![William Fortescue, One Step at a Time, 2019](https://artlogic-res.cloudinary.com/w_1600,h_1600,c_limit,f_auto,fl_lossy,q_auto/artlogicstorage/redeight/images/view/4bd264a3e91b7e7df108571a063f5851/redeightgallery-william-fortescue-one-step-at-a-time-2019.jpg)
William Fortescue
Frame included
35 x 48 in
Cheetah are, without doubt, Africa’s most endangered big cat. Today a mere 7,000 remain alive in the wild, when compared with almost 20,000 lions it is a stark and alarming deficit.
They make up for a lack of strength (in comparison to their lion and leopard counterparts) with an abundance of speed. By far the fastest land mammal on earth (reaching speeds of up to 70mph), they stalk to within as close a proximity of their prey as they can, before unleashing their incomparable speed to bring down the unsuspecting antelope.
While females tend to live a solitary life, males can form coalitions, sometimes of two or three individuals, to increase their chances of long term survival. In the Masai Mara though, one of the largest coalitions ever recorded is dominating the Savannah; The ‘Tano Bora’. Five male cheetahs living in a group with immense success.
Also known as the ‘Fast Five’ these related males are a force to be reckoned with, for no antelope can out run five cheetah.
This image, of one of the famous five, was taken just before a successful hunt, as the cheetah slowly stalked forward, cautiously taking one step at a time, while in the background the hills mark the Kenya-Tanzania border. His four colleagues snuck up along side him and their strength in numbers proved decisive within minutes at the expense of a loan wildebeest.
As with all images in this collection, 10% of the proceeds from this image will be split between David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation and Saving The Wild, my two partnered charities. It is thanks to the efforts of dedicated individuals and organisations like these that I, and many others, are able to still enjoy the incredible wildlife Africa has to offer. It is imperative to me therefore, that my images are able to help them achieve their missions and amplify their message.