Cheeky cheetah: Photographer gets close to adorable animal during safari
THIS is the incredible moment a photographer came face to face with a cheetah – and it licked his hand.
Marc Mol was on safari in Tanzania when the inquisitive year-old cub came up to the car and started sniffing it.
The big cat then leaped on to the bonnet and stared inside before poking its head through the sunroof.
It was an absolute privilege, he was as calm as we were and seemed to recognise that we were as interested in him as he was with us
Marc said: “He came so close that he was biting my lens hood and licking my fingers. It was an unforgettable moment.
"His breath was fogging up my lens.
"It was an absolute privilege, he was as calm as we were and seemed to recognise that we were as interested in him as he was with us.”
Marc and his guides returned to the same spot in the Ndutu region for the next few days – and each time the cub came up to their car.
But Marc said the cub will grow out of its inquisitive stage when it is a fully grown adult.
The cheetah will be harder to spot then…