Watch a Completely Camouflaged Cheetah Bolt Out of Nowhere to Take Down a Wildebeest

Tanzania, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Adult Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatas) begins running while chasing down Wildebeest calf on Ndutu Plains
© Danita Delimont/Shutterstock.com

Written by Hannah Crawford

Published: August 31, 2023

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When something invigorating happens to us in life, we typically think it might only happen once. Perhaps it is a natural disaster, a horrible car wreck, or a fight for our lives. And once that has happened, and we look back at our lives, that is the story we use to tell of something horrible, exciting, or frightening that has happened. However, for life on the plains of Africa, predators and prey have these types of invigorating life experiences every single day. 

This next YouTube video takes us to Masai Mara in Kenya, Africa. We see a group of wildebeest that are on the run of their lives—once grazing, they have caught sight of a cheetah. This is perhaps one of the most dangerous animals they can come across. This might seem very odd, as you might think of more ferocious animals, such as lions, crocodiles, or even hippopotamuses, that could do more damage. However, the cheetah would be the most dangerous, only because it is the fastest land animal. 

How Fast Can Cheetahs Run?

Cheetah Male walking along the riverbed in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

These animals have a population of 8,500.

©Wayne Marinovich/Shutterstock.com

Cheetahs are stealthy felines that weigh between 88-140 pounds. They reach a height of 45-53 inches. Their size gives them the ability to be incredibly agile. They can run up to speeds of 70+ miles per hour. 

Now that we know how fast cheetahs can run let’s see how fast wildebeest can run. 

How Fast Can Wildebeest Run?

Wildebeests running in an open field

These animals have a population of 1.5 million.

©Greens and Blues/Shutterstock.com

Wildebeest are large mammals that weigh between 300-600 pounds. And they reach a height of four and a half feet. With this weight, it might make us think they would not be able to run very fast. However, wildebeest can reach speeds of 50 miles per hour.

As impressive as 50 miles per hour is, it is nothing compared to the cheetah’s 70 miles per hour. From this video posted below, we can see that in no time at all, this cheetah was able to catch up to this wildebeest.

The herd takes off at fast speeds and starts to dart back and forth to shake this predator. However, each wildebeest knows that, eventually, this cheetah will catch up to one of them. At 16 seconds, if we pause the video, we see this cheetah has caught up to one of these wildebeest. We see the cheetah struggle to take the wildebeest down, and given the size difference it’s no surprise to see that.

Check Out the Incredible Video Below!


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About the Author

Hannah Crawford is a writer at A-Z Animals where she focuses on reptiles, mammals, and locations in Africa. Hannah has been researching and writing about animals and various countries for over eight years. She holds a Bachelors Degree in Communication\Performance Studies from Pensacola Christian College, which she earned in 2015. Hannah is a resident in Florida, and enjoys theatre, poetry, and growing her fish tank.

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