It is one of the most exhilarating — and terrifying — experiences of our lives. Dashing through the trees around us, half a dozen African wild dogs close in for the kill. We’re the prey.

We have come to the renowned Ann van Dyk Cheetah Centre, at De Wildt near Pretoria, South Africa. Since 1971, under the direction of its eponymous founder, this remarkable sanctuary has been one of the saviors of imperiled South African wildlife, especially cheetahs (more than 800 have been bred here), wild dogs and vultures.

At the start of our visit, we were introduced to one of the cheetahs, Yates. He lay passively on a table while we stroked him. He is one of the centre’s cheetah ambassadors and often visits local schools to meet the children and help transform their perceptions.

Now, in an open vehicle, we have been driven into a fenced enclosure. The tracker sitting with us is carrying the wild dogs’ afternoon meal. As we follow the meandering road through the enclosure, the pack hunts us down — appearing this side, then that, yelping to one another all the while.

At the far gate we stop, and the tracker empties the food into troughs. The dogs accept their reward. Our heartbeats steady and we reflect on the privilege of having experienced a hunt at the sharp end — and survived.