The Story of the Cheetah

#KeWildlife

The season was unbearably hot. Each day my two brothers and I would move across the plains searching for any hint of shade to protect us from the unrelenting heat. We were now grown which meant we were on our own, no longer part of our mother’s pack. Life had been fun at first after leaving the pack, finding new territory, chasing down diks diks and then larger antelopes. Life was easy, when we weren’t hunting or recovering from the fullness of the hunt we would take the time to explore. Ravines, waterways, mud holes, enjoying the view from the branches of an acacia. Simple days.

Perhaps life had been too easy, as we found ourselves moving further and further away from the grasslands we grew up in. From the banks of the Ewaso Nyiro in Samburu, we moved west into Shaba. Maybe we should have taken into account the stark changes in the terrain as it became drier, rockier and more desolate as we moved towards the land of the sun rise. But young turks live for adventure and a chance to prove oneself.

Weeks later we were too far east to consider going back. We knew what lay behind – stones, empty river beds and no food. Forward was the only option.

It had been three days without sighting a single gazelle. We were confused but perhaps the strange noises and smells we began to witness held a clue. Smoke and harsh sounds were intermingled with the smell of goats. Was there hope for our bellies if we could overcome our fear of the predator called man?

On the fifth day my brothers decided to try to secure a goat, they had prowled around scouting for two nights and knew they were held in the same place each night. I pleaded with them to reconsider but they scoffed at me taunting me with the word coward. That night they set out and within and hour they were back .. each of them dragging a young kid by the throat. Hungrily we fell upon them, ravenously tearing each animal from limb to limb.

Three nights later out they went out again and returned once again with a bounty. It felt so good to be full again.

A few days later and it was time to eat once more. This time they said, I would need to take part. We left in the middle of the night, the tantalizing smell of goat leading us to the enclosure. It was nearly dawn by the time my brothers and I got there. It seemed that the fence had been strengthened and I watched them search frantically for an opening, scratching the bamboo with claws to bring the weak rootless trees down.

Finally one, then two stems broke and were pushed them in, my brother paid no mind to the sounds of the tree bark shattering. He crept through, each of his bony shoulders squeezing by the shards in the fence. The goats became hysterical in their bleating – clearly they could smell us, and our intent. Just as I got past the fence we heard a great commotion.

Man was awake!

We scrambled back to the fence, I could sense my brothers agitation as I tried to squeeze through. Finally I was through, but had to make sure they made it out as well, they couldn’t be left to the fate of man. Finally one then two were out and we were off, the wind beneath us as we loped off into the bush.

We knew no one could beat us, on the terrain at our top speed, we were in our element. This is where my brothers and I were kings.

As we ran we heard the noise of the men behind us, together with the guttural sound of the ship on wheels. In no time they were upon us, and we were losing our top speed. We veered hard into the wilds but the dryness of the plains afforded us no cover. We were completely exposed against the dark rocks and red sandy soils.

The heat began to wear me down. I could feel myself losing ground and could hear the men who were gaining it behind me.

My muscles, which had wasted away in the preceding weeks were letting me down. I could hear my heart pumping each time I stretched out my legs in a bid to swallow more ground.

I stumbled and lost my footing and my gait was thrown off balance. I tried to recover but it wasn’t with the speed I was used to. If my mind could make me run faster it would, but alas…

Suddenly I felt something hit my legs with a burning sensation. There was no time to figure out what it was. I had to keep going but by now I was a shadow of myself, running as slowly as a warthog.

Again, a lashing feeling around my feet making me trip and roll over into the dusty rocky ground. I could hear them all around me now… men shouting their unintelligible sounds, mocking me as I staggered to my feet trying to find a way out go the circle.
I felt a rock hit me and I yelped, but I didn’t see mercy around me, only anger in the eyes of my captors. I tried to look out for my brothers but I couldn’t see them anywhere. I snarled at the men as they grew closer hitting me with stones.

In my mind I thought of my weekly prey and wondered if this was the bewilderment they experienced in the final moments before my teeth sank into their throats.
They circled closer signaling to each other with sounds and gestures that I didn’t understand.

Finally I saw a rope thrown across me and my legs collapsed as the noose tightened. Confused I felt my legs belted together. I was captured in the most humiliating of ways, with no knowledge of what would happen next.

I closed my eyes, wearily into surrender.

******

Cheetahs are the world’s fastest runners. With a top speed of 112 kph the cheetah can outrun most of its prey. However it can only maintain this top speed for about a minute meaning it’s hunting style is tactical and swift.

Cheetahs are classified as an endangered. Less than 1300 can be found in Kenya, which is one of its primary habitats. Known for its loping walk and sharp shoulders, the cheetahs’ coat is tawny with black spotted markings and a plain white underbelly. Many folklore tales tell of the origin of the cheetahs tears, marked on their faces from eye to mouth. Adult cheetahs weight between 24-34kg and they live in packs until the cubs are weaned.

Cheetahs can be found in the Maasai Mara, Tsavo, Samburu and Meru national parks. The current drought has caused cheetahs to venture into human settlements for their prey as was experienced in March 2019 in Wajir county where two cheetahs were chased down by six men and handed over to the Kenya Wildlife Service.