Just a very quick update on Molly..

Last week  i waved goodbye to my little caracal girl as Riana and Rene drove her to her new home…  Riana has been keeping in touch with her new “mummy” who says she has settled in well.. That very first night she drank her bottie completely unpertubed about her new surroundings… She also made the bed her own as she quite happily slept away the afternoon..

When animals move on we dont just forget them, they are often in our thoughts, and always in our hearts…

Claire

This week Alex, Adamu and Faye had a bit of a different start to the day… Before our gates opened to the public we had a bit of a mission on our hands…. Moving the three lions to a fantastic new camp!!!

Lizaene, Chanel and Rene equipped themselves with silver food dishes (a bit like waving a carrot in front of a donkey!) and some fresh chickens to distract and lead the 3 sub-adult lions as they walked between the 2 camps… Not knowing how these 3 would react to their unexpected freedom we made sure that all bases were covered, Alessa was on gate duty, making sure that no unsuspecting person decided to walk through the gate at the untimely moment… :O) Riana pulled up the bucky, I jumped in the back as the assigned photographer! And all the other volunteers stayed where they could watch from behind a fence! Its been a long time since the gate to the camp was opened and the lions invited out into the big camp… At first they didn’t seem to know what to do, Lizaene, Chanel and Rene called and called them but eventually had to show them the way out of the gate!!  Once out, the lions followed (more or less in a straight line!!) the staff out of the 2nd gate, they were a bit nervous…. i mean its scary heading out into the unknown, sometimes the safety of boundaries is what we need to feel confident and sure of ourselves.  And with the lions it seemed its no different! Despite being full of mischief and self confidence when in familiar surroundings, that changed when they stepped out of the enclosure you could see how their behavior changed… Our big brave lions became meek little pussy cats as they ran after the staff they know so well!!!

The move went seamlessly… in the space of a few minutes the 2 yards were navigated and the 3 lions safely inside the new enclosure… They needed lots of reassurance from their 2 legged friends who stayed with them until they started to settle in and explore… Throughout the day there was an endless supply of caring visitors checking on them, reassuring and giving out love…

Within a few hours the lions had checked out all corners of the camp, its such an amazing lion habitat, lots of bushes to stalk from behind, trees to climb, a hill where they can observe the neighbors an a valley where they can laze about in the heat of the day!

That first morning after the move Lizaene checked on them at 6am, and was surprised to see Adamu sauntering out of the house, they really had made themselves at home! In the days following the move the lions became more and more comfortable and are nowhappily running around, playing and snoozing their days away…

It always amazes me that due to the bonds that the staff  have created with these animals, who are by no means “tame”, they can be managed so easily when things are planned out properly, without the unnecessary stresses & tranquilizers… The TRUST that the animals have with the people they love, is enough to take them through when they feel uncomfortable or afraid.. Alex, Adamu and Faye trusted Lizaene, Chanel and Rene entirely despite not knowing where they were going or why…. The staff here at Cheetah Experience put so much time and love into these animals, and it really shows at times like this…

Claire

My first day at the Cheetah Experience, I crossed my legs and promptly clunked to the floor for some dog and meerkat cuddles. I learned quite quickly that “clunking” anywhere near a 6-month-old, rambunctious meerkat is anything but favorable. I missed squashing her by about 2 cms. Mia has mighty nails that are prime for digging, and dig she will! Between every tile, underneath your toe nails, into every pocket, and if she nears your mouth for a kiss, she’ll even try to dig inside your mouth. I came to the cheetah experience to meet big cats; little did I know that a small meerkat would become one of my favorite animals here. Mia’s new recent obsession is a springy snake fuzzy toy that she attempts to climb inside when a visitor approaches too quickly. I often find her hugging her snake who I’m afraid she might love more than any of the human companions that coddle her each day.

As winter approaches (as an American, I am realizing that I left my summer behind for the South African winter… which doesn’t seem too cold quite yet), Mia’s hut, although equipped with a heater, is missing one vital element: company! I’ve decided to adopt Mia as a roommate for the next few months. I’ve been told she’ll cuddle up against my foot or on top of my calf as a small, portable heater. My legs are by far the most ticklish on the planet, so Mia and I will be experimenting on how to best cope with a squirmy but adorable meerkat at my feet. Mia has been taste-testing an array of fruits to decide which she likes best. Currently, amidst her pellets, she has been most fond of apples, peaches and grapes. Yesterday, a morsel of grape disappeared into her underground tubing and she dove in after it. With utter care, Mia swiftly removed all dirt from the grape, ensuring that she would not miss a bite of her new chosen food!

Mia lives within an enclosure surrounded by cheetahs. Despite her petite stature, Mia shows no fear as Apollo and Abby, the 6-month-old cheetahs wander by her enclosure. Perhaps without a fence between them, she’d refrain a bit more, but for now, just as Claire the volunteer shows that being small says nothing about ones capabilities, Mia squeals to let everyone know that the lone meerkat at the Cheetah Experience will proudly represent her species.

-Eliza