Many people would be afraid to approach a huge wild cat, but an animal conservation zoologist named Dolph Walker has spent most of his life next to them.
With one of them he formed a very strong friendship.
When the man first came to the reserve in South Africa, as a volunteer, he met the eight-month-old cheetah Gabriel, whom he began to take care of as if he were his own child: he raised him, played with him and even taught him how to hunt.
The cheetah completely trusts his two-legged friend, so the zoologist often feeds him with his hands and even sleeps next to him.
Dolph practically does not leave Africa, but if he has to leave even for a short time, Gabriel always looks forward to his return and meets him with friendly hugs and licks.
Despite the close bond that the zoologist has developed with the cheetah, he is aware of all the dangers of interacting with large predators.
“Cheetahs do not speak English, so you can understand their state and mood only by their behavior. And if they show that they want to be left alone, it must be done.”
Dolph is currently breeding cheetahs in captivity. He takes care of adult wild cats and their cubs – adapts them to life in the wild, and then releases them into the wild.