Great Plains Conservation submitted this video to Latest Sightings. Unfortunately, no information was supplied detailing where the incident occurred.
Challenges of motherhood
Being a single mother is challenging at the best of times. But more so, when you’re a female cheetah with four young cubs.
Not only must she protect and feed them, but she must also lead them safely across often dangerous obstacles. And, this is exactly the situation faced by the adult cheetah featured in this video
As we join the action, we see that the female is leading her four cubs along the bank of a river.
Why did the cheetah cross the river?
As they make their way along the grassy bank, it becomes apparent that the mother cheetah is looking for a place where she and her offspring can cross safely.
Judging by how the female is snarling at the water, this is not a situation that she feels comfortable about. However, for whatever reason, she is determined to cross and gingerly gets her front paws wet.
Oops!
Tentatively, she extends her front leg over the water. And now we see how swiftly the water is flowing by the way it sprays off her paw.
Subsequently, she loses her footing and falls forward into the strong current. For her cubs, there is nothing that they can do but watch.
In an instant, the strong torrent sweeps the mother away, and she struggles to keep her head above the water.
Meanwhile, back on the bank, her cubs do their best to keep up, only narrowly avoiding a similar fate. If any of the youngsters were to fall into the water, they would surely drown.
Swimming for safety
Having recovered from the initial shock of her plunge, the mother cheetah tries to get back to dry land. However, she is having a hard time of it.
Aside from the imminent danger to herself, should she drown, the chances of her offspring surviving would be slim.
Possibly realising this, the four cubs clamber along the riverbank in pursuit of their mom, their expressions one of growing concern.
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Safe at last
Then, to our relief, we see that the mother cheetah has somehow managed to get out of the water and is safely on dry land.
Moments later, her cubs catch up and we can all breathe a sigh of relief.
You’re going to WHAT?
Now, you’d think that after her soggy ordeal, the mother would start looking for other options. Maybe she could turn around and go elsewhere? Or, at the bare minimum, find a safer place to attempt the crossing.
But no, what does she do? As if she had not nearly drowned, she once again approaches the water’s edge, as if preparing to try her luck again.
Ok, so we’ve all heard that cats have nine lives, but surely this is pushing it. Especially as she has four adorable cubs that depend on her.
As the video ends at this point, we, unfortunately, don’t find out what happens next. We can only hope that she was just taking a drink and went on to keep both herself and her cubs safe.
