We followed the trio of the famous Tatu Bora cheetahs for most of the morning. After a couple of failed hunting attempts the cats settled down under some shrubs to rest and we moved on. Thirty minutes later we learned they'd successfully killed an impala. We raced to the area in time to see one of the cheetahs dragging the corpse under a bush. He feasted on the kill until his brothers showed up and joined in. The big cats wasted no time devouring their kill before resident hyenas caught the scent of the prize. I was able to get this shot when the cheetah raised his head above the bloody remains of the impala. The eye contact added power to the story and the dappled light highlighted his face and spotted coat.

A pair of sub adult male lions tussle with each other after the rain. Their huge paws and strong legs show off the innate power of these apex predators. Play is an important part of developing the hunting skills these two will need when they are forced to move out of the pride and fend for themselves.

There was barely enough light to expose this pride of hungry lions feasting on a recent kill in the growing darkness. A subadult male lifted his head briefly. His paw established ownership and his stare challenged anyone to dare to threaten his position as the apex predator.