A striking set of photos shows a cheetah clinging to the back of an antelope in Kenya’s Maasai Mara before bringing it down in a dramatic hunt.
The cheetah launched onto the antelope, a topi—one of the fastest antelopes in Africa—by sinking its claws into its hindquarters.
The powerful predator dragged the topi down before being joined by its brothers, surrounding the panicked animal.
Dutch photographer Dick van Duijn captured this breathtaking moment while he was following a group of five cheetah brothers, famously known as the “fast five.” Van Duijn was in the Maasai Mara National Reserve to photograph the cheetahs.
“We saw the cheetahs walking in the tall grass, and a little further ahead, there was a topi,” explained the 34-year-old photographer.
“The topi couldn’t see the cheetahs because the grass was too tall. Our guide positioned the vehicle so we could observe the hunt, but we had to keep some distance. Getting too close would have alerted the topi, as they know safari vehicles can mean predators are nearby.”
As the chase began, Van Duijn described the moment as intense, marveling at the cheetahs’ incredible speed.
Cheetahs, known for their sharp vision and unmatched speed, can reach up to 60 mph in just a few seconds.
Topis, although swift themselves, with speeds over 50 mph, couldn’t outrun the cheetahs this time.
In an unexpected twist, one cheetah briefly rode on the back of the frantic antelope before pulling it down.
Van Duijn commented on the moment, saying, “In one of the photos, it looks like the cheetah is riding the topi.”
This moment sparked creative responses online, with some people playfully referencing the song “Old Town Road” by Lil Nas X, humorously reimagining the cheetah’s wild ride.
However, not everyone reacted positively to the images. Van Duijn shared that he lost several hundred social media followers after posting the photos, as the rawness of nature unsettled some.
“This is how nature works,” he remarked. “Cheetahs don’t have the luxury of going to a butcher or a supermarket for food, and they certainly can’t be vegetarians.”
Despite the mixed reactions, Van Duijn remains passionate about wildlife photography, stating, “I love photographing animals in their natural environment because you never know what you’ll witness out in nature.”
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