Cheetah, the fastest land mammal. With a top speed of seventy miles per hour, there’s not much that can escape this swift agile cat over a short sprint. Normally the cheetah hunts alone, but when a female has cubs nearing maturity, then hunting as a pack can prove successful but sometimes testing.

As the rains came down, activity on the plains of the Masai Mara calmed down. For two hours we sat and watched a lone thomson gazelle move closer to the bush with great caution, as spectators we could sense the tension. Shakira and her three cubs lay in the grass ahead waiting for the rains to ease. At this point all four cheetahs lay facing away from each other looking for the next opportunity. One of the cubs had a firm fix on the nervous gazelle, patiently waiting for it to draw closer (A cheetah will not waist energy in a pursuit if the target is more than a short sprint away).

As the rain stopped, the gazelle froze. It was now all too aware of the dangers ahead. After a few minutes assessing the area around it, the thomson gazelle ran in to the distance away from the hunters. The next day, as dawn broke, we followed Shakira and her cubs along the flats beside the Mara River.

For several hours she guided her cubs over the open land keeping a watchful eye on the nearing herds of gazelle. Suddenly from across the plains three topi antelope charged the pacing cheetahs. Two topi veered off to the small herd of nearby gazelle, and as if they were shepherds, rounded up the gazelle and escorted them to safety. While the remaining topi faced off our hunters.

After a short rest and a refreshing drink from a rainwater puddle, Shakira spotted another lone thomson, this time she had a plan!

While Shakira sat on the crest of a termite mound, the three cubs dispersed. Two headed left and one turned right. On the left, one of the cubs started to crouch down whilst the other continued to move round. A classic pincer movement was being formed. The aim, to push the thomson closer to Shakira for a deadly attack.In an attempt to confuse the young cubs, the herd of gazelles regrouped with its stray companion. Now the cubs became unclear on what to do. Shakira clearly had more teaching to do before her students could graduate.

With a frustrated look, Shakira and the cubs retired in to the bushland to escape the increasingly searing sun.