Early one crisp autumn morning, my guests and I set out across Londolozi’s open grasslands in search of the Makhatini Cheetah Family. The stunning sunrise cast a golden light across the landscape, and there was much anticipation for this game drive.
We hadn’t been searching for long when we spotted them, the mother cheetah and her three cubs, moving gracefully. Their slender frames and elegant movement made for an exciting discovery as the three cubs played in the tall grass. With purpose in her stride, the mother was clearly leading her young ones in search of their next meal. The setting was perfect. Open ground, good visibility, little wind – the kind of conditions cheetahs prefer when relying on their unmatched speed.
The Makhatini Family moving through the open grassland on Londolozi.
A Close Shave for the Cheetah Family
But as is so often the case in the wild, tranquillity rarely lasts and the Cheetah Family were in for a challenging morning…
The moment two of the cubs noticed movement of the Hyenas on the horizon, and could sense some danger approaching.
As the cheetahs moved across the landscape, we noticed movement trailing them. A clan of three hyenas, ever the opportunists, had picked up their scent and were following with intent. The cheetahs paused on a fallen tree, likely using the vantage point to scan for prey, but the moment was short-lived.
The mother and one of her cubs leap onto a log to get a better view of the pursuing hyenas.
With much slower reaction than its mother, one of the cubs leaps down and attempts to put distance between itself and the hyenas.
With whoops and a burst of energy, the hyenas closed the gap, and chaos erupted. Hyenas will try and follow the cheetah in anticipation of stealing prey from a successful hunt. Moreover, the young cheetah cubs could fall prey to the hyenas if they are not careful.
Cheetahs are constantly tested by predators like hyenas, who are brilliant scavengers.
The mother cheetah bolted and leapt up into a nearby tree – a rare sight, but one that speaks to a cheetah’s adaptability when forced. The cubs scattered into the tall grass, trying to conceal themselves as best they could. For a brief and tense moment, the family was split. As the hyenas searched fruitlessly before moving off slightly. The mother descended and began softly contact calling, pacing and searching, desperate to find her young. One by one, the cubs emerged from hiding and reunited with her – an emotional moment for everyone watching.
After confronting the three hyenas to protect her cubs, the mother cheetah felt outnumbered and threatened, which forced her to climb a tree. This was remarkable to witness because it is not often we see cheetahs climbing.
But the morning had one more twist in store.
![Ntsevu Sub Adult Males Walking Rhrough Clearing (3) [rcb]](https://media.londolozi.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/26100412/Ntsevu-Sub-adult-males-walking-rhrough-clearing-3-RCB-1598x807.jpg)
Three of the Kambula Males walk with purpose through a clearing in search of some food, what they don’t know is that the cheetah family are just 50 metres away with a clan of hyenas on their tails!
Then, in a stroke of pure luck, one of the hyenas, having spotted the approaching lions, let out a panicked whoop and fled. This alert not only gave away the lions’ position to us, but more importantly, to the cheetahs. Sensing the shift in danger, the cheetahs froze, scanned, and turned tail in the opposite direction. The lions, perhaps distracted or simply disinterested, continued their patrol without ever noticing the slim escape of a family that had just narrowly avoided another deadly encounter.
The morning ended with the cheetahs safely out of harm’s way, but for all of us who had witnessed it, the message was clear: life in the bush for a cheetah is tough, delicate, and often decided in moments. For this cheetah mother and her cubs, survival had hinged on timing, instinct, and a touch of luck.
A close shave, indeed.
Even in protected areas like Londolozi, where they have space to roam, the odds are often stacked against them. Cheetahs are not dominant predators. They rely on speed and stealth rather than strength, and encounters with more powerful carnivores can be fatal, especially for young cubs. Watching this mother tirelessly guide and protect her cubs reminded us not only of the resilience of these animals but also of how fragile their future is. Every successful hunt, every escape, every reunion is a small victory in a life filled with uncertainty.
Hyenas are just not my favorite animal, not even in the ballpark of favorites
The Hyenas as family group were a real eye opener when I was at Londolozi
They are formidable predators and rank high up on the food chain at Londolozi.
What a suspense! I held my breath while reading… this mother has a great experience, undoubtedly! And the cubs at their age know how to react. They have speed on their side, surely running away would have them far from both predators. But, of course, the mother knew the best tactic. I watched a documentary on 4 young cheetah sisters, they had a brother that died earlier, and were brilliantly grown by their mother. Each had a very distinctive personality. The most dominant daughter even managed to make hyenas retreat, she used her full weight and immediate strikes towards the predators, acting as very ferocious and angry. She gave courage to her sisters. With lions no escape unlike running like hell… but as they killed so many leopards, I can’t imagine this time… a breath of relief in the end, the pictures are amazing, such exquisite big cats, like carved by the best artists! Thank you
Thanks for the comment Francesca, your story from the documentary is also great. She managed to avoid the dangers on this particular instance but there are many predators out there in the bush so she will have to remain vigilant.
I so agree with you Tammy! I do not like hyenas! Just so skulky, ick.
I love the Makhatini cheetah family, I am so happy that nothing happened to them!
Do you know the genders of the cubs?
Me to! To many hyenas there so many of the cat family have a very difficult life because of the hyenas. Heartbreaking
Yes, there are two males and one female cub.
Having seen the mother with her cubs when I was there in January, it is nice to know that they are still thriving.
Cheetahs are my favourite animals. Hyenas are perhaps my least. It would have been very upsetting if anything had happened to this cheetah family, especially as the mother has done such a brilliant job of raising three of her offspring to sub-adulthood. No mean feat given the climate in which they live. I wish they had more land to reduce the likelihood of these perilous encounters.
On a separate note, has the Tsalala lioness been seen in the past two days?
Hi Lisa – Thanks for the comment. Yes the Tsalala Lioness is well and seen moving between Londolozi and Singita North of the Sand River recently.
It’s astonishing she’s managed to raise 3 cubs to the age they are now, Nick.
Mom has done a great job with these THREE!!! Were the cubs still smaller than the lurking hyenas? And were they not able to follow mom up the tree?
No Anita, the cubs instinctively ran away from the Hyenas when the mother stood her ground and confronted the threat. Once she realised she was out numbered then she dashed up the tree.
Hi Nick, so glad the mom and 3 cubs are still alive and safe. Hyenas are forsure not my favorite animal, they are always trying to steal the leopards and Cheetah’s kills. Can’t believe the mother Cheetah climbed a tree, just goes to show how far they will go to get away from the hyenas.
Thanks for the wonderful photos of this special cheetah family, Nick. It is really a wonder that the cheetah mother has managed to steer her cubs safely through all the dangers of their surroundings so that they are nearly fully grown by now. It must have been stressful to see and watch how first the hyenas, then the lions posed such a danger to mother and cubs. Luckily they survived that dangerous moments. I hope that they will reach adulthood and independence soon. They a such magnificent animals.
Wow, what an epic sighting albeit a nail biter/ fingers crossed drive. Just thinking about those three cubs and a possible hyena encounter would be heartstopping enough, but add in the magnificent four Ntsevu/Kambulas, and that family wouldn’t stand a chance unless they could outrun the lions and somehow get high enough up a tree! Thanks so much for your comments and images.