Camera: Nikon Z9

Lens: Nikkor Z 100-400MM F4.5-5.6 VR S

Aperture: f/5

Shutter speed: 1/400

ISO: 180

Description: Male cheetah calling for his brother who wandered off the previous evening after a female and hasn't yet returned

Story from behind the lens: Setting out in the early morning sunrise, my guide George spotted this solitary male cheetah who was perched on the highest piece of ground some 700m from the track we were travelling on. As we approached we could gear the cheetah make repeated calls to what transpires to be his brother , who hadn't yet returned from following a female that we had seen the previous day during sunset. The morning sun beautifully lit the cheetahs coat and spectacular highlighted the eye colour. Zooming to 220mm to fill the frame and waiting for the moment he made a call, captured this image which on first impressions seems to be an aggressive stance when in fact it was of a concerned and somewhat lonely brother. After 30 minutes of watching this cheetah, his naughty stop out brother hadn't yet returned from a hight on the tiles and so he settled down to soak up the rising sun.