The Cheetahs

So I’ve written a post about baboons, so now its time to tell you about the cheetahs. We have 30 cheetahs here in captivity in several different enclosures. Most come to Na/an kuse because they were either hunting livestock and caught by farmers, or treated very poorly and as a result taken to Na/an kuse. The reason there are so many here is that they cannot be released back into the wild. Since they are so used to humans, they would not fear them in the wild and would most likely end up getting shot. Whilst in captivity cheetahs also lose some of their defense instincts, which again would most likely see them killed.

The Semi-Tame Cheetahs during the Cheetah Run

Little Shiloh

Selfie!!

Such a Beautiful Animal

The Cheetah Run Set Up

The Cheetahs here are classified into 3 categories; wild, semi-tame (humanized), and tame. There are a couple wild cheetahs in the reserve that we track, but the majority are semi-tame. This means that they are used to seeing humans but not fully tame. These Cheetahs are held in large enclosures around the sanctuary, and often show their faces when we feed them. We also conduct a daily activity called “Cheetah Run”. In the cheetah run we go inside the enclosures and set up a 200 meter square using rope, a wheel is then connected to the rope which then pulls a rag around the square ( similar to greyhound racing). The cheetahs then run around in circles trying to get the rag. This activity is done to stimulate exercise and movement!

Taking the cubs on their walk (in the back of the pickup)

We are also activity involved with the tame cheetahs, which there are 7 of. We have 3 cubs; Shiloh, Wonder, and Odyssey. They get taken on daily walks which is part of the process to tame them. To tame a cheetah, they need to receive a lot of human attention and interaction. Thus, just like you walk a dog, we put the 3 cubs on a leash, go for a 10 minute drive, and then let them explore a bit. It is definitely a great experience taking the youngsters on walks and spending time with them during animal time.

Quick Stop!

Just Like Walking a Dog!

Grrrr

Just Walking My Cheetah!

Curious little fellows!