Meet the Cheetahs Tour at Monarto: In the Murraylands region of South Australia
Take a Meet the Cheetahs experience at Monarto Zoo and you get to see these remarkable animals at extremely close quarters. You'd think butter would melt in their mouths.
But come feeding time and Tsotsie's attack on a slab of water buffalo reminds us that these are wild animals. As we drive into the cheetah's enclosure our audio man Trevor Griscti asks what seems a very sensible question. Will we be seen as prey?
"They're a non confrontational animal," explained our guide and cheetah keeper, Michelle Lloyd. "They wouldn't actually hone in on you as pre… in a vehicle anyway."
But how can a wildlife park replicate life on the African plains? Especially for animals who've been clocked at 127 kilometres an hour when chasing down impala or gazelle.
Well, a little Aussie ingenuity always helps. Monarto volunteers have developed a special lure that replicates the zigzag movements of cheetah prey at full flight. You just peg out the course in the enclosure and start the motor.
The lure (a white plastic bag) runs across the mallee plains on the end of a string threaded through a series of pullies pegged to the ground.
The film crew stayed inside the Postcards Northpoint Toyota, because Michelle was a little concerned that Tsotsie will take a special interest in anything new like our camera or boom microphone.
Michelle was right - Tsotsie was soon smelling the Toyota's wing mirror before jumping up and peering in the open back window. How do we explain to the boss that a cheetah has mauled the mirror and the window upholstery's been ripped by Tsotsie's powerful dewclaw?
Oh well, Tsotsie was just doing what comes naturally and the more you watch these amazing animals, you realise that's pretty special.
"They'll reach top speed extremely quickly," said Michelle. "They accelerate faster than a sports car but they can only keep it up for about five hundred metres. When they reach their top speed their temperature reaches almost boiling point.
"So they're exhausted when they catch their prey and they have to cool down before they can eat. That's when they're vulnerable - ninety percent of their prey gets taken from them and sometimes they get killed in the process."
A regal animal certainly, but one that's under threat in the wild. You can see them in all their glory at Monarto Zoo during the Meet the Cheetahs Tour. The cheetah lure is also a key part of the regular Working with Wildlife Tours. To book any of the tours contact 8534 4100.
Meet the Cheetahs Tour
Monarto Zoo
Ph 8534 4100Published 6th May 2007
