Wild Cheetah Wants Photographer To Pet Her

Wild Cheetah Wants Photographer To Pet Her

A wildlife photographer tried taking a photo of a cheetah, but she had other ideas.

Photographer Casey Cooper regularly travels the world and practices wildlife photography wherever he goes. The photos and videos he manages to capture are really something special, and he often shares them with the world on TikTok.

In a recent video, Cooper showed a video of himself attempting to photograph a cheetah in South Africa when something unexpected happened.

"Tried taking some photos of a cheetah but she had a different plan," Cooper captioned the clip.

In the video, the cheetah walks right up to Cooper's camera - and then asks for some scratches! Cooper obliges and pets the wildcat's head.

While most people would likely be terrified of a cheetah getting so close and personal, there was likely little-to-no threat to Cooper.

According to Siyabona Africa Kruger National Park, "there is no record in southern Africa of a cheetah ever having attacked a human."

Even so, we wouldn't want to be the first to set a record! Check out Cooper's video below:

@cooperlost Tried taking some photos of a cheetah but she had a different plan 😳 #cuteanimals #cheetah #wildlife #africa ♬ A Gentle Sunlight - James Quinn

Since being shared on TikTok, the video went viral and amassed over 10 million views and thousands of comments. As it turns out, it's not Cooper's first time getting so close with a big cat.

He's shared other viral videos that show cheetahs lounging near him on an open jeep, and a lion approaching him head-on! Check out the clips below:

@cooperlost #Animals #serengeti #wildlifeoftiktok #cheetah #safari #bigcat ♬ Farm Life - Colt Ford & Justin Moore

@cooperlost Would you 💩 your pants if a lion walked up to you? Asking for a friend😅 #lionking #animalsoftiktok #africanwildlife #kingofthejungle ♬ 300 SPARTANS - Babytrilltso

You can see more of Cooper's wildlife photography and adventures on TikTok, @cooperlost.
Malorie Thompson

Malorie works as a writer and editor in Northern California. She's passionate about food, conscious living, animal welfare, and conservation. She's worked with a variety of publications in different sectors but is happiest covering topics close to her heart. When not at her laptop, Malorie can be found enjoying picnics on the beach, hiking in the redwoods, and spending time with her rescue pup, Jax.

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