For many youngsters, lessons have a tendency to feel long, interminably boring and difficult to sit still through. Not, however, if you’re a cheetah cub in Africa undergoing a masterclass in hunting from your very impressive mother.
This extraordinary photograph and the series that accompanies it were taken in Kenya’s Masai Mara Game Reserve by environmental photographer Andy Rouse. The images show a female cheetah demonstrating to her young the first rules of survival in the wild - how to hunt and kill. For the cubs, this is the most important lesson they will learn from their mother. Their survival depends on being able to hunt for food and avoid predators.
In this stunning series of images, Rouse captures the entire cycle, except whatever follows the young gazelle’s last attempt to escape. A part of us hopes for its successful getaway, yet we understand this vital part of nature and marvel at its brutal perfection.
Andy Rouse is a professional wildlife photographer based in the U.K. His professional credits include hosting the Discovery Channel’s Wildlife Photographer TV series, and the publication of six books.