Khalagadi Cheetah siblings
My most favourite Cheetah image
Proud, vigilant, innovative and diligent Cheetah mother!
She is clearly not the only opportunist.
Leaving the extended roof of the vehicle!
Start of the hunt!
Gracious decent!
Little higher than a Termite mound!
Getting down – No problem for this focused Cat!
On the hunt!
Fastest predator alive!
Full Speed!
One of at least three occasions where the Cub managed to get the Fawn down and ready for the Kill!
Cheetahs can change direction in mid air and it seems so can the Thompsons Gazelle Fawn.
Wow! this is a real challenge!
The Fawn makes a break and the Cub instinctively chase!
The Chase is on!
The Cub catches up with the Fawn but is not sure what to do.
The Fawn again is trying to get away!
Classical Cheetah ‘Tripping’ of the prey to make the prey unstable and fall. The Cub has watched his mother do this many times before.
Full speed from the Cub.
The Cub remembers that there must be some ‘tripping’ involved!
Again the Fawn seems to make a break!
Who is catching who?
The Cub’s inexperience is evident resulting is more of a collision than a kill.
The Cheetah Hunting Lesson complete!
Successful hunt!
The Cub returning to the mother and the kill after chasing away a Black backed Jackal that got to close.
The Fawn is still alive at this stage.
The Cub caught the Fawn, but the Fawn is still alive.
This is not over!
Cub has the Fawn by the neck!
Caught again!
The cub is determined to get in on the act, but the mother has other plans.
While mother moves the prey, the Cub wants to eat.
Instinctively moving the prey!
But the prey is not dead yet and makes a run for it.
The Fawn again will try anything to get away. Ineffective technique by the Cub gives the Fawn another chance.
Doing it allover again!
The Cub clearly a bit more skilled this time!
The Drama is really repeating itself.
Focusing on the prey and getting ready for the chase!
First show to the Cub of the Fawn.
More Cheetah behavior, moving the prey away from where the catch took place.
Again dropping the prey in the long grass and making sure that there is no threat from other predators.
Typical Cheetah behaviour, looking around to make sure that no un-welcome competing predators are around to steal the kill.
Cheetah Hunting Lesson
Fighting for survival.
Just like in the BBC documentary ‘The Big Cat Diary’! On one of our vehicles this time.
Focused
The eyes just as they were captured in the morning sun
Khalagadi Cheetah Family
Sibling fun
In the Hunt
Cub just finished with feeding
Siblings
Noticed Prey
The mother tagged for research
Mother and Siblings
Siblings
The Siblings
Prey spotting
Siblings
Mother looking for prey
Looking for prey
Siblings
Prey spotting
Kgalagadi Cheetah mother
Dou Pienaar 