A couple on safari in the Serengeti got closer to the wildlife than expected when a curious cheetah pounced on their vehicle to observe them through an open sunroof
Edgar Cobos cautiously looks up as the cheetah peers below Photo: Serengeti Safari Camp
Travellers on safari
go to considerable effort to see animals in their natural habitat but one
honeymooning couple found they were the ones under observation when a
curious cheetah pounced on the roof of their car to look at them through an
open sunroof.
From Washington DC, newlyweds Edgar and Stacie Cobos were on a safari game
drive in the Serengeti when the predator leapt onto their vehicle. Spread
over 14 per cent of Tanzania, the Serengeti is a protected reserve that
houses an exceptionally varied collection of wildlife. Among the natural
phenomena that can be witnessed there is the
great migration, when almost two million wildebeest move through the
region en masse. Visitors who want to see
big cats in the wild might encounter lions and leopards in addition to
cheetahs, and the Serengeti is also home to rhinos, buffalos and elephants.
Mr and Mrs Cobos were exploring the area while staying at the Serengeti Safari Camp. A luxury mobile camp positioned in northern Tanzania, it features just six tents and is repositioned throughout the year so guests remain in close proximity to the passing migration and can observe the abundance of wildlife that follow it. Residents at the camp have use of a library and bar and dine together at a communal table each evening.
As for the cheetah that took such a keen interest in the couple, it remained
in place long enough for the unnerved passengers below to cautiously
photograph the event before losing interest and moving on.
Tourists who want to see cheetahs in the Serengeti are most likely to make
sightings in February, when the grass is short. The number of big cats in
Africa has dropped by 95 per cent in 50 years and there are now just 8,000
cheetahs roaming in the wild.
Earlier this year our safari columnists also had a remarkable encounter with cheetahs in the Serengeti, where one of the big cats jumped on the bonnet of their 4x4.
source
Earlier this year our safari columnists also had a remarkable encounter with cheetahs in the Serengeti, where one of the big cats jumped on the bonnet of their 4x4.
source