animal Planet in our region last year the first one ever? With Fundi and the two cubs with very different personalities learning to hunt? I can never remember the names but my wife knows them like some people know the characters from soap operas.
Trivia: Kike also licked Simon King's shining pate (reason to shave your head before that next visit to the Mara, Hari?) but it was edited out of the Big Cat Diary series because they thought it would be irresponsible to give people the impression that it might be safe to have such close interaction with wild animals (Jonathon Scott getting peed on was clearly a reaction to his hairiness and perhaps what she did to Mad Mike was edited out).
Mar 6th, 2007, 10:47 AM
#36
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I have been hesitant to post on this thread because they are holding back the details of how/why Honey died and I realize what an emotional attachment we can all have to such a wonderful animal and her young. I'm very sad to hear of her passing and for those of you who shared time in her world. I know when the Duba Boys go I am going to need a few moments of waterworks.
I am of the view that if we want to have wonderful parks with natural systems we can't choose to help some animals and ignore all of the rest. I believe in a hands off policy as heart breaking as it can be and I believe if these weren't celebrity cats who have had people in their lives on a daily basis no one would be going to these extra efforts. However, if Honey was harmed by a snare or other human action as someone suggested may have occurred than I can understand the case for wanting to 'right the wrong' and give her and subsequently the cubs help. If she had a natural injury and they were doing vet work on her as was also stated I think that is just plain wrong from a wildlife manager's point of view.
The original blog says the cubs are about a year old which puts them at a stage of being inexperienced hunters that can catch hares and fawns but probably are still learning to kill larger game, under normal circumstances they would master that in another 3 or 4 months. An advantage though is the 3 of them are brothers and thus would likely stay in a coalition together and as a team they have a chance to learn to work together and overcome their premature independence. Together they can probably catch the game its just a question if they can learn to help each other restrain the prey and find that kill hold -- if they do they make it on their own if they don't they won't make it without help but apparently it won't be resolved that way since they are being fed everyother day.
I hope more details will be posted here as they come to light.
I am of the view that if we want to have wonderful parks with natural systems we can't choose to help some animals and ignore all of the rest. I believe in a hands off policy as heart breaking as it can be and I believe if these weren't celebrity cats who have had people in their lives on a daily basis no one would be going to these extra efforts. However, if Honey was harmed by a snare or other human action as someone suggested may have occurred than I can understand the case for wanting to 'right the wrong' and give her and subsequently the cubs help. If she had a natural injury and they were doing vet work on her as was also stated I think that is just plain wrong from a wildlife manager's point of view.
The original blog says the cubs are about a year old which puts them at a stage of being inexperienced hunters that can catch hares and fawns but probably are still learning to kill larger game, under normal circumstances they would master that in another 3 or 4 months. An advantage though is the 3 of them are brothers and thus would likely stay in a coalition together and as a team they have a chance to learn to work together and overcome their premature independence. Together they can probably catch the game its just a question if they can learn to help each other restrain the prey and find that kill hold -- if they do they make it on their own if they don't they won't make it without help but apparently it won't be resolved that way since they are being fed everyother day.
I hope more details will be posted here as they come to light.
Mar 6th, 2007, 11:59 AM
#37
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re: Kimburu's comment about cheetahs hopping on cars, "Keeping his options open.... but it does seem too much of a coincidence that it seems to happen only?/mainly? in the area where Amber and her mother grew up." One (a young one) jumped up on our car in the Serengeti. I wonder if that family had been fed by humans? The youngsters were with their mother. She didn't get on the car but was unfazed by all of it.
Very sorry to hear about Honey. They are stunning, fascinating animals.
Very sorry to hear about Honey. They are stunning, fascinating animals.
Mar 6th, 2007, 12:00 PM
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Matt from England posted a question to Terilyn Lemaire (she announced on the death on the Mara Conservancy website). The following is her interesting response:
I understand that my post is lacking the most interesting piece of information: how Honey died. Unfortunately I\’m not allowed to disclose the cause of her untimely death but look for a press release providing an answer in the near future.
Hopefully they will issue their press release soon. In the meantime, I am trying to get more details from another source.
Note: although we developed a great affection for the cubs, I also question the wisdom of feeding them. I guess the only exception would be if a human caused the death of the mother.
I understand that my post is lacking the most interesting piece of information: how Honey died. Unfortunately I\’m not allowed to disclose the cause of her untimely death but look for a press release providing an answer in the near future.
Hopefully they will issue their press release soon. In the meantime, I am trying to get more details from another source.
Note: although we developed a great affection for the cubs, I also question the wisdom of feeding them. I guess the only exception would be if a human caused the death of the mother.
Mar 6th, 2007, 02:27 PM
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<b>One (a young one) jumped up on our car in the Serengeti. I wonder if that family had been fed by humans?</b>
Leely, we also had a cheetah jump on the jeep in Serengeti, at Gol kopjes last April. This was a male in a 3 male coalition.
The guide said he thought this group of brothers had been studied at length by researchers in the Serengeti Cheetah Project since they were small cubs, so had grown up with jeeps nearby and were so used to them they treated them like moveable kopjes.
So these likely weren't fed, just very used to having a jeep around for long periods.
Bill
Leely, we also had a cheetah jump on the jeep in Serengeti, at Gol kopjes last April. This was a male in a 3 male coalition.
The guide said he thought this group of brothers had been studied at length by researchers in the Serengeti Cheetah Project since they were small cubs, so had grown up with jeeps nearby and were so used to them they treated them like moveable kopjes.
So these likely weren't fed, just very used to having a jeep around for long periods.
Bill
Mar 6th, 2007, 03:47 PM
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To add to Bill's comments, it is a natural cheetah behavior to try and take a high vantage point to scan the surrounds. This is why they are often up a termite mound or climb low lying tree branches and if they are so use to the vehicle and feel safe with it why not use it as part of their habitat.
