(WSVN) — A spring break tour through the Serengeti got one man way closer to Africa’s wildlife than he ever imagined.
Britton Hayes and his uncle, who shot the video, were on safari in Tanzania when three cheetahs targeted their land cruiser.
One jumped on the hood and another ventured inside the vehicle.
Hayes credits his tour guides with helping him stay calm.
Their tour guide told the group not to move and to breathe normally, so as not to spook the cheetah.
Zoo Miami’s Ron Magill says that is the best thing they could’ve done.
“The people in the vehicle did exactly what they were supposed to do — and that is nothing. Do not look at the cheetah. Just stay still, stay relaxed,” said Magill. “Believe it or not, cheetahs are chickens. They’re not animals that are going to attack something like a human being, so that’s not something to worry about. This is an animal that is looking for prey, they have habituated themselves to these safari vehicles, and it’s nothing more than curiosity.”
After sniffing around, and chewing on the seats a bit, the animal left Hayes unharmed.
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