Respecting the cheetahs

As we were driving on a back road, one of our jeeps came upon FIVE cheetahs walking slowly on the road.  There were two cars behind them.  The guide in the jeep radio'd to our two other jeeps, each of which suddenly started speeding as fast as a safari jeep can go down a tiny dirt road.  The grass was long and wet in this area, and the cheetah family was trying to walk without getting all wet.  They were wary, and the largest cheetah kept an eye on the vehicles as they walked slowly.  The two cars kept jockeying for place.  Obviously, neither driver was a professional, because they would know not to crowd the animals, and to move very very slowly.  Our guide on the scene tried to tell them not to push the animals forward, but in their mad race for the best view, they kept getting closer and closer, and basically they were pushing the animals to walk faster.  Just as our other two jeeps slowed down onto to the scene, one of the car drivers got so close to the animals that they spooked and turned off into the grass.  Let's just say, there wasn't anyone who was happy at that moment.  One of the cars immediately sped off, probably aware of how bad this was.  The other stayed, clearly hoping the animals were come back out on the road.  We stayed put as well, hoping the same thing.  But the cheetahs had had enough and didn't come back out onto the road.  We eyeballed the offending car, but no one said a thing.  The cheetahs were amazing, but it was also a very interesting experience that illuminated how tourists and animals sometimes interact.  Later, our head guide told us that it is a huge debate as to whether or not private drivers should be allowed to drive in the park.  Every year there are incidents where drivers will push the animals, beep at them, or worse, get out of their cars for photo opportunities around animals that can attack.  A woman was recently killed when she beeped at some elephants trying to get them to turn their heads for a better photo; one rushed her car and rolled it several times.  Most of the other drivers we have seen have been great, clearly paying attention to what they are doing and being respectful of the animals.  But then there was this cheetah incident...