Cheetahs of the Kalahari

In the wild these big cats are killers­ and strike a quick pace.

The animals stunning poses live at the Bagatelle Ranch in the Kalahari in Namibia, and have been raised from cubs after their mothers were killed.  Intriguingly they are unable to live in the wild as with the loss of their mothers they were unable to learn the essential survival skills required to survive the perils of life in the wild.  

The cheetah notable prefers an elevated resting place, lounging around in the shade during the hottest hours of the day.

If you have never heard a Cheetah's call it is surprising they do not roar as anticipated but make a chirping sound.  Cheetahs also purr, growl, snarl and hiss like domestic cats.  Tragically, the cheetahs are an endangered species with less than 15,000 left in the wild due to poaching and shootings by farmers when their livestock are threatened.  

These cheetahs at the Bagatelle are beautifully cared for and monitored by the Cheetah Conservation Fund (For more information  http://www.cheetah.org/)