We set out early from Tree Camp, bundled in blankets and warm jackets, with one clear goal in mind: finding the Makhatini Female and her three cubs. A report had come in that the family had crossed over from Singita into Londolozi, and the crisp morning air was buzzing with excitement.
The Makhatini Family walking through green grass.
The Elusive Cheetah
Euce and I always enjoy the challenge of tracking animals down on our own, but I won’t lie—when Andrea’s familiar voice crackled through the radio confirming he’d found them, my heart skipped a beat. We had spent much of the previous day trying to locate this family, so when he mentioned they were close to the Singita boundary, we raced to the scene, hoping they would move deeper onto our side of the reserve.
The Makhatini Female has done an exceptional job raising her cubs. At around a year old, they’re now not much smaller than their mother. All three are alive and well—an incredible feat considering the high mortality rate of cheetah cubs, which in some areas can be as low as 5%, though typically it’s closer to 30%. To see all three together, healthy and thriving, is rare and truly special.
Luck on Our Side
As luck would have it, we arrived just moments before the action began. The four cheetahs had locked eyes on a steenbok—an unfortunate antelope caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. What followed was pure magic.
Trying to keep up with the fastest land mammal on Earth is no easy task, but we did our best as the cheetahs burst into a full sprint. It’s one of the only times I’ve ever used 4th gear in my Land Rover! Watching a cheetah run is almost indescribable—sleek bodies stretched and contracting, kicking up dust as they weaved across the open plains in the south-western part of Londolozi, zeroed in on the zigzagging steenbok.
The mother, displaying her remarkable awareness and maternal instinct, slowed her pace slightly and allowed the cubs to take the lead. It was a chance for them to learn. One cub closed in on the steenbok, but in a moment of hesitation, it let the antelope slip past, unsure how to deliver the final blow.
A Mothers Lesson
We held our breath. For a moment, it seemed the steenbok might get away. But the mother,r not one to let an opportunity slide, stepped up. With breathtaking agility, she accelerated past her cubs and took the steenbok down with grace and precision.
Makhatini cubs trying to work out what to do with the steenbok now.
Once she had control of the antelope, she paused, calling the cubs in to join her. Another learning moment had arrived. The cubs bounded over, excitement radiating from them. Still panting from the chase, the steenbok was placed in front of them, and they began to play and pounce, unsure of what to do next. They chased it in short bursts, and though they brought it down several times, they never delivered the decisive bite. After several minutes of this back and forth, the mother, sensing her cubs had gotten what they could from the experience, stepped in once more and quickly ended it.
Makhatini female with a kill.
The Harshness of this Environment
Scenes like these can be hard to watch, but they are vital. This is nature at its raw and wild best. The Makhatini Female must teach her young how to survive in a world where they sit near the bottom of the predator hierarchy.
That morning was unforgettable. A perfect combination of open terrain, ideal timing, and incredible behaviour. We left the sighting with a renewed sense of awe. For a cheetah and her cubs, it was another small victory in the daily struggle for survival. For us, it was a reminder of why we venture out each day: to witness moments like this, where the wild teaches us something new every time.
Young Male Cheetah Cub staring
Thank you for sharing this.
She has done a fantastic job of raising them this far, especially in an area dense with higher ranking predators. Let’s hope they all survive and go on and raise families of their own. Remind me–did she originally have four cubs or five?
Hi Nic, cheetah are wonderful creatures, this family is an excellent success as the mother has been adamantine… yes, they may be at the bottom of the predators hierarchy when there’s a lonely female caring for her cubs, but I followed the incredible lives of the “Fast Five”, a five cheetah brothers coalition that allowed them to hunt sort of like lions and get down usually big male wildebeest. If the biggest prey a lone cheetah female is usually an impala or a Thompson or Grant gazelle, for those bigger and strong young male, led by a leader, it usually was no less than a wildebeest and they were unbeatable… how things change when environmental situations favours the optimal circumstances! I also watched a mother and a daughter that stayed together and she babysitted the new cubs, or sisters trying to maintain a sort of a small pride… in this their behaviour appear more plastic than leopards, if leopards are like the Nkoveni or the Three Rivers female there is enough evidence that they don’t need to create
a coalition/small pride … all so fascinating and thank you for the wonderful images of those incredible big cats…
Nic: It is heartwarming to know the three have survived and have learned. We saw the three last September after the able eye spotting of V/Megan. They have grown so much. Looking forward watching their independence. Thank you for sharing this exhilarating search.
Beautiful site all thise cheetahs together, reminds me that life isn’t all bad
What an exciting morning drive! Having seen a cheetah hunt once, I know it left you all amazed! Loved your story-telling, Nic!
Wow, I would say that this sighting qualified as finding the holy grail – finding cheetahs as they stalk, then witnessing their incredible speed, take down their prey. Thanks for including the video as it demonstrates the naivety of the cubs at this stage – not yet knowing how to administer the final blow. Survival for prey animals is difficult at best and the cheetahs being at the bottom of the hierarchy, need to work that much harder to take down their meal, then keep it away from others.
Hi Nic, it is hard to watch as the little steenbok was chased and later killed. The cubs must learn how to chase and kill and lastly start eating on the kill. That is how it happens in the bush and only the strongest survive. So glad all 3 cubs are still alive and mom is doing a fantastic job keeping these 3 alive and fed.
Nic!!!! That was so gorgeous and amazing!!!! I am enthralled with momma predator cats teaching their cubs to hunt!!! It is truly brilliant. I met Makhatini and her tiny baby cubs last September. So exciting to see them survive and thrive! Thanks so much for sharing.
Boy oh boy do I wish I could see them run their prey down! I saw a male cheetah run down and get a baby zebra in the Western Serengeti, the speed was incredible, he literally left a cloud of dust. Blurry video, but clear watching him stalk and killing the baby was clear.
I can’t wait to come back to Londolozi. The most special part is that you all know the individual animals.
It is indeed very hard to watch kills like this, where the killing of an animal by the cubs or maybe even the adult predators can take a very long time. But, as you said, it’s nature, wilderness, and predators must survive as well as all the other animals. This mother cheetah is certainly very good at teaching her cubs how to survive in such competitive environment.
Nic, Bravo on getting to the right place at the right time! Great video and we guess the cubs still have a lot to learn!!!