Cheetah Stretching - Photo by Kevin Linforth

On a recent game drive around Nambiti, I was dying to get out into the bush. I normally only guide when the Lodge is full and one of the guides is on leave. Well, this was my chance and I got to go out over the weekend and what a soul revival it was for me. Just the day before, I was chatting to Gem about the things that I miss. Well, this last weekend changed that for me. I had the best game drive experience ever!

We started looking for elephant and rhino. We had an idea of where they were based on where they had been the day before but, as we all know, elephant have feet and tend to move around. So we drove off to the centre of the reserve to set out for there until a call came over the radio from one of the other guides telling me that they were in the valley but were far away and not easy to see. Well, as any of you that have been out on a game drive with me know, I don’t like to be told you can’t get in there or up there, so we took a chance and went down a fairly bad road to get to the elephants. By the time we got to the eles, they had already crossed and were now on top of the ridge and heading heading for the plains, so we decided that the plan would be to head around to the other side of the vlei and that we would find them there. On our way around whilst we were driving I noticed an object out of the corner of my eye and slammed on bakes. Tico then also noticed this object. Immediately, I thought “Lion!”, picked up my binos and behold there were spots.

“CHEETAH!”, I shouted. I curled my fist and said “YES!!!” It was overcast and the light was not great but the sighting was the highlight of my day. After this, it was time for a coffee break so we headed to the opposite side of the valley and had coffee whilst the elephants remained where they were and had breakfast.

- Kevin Linforth, general manager and game guide at Nambiti HIlls Private Game Lodge

Cheetah Spotted at the Nambiti Hills Game Reserve - Photo by Kevin Linford

The afternoon game drive through Nambiti Private Game Reserve arrived before we knew it. We all decided to try and go for a better view of the elephants. The guides in the reserve had updated us with the news that the cheetah spotted in Nambiti Private Game Reserve was still in the same area of the reseeve. I decided to wait until most of the reserve had viewed the animal and then we went in for a look again. As we got into position, he started to yawn and wake up.

There was a herd of about 150 eland with youngsters all over the area in front of us, and this caught the eye of our spotted friend. He got up and slowly moved into position for the chance to grab his next meal.

Guess Who’s Chasing the Cheetah At Nambiti Private Game Reserve

It took some time and patience until he eventually went in for the kill and charged off towards the eland.

This was a bad idea, which he realised when he saw that his prey was not running from him but towards him! The eland were defending their young and were not going to stand for any intrusion by a cheetah. The cheetah made an about turn, with the eland continuing to charge him from behind. He was not stopping for a second look back, and disappeared into the distance. Yet another highlight for us.

- Kevin Linforth, general manager and game guide at Nambiti HIlls Private Game Lodge

Des and Shadow. Photo: S. Gunning

We’re at Le Sueur Cheetah Project which was founded by the owners of the Nambiti Private Game Reserve. I’ve been taken there by Ross, one of the game guides at Nambiti Private Game Lodge where I’ve been staying. It marks the end of another fabulous weekend there.

Des, who runs Le Sueur Cheetah Project is preparing us before we step into the cheetah enclosures and introduce ourselves – up close and personal – to these magnificent animals.

“Guys, I think we’re going to go in now. Just a couple of dos and don’ts. When you do approach them, don’t walk to them as if you are going to do something to them. They’re going to see that as a threat. Please don’t touch their feet. Their feet are extremely sensitive. They hate it when you touch their feet. You’re welcome to crouch down next to them and give them a rub. Don’t hold them and try and hug them. They don’t like that either. Watch where you put your knee so that you don’t put it on their feet or on their tail. Also, when you get up, be careful not to dust yourself off. Sometimes the noise gives them a fright. Other than that, they’re very pleasant. Shadow doesn’t like children. Not that she doesn’t like them but she’s extremely playful. Savannah’s more placid.

“When we come out, I’m going to give you an antiseptic spray to wash your hands with. These cats do eat raw meat, they do have bacteria around their faces. Shadow will probably lick you. Savannah doesn’t lick. It’s just so you don’t go home with a whole bunch of bacteria on your hands. “Stay away from their backsides and their stomachs when you rub them. You don’t want them grabbing you and kicking you like [domestic] cats when you’re rubbing their stomachs. “If you’ve got scarves here either leave them or tuck them in.”

I admit, it is not without a little trepidation that I step in. The lady with the baby has to stay out. Tame though these cheetahs are purported to be, a baby is still a meal ticket for them.

