When we booked our first Kgalagadi trip for December 2018, we had no idea what to expect. We dreamt of possible sightings. One was definitely a cheetah hunt.
On our second day in the park, we came across a lone female on the hunt. There was a herd of springbok less than 200 metres away and we were convinced this was it. Together with a few other visitors, we waited patiently for a few hours until they disappeared off her radar, and she decided to rest as the Kalahari sun turned up the heat. We did the same. Later that afternoon, we met the Wessels couple who were at the cheetah sighting earlier that morning.
The next day, we made our way slowly to Nossob Camp. As we approached Melkvlei, we found the Wessels parked facing the riverbed with the dune to their backs. They mentioned the female cheetah had eventually caught some prey the afternoon before. They also told us they had been keeping an eye on an injured springbok in the area and knew of a cheetah that was somewhere beyond the dunes behind them. They were hoping to observe a hunt.
Not having the luxury of playing the waiting game, we decided to head off. Just as we did, Safiyya spotted the cheetah coming over the dune, its eyes locked onto the injured springbok drinking from a puddle in the road, oblivious to danger...read more in Photo Tales.
Story by Bilal Mosam & Safiyya Laher
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