While most of us would be scared for our lives, Dolph Volker, a volunteer at the Cheetah Experience Breeding Centre in South Africa, has managed to make friends with… a cheetah. Dolph first met Gabriel, the cheetah he now legally owns, when the wild animal was just eight months old and they formed a special bond. Now, Dolph can leave Africa for more than a year, and Gabriel still greets him with hugs and friendly licks. Dolph has managed to hand-feed the cheetah and spend the entire night sleeping next to him out in the open.
Originally, Dolph came to South Africa to work on establishing a non-profit captive cheetah breeding project there. He wants to raise cubs with their mom, exercise and train them to hunt, rewild, and then release them.
More info: Facebook | cheetahexperience.com | youtube.com
Meet Dolph, the “cheetah whisperer”
Image credits: The Cheetah Whisperer
Here’s Gabriel, the cheetah that Dolph has managed to befriend
Image credits: The Cheetah Whisperer
Gabriel always greets Dolph with friendly kisses
Image credits: The Cheetah Whisperer
Image credits: The Cheetah Whisperer
Image credits: The Cheetah Whisperer
The buddies have even managed to sleep together through the night without Dolph getting injured
Image credits: The Cheetah Whisperer
Image credits: The Cheetah Whisperer
Dolph first met Gabriel the cheetah on his trip to Africa for a non-profit breeding project
Image credits: The Cheetah Whisperer
The project’s goal is to raise cubs with their mom, train them to hunt, and then release them into the wild
Image credits: The Cheetah Whisperer
Image credits: The Cheetah Whisperer
Image credits: The Cheetah Whisperer
Despite the close bond he has formed with Gabriel over the years, Dolph remains aware of the dangers that come with interacting with a predator of this kind
Image credits: The Cheetah Whisperer
Image credits: The Cheetah Whisperer
Image credits: The Cheetah Whisperer
Image credits: The Cheetah Whisperer
“Cheetahs can’t speak English so I have to read behavior to understand their moods. If they want to be left alone, they let you know by actions,” Dolph wrote on Facebook
Image credits: The Cheetah Whisperer
Image credits: The Cheetah Whisperer
Image credits: The Cheetah Whisperer
Image credits: The Cheetah Whisperer
Kudos to Dolph for achieving such a unique friendship and working towards breeding more happy and safe cheetahs
Image credits: The Cheetah Whisperer
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