Ghent photographer wins international photo competition with wildlife photo

Speaking on Monday morning a Alex Brackx told VRT News that when he took the photograph “The hair on the back of my neck stood up on end".  Last year he spent a week in Kenya spotting and photographing animals. "I went there with my girlfriend. She wanted to see an animal kill another animal, but so she also said: "as long as it's not a zebra", because zebras are her favourite animals."

The photographer recalls that "It was a very special moment”. The photo shows a hungry cheetah attacking a zebra foal. "And you see the mother still trying to protect her young and get her free from the attacker. But this was to no avail and the cheetah ate the zebra."

The dramatic moment was captured on camera after a 6-hour wait, in a jeep in Kenya's Masaai Mara National Park. The East Fleming and his girlfriend were accompanied by a Masaai Mara guide. "We drove through herds of gazelles, topis (a type of antelope) and other animals. We were watching 4 cheetah brothers."

Alex Brackx added that the guides at the National Parks know the park and its animals through and through. "The guide said the animals were very hungry and he predicted they would go for the zebras."

The photograph was taken at safe distance. "I took the image with a 500 millimeter lens. I barely had time to take the photograph because the animals move very quickly."

Alex Brackx is a teacher and is able to go travelling with his girlfriend during almost every school holidays. They visit places both at home and abroad. Next year will be a special year with 8 months of travel including visits to Botswana, Borneo and Australia planned. Mr Brackx and his partner intend to take many more spectacular nature photographs while they’re away.