After 7 hours on the road the day before, we decided to reassess our plans and avoid 2 long days of driving and instead head to Otjitotongwe Lodge near Kamanjab which had a cheetah farm. The farm is set up for the protection and conservancy of cheetahs, which are an endangered species with only 2,500 remaining in Namibia. En route there, we spot the red landy parked on the side of the road and our Aussie friends are headed there too so we had a fun day sharing the campsite and chicken potjie with our buddies.
Next to the campsite is a fenced area with a mother and 3 very playful cubs that provided us with endless entertainment. Walking to the loo at night was eerie as you could see the 4 pairs of eyes in your headlamp. We were woken in the morning by them playing. The mother was always keeping a watchful eye and communicating various noises to them. They seemed most happy biting her head or tumbling around with each other.
The owners have 2 tame cheetahs at the house that we were able to pet. They both made a beeline for Deon and started licking his legs profusely with their raspy sandpaper like tongues. Think he’s minus a few hairs! Their fur is very course…not at all what I’d expect, as it looks so sleek and silky in the photos. On the way out, we observed the cheetah being shooed out of the house! Not too many have a cheetah for a household pet!
We all piled into the back of the bakkie with a bucket load of fresh donkey meat to feed the 14 wild ones. As we drove through the gates, one by one they appeared out of the bush and stealthily prowled their way behind us as we headed towards the feeding area. The farm worker had a huge stick for protection…think I’d have wanted a little more than that! He’d chuck a big slab of donkey carcass in the air and the cheetahs would catch it and then either run off to the bush to eat or fight with another to claim the meat. An amazing encounter to be in their territory at feeding time.
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