Tag: cheetah

Cheetahs often loose their kill to one of the larger predators (Lion, Hyena, Leopard, …) before they are able to start eating.

After making a kill Cheetahs usually have to recover for a while – heavily panting – before they can start eating. If another predator has heard the sounds made during the hunt they will often come running and deprive a Cheetah of its well earned meal.

So unlike Lions who completely concentrate on eating, Cheetahs will sit up very frequently to look around for approaching danger. They usually start eating very fast from the back side of their prey where they can get a lot of meat in a very short time before a potential arrival of any meat-thieves.

This is a picture I took last night of a young Cheetah female on an Nyala kill eating fast and scanning the area between large gulbs of meats.

Technical data: Canon R6 with RF lens f4-6.3/24-240mm | ISO 5000 | 1/500sec | f6.7 | ev+0 | 150mm | WB 6500K | AV Mode | Crop to 20% of original image

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Cheetahs’ eyes are designed to give them a wide-angle view of their surroundings. And their small, flat-faced heads allow their eyes to be positioned for maximum binocular vision.

These beautiful cats also have evolved to reduce the glare from the sun in their view. Black tear lines (or malar stripes) run from their eyes down the sides of their nose to the mouth, attracting the sun away from the eyes.

Yesterday I took this picture in shallow, soft evening light. Both the Cheetah’s eyes and the tear lines are beautifully displayed.

PS: All adult Cheetahs at Thanda Safari have radio collars, which allow our Wildlife team to monitor this endangered species on the reserve.

Technical data: Canon R6 with RF lens f11/800mm | ISO 400 | 1/500sec | ev+0 | WB 6500K | AV Mode | Crop to 25% of original image

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Cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) are very special. Not just because they are beautiful and very fast, but because they are the only cat species built for speed.

In taxonomy (the branch of science concerned with the classification of organisms) they are the only living member of the genus Acinonyx, which sets them apart from the other 40 cat species on earth. With their long legs, semi-retracted claws, excellent vision, and a specially designed steering tail they are designed for short speed runs to kill their prey.

This picture is of one of Thanda Safari’s Cheetah youngsters. I took this portrait a week ago. The black lines running down from the eyes to the mouth on both sides of the nose are the best way of identifying a cat portrait as that of a Cheetah. No other cats shows these tear-lines.

Technical data: Canon R6 with RF lens f11/800mm | ISO 2500 | 1/750sec | ev+0 | WB 6500K | AV Mode | Crop to 20% of original image

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Cheetahs like to sit up on termite hills or any raised point in a landscape to be able to scan for possible prey and – even more important – for possible threats. This Thanda Safari female was staying on a dam wall to have a good look around.

Cheetahs are the only cats built for speed and not for power. Which results in them being the fastest land mammal on earth. They can reach speeds up to 120km/hour (75 mph) for very short periods.

But unfortunately all other major predators will kill them if they get a chance (Lions, Hyenas, Wild Dogs, Leopards). So being alert and fast is essential for their survival. PS: The radio collars on our Cheetahs allows the Endangered Species Monitors to keep an eye on the Thanda Cheetah population.

Technical data: Canon R6 with RF lens f4-6.3/24-240mm | ISO 1600 | 1/500sec | f6.3 | ev+0 | 240mm | WB 6500K | AV Mode | Crop to 15% of original image

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Four Cheetah cubs following mum …

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Male Cheetah at Thanda Safari

Technical Data: Canon R6 with RF lens 24-240 at 150mm ISO6400 1/500sec f6.7 ev-0.5

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One of my favorite pastimes …

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