In the heart of Kenya’s vast Masai Mara, six cheetah cubs experienced an unexpected shower when their mother shook herself dry after a sudden downpour.
The three-month-old cubs were left squirming in surprise as their mother, equally soaked from the rain, unintentionally drenched them with water.
The cheetah family had been caught in open grassland during a hunt when a flash storm hit. Wildlife photographer Paul Mckenzie, 48, managed to capture the moment perfectly.
Mckenzie, who has years of experience photographing wildlife, said he anticipated the moment when the mother would shake off the rain.
“I knew she’d do it once the rain stopped, so I stayed focused, finger ready on the shutter, waiting for the right shot,” Mckenzie shared. “The cubs didn’t seem too pleased, especially with the temperature dropping after the rain.”
The mother cheetah and her six cubs had been hunting gazelles before being overtaken by the downpour.
Mckenzie, observing the scene from his vehicle, noted the intensity of the rain. “It was like nothing I’d seen before – incredibly heavy,” he recalled. Although he stayed dry in his vehicle, the cheetahs had little shelter on the wide, open plains.
While a few trees dotted the landscape, the family opted not to seek dense cover, as cheetahs tend to avoid it, fearing hidden predators.
As a result, the cubs were already soaked from the storm. As they began to dry off, their mother’s vigorous shake gave them a second drenching.
Using a long lens to avoid disturbing the cheetah family, McKenzie captured this unique moment, preserving a glimpse of life in the wild.
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