See The Dramatic Results When A Group Of Lightning-Fast Cheetahs Chase An Antelope

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Not many animals can compete with the speed and agility of a cheetah. These big cats can reach running speeds up to 80 miles an hour, earning them the title of the fastest land animal. In southwest Kenya, close to the Tanzanian border, sits the Maasai Mara National Reserve, a protected savannah wilderness.

Also known as “The Mara,” this area is home to a plethora of wild animals including elephants, lions, antelope, hippos, and more. People from all over the world visit this area to experience what it’s like in the savannah. 

On one of these excursions, a group of tourists witnessed a beloved coalition of five cheetahs called Tano bora. This group of spotted cats was chasing after a topi antelope. It’s incredible to see just how quickly cheetahs can catch up to their prey.

Topi antelopes can run quite fast, reaching speeds of around 56 miles per hour. We’ve included a video of the chase below for your viewing pleasure. One of the comments on the video reads, “The topi is really one of the only herbivores to be able to compete with the cheetah!”

We couldn’t agree more! 

Cheetah Hunting Strategy

Although we can’t quite tell from the footage, it looks like the cheetahs eventually caught up to the antelope to make their final moves as a coalition. Cheetahs typically hunt in the early hours of the day and late afternoon. Most cats in the wild are known to be nocturnal predators. 

Cheetahs mostly hunt by sight, perched atop a tree and surveying the surrounding area. A cheetah will creep up on its prey after spotting it before making its last sprint toward the unfortunate victim. Surprisingly, these cats are known to only catch about 50% of the animals they chase after, giving the antelope a chance to get away.

It’s All About Territory

Topi’s primary predators include lions, cheetahs, and hyenas. The herds are regarded as closed since males have sole access to the females in their range. The highest-ranking female will serve as a leader while the male is absent until he returns.

Every region has an elevated viewpoint that is used by the females that help guard the territory to keep an eye out for threats and mark the location of their territory. The behavior of male Topi changes in huge groups. They find it too challenging to protect females, therefore they grow less hostile.