A Christchurch man who saved his son from a cheetah attack in South Africa says his fatherly instincts kicked in.

Fourteen-year-old Isaac Driver received back and shoulder injuries when he was attacked as he was leaving a cheetah enclosure near Durban two days ago.

His dad David Driver said he saw the animal with its claws around his son's back, biting his shoulder.

"I remember thinking 'I don't want it to bite his face' so basically I just grabbed it, threw it to the floor and pinned it to the floor until the keepers came and subdued the animal."

He said his son is frustrated he can't go swimming because of a puncture wound, but otherwise he's recovering well.

David Driver told the NZ Herald mistakes had definitely been made at the safari park that enabled his son to get injured.

"We're just lucky it worked out, and hopefully it will be better for other people in future."

The family will stay in South Africa until Wednesday and are off to see lions and rhinos tomorrow.

The attack has far from put them off - the day after the attack they were out on an elephant safari.

"South Africa is an amazing place," said Driver.

Massey University lecturer in animal behaviour and welfare Rachael Stratton told the NZ Herald yesterday that cheetahs weren't usually aggressive but because they were wild animals could be unpredictable and there was a myriad of reasons why the animal may have attacked.

"It's really hard to say without seeing the behaviour at the time. [It] could be predatory, could be play, could be fear and could be frustration."