There are times when a sighting can be both upsetting and humbling, as the power and brutality of nature take centre stage.
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Alistair witnessed an incredible moment which showcased the sheer force and fury behind a kill, admitting that while nature can seem so cruel, animals need to survive.
A moment of raw brutality
Alistair and his guests had gone out on a drive when they heard a nearby herd of impala calling out in distress. Impalas have a unique alarm call and this is the call these impalas were giving out.
Their alarm call sounds like a loud snort, and is used to notify others in the herd of potential danger. They don’t use it lightly, so as a guide, Alistair knew something was up!
Cheetahs zone in on impala
He said driving in the direction of the alarm calls, they found two cheetahs watching the impala.
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The cheetahs suddenly started chasing after the impala, and after singling out one and chasing it for about 200 metres, they eventually managed to catch it.
The impala was brought down to the ground and it seemed the cheetah had made a successful kill.
However, while the cheetahs had successfully brought the impala to the ground, they didn’t kill it then and there. One of them started to eat it, while the other attempted to kill it but was unsuccessful.
The impala’s struggle was evident. It lifted its head time and again but the cheetahs wouldn’t relent. They had it successfully in their grip and ate, in spite of it still being alive.
This was when the scene became even more grissly. A clan of four hyenas arrived on the scene. As scavengers, hyenas often steal the kills of other predators.
The four hyenas stole the impala from the feeding cheetah. They showed no courtesy or dining etiquette in the handling of the situation, but presented a grotesque, vulgar handling of the buck. As the cheetah had, they started to feed on it while it was still alive!
“It was an action-packed and exhilarating experience. Although difficult to watch the impala being eaten alive, it was a once in a lifetime sighting we could not tear our eyes away from,” said Alistair.
Hyenas polish off impala
The impala had its head up and was fully awake and aware, as the hyenas fed from its hind quarters. It was by this stage, too weak and injured to make a getaway. “I have been guiding for 15 years and have never seen something like this!” said Alistair.
A group of hyenas can eat a whole animal in a relatively short period of time and Alistair explained that by the time they left the sighting, there was no sign of the impala. The cheetahs had by this stage disappeared from sight.
The gruesome sighting was a reminded how the natural world is often full of dramatic interactions. Many predators will use methods which swiftly kill their prey, however others, such as hyenas and wild dogs, will often eat their prey while it is still alive.
“My advice to anyone who experiences something like this, even though it is harsh for most, is to absorb every moment of it!” said Alistair, humbled by what he witnessed.