Whales, Wildlife & Wilderness                                                                                                                                                 Pam & Wayne Osborn

Kenya - Masai Mara - Cheetahs

Mum & The 3 Kids

This lady is a superb hunter and we spent seven days watching her and her cubs in the Mara.

 

We were told she had recently raised one litter of 6 cubs successfully - keeping them all fed and safe until they can hunt for themselves is a big challenge.

 

Apparently she had 4 cubs in this litter but lost one to a hyena.

 

All the cheetah images on this page are from this family.

The One That Got Away

This lucky Thomson's gazelle put on a good turn of speed and escaped her charge.

The Fastest Land Animal

She can accelerate to 100 kph in 3 seconds and reach 120 kph. It's a blur to watch but her range is limited to about 500 metres so she needs to get close before she unleashes the charge.

The Fastest Land Animal

She can accelerate to 100 kph in 3 seconds and run at 120 kph for up to 500 metres. This limited range means she must get close to her prey before unleashing her charge.

Successful Hunt

This hunt was successful. She tripped this female Thomson's gazelle and has begun to suffocate her prey.

Life Goes On

A herd of zebras look on as the cheetah family feeds.

Bored Cub Trouble

One of her adventurous cubs decides to take a look inside a safari car.

Hyenas Not Welcome

Cheetahs are fine bodied and vulnerable to injury. They hunt during the heat of the day when other predators are less active and they are less likely to have their prey taken from them.

 

Hyenas are always on the lookout for a free meal. In these images a hyena approached the cheetah family.  They were not happy.

Another Kill

This was a long chase and the cubs were left behind. Hyenas are circling but haven't seen her.

She knows they are there and patiently waits and doesn't feed.

Cubs Waiting

The cubs are waiting 200 metres away but she can't call them in without giving her position away. We counted 13 hyenas circling but they still haven't seen her.

Time To Feed

She knows the hyenas are closing and decides to start feeding before they find her. She will at least get a part meal.

Hyenas Close In

She won't risk injury by putting up a fight.  As the hyenas closed in, she abandoned her kill. The cubs will go hungry tonight.

Hyenas Win Out

The gazelle was pregnant and the hyenas strip the foetus from the carcass.

Busted

The cubs run, but its too late. An alarm call from a blacksmith plover alerted the Thomson's gazelle herd and they moved out of harms way.