Catching predators mid-hunt always makes for an exciting sighting, but sometimes just seeing them lounging around can also make for unexpectedly tense scenarios. Especially when prey animals are right there in front of them.
Newton Mulenga spotted this warthog getting uncomfortably close to a cheetah near Kafue, in Zambia. The cheetah clearly wasn’t in the mood to hunt, but this was still an incredibly charged sighting as the warthog unknowingly approached the big cat.
Blissfully Unaware
The cheetah was in a position to see the warthog long before the warthog noticed it lying there. The color of its coat meant that it blended perfectly with the long grass around it, making it the perfect location for it to hunker down and remain unseen.
The warthog, slowly making its way up the road, had no idea the cheetah was clandestinely observing it on its journey. While the cheetah is very clear to us in the footage, warthogs don’t have the best eyesight, making it difficult for the big pig to notice the dangerous predator so close by.
To compensate for their eyes, warthogs have developed other senses to help them detect imminent dangers, but if this cheetah was able to stay still and silent, and as long as the wind didn’t change direction, the big cat had a very good chance of remaining undetected.
An Increasing Danger Of Discovery
Eager to avoid discovery, the cheetah hunkered down in the long grass as the warthog approached. It wasn’t in any great hurry, so it only inched closer and closer to the cheetah’s position as it merrily trotted down the road.
The cheetah might have been willing to make an attempt to eat the warthog if the opportunity presented itself, but such a contest would be particularly difficult.
Built primarily for speed, cheetahs lack the strength that other big cats like lions and leopards might be able to muster, and with their large tusks and robust bodies, warthogs aren’t easy prey to overpower.
Frantic Risk Assessment
Without any fellow cheetahs in the coalition to rely on for support, an attack would be particularly foolish. The ideal scenario for the cheetah was for the warthog to pass on by without ever knowing it was there.
As the warthog got even closer, the cheetah hunkered down so low that it became invisible even to the camera, but nevertheless, the warthog seemed to detect that something was there.
The big pig stopped at the side of the road, turning left and right as it surveyed the area. It might have been tipped off by a rustle of the grass, or maybe it got a whiff of the cheetah’s presence.
Get our Best Sightings as they Come in
Mutual Disappearance
Whether or not the warthog actually saw the cheetah is unclear. It seems unlikely as it delved into the long grass close to the big cat, leaving the road to head in a new direction.
But when it went into the long grass it quickly picked up the pace, which would suggest that the warthog was starting to feel unsafe. It disappeared quickly into the grass, breaking out into a run.
The cheetah did not feel the need to give chase, and continued to recline at the side of the road. It was a tense moment, but one which ultimately passed without incident, and both animals continued on to safely enjoy the day.
