SERIOUS INTENT

Cheetahs have always been intriguing. They have rightly been described as enigmatic; it’s a bit like meeting frequently with a person who has poise, elegance, class, fleeting moments of warmth and yet is tantalizingly aloof. Physically, in many ways, the cheetah is unlike any other cats; the small head, deep chest, tiny waist, long legs and dog-like claws, which do not retract, all proclaim an athlete built for speed.

An urgent breeze ahead of impending rain bends the dry red-oat grass as the dominant cat rises in one fluid movement and starts the stalk. It reaches forward stealthily, its eyes never wavering from the target. The other cheetahs watch with equal intensity, waiting to see whether their assistance will be required. From a stealthy walk, this elegant, enigmatic cat will move to a trot and finally to a glorious burst of unbelievable speed for the last hundred meters or so of the chase.