cheetah – Page 10 – Christian Sperka Photography

2014-07-18

Gate guards and models!

The last few days I have been working in my office. Which is not bad, but not nearly as good as being out there on game drives. Even so, staying at Thanda house has its merits, too.

This morning our two male Cheetah came for a visit and acted as gate guards for a few hours.

They also posed as models 🙂

Yesterday, a journey of Giraffes and a dazzle of Zebras was grazing in front of the gate during midday.

And the day before our Elephants had a late afternoon drinking and bathing session at the waterhole on the south side of Thanda house.

So, my time at the office got interrupted by some of my “wild friends” offering good sightings!

2014-01-14

Mother and Daughter!

This young Cheetah female stays very close to mum, whose tail provides comforting contact. A beautiful Thanda Cheetah sighting!

2013-11-28

We had not seen the Thanda Cheetah female and her cubs for quite a while. So it was exciting moment for the Thanda guests, the tracker and the guide when the Thanda Wildlife Management announced over the radio that the three Cheetah had been spotted.

When we arrived at the scene the female had just killed a baby Impala. Her two cubs – a boy and a girl – started feeding immediately while mum kept a watchful eye on the surrounding.

We stayed for almost an hour observing these beautiful cats.

The Cheetah mum catching an baby Impala.

The young boy is smacking his lips after a good meal.

The little girl is having a look at bird flying by.

Cheetah family assembled for breakfast.

2013-10-02

They are well!

We saw the Thanda Cheetah mum today with her two cubs. Both of the cubs have grown a lot and are looking very healthy – they look like real Cheetah now 🙂 – What a sighting!

During the same game drive I got my first picture of a Pygmy Kingfisher and we had sightings of our two male Cheetah, three Lions and two Spotted Hyena feeding on a kill.

2013-08-242013-08-24

Cheetah at Lunch!

Thanda’s two male Cheetah killed a female Nyala. The pictures shows them right after they started their meal.

2013-07-23

Exciting encounter!

Thanda’s two Cheetah brothers had an exciting encounter today. When walking along Thanda’s fence line they walked into two Lionesses which gave immediate chase.

The Cheetah out-ran the Lions to the open Savanna and then were very alert for a while to make sure that the “ladies” were no longer around.

2013-07-21

On foot!

Our two Cheetah boys were lying in a recently burned area when we spotted them from the road. Driving off-road is not allowed on freshly burned ground so Bheki and I walked our guest a few meters to get a good view of those two magnificent creatures. Our guest enjoyed the experience very much. The two brothers kept us in view for a few minutes and then lost interest in the six humans nearby. What a sighting!

2013-06-24

Morning Walk with Mum!

Thanda’s three month old Cheetah cubs were on a early morning walk down the road with their mum and the Thanda guests had a good look at them.

When the cubs are this young we do not view them “off-road” so this was a very special treat not only for the guests, but also for all trackers and guides who got to see them that morning.

2013-06-192013-06-19

Cold Sunrise!

When I left Thanda at sunrise our two male Cheetah walked directly towards me. In this picture the “visible” Cheetah’s breath is a sign for a cold winter’s morning in Kwazulu Natal.

I spent an enjoyable day at a hide in Mkuze Game Reserve and I will post a few of today’s images in the near future :-).

… and thanks for all the kind birthday wishes!

2013-06-162013-06-16

Solid Food!

Thanda’s small Cheetah cubs are already eating some solid food. Their mum had hunted an Impala and they joined in the – for Cheetah typical – hasty meal. The three month old the cubs are also still suckling.

The pictures show the cubs in the road waiting for their mum to return from her hunt, mum looking for the cubs and the cubs in the high grass around the kill.

Patience for almost two hours was rewarded with these images!