But for wildebeest, zebra and gazelle, the exuberant foliage is both saviour and curse. To the reserve's predators – and especially its cheetahs – the tall grass is the best hunting aid of all.

But they can also prey on ground-dwelling birds and small mammals such as hares. Male cheetahs are known to form coalitions for territorial protection and hunt much larger prey, such as wildebeest, ...