That sinking feline
MAASAI MARA, KENYA
When photographer Buddhilini de Soyza stood on the side of Talek River in Kenya, she saw across the torrential waters, on the opposite bank, a group of five male cheetahs.
Called Tano Bora or ‘the magnificent five’ in Maasai, the group are unusual: cheetahs tend to be solitary.
In January 2020, as the river and nearby savannah were overcome by rain and flooding, the Tano Bora saw their prey on the other side of the Talek.
“It took them hours to find a place to cross,” says de Soyza. “A couple of times the lead cheetah waded into the river, only to turn back.” Then, suddenly, he jumped in. His group slowly followed, until they were swimming towards de Soyza. To her relief, they…
