Even if you’re a fan of wildlife documentaries, you’ve never seen a cheetah hunt like this. For the latest at PBS Nature miniseries, Animals with cameras, animal carriers would grab cameras made specifically on meerkats, seals, cheetahs, and more to see previously unseen images.
“There’s no way we’d see this any other way,” says wildlife photographer Gordon Buchanan in the clip below, who follows a cheetah hunt while she herself and her sisters trying to take down eland, a type of antelope that is native to east and southern Africa.
The specially made camera was attached to the top of the cheetah’s head, allowing it to record images from the animal’s point of view. The cameras were designed by Chris Watts of British Technical Films, a UK-based company that specializes in developing standard cameras to capture wildlife and nature scenes.
The cheetah-mounted cameras had to be very light, as the fast-moving predators were extremely sensitive to the weight of the device. (As you could also have if you had a camera on your head while it was exploding.) The belts that secured the camera had to allow enough airflow to keep the cat’s head cool. and being flexible enough that the animal would get the machine off if it has become too anxious. And since running over the savannah at 70 mph might be a bit bumpy, the camera had to have constant sensors to smooth the film, so as not to make viewers queasy.
The result is a pretty amazing sight following a cheetah from the moment he picks up the scent of his prey to the end of the hunt. Watch the full video below. We will not spoil as it ends.
The last program of Animals with cameras air on February 14 at 8pm Eastern Time.