When a coalition of male cheetahs found intruders within their territory, they didn’t hesitate to defend what was theirs. For one of the intruders, it was a lesson it would not soon forget.
Grant Rattray submitted this dramatic footage to Latest Sightings. He filmed it at South Africa’s Phinda Private Game Reserve.
Intruder alert
As Grant told Latest Sightings, he went to a waterhole, expecting to see the area’s two dominant cheetahs arrive for a drink. To his surprise, he found a pair of intruders already there. Sensing imminent drama, he began filming.
As the residents arrived, the intruders got nervous and started moving away. When the residents spotted them, there was no mistaking the fury in their eyes.
For male cheetahs, their territory is their pride and joy, to be defended at all costs. When scent marking fails to deter intruders, they don’t hesitate to turn to aggression.
The chase
Having weighed up the situation, the residents moved in. Seeing this, the two intruders fled. Subsequently, four cheetahs in full flight treated Grant and his companions to a memorable spectacle.
As the intruders separated, so too did the residents, with one chasing each of the interlopers. While one pair ran from view, the others stayed close to the waterhole.
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The takedown
Consequently, Grant was treated to front-row seats in the battle that followed. First, he saw one of the residents chase down a trespasser.
Then, in a dramatic moment, it tripped up the fleeing animal, bringing the chase to an end.
With its rival lying down submissively, the angry male circled but was hesitant to press home its advantage. As he circled, the other cheetah hissed and snarled, hoping to keep the other from attacking.
Consequently, a stalemate ensued, with each threat countered as the tension continued to rise.
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Second resident returns
Subsequently, the second resident returned, presumably having chased off the other intruder. With that, the balance of power tilted in the resident’s favour.
Unlike his ally, the returnee was in no mood to mess around. No sooner did he return than he attacked.
As he did so, his partner joined in. Consequently, their was a blur of flashing claws and flying fur as the trespasser was overwhelmed.
After taking a beating for several seconds, the battered cat got a brief respite as his attackers backed off.
A severe beating
However, the relief was short-lived. After pausing to catch their breath, the resident pair again attacked.
This time, however, they came from different directions. While one went for his throat, the other targeted his soft belly.
Unfortunately, the video ends while the battle rages on. Let’s hope the intruder escaped, having learnt a vital lesson not to trespass.