On a recent trip to Ndutu, which forms part of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area in the Serengeti, we were privileged to encounter 14 different cheetahs during our 2 week stay. If you consider that cheetah occur at much lower densities than other big cats, like lion, sometimes seldom exceeding two for every 100 square kilometers, then this must undoubtedly be one of the best cheetah destinations in the world.
With the vast open spaces of the Ndutu plains and food in abundance as the big herd of migrating wildebeest slowly make its way up to the North, it is not surprising that this must be ideal country for the world’s fastest land mammal. I hope you enjoy the following images of these magnificent animals.
Always special to encounter cheetah, but then to find them in short grass is a photographer’s dream.
Nikon D5 | Tamron 150 – 600mm G2 @ 600mm | 1/5000sec at f/7.1| ISO 640 | EV -1.3
Playful cubs with Lake Ndutu as backdrop
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Nikon D5 | Tamron 150 – 600mm G2 @ 420mm | 1/2500sec at f/16 | ISO 1250 | EV -1
Shaking off rain drops
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Nikon D500 | Tamron 150 – 600mm G2 @ 280mm | 1/1600sec at f/5.6 | ISO 1250 | EV -0.3
On the lookout
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Nikon D5 | Tamron 150 – 600mm G2 @ 450mm | 1/4000sec at f/14 | ISO 1250 | EV -1
Young sub adult cheetah on the move
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Nikon D500 | Tamron 150 – 600mm G2 @ 380mm | 1/2000sec at f/8 | ISO 1250 | EV -0.3
One of “the brothers” successful in killing a young Thomson’s gazelle. Nikon D500 | Tamron 150 – 600mm G2 @ 240mm | 1/2500sec at f/11 | ISO 1000 | EV -0.7
Interesting to notice that playtime is normally followed by hunting. These cubs entertained us for a while before their body language changed to pursue the act of hunting. They were unfortunately unsuccessful.
Nikon D5 | Tamron 150 – 600mm G2 @ 600mm | 1/2000sec at f/13 | ISO 1250 | EV -1
Warm greetings Elana