18th Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Natural World
An Astonishing Chase

In one of my visit to Masai Mara, I was just concentrating only on cheetah hunts. So me and my guide we spotted a cheetah and spend the whole day watching it closely. This happened for many days and on the second last day of my trip, this cheetah targeted a small gazelle and started chasing it. This was the same moment when I observed some land portion where the grass was burnt. So I asked my guide to park the vehicle in such a way that if the cheetah comes that way I can capture a good frame. Luckily the cheetah started running towards the gazelle exactly the way I wanted and I was able to capture it running in between the black grass with dust forming behind its legs creating a magical frame. But the end was more astonishing. The cheetah started playing with the gazelle fawn like its own cub and then after sometime let it free to its mother. Even the animals value the life of other animals.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 09.2016
Date Uploaded: 08.2020
Photo Location: Masai Mara, Kenya
Copyright: © THOMAS VIJAYAN