South Africa 2015: De Wildt / Shingwedzi Cheetah and Wildlife Ranch
The De Wildt / Shingwedzi Cheetah and Wildlife Ranch is 70+km out of Bela Bela. Here, we had the opportunity to see and learn more about Cheetahs, Wild Dogs, Caracal, African Wild Cat and Vultures. We were able to repeat an experience we had in Zimbabwe a year ago viz: a rare opportunity to get hands-on with a cheetah and hear it purr..... On the two-hour tour of the ranch we driven in an open vehicle through enormous pens and fenced off bushvelt where a variety of endangered and rare creatures were held. Almost all had been rescued and rehabilitated although the centre also breeds cheetahs for zoos across the World and for release into the bush. During the drive we watched incredulously as the African worker accompanying us on the tour got out with dangerous animals sometimes surrounding him and distributed the feeding trays and then filled them with meat. All he had for protection was a stick. I have never experience a cheetah in ‘attack-mode’ and their snarl and loud ‘spitting’ sound was revealing. When he put out the food for the pack of wild dogs I really thought he was going to get it! However, instead the large pile of meat was demolished within a few seconds by the pack. The only animals we were saw in large cages were the caracal and African wild cats. Unfortunately, they had to remain within the cages. However, the highlight of the visit without any doubt was to see a King Cheetah for the first time. King of the Cheetah enclosure, he had remarkably different markings from a ‘normal’ cheetah and an attitude to match! Apparently, the differences are due a recessive gene in the DNA. The result is a stunning looking creature indeed.