Anatomy of a cheetah kill

Witnessing a cheetah chase down its prey is a wildlife spectacle unlike any other on earth. These sleek cats are built for speed. With semi-retractable claws for extra grip, enlarged nostrils, heart and lungs for more efficient oxygen intake and a long tail that acts like a rudder aiding in sharp steering, it’s no surprise that these slender cats are the fastest animals on earth. Our crew were lucky enough to snatch front row seats to a cheetah kill in southern Africa. Here they recount the tale…

We came across a female cheetah lying on a small termite mound in a wildlife reserve in northern Botswana. We don’t often see these animals in this part of the environment, so it was a great find for us. She was alert and looking intently at a small island to the east.

We noticed that she had an injury on her leg, however, we have no way of knowing what caused this wound. It may have been another predator or a prey species such as a male impala, lechwe or warthog. Despite her weakened condition and badly wounded leg, once she had zeroed in on her target, the cheetah took off in a truly magnificent burst of speed. Impalas bounded in every direction. She managed to snatch one and brought it down in a hazy cloud of dust. A cheetah sprinting at full speed is one of nature’s most awesome sights and to see this scene play out before us was a real privilege (note that the images below have been heavily cropped as we were quite far away from the action, but they tell the story).

Once the impala was firmly in the cheetah’s grasp, we moved in for a closer look. She held on doggedly as the impala struggled, never releasing her grip on the animal’s throat. These bursts of speed burn so much energy that cheetahs will rest for quite some time before beginning to feed. She eventually dragged the impala into the shade and we sat beside her watching as she fed on what must have been a very welcome meal. We were struck with a poignant example of the precarious balance of life and death in this tough environment.

Click here for some awesome videos of these slender cats in action.