Nala the cheetah cub was rescued as a newborn only a few weeks ago on the Samara Private Game Reserve in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Recently, we have been updated with the little one’s progress in the hands of the doting Karoo Lodge staff and she seems to be growing into a determined little female.
At 7 weeks old, Nala’s fur resembles that of a species more ‘threatening’ than herself – the honey badger! This is an innate developmental stage in cheetahs’ lives, essential to their protection. In the wild, mothers leave their infant cubs in a hiding place while she hunts to sustain herself. The strip of fluffy, grey fur on her babies’ backs is there to fool any potential predators into thinking these vulnerable bundles are in actual fact tough, mean, fighting machines. Nala will hold onto this fuzzy layer for a while longer before shedding it and donning her mature, cheetah spots beautifully.
For now, she is being fed 60ml of milk every couple of hours and is spending a lot of time on ‘nature walks’ where she is encouraged to explore, discover and learn as much about the wild as possible. Her inquisitive instinct amuses the staff members who are lucky enough to see her growing up, and she is reportedly making a regular victim out of the mop! Pouncing and stalking behaviour is an indication of her natural instincts developing, while her sharp claws and quick pace make her quite a handful!
We look forward to the next update on Samara’s little cheetah…
Images courtesy of Samara Private Game Reserve.
