_8504015-Baby Cheetah 1 month old 12x18

Photo #2 Kenya - A dream come true and the shot of lifetime! We were out on our afternoon drive when we came upon a Park Ranger vehicle, full of armed guards and noticed another vehicle pulled off road about 75 yards away, which we later learned were researchers. Our guide Peter stopped and talked to the rangers for a few minutes and then drove off. After we left, he turned with a smile and said the ranges were guarding a mother cheetah with three one month old cubs. He went on to say that the rangers would call him later in the afternoon when most of the park visitors would be gone, and we could go back and try and get pictures. I thought, “well that will never happen”. However, late in the afternoon we got a call saying we could come see the cheetahs. After checking in with the ranger and verifying permission, we were able to draw near and take a few photos. We were told the mother was a very young cat and this was probably her first litter. She was incredibly thin and very hungry. A fire had burned the savanna a few weeks before we arrived, and a lot of cover had burned away. Mom had her cubs in a burnt-out brushy area that provided very little protection. The Mom kept trying to leave to hunt. She would get the cubs settle and asleep. She would carefully get up and leave the cubs, but every time she would make it to edge of the brush this little cheetah would follow her and be right on her heels. She would patiently turn around chirp at the cub and escort it back into the thicket. After about 5 tries she was finally able to leave to hunt. I was only able to snap a few photos because of too many branches making it difficult to see where the cubs were located. The last time the cub followed its mother, I was able to get 2 photos when the cub stepped out of the heavier brush and into a tiny clearing at the back of our vehicle. I only had a few moments and was at a bad angle, but I was ecstatic when I realized I had 2 usable shots. The experience was incredible, it was soul touching. I wanted to see baby cheetahs but I never in a million years would I have dreamed I would be close to new babies. We stayed for a little while and left the pair in peace.
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