The Cheetahs

While Kristen was still in town we all went to participate in Thom's favorite entertainment for vistitors.... "The Cheetah Experience." About 15 Km (or 15 clicks) outside of Gaborone there is a little game park called Mokolodi Game Resereve. The game park has no predators except the indiginous leopards and the 2 cheetahs that are in their own 10 hectare(we have no idea how big that is) enclosure. These 2 male cheetahs were rescued as cubs when their mother was shot by a farmer. Supposedly these cheetahs are very accustomed to being around people and don't know how to hunt at all.

The trip started as most trips to Mokolodi, or anywhere in Botswana, usually do, the booking (reservation) was all messed up. After sorting out the booking so that we could actually do the cheetah experience we were on our way. Within 45 seconds of starting the game drive we saw this really cool bird. It's some sort of hornbill but we never really pay attention to the names of birds. Somebody just made up those names anyhow. Our guide showed us the indiginous things that are normal: Impala, Kudo, Warthog, blah blah blah. But we were dying to see the CHEETAHS.

Thom's impatience was momentarily abated when we went a different way and approached the watering hole from the north instead of the south as is normal. By doing this we came right up on the hippos. Not that they ever do a lot but you could actually see them in the water this time. They were very cool. We're pretty sure they even noticed us.

We came across some Heart-a-beasts and saw them from an angle where we could really understand where they got their name (it's a deer like thing whose antlers kind of make a shape of heart in case you care) and then we were finally off to the cheetah enclosure.

When we got there our guide jumped out of the truck and got the key that was hidden, as always, under the rock next to the gate. So we drove inside the enclosure and immediately saw one of the 2 cheetahs. This cheetah was easily identified as the son-of-a-bitch that doesn't really like people (he is pictured to the left). We've been told he almost ate one of Clinton's Aides a couple years back but you have to question what his motivation might have been.

Our ranger had us get out of the vehicle to look around a bit for the "cool cheetah". That's when this next picture was taken. As you can see Debra thinks it's a really bad idea to walk around in a cheetah's habitat. She just doesn't get how cool the experience is. He wasn't anywhere close so we got back in the vehicle and drove around until we finally found the cool cheetah. (Pictured to the right is an artist's rendition of the cool cheetah that Debra was expecting)

And by the way, yes, we would love for you to send us cheetos...email for the address if needed.


But back to our story now. We found the cool cheetah and he seemed happy to see us but right then a horse trotted by the enclosure and the cheetah was fascinated by this. He took off and ran a long the fence keeping pace with the horse until he couldn't see the horse anymore (but, of course, these cheetahs have no concept of hunting). Anyhow the cheetah did not return to the same tree to hang out but kind of just took off so we had to get back in the vehicle to go find him again.

We finally found the cheetah all settled down hanging out under a tree.
To the right is what the cheetah actually looks when all relaxed and content like.

Thom and Kristen had a great time petting the cheetah but Debra preferred to keep her distance. She doesn't like cats. The picture below was captured during one of the brief moments when Debra wasn't screaming, "We're all going to die!!!!!" Fortunately no one got eaten (this time) and we got back in the vehicle to drive around and see more of the game park.

In our next edition we'll talk about the hilarious elephants at Mokolodi.

To see more pictures from Mokolodi, visit Kristen's pictures on Shutterfly