In short: very!
We were driving in the open grassland area of Londolozi on an afternoon earlier this week. As we reached the unique micro-biome that is the Open Areas my guest asked me, “Is this not ideal cheetah territory?”
Cheetahs inhabit the open grassland to accommodate their style of hunting and preference of small to medium sized prey.
I said what I usually say when a guest mentions a cheetah, “Yes, it is, but cheetahs are difficult to find. They have extensive home ranges, are often solitary and light on their feet making it difficult to find their tracks. They also have a habit of walking in ‘difficult-to-predict movements’.
There are also not many cheetahs in the entire Sabi Sand Reserve; probably less than ten. This in an area of about 650 square kilometres (250 square miles.)”
The general angle I try to approach the answer from is that yes we have a chance at seeing a cheetah but the chances are slim, so we will have to be very lucky!
The fastest land mammal, the cheetah, is IUCN Red Listed as Vulnerable. There are just over 7,000 cheetahs left in the wild. There are less cheetah than there are rhinos, lions, elephants, or leopards. So when you see a cheetah, you are amongst a small and fortunate group of people who have seen this magnificent large cat too.
After I had almost forgotten about our cheetah conversation with those guests from about an hour earlier on drive, I saw a vehicle had stopped up ahead. Chris Taylor and Milton Khosa, the guide and tracker team in the vehicle, had literally just found now! I could not believe it (the same way I feel every time a cheetah is found), and when I told the guests they were equally as surprised and excited.
We watched this particular cheetah feeding on an impala he had recently hunted. I tried to envision and explain the hunt, chase and kill that must have been so spectacular. The fastest land mammal in the world, reaching speeds of over 100km/h (over 60mph), sprinting after an antelope which can run almost as fast, but uses a zig-zagging, side-to-side, darting style of running to evade chasing predators.
We sat there – as we do every time we are with a cheetah – really appreciating how lucky we were to spend time with this rare animal. On more than one occasion now, whilst in a cheetah sighting, I have turned backwards to look at the guests in my vehicle and seen tears rolling down a few of their cheeks; which is appropriate given the unique tear-marks that run down from cheetahs’ eyes.
Although leopards are usually perceived as the rarely seen big cat (which is very true in some parts of Africa), cheetahs can be that much more special to see.
Their declining numbers and rarity in this area in particular rank them among the highlights of many guest’s stay, although few guests are lucky enough to actually catch sight of one…
On a hot afternoon, this cheetah retreated to the only shade he could find; that of Ranger Pete Thorpe’s Land Rover.
To see cheetah and wild dog in the wild is truly a privilege. Great images.
For as rare as a sighting can be of a Cheetah, your images are incredible. It saddens me to hear how low the numbers have become and a bit frustrated as to how that can be reversed. Also thanks, Bruce for giving the conversion numbers so that many of us can truly understand. Appreciation to you.
Have only recently appreciated the rare opportunity we had on the first day of our very first visit when we witnessed a cheetah stalking an impala herd and ultimately witnessing a kill less than 20 yards from our vehicle. We now understand why our guide, Trevor, so excitedly raced with breakneck speed to arrive at the site. Can still hear the sounds of the earth being pounded as well as the squeals from the impala. The chase was exactly as you described Bruce. The cheetah is so athletic.
Friends and fellow posters, the Klaubers, believe it was a personality changer for me when we came back to camp and gushed about the experience.
Vin, We will never forget your excitement and enthusiastic story of the encounter. If we remember, the Impala was headed directly to your vehicle when it was taken down! We arrived to meet your vehicle just after the kill and it was truly a rare experience in the bush!
How lucky ! I think we have maybe twice seen a Cheetah at Londolozi. However I also remember a long afternoon with Trevor where we looked and looked in the high grasses for one and cane up empty. I am so sad to know how endangered they really are. Wonderful photos. Take care Victoria
I’ve only ever seen cheetahs twice in my life, which were three males far away in Botswana, and a mother and 4 cubs at night in the Waterberg.
We just love the fact that there are so many more cheetah sightings? Are they the same ones usually or nomads passing through?