Check out this thrilling video submitted from Gina Cross, one of our returning safari guests, who has the courage to ‘pop up’ and capture the ending of this amazing video. It’s quite extraordinary how habituated several cheetahs in the Serengeti have become to safari vehicles over the years. This trait is passed down from mother to offspring as young cheetah grow up in the presence of vehicles just as soon as they are old enough to their den. We have been seeing this behavior for at least ten years though it has become more pronounced over the last couple of green seasons.

There are a handful of cheetahs in the Serengeti that our guides know by sight that will exhibit this behavior of jumping on vehicles quite regularly. Our guide Anglebert, featured in the video, is especially adept at getting several cheetahs that he knows quite well to jump on the bonnet of his vehicle. It probably doesn’t hurt that his favorite animal also happens to be the cheetah!

Make sure to watch at about 2 minutes and 53 seconds into the video when the cheetah starts calling to the rest of its family. A cheetah’s vocalization is quite different then other big cats in that it chirps with a bird like call to communicate.  It’s really extraordinary to catch this chirping on video in this fashion. Also, watch at about 3 minutes as the cheetah jumps down from the vehicle to reunite with the rest of her family. Awesome!

Thanks again Gina Cross for sharing this video (and also to Ann Eilert who took the photographs below from a second ADS vehicle). We were certainly impressed to see Gina had the courage to ‘pop up’ as Anglebert said!

Close up shot below of the cheetah peering into the front windshield.

‘Pop Up’?

Way to go Gina!

Have a look under the rear bumper!

Here is ADS guide Anglebert posing with his favorite cheetah. It looks like another rough day in the office!

ADS guides JP and Anglebert content with a great day in the bush!