A woman in Kursi Village in Garissa County once bumped into a stranded cheetah cub during her daily activities.
Moved by the wild cat, armed with compassionate, the woman decided to rescue the cheetah cub, taking it to her home.
The woman would go on to lovingly raise the cheetah cub as her own pet. For nearly two years, she would feed, bath and even leash it life a pet cat.
As the touching story of the woman and the cheetah, which exuded extraordinary act of kindness moved around, the Community & Wildlife Service Division of the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) got a wind of it.
The Service organised to confiscate the wild cat from the woman, because while her intentions were noble, keeping wildlife – even out of love – is against the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act (WCMA), which protects wild animals and ensures their wellbeing in their natural habitats.
The cheetah was safely taken in by KWS officers and handed over to a team of veterinary doctors who conducted a full health check to ensure it was in good condition, collected samples for laboratory testing, and administered treatment for parasite control.
“Now under expert care at the Nairobi Safari Walk, the cheetah continues to thrive as part of our conservation and education efforts,” KWS says. “We deeply appreciate the Good Samaritan’s compassion and remind all Kenyans that true coexistence means protecting wildlife where they belong – in the wild.”
