These stunning photographs capture the moment a remarkably agile cheetah performs a somersault to catch a fleeing impala during an intense chase.
Jeffrey Wu, a professional photographer from Toronto, Canada, snapped these dramatic shots just seconds before the cheetah captured the impala in the Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya.
The captivating sequence shows the cheetah clinging tightly to the impala as it leaps through the air, pulling the fierce predator along with it.
Jeffrey, 53, who took the photos on February 22, said, “The cheetah in these images is named Imani. After missing her first target, she spotted a young impala running towards her.
“Imani leaped into the air and executed a flawless somersault, stretching and flipping her body completely. She then reached out and grabbed the back of the impala’s left leg, pulling it down to the ground.”
Head over heels! In this dramatic moment, an impala is captured by a hungry cheetah mid-leap, dragging the fierce predator along with it in the Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya.
Keeping her on her toes! The cheetah loses its grip on the impala and performs a somersault as the terrified animal tries to escape.
Not giving up, the large cat stretches her body and attempts once again to reach her fleeing prey on February 22, having already lost her first target of the day.
No chance! After executing a perfect somersault through the air, the cheetah manages to seize the impala once more, leaving it with little chance of escape.
Oh deer! To prevent her dinner from escaping, the cheetah tightly grips the terrified impala as it leaps through the air.
At the beginning of the confrontation, the impala leaps to escape the predator, while the cheetah springs into action to intercept it.