17th Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Natural World
King of his castle

A mail cheetah surveys his area from a termite heap. He used this position to mark his territory, defecating on the mound and urinating against it. This way, other cheetahs would know that this is his domain. The light was soft after a short rainshower, and the cheetah graced me with a full-on stare. The dry Etosha pan in the background provides a kaleidoscope of colours from blue to yellow.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 10.2019
Date Uploaded: 11.2019
Photo Location: Windhoek, Namibia
Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
Copyright: © Elize Labuschagne