A few days
before my departure for a 4 night stay at Mashatu Game Reserve, I saw on a
Facebook posting of this very special cheetah family with four sub adult cubs.
The cubs where about 15 months old and looked healthy. I was so excited and
hoped that they would stay around for my visit as part of a photography
workshop led by Greg du Toit. As it turned out, we saw the family every single
day, although they were mostly relaxing in the company of each other for the
first two days. Not discouraged, we kept checking on them on the third day and
witnessed a failed attempt of a hunt. Exhausted, Mama retreated to the shade of
a bush and was comforted by her cubs.
We were
about to leave them when a large troop of baboons began to come into view. The
family hastily retreated and one of the cubs took off, but the remaining 3 cub’s
buddle with their Mama at the base of the bush. We feared the worst.
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Cheetah family
surrounded by baboons.
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Baboons
showed aggression. The cub on the right rose up to meet the challenge.
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Baboons
attacking. Mama was fending off some baboons on the right side (out of the
picture) while one of the cubs decided to take the matter in its hands and
leapt out at the attacking baboons on the left.
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The
courageous cub drew the attackers away from the family and then turned and
faced them. One of the cubs that fled earlier could be seen in the background.
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Cub turned
and was ready to take on two attacking baboons. The baboons were surprised by
the courageous cub and decided to leave him alone.
Text and Photographs By: Loi Nguyen
If you would like to join Greg on a Premier Predator Safari next year, click on the link below:
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