The tables were turned on this cheetah, when the intended prey, a warthog, suddenly became the pursuer!
The unbelievable moment was a reminder that nature is full of surprises, and that sometimes the ‘little guy’ can turn out to be the hero, especially when he has the right connections.
Then there’s the old adage that dynamite comes in small packages. In this moment, this was definitely true!
Stealthy cheetah approaches warthogs
Cameron started filming when a brazen cheetah started to approach a warthog. The warthog, flanked by two others, clearly saw the cheetah, and locked eyes with it as it approached.
However, when the cheetah suddenly and without warning broke out into a sprint, it appeared that the warthog didn’t have a flying chance of getting away.
Known for their speed, cheetahs can reach speeds of up to 100–120 km/h in under three seconds. However, they can only sustain this speed for about 20 to 30 seconds before overheating. As such, every hunt is a gamble of energy.
With the warthog having evaded the cheetah’s pursuit, the cheetah eventually slowed down.
Warthogs are within a cheetah’s potential prey range, however, as this sighting shows, they are actually far from easy targets. Adult warthogs can weigh between 50 and 150kg. Though they may look awkward while kneeling to graze, they are surprisingly fast and agile when alarmed!
This cheetah wasn’t about to take down the warthog with any ease. Having chased the warthogs with no success, it now stood still before them.
Tables turn as warthogs start to chase cheetah
The three warthogs stood to attention and after eyeing the cheetah for a few moments, did something completely unexpected. They started to chase the predator!
The pursuer becomes the pursued
The cheetah turned to sprint in the opposite direction; no longer the pursuer but the pursued.
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The warthogs ganged together as they chased the cheetah. They functioned as a unit, determined to rid their section of the savanna of any threats.
The cheetah ran as fast as it could out of the way, eventually disappearing from sight.
Warthogs successfully clear area of cheetah
The warthogs appeared to gloat in the aftermath of their victory. With the threat gone, the trio stood triumphantly against the backdrop of the bushveld terrain.
However, surprising this encounter was, it’s actually not unusual for warthogs to put up a fight when their survival is challenged.
Warthogs are not the most graceful animals on the savannah, but they are far from helpless. They are toughies! Stocky and surprisingly fast, they can sprint up to 48 km/h when threatened.
Their curved tusks are also formidable weapons, especially in the hands of a cornered adult. Despite their comical appearance and habit of kneeling on their front knees while grazing, warthogs are alert and reactive.
While their eyesight is moderate, their hearing and sense of smell are sharp, and they rarely feed without periodically lifting their heads to scan for danger.
These ones refused to be sitting ducks in the face of an approaching threat.