Male cheetahs harass lone female in Botswana
Wildlife filmmakers on a safari in Botswana got a front-row seat to a feisty standoff between four male cheetahs and one lone female cheetah.
A safari drive that presents the opportunity to view cheetahs up close is sure to be a memorable one, even if the animals are reclining in the shade for the duration of the sighting.
But fortunately for wildlife videographer Anton Campbell-Harris, the five cheetahs he saw on a game drive in Botswana were not only active, they were also engaged in an action-packed battle of wits.
A female cheetah was walking alone when she was accosted by four males. It is presumed that the cheetah was in heat, and that is what attracted the males to her.
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The female ran from the coalition, jumping up into a tree in a bid to escape them. They chased her up there and began grabbing at her. Anton kept his camera trained on the action as the five cheetahs moved back to the ground where the female continued to try and shake her harassers off.
She runs towards the cars on the side of the road, trying once again to lose the male cheetahs. At this moment, the cheetahs could easily have turned their attention to the people in the cars, possibly attacking them. Remarkably, they were so engrossed in their confrontation that they did not even notice their human audience.
Confrontations such as these are common around mating season when the otherwise solitary cheetahs go out looking for mates.
The male cheetahs eventually tire of their pursuit and come to rest in the shade, leaving the female in peace.
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