In front of a tourist-filled car, two cheetahs—Rain and her cub—chased down and caught an impala in the Pilanesberg Game Reserve.
The full-speed cheetah hunt was documented by field guide Cole van Rooyen at the Lush Private Lodge in Pilanesberg National Park. Cole provides LatestSightings.com with his story and video.
We waited at a herd of impala for around 15 to 20 minutes since we knew Rain the cheetah and her two cubs were nearby. Rain raced past our car and into the forest as the impala abruptly began to flee. We were mistaken in thinking that the action had gone out of the frame of our camera.
Impalas have developed adaptations to live in Africa with the large cats. They can run at speeds of up to 60 mph and are incredibly quick and agile. They also possess excellent senses, which enable them to recognize predators at a distance and warn their herd of impending danger through alarm calls.
One of the nine cheetahs in Pilanesberg National Park, Rain is a well-known member of the species. She has given birth to five litters of cubs at the park and is an older cheetah. Given that cheetahs typically have 4 litters over their lifetime, this is quite an accomplishment. The park’s highly endangered cheetah population has been preserved in large part thanks to rain.
“Rain swung around and chased a young Impala right past the side of our car,” the driver said. Just inches away from us, they pass. She charged the impala and choked it to death, giving herself and her pups a much-needed meal.
The amazing speed, agility, and hunting skills of cheetahs are well known. In just a few seconds, they can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph. They are the world’s swiftest land animals as a result. Their lean, powerful physique are made for sprinting and making fast maneuvers. While running, their long tails aid in balance.
Rain is a real survivor and has made a significant contribution to the Pilanesberg National Park’s cheetah population. She has raised five litters of cubs, which is a testament to her tenacity and fortitude. I feel tremendously lucky to having seen her in action. Keep a watch out for Rain and her cubs if you ever have the chance to visit Pilanesberg National Park; you never know what kind of spectacular occasion might occur.
Most of us admire and admire the images of predatory animals catching antelope with beautiful skills such as stalking, running at high speed, sneak attack …, but almost no one. Notice the anguish and sorrow of the antelope in its dying moment when it is captured by the hunters.
The duiker is one of the animals with a relatively large population in sub-Saharan Africa. This species is characterized by moderate, sharp horns and small body. An adult duiker is about 40 cm tall and weighs 4-6 kg. They are known for being shy, so detecting even the slightest sign of threat will quickly retreat to the nearest bush to hide.
As a major herbivore plus a large number, duiker antelope is an abundant food source for African savannah predators such as wild dogs, cheetahs, hyenas, and lions. …
The clip recorded by guide Zadri White at the AndBeyond Phinda Animal Sanctuary is one of the rare footage that captures the pitiful image of an antelope when it has to fight off the aggression of the cheetah.
Sorrowfully recalling sad memories, White recounts the incident that happened one afternoon in torrential rain. On the way back home after a busy working day, the guide caught sight of cheetahs (gepa) walking with small cubs, so he stopped to observe.
Suddenly, the mother leopard sped up, ran all the way across the road and disappeared into a thicket of grass by the roadside.
But just seconds later, the leopard returned with a trophy, a duiker in its mouth.
The heavy rain made the dirt road more slippery than ever. This makes it very difficult for the leopard to hold its prey.
The poor antelope does everything it can to fight against the ferocious predator. However, its low-pitched cry seemed to upset the leopard. Therefore, the leopard makes more efforts, using its large body to pin its prey to the ground, then using its sharp teeth to attack the prey’s throat.
The leopard bit the antelope’s throat to stop it from screaming.
According to White, the reason the leopard had to urgently “silence” the antelope was because the loud noise could attract other predators, leading to a lot of trouble.
At one point, the antelope almost escaped from the leopard’s grip, but the opportunity quickly passed. It can be seen that, although only a small creature, but the antelope still causes a lot of difficulties for the leopard. To be able to get a meal, the leopard struggled for at least more than 6 minutes to conquer the antelope.
White said: “I’ve witnessed many gepa hunts during my time working in Phinda. Most of the leopard’s hunts are brief and quick, even if it’s prey. much larger, but in this hunt the leopard encountered a real obstacle. very deserving of a meal enough to feed herself and her children.”