Once inside, I’m calm. It’s as if this is where I was always meant to be. I wish I could have stayed there for longer. Just me, sitting there on the dusty ground with a stream of sunlight embracing me and the wonderful cheetah next to me. I can’t even put into words what that felt like. I have always felt this strong connection between myself and cats, domestic or wild. And here I could feel that bond at its most primal, as if it went back centuries. Make no mistake, as tame as these particular cheetahs appear to be (the two sisters, not Mikka, he’s still a wild cat!), to me they are still wild animals that have the power to, even inadvertently, do damage, and whose basic instincts go back much further than mine.

I approach them with great respect. Even though they are in enclosures, I am still in their territory. I’m aware that things could turn at any time. They are not pets. They are cheetahs. In fact, Des spoke of his own apprehension when he first met them. There was no gate to the enclosures as there is now, so he had to climb over the fence and jump down into their space. There would have been no such thing as a speedy exit under those circumstances!

What he did was turn his back on them and face the outside of the enclosure. Slowly they came to accept him and see him as non-threatening. They are curious beings and will come up to you, given time. Mikka, however, still has his wild ways. He will spit and perform and is only now getting used to Le Sueur Cheetah Project team. We certainly weren’t invited into his enclosure.

I’m with Savannah whilst I chat to Des. She’s 3 years old and beautiful. In the wild, cheetahs get to about 14, in captivity to around 16.

I ask Des what’s been on my mind for awhile:

“When you breed the young ones, how are they going to get rehabilitated into the wild? Aren’t they in a similar predicament? By that I mean, won’t they be too tame to adapt to their naturally dangerous environment?”

Des:

“You take them away from the mother at about 5 days. The reason for that is they are not the best maternal parents. 40-50% of cubs born into captivity die if left with their parents. You take them away at 5 days and you hand rear them. The nice thing is cheetahs instinctively hunt, even if they have been hand reared. “These girls were hunting on 2 000 hectares on their own. It’s just an instinct to hunt. They don’t need to be taught to hunt. “What you do with your first batch, you release them onto a reserve that doesn’t have lion, leopard or hyena. They will then survive there, and then their cubs will be taught by the parents the ways of the wild. The second generation will be able to be released into the wild.”

The cat’s whiskers

If Savannah or any of the other cheetahs were a leopard, her whiskers would be much longer. The reason they are so short is that cheetahs have evolved but they don’t hunt at night so they don’t pick up vibrations through their whiskers at all.

Whiskas of a different kind

These cats get their daily exercise. Not only does Des and his team play ball with them – a sight to behold! – there’s also a pulley system on a run outside the cheetahs’ respective enclosures. Whichever cheetah is out follows one of the game guides up to the end of the run. The guide pulls a rope of sorts that is attached to a pulley much further away. When the game guide lets go of the rope, she cheetah tears after it. Due to the length of the run, she only gets up to a speed of about 60 to 65 km per hour.

Savannah, once out of her main enclosure, is reluctant to go back in. I watched her charge past me and wander back up the run. Des pulled out a special whistle and blew it, but to little effect. He then went and got a small packet of Whiskas cat food. Tearing a strip off the top of the packet to open it, he then offered Savannah the rich gravy and meat contents and managed to entice her back into her enclosure.

I imagined my cats eating Whiskas alongside her. Except my cats would probably be included in her meal, God forbid. We followed the purring Savannah back into her home. Whilst there, I got to speak to Jorik who is helping Des with Le Sueur Cheetah Project.

Jorik:

I’m from Germany. I’m here for a couple of months to help them get started with the project. So we’re just here to collect some basic data on them. So the main goal is to find out when these girls are in oestrous, so when is the best time to put them together with Mikka for breeding purposes. I’m a biologist by training.

Me:

So that scar on your forehead isn’t from a cheetah?

Jorik:

No, from a bad childhood experience, when I was falling down

Me:

Oh, well, change the story. (We laugh) Well, that’s fantastic.

Jorik:

Yes, yes, I’m very privileged.

Me:

And had you worked with cheetah before?

Jorik:

Yes, I have worked with cheetahs before, but with cheetahs in the wild. We did some energy studies. We injected heavy water in the cheetahs to find out how much energy they expended. So we had to follow them in the wild, like 12 hours a day, and collect faeces and urine samples. That was in a reserve called Karongwe in the Limpopo Province.

Me:

Wow, you’re very lucky to be with these creatures

Jorik:

Yes, yes I am.

Me:

Thank you.

Jorik:

You’re welcome.

Le Sueur Cheetah Project needs you to spread its story. Like this page. Talk about the project on Facebook or Twitter. Better still, go to Nambiti and meet the cheetahs yourself. Believe me, after being there, you will want to do everything you can to help. Le Sueur Cheetah Project is run by the founders of Nambiti Private Game Reserve who are based at Woodlands Lodge. Show your support by contacting 036 631 9029 or e-mailing woodlands@nambiti.com

Cheetah Spotted at the Nambiti Hills Game Reserve - Photo by Kevin Linforth

There’s the sound of loud cheetah purrs behind me as Savannah and Shadow pace up and down. It’s like that of a domestic cat but with the volume up high and as if played through a boom box. Lots of bass. Lovely!

I’m sitting with my back to these incredible creatures, and watching their male counterpart prowl in front of me.

Des, their best human friend and manager of Le Sueur Cheetah Project, is sharing with myself and a small audience of fellow visitors to the Nambiti Private Game Reserve a few fascinating facts about cheetahs.

After a misty start to the day, the sun has emerged and is added warmth to an already very soulful time amongst these incredible creatures.

“You all know these are the fastest land animals,” states Des. “A cheetah can get from 0-100 kph in 2.9 seconds. What you have to visualize is running through terrain like this (he points to the vast savannah outside of the enclosure) at 110 kph. So what’s developed with them is their eyesight. Their eyesight is phenomenal! She can see a steenbuck from 5 kilometres.”

A steenbuck is built to run like a rabbit – it’s centre of gravity is a lot lower. So it can turn at close to 85º at speed. A springbok can get up to 90 kph, so it’s not that much slower than a cheetah. The difference is, that little steenbuck or springbok can turn a lot faster than the cheetah can.

Now, if you have a look at them, their legs aren’t big muscular legs. They’re pretty much made out of tendons. Those legs can’t, at 100 kph, push their bodies to the right and to the left so they use their tails as a rudder. So when a cheetah’s going and she needs to turn, she’ll chuck her tail out. Those tubular muscles in the tail twist the spine, and that automatically throws her body into a turn. If she’s making a sharp turn, she’s about 65º off the ground. To get back up, she will flick her tail to the other side, twist the spine, and up she comes.

She catches up to her prey and she uses her dew claw to hook it. She doesn’t pounce on her prey like lions and leopards do. If you’re a steenbuck and a cheetah hits you at a 110 kph, you’re probably going to break your back legs or your back, one of the two. As good as she (the cheetah) can pull away – she doesn’t have ABS – she will overshoot, then she will turn and come back and she will throttle and kill whatever she’s caught.

Then she has to go and rest. And the reason for that is her body temperature now (at rest) is running at 39º (if a human’s temperature is at 39º he or she’d be in intensive care). When the cheetah hunts, her body temperature gets up to 242.5ºC. When it gets to that point, she’s got to stop, she’s got to cool her body down or else she can get permanent brain damage and actually die from it. So she will kill and then she will move away. She will go and sit in the shade and cool down for 25 minutes or half an hour, and then she’ll come back to feed.

Now when she feeds she’s obviously going to open up that carcass. As soon as she opens up that carcass, everything within a 5 km radius can smell it. So what she does is she eats as much as she can as fast as she can, before other predators come. They are either going to steal her prey from her or they are going to injure her badly enough that she cannot hunt.

She’s got to eat as much as she can as quick as she can.

“Now Savannah lying here weighs about 50 kg,” says Des. “She can eat 14 kg of meat in a sitting. That’s close to a third of her body weight.”

A cheetah in the wild will eat as much as she can and then she’ll move away. She won’t return to that carcass. Because, by then, another predator might be there. Females are solitary hunters. They’re on their own. So if she had to injure her tail, her foot, her jaw, her eye, whatever the case may be, she’d be pretty much guaranteed of dying of starvation. Because she’s not part of a pride, like lions, where others will kill and she’ll still have something to eat. If she can’t hunt for herself, she’s going to die of starvation. So confrontation for these cats is totally out of the question.

“Mikka, when he arrived here, was very wild,” recalls Des. “You’d walk up to him and he’d slap on the ground and he’d hiss and he’d spit at you, and then he’d turn around and walk away. Because he can’t risk that confrontation and chance of being injured. It’s just a thing that’s in them. So that’s pretty much how these guys hunt.”

Le Sueur Cheetah Project needs you to spread its story. Like this page. Talk about the project on Facebook or Twitter. Better still, go to Nambiti and meet the cheetahs yourself. Believe me, after being there, you will want to do everything you can to help. Le Sueur Cheetah Project is run by the founders of Nambiti Private Game Reserve who are based at Woodlands Lodge. Show your support by contacting 036 631 9029 or e-mailing woodlands@nambiti.com