A Kursi Village lady in Garissa County was at the center of an unusual story after a rescue mission by the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) of a cheetah she had adopted for nearly two years.
According to KWS, the lady met the cub when it was alone and lost in the bush. She was moved by compassion, took it home, nurtured it, bathed it and fed it as one would do to a domestic cat.
The wild cat then became part of her family something that would eventually catch the eye of wildlife authorities.
“Garissa County’s Kursi Village, where one woman nursed a stranded cheetah cub back to health and cared for it at home, pampered and spoiling it, for nