It had been an extremely hot day at Sabi Sabi and like most animals and guests, two cheetahs found comfort in some shade. With the sun starting to fall into the horizon, so did the temperature. With the temperature becoming more comfortable, the duo of cheetahs got active and started grooming.

A pretty standard cheetah sighting suddenly got more exciting. They started moving towards a waterhole in beautiful golden light. The thought of the two cheetahs drinking from a water source not far from where we found them got me excited for the photographic opportunities that may lie ahead. We positioned the vehicle on the opposite end of the open area just before the water source anticipating the cheetah’s movements. We were spot on, and they made a beeline straight towards the water. An incredible photo opportunity lay ahead with the two cheetahs walking straight towards the vehicle in the open area, the sun setting in the background.

They looked fairly well fed and were not desperate for a meal. I often get asked by guests how often the predators would hunt, this is a difficult question as there is no right answer. My answer is always "they will hunt when an opportunity presents itself." This day was proof of this. The cheetah was walking straight towards the water with no intention of hunting. After a long hot day, water was a priority until a steenbok was disturbed in the middle of the open area. The female steenbok headed straight for the tree line hoping it would go undetected, unfortunately for the steenbok, the cheetah was aware and alert to the opportunity that just presented itself. A steenbok in an open area with no cover is a fairly easy catch for a cheetah and on this occasion, the female cheetah took full advantage.

Cheetahs kill prey by a stranglehold to the neck. Being a lot more slender than their competition, cheetahs need to be alert and aware at all times. Where possible, it is important for cheetah to take their kill to a thicket out of sight from vultures. When vultures spot a kill, they will circle attracting more vultures. The vulture activity will bring in other unwanted attention from lions, leopards, hyenas and even jackals.

Once secured and the cheetah has had an opportunity to catch its breath, it will quickly start to feed. Generally, the cheetah will slice through the hind rump using a carnassial shear, upper premolars and lower molars are used together to slice tough food giving access to the easier-to-eat pieces.

On this occasion, the subadult male fed first while mom caught her breath. Mom then got her turn to feed before a couple hyena entered and stole the remains of the kill. Cheetah are extremely successful hunters but do however lose a high percentage of their kills.

On safari, it is always important to expect the unexpected and always have your camera ready. It's often when you least expect the action and sightings to happen that the unthinkable happens.