by Emma Thomson
on June 12, 2018
1 min read

Although these majestic cats are not a member of the Big 5, cheetahs are a highlight of any safari adventure. Not just impressive in appearance, the cheetah’s ability to reach speeds between 80 and 120 kilometres per hour make them incredible athletes, formidable hunters and the fastest land-based mammal in the world. With an ability to accelerate from 0 to 60km/h in a mind-blowing three seconds, these big cats are in fact superior to many sports cars – including a Ferrari! With this level of speed, it’s all the more impressive that our Africa’s Photographer of the Year 2018 contestants managed to capture such incredible images. Fun fact: a group of cheetahs is called a coalition!

Two cheetahs catching their breath on a rock

Photo Credit: Diana Rehner

A black and white portrait of a cheetah

Photo Credit: Kim Richardson

A leopard protecting her cubs on a mound amidst long grass

Photo Credit: Lalith Ekanayake

A leopard sitting on the lookout

Photo Credit: Marcy Ellenbogen

A young cheetah trying to climb a tree

Photo Credit: Ryan Wilkie

Two leopards enjoying a cat nap

Photo Credit: Vittorio Ricci

Two leopards surveying their surroundings

Photo Credit: Yaron Schmid

A cheetah surrounded by cubs

Photo Credit: Darren Colello

Amazing animals aren’t they? If you also have some incredible shots of Africa’s big cats, head to our APOTY website to learn more about how to enter and the prizes you could win! If you only see spots when it comes to the difference between leopards and cheetahs, here are the differences!