Wildlife Photographer Wakes Up To Cheetah Sleeping Cozily With Him

Dolph Volker, a wildlife photographer in South Africa woke up from his nap in a jungle to a pleasant surprise: a cheetah sleeping snuggly against him.

The rare and heartwarming event took place of a sunny day when Volker decided to take a brief nap under the shade of a tree to escape the scorching sun. The curious cheetah, Eden, was seemingly fascinated by his presence, and gently crept up into Volker’s arms, and settled there for a nap. The subtle nudges woke Volker who was surprised but delighted by the affection shown by this generally awed animal.

Volker didn’t miss the oppurtunity, and gently reached for his camera. With it, he shot this tender interaction:

The media he captured showed Eden being awfully gentle and playful for a cheetah. Eden even licked Volker, and Volker says this interaction has greatly strengthened his bong with the cheetahs he works to protect.

Volker’s encounter majestically proves the magical ways in which wildlife can interact with us, when given space and dealt with love. Volker mentioned the encounter as an adorable reminder of why he started wildlife photography in the first place: to ensure future generations will not only see animals in photos but be able to have encounters like this for themselves.