Spring is slowly springing and on a recent game drive, we were on a quest into the deep southwest for one of the more elusive predators we find in these parts, the cheetah. We had heard tell of a male in the area as well as the mother with her three cubs. There’d been no sign of them for several days but we were ready to roll the dice.
This is what we were in search of…
The afternoon was warm and pleasant, the sun bathing the south-west grasslands in gold. Our expectations were low but the company was pleasant, and we were just enjoying being lucky enough to spend the day out there. We spent some time admiring a herd of elephants as they grazed contentedly, rumbling who-knows-what to each other, seemingly as contented as we were to watch the day go by.
We found a gorgeous male rhino on the scent of a female, not pausing to even glance at us, a clearly focused mind!
As we watched that rhino march away ranger Shadrack Mkabela’s voice sang out through the radio like a Shangaan angel, “Stations, we have located a cheetah lying on a termite mound.” My guests and I immediately about-faced and raced to try and capture the moment before the cheetah inevitably descended.
Our timing could not have been more perfect. We got to admire the animal as he lounged atop the mound, long tail and powerful legs draped over the crags, his regal head scanning the horizon. Suddenly, he locked on to something, eyes and ears laser-focused, something was right behind us. It was a kudu mother and calf.
Spotting the kudu. Look at that intense stare.
The predator was soon up and skulking down the mound right in front of us, a scene that is etched in my memory. He stalked right past our vehicle and began trotting. We all turned our vehicles around but refrained from giving chase. He settled on his haunches still some distance away from the kudu, seemingly too far. We thought he would stalk further ahead before breaking but suddenly he was up, his powerful muscles flexing, his strides lengthening, the gap closing rapidly.
The kudu finally spotted him and broke into a sprint, their long legs chewing up the ground, the mother trying to guide the calf somewhat in the direction of the thickets ahead. It was all chaos at this point, our three vehicles trying to keep up, watching as both kudu and cheetah crested the rise, dust plumes lit by the afternoon sun. Euce’s camera came off second best as the door rattled open and it rolled out before he could grab it! Bless the man, he didn’t even bat an eyelid as he shouted, “Keep going, boet (brother)!”
Recovering Euce’s lost camera which was working fine after a bit of dusting off, is a testament to Nikon’s build quality!
The last view I had of them, I was sure the kudu had escaped, the gap just seemed too wide, but as we came over the hill we saw the male had pinned the calf down and already had his jaws clamped across the throat of the young animal.
Dispatching his prey.
Life does not extinguish easily however and it took quite some time for the struggle to cease. At one point the cheetah let go to scan around him for any approaching danger and the calf still had the energy to struggle to its feet!
Warning, some people might find this video tough to watch!
To view on YouTube, click here.
Triumphant.
But soon thereafter the deed was done and we looked around us after having been so ensconced in this life-and-death struggle, and the sun was setting, and it was time for us to go to leave the hero with his prize while we digested what we had just witnessed.
Marvelous series of images, thanks for sharing. How fortunate to be able to see and capture this handsome cheetah.
Magnificent animal, if they had enough room to roam and hunt, without being stolen their offsprings for exploiting them as pets, there would be many more all over Africa and Asia. I never like to see a kill, especially when it lasts for a long time. The mother didn’t fight to help her calf, maybe she was too far or thought it lost. It’s a significantly large prey however. And the lack of oxygen makes the death less painful at last. Do you think this male may be the father of the three adorable cubs?
The mother was hiding in some bushes nearby and came out of them when the cheetah started eating the calf. It was really so sad to see her watching her young one being devoured. Nature can be really cruel.
Hi Kyle, that was indeed an incredible chase and after that such a struggle of the kudu to regain some strength. In vain, as the cheetah didn’t let go. Life and death, in such close proximity. Both fighting for survival. A very special sighting.
Oh my word, how dramatic that was and how lucky you were to see it. Not easy to watch, but I hope he managed to keep the calf – so often they lose their kill almost straightaway to hyenas etc.
This was a brilliant capture of a cheetah hunt and highlights the aftermath when the predator is so exhausted and worried about other predators, he fails to complete the deed immediately. He looks like the male I viewed last year, a beautiful specimen of this not often seen big cat within Londolozi. The observation of a kill can be upsetting, but it is survival for the cheetah in addition to other species and at the end of the day if cheetahs don’t hunt and kill, they will perish. All the accompanying images delicately told the story.
Great pictures and video Kyle. Hard to watch but nature is unforgiving when survival is at stake..
Wow Kyle, you definitely have a gift for storytelling and the video was super. Especially captivating was the shot as he crept down off the termite mound and came directly toward you! The calf put up a valiant fight but not nearly as lucky as Euce’s camera!!! “Keep going, boet (brother)!”
What a stunning Cheetah male and the video of him stalking and killing the kudu calf is an eye opener for someone wanting to see the chase, kill, all in a video. Shame I felt sorry for the calf and the mother kudu. Female Cheetah with her 3 cubs are gorgeous.