Claws Encounter: Cheetah Plays with GoPro on tourist jeep

By Mark Hodge @mrhodgey

A CURIOUS cheetah uses a GoPro camera as a chew toy - while sat on the roof of a photographer's jeep

Scroll down for the full story

Videographer / Director: Earth Touch
Producer: Nick Johnson
Editor: Kyle Waters

Feeling content: Boris von Schoenebeck said the cheetahs were regular visitors to the jeep

The footage was taken by snapper and filmmaker Boris von Schoenebeck who was observing a group of the big cats in the Serengeti region of Tanzania.

On most days the wild cat was happy to lie on the roof and be filmed - but not today

The 47-year-old, who was making a wildlife film, said the predators were regular visitors to his car.

“Almost every day we would come across these two cheetahs who would climb on top of our vehicle.

The cheetahs would attract tourists to the jeep

“They would use it as a vantage point – they seemed to love it.

“As the weeks went on I edged further and further out of the vehicle and we actually discovered that the cheetahs weren't that interested in us.

Standing tall: A cheetah surveys the plains in the Serengeti

“At one point I got a little bit close to the male on the top of the roof and he took a swipe at the GoPro, and then he proceeded to chew on it.

“It was just amazing to get so close to the animals – it was quite special.”

A curious cheetah stares into the camera as it prowls on the roof of the jeep

German-born von Schoenebeck, who has spent most of his life in South Africa, said the cheetahs' presence on his vehicle eventually attracted safari guests.

He said: "Tourists would often see us and within five minutes we would have 20 vehicles around us and we would have to stop filming – suddenly we would become the viewing point.”