Everybody loves an underdog, especially when the underdog is an actual dog who is being literally chased by a Cheetah in a Kenyan Nature Reserve. When the underdog changed his mind about being dinner, he turned around to face the Cheetah, scaring him off to become a complete and total legend.
This incredible story was documented by 42-year-old photographer Jorge Alescano, who happened to be visiting the reserve on this fated day.
According to Jorge, the Cheetah was in hot pursuit of a “Raccoon Dog” one afternoon in Kenya’s Maasai Mara National Reserve. What Jorge thought was going to be a typical apex-predator-does-what-apex-predators-do situation suddenly changed. He was shocked when the Raccoon Dog straight up TURNED AROUND and decided it was the Cheetah’s turn to be chased. “It was as if the dog just decided he didn’t want to be dinner any more,” said Jorge about the encounter. “It was amazing.”
The Raccoon Dog, who we are now referring to as “the bravest animal to grace the African landscapes since Mufasa,” swiftly retreated into the wild after successfully deterring the cheetah attack.
We don’t know where you are. We don’t know how you are. But we do know you’re a hero. Keep thriving, Raccoon Dog. Nature’s got nothing on you.
