This fantastic cat gave safari-goers a genuine fright by hiding under the canopy on top of their vehicle.
The predator leaped up onto the car and appeared to look down at its passengers before settling down within arm’s reach of them.
The cheetah was unconcerned about sitting so close to humans, relaxing in the sun for nearly an hour.
The people on safari mocked their good fortune at having so near to the big cat when they found out they weren’t going to be its dinner.
Yossi Leibovich, a father of three, managed to photograph the cheetah up close as it leaped onto the vehicle and the worry and relief on his fellow tourists while on safari in Tanzania.
“I was with eight people and we were all crammed into two Jeeps,” said Yossi from Haifa, Israel.
“I took hundreds of photographs that day, but this was by far the most incredible thing that happened.
“I’ve never been this close to a cheetah before, and it was just incredible. It bounded up onto the vehicle and relaxed down.
It was really quiet, and I believe the animal just wanted to be cool while resting.
“It was incredible to watch the cheetah for 50 minutes. I had plenty of time to get some excellent photos.
“When photographing animals you don’t know what will happen or how they’ll react, but this one was a fantastic example.”
“I’ve been photographing wildlife for three years now, and I’ve never seen anything like this before.”
“It’s a fantastic pastime to have. It gets you out and about while also taking you to many interesting locations.”
