South Africa: I stroked a Cheetah today!

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Just an hour from my house in Johannesburg is the DeWildt Cheetah and Wildlife Center, which is a captive breeding facility for cheetahs and a few other animals, and if you have time passing through Johannesburg its definitely worth a visit.

In 1968, Ann and her oldest brother Godfrey Van Dyk took in two  two cheetah cubs found by a local farmer when the mother was killed.

In those days permits where required and unfortunately the cubs were confiscated by the Pretoria Zoo who had already established a successful captive breeding program.   Not wanting to give up the cubs Ann then put a proposal to Zoo Management a to establish a breeding centre using the land on their farm which they accepted.     In April 1971 the centre was officially opened, and has subsequently been renamed The Ann van Dyk Cheetah Center as a tribute to the woman who has dedicated her life to saving rare and endangered species.

The centre offers two daily visiting times morning and afternoon and its best to prebook if you can as it is quite popular.

I also have to say at this point that this is not a game experience like you would have in the wild, the animals are in large pens but its still worth a visit, they also have a few King Cheetah there with there completely different coats with 3 stripes down the back due to a recessive gene that occurs (they are not a sub specie of the normal Cheetah).

They currently have 62 Cheetahs on the farm, many of which are breed  to be released back into the wildm but there are a couple of hand reared ones that they use as Ambassadors to promote the centre.

After a short talk, and for a small fee on top of the entrance fee you have the opportunity of having your photo taken (with your own camera) with the Cheetah they bring into the presentation.  After this you are taken outside to have a look at a couple of honey badgers they have there and given a small talk, before you jump on board a big Bedford truck to be taken on a drive through the centre  where you also get to see the African Wild Cat, Caraculs(as below), Ostriches, Wild Dogs,  a couple of  different types of vultures – Egyptian, white backed, Griffon before driving into a Cheetah pen with 3 cheetahs who pace around the vehicle whilst you are able to get a really good look at them as well as take photos.