This Wildlife Photographer Was Taken By Surprise When He Got A Hug From A Cheetah
We hear about wildlife photographers witnessing some truly incredible and awe-inspiring moments throughout their careers, but sometimes it's better to see the proof to truly understand what those situations were like.
Fortunately for this story, we actually have photos of this adorable, once-in-a-lifetime encounter. The wildlife photographer Sasan Amir was at a sanctuary, doing what he does best—taking photos of wildlife—when this cheetah completely took him by surprise.
While the photographer was capturing shots of another animal or object, he noticed this cheetah approaching him, and what happened next was quite unexpected.
The cheetah approached him calmly and initiated some cuddling and a hug. I think many of us wouldn't even know how to respond in a situation like this, but the photographer realized that he probably wouldn't have another interaction like this, so he savored the moment.
Stories like these make us wonder how photographers remain so calm and are able to venture into unfamiliar territories to capture shots, especially knowing that anything like this can happen. We can assume that Sasan is somewhat accustomed to it and is familiar with that area.
However, let's delve into some of the amazing photos that were captured during this surprising moment.
Here's a photo directly from Sasan's Instagram that captures this encounter beautifully.
Sasan Amir is a German photographer who was visiting a South African sanctuary to capture some shots when an unexpected friend approached him for some cuddles.
Here's a great quote from Sasan explaining the experience.
“I slowed down my movements and stood up to show the cheetah that I was aware he was coming towards me,” Amir told CATERS NEWS. “The cheetah was curious and came slowly closer, sniffing me at first, and then began to purr and rub his head against me.”
This photo shows just how adorable this encounter was. Here's a bit more from Sasan about the cheetah and how he recognized him from previous visits.
“It took a few minutes for me to realize what a once-in-a-lifetime moment this was,” he said. “I had visited this sanctuary a few times and noticed that this cheetah was used to interactions with humans.”
This is quite unexpected for even the most seasoned wildlife photographers, as wild animals aren't typically this trusting.
Even Sasan admits that he has seen this cheetah before and has had encounters with other large cats, but it usually takes wild animals quite a while to trust a human in this way.
Clearly, this cheetah has had many human encounters to be this comfortable approaching Sasan.
Here's another story that Sasan has experienced to give you an idea of what he's seen during his journey.
“Once, a leopard was hiding in some thick bushes. He was close to me, looked straight at me, and then slowly started to take a nap,” Amir explained to METRO. “He realized that I wasn’t dangerous to him in any way, and I really enjoyed that he was so comfortable with me.”
This story is just one of many that wildlife photographers have after witnessing some of the wildest and largest animals in their natural habitat. Many of us wouldn't know how to react, but clearly, the cheetah sensed Sasan's calming nature.
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