“I Almost Died”: American Woman Shares Frightening Encounter with Cheetah in Mzansi

• An American makeup artist from Atlanta shared a terrifying moment when her attempt to feed and pet a cheetah in South Africa went wrong
• The viral TikTok video shows how the woman tried to touch its head, leaving her screaming in panic when it reacted
• Thousands of viewers were left shaken by the close encounter, with many expressing how the video made them jump

An American makeup artist from Atlanta found herself in a heart-stopping situation during her South African adventure when what seemed like a peaceful interaction with a cheetah turned into a frightening experience.

The beauty content creator @kyahrileymakeup, who describes herself as passionate about travel and lifestyle, shared the nerve-wracking encounter on TikTok on the 17 of July. The video was posted with the caption:

"Replying to @ig : @lexlailah lmao if yall want to see the whole experience my South Africa vlog is on my YouTube!"

The footage shows the young woman crouching down with food in her hand, attempting to feed the spotted wild cat. Initially, the cheetah appears calm and relaxed, with its tail wagging as it observes the offering. However, the peaceful moment quickly turns to chaos when the American tries to reach out with her other hand to pet the animal's head.

The sudden movement startles the cheetah, causing it to bolt away at incredible speed while the woman screams in terror. Other visitors recording the scene can be heard reacting to the dramatic turn of events, with the camera frantically following the fleeing animal before losing sight of it completely.

Mzansi reacts to the US woman

The terrifying moment left thousands of viewers on edge, with many sharing how the video affected them through their screens.

@Tonjasamila wrote:

"Ndi mukoowu🫷🦋"

@TheSweetestChick🎀 gushed:

"My heart dropped from my head👀Yeyi!"

@Shannon admitted:

"Scared the hell out of me through the phone 😂"

@Spence shared:

"The way I jumped out of bed 🤣🤣🤣I almost died. Cause of death: TikTok, Time Of Death: 22h41pm😩😩😩"

@Nthabeleng exclaimed:

"Le tla re bolaya mahn, jerr! My heart took a screenshot 😭"

@tiadebrick simply said:

"Girl, I just died 😭"

Why proper wildlife guidance matters

According to Governor's Camp, wildlife interactions require proper expertise and preparation. Their experts emphasise that visitors should always ensure they're watching animals in their natural environment with experienced guides who understand animal behaviour. Local expertise is important as communities that coexist with wildlife know how to approach these magnificent creatures safely.

The wildlife specialists stress that interfering with wild animals can be extremely dangerous, as these creatures are not used to close human interaction and may view people as potential threats. This is exactly what happened in the American's case; her attempt to touch the cheetah's head triggered its flight response.

Watch the TikTok clip below:

Other wild animal encounters that shook SA

• Briefly News recently reported on a tense lion relocation that had local men visibly shaking, but the operation took an unexpected turn that left the entire country in stitches.
• A pet lion's playful chase around a room had viewers warning that the situation could have ended very differently for the terrified man involved.
• A woman's fearless encounter in a lion's den stunned South Africans, but her calm reaction to a lion's bite attempt revealed something nobody expected.

Source: Briefly News