Big Cat and Dog Spat

Peter Haygarth's Image

In a rare encounter, a lone male cheetah is set upon by a pack of African wild dogs. At first the dogs were wary, but as the rest of their 12-strong pack arrived their confidence grew. They began to encircle and probe the big cat, chirping with excitement. It was all over a few minutes later, when the cheetah fled.

Both cheetahs and African wild dogs have disappeared from large parts of their former territories, with fewer than 7,000 individuals left of each. Threatened by habitat loss, they exist at very low population densities. Pack sizes of African wild dogs have sharply declined from being as many as a hundred members strong to as few as seven to 15 individuals.


Behind the lens

Peter Haygarth

Peter Haygarth

UK

Previously in the RAF and police force, Peter is on his third career as a photographer and videographer. His photography journey began in 1981, when he bought an SLR camera and later achieved a qualification in photography at a local college. He took his first trip to Africa in 2007, in Kenya's Maasai Mara National Reserve. He returns to central and southern Africa whenever he can.

Image details

  • Nikon D4S
  • 400mm f2.8 lens
  • 1/640 sec at f5  •   ISO 800
  • Zimanga Private Game Reserve, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
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