Cheetahs are the real posers of the wild. I often feel like they act, walk and behave like supermodels. Malaika was one of the most famous cheetahs in Maasai Mara. She is very famous for getting on to the top of safari vehicles to get a better view of the surroundings. When I planned this trip, I decided to spend atleast a day with her. It was a decision I made on the grounds of collective experience. When a cheetah has cubs/sub adults, they tend to hunt atleast on alternative days to feed the young ones. This time Malaika had two sub adults with her. We knew there was a good possibility for a hunt. We spotted the family in the morning, from her behavior, my guide could understand that she was hungry and there was a good chance to witness a hunt. There were not many prey around till afternoon. I took a chance to take an hour’s break for lunch. Once I was back she was still on the move in search of prey. We witnessed around 3-4 chases. By then it was almost time for end of the play, there was a lot of unusual drama. We witnessed Malaika chasing wildebeests, wildebeests chasing Malaika, then Malaika tried her luck with a herd of Topis, but then the unexpected drama happened, Topis decided to chase Malaika. It was a visual treat for us. Unfortunately, cheetah couldn’t make a kill on that evening. I was very lucky to get a shot of her chasing the wildebeest in the horizon, which is my personal favorite among my Mara collections. To end it with a good news - I came to know that she managed to make a kill on the next day. I feel everyone who loves nature, wildlife and travel should visit Mara atleast once in their lifetime.
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