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The Cheetah is a magnificent athlete, a speed champion
capable of 100-120 km/h, but only over a very short
distance of bout 200 meters. Here he sits, surveying
the immense savannah, preparing for the hunt.

What makes a successful wildlife photographer ?
How do Vincent and I work ?

We arrive on location and must gradually get to
know the place. We will know if the moment is right
as it will be obvious if the light is good. Or perhaps
we will realise that there is an opportunity in the
territory of a cheetah if it appears that the animal may
hunt for a gazelle. Indeed, by following the cheetah's 
gaze, one often sees a gazelle perhaps 100 meters away.
And if the light is not good ? The photographer will rarely
take images if the light is poor, except if the opportunity
for an exceptional image presents itself - perhaps
something very rarely seen.

This is a majestic animal with a haughty and proud appearance
During the hunt, the cheetah does not have a second chance
if its prey manages to escape. Indeed
its favorite food, the small Thomson gazelle can maintain a
speed of 80 to 90 km/h over several hundred of meters and
can easily out-endure the cheetah should fail on its first
attempt. After a failed chase, the cheetah lays down
and rests , sometimes for several hours , until it has the
strength to hunt again . The photographer can tell from the
shape of stomach of the Cheetah if it is going to hunt soon. 

This is only Quinny (and her young) which have discovered that
by climbing onto car roofs they can better survey the savannah.

Here Quinny tries to teaches her three young one year old cubs
how to hunt, but they prefer to play rather than hunt !

The Cheetah is a very fragile animal. Females give birth
to about 6-8 kittens of which only 2 to 3 will survive.
One of the main reasons is, that the Cheetah is poor
climber - its claws are not as sharp as those of the
Leopard and do not retract . It therefore can not
protect itself or its young by climbing trees like the
Leopard. The result is the unfortunate loss of half
of its young. .

Adult cheetahs are wary of any interaction with other
animals. Its paws are very fragile and the slightest
injury which could affect its ability to run and hunt
would condemn it immediately to dead.

A knock from a small wild boar can be enough to damage
a Cheetah.
Cheetah hunt often in groups, but males live together
without the females remaining alone to raise their cups.

a good link for all about cheetah :

http://lynx.uio.no/catfolk/jubssa1a.htm

Here is a mother with her 8 young ones. The young
keep their white mane during their first three months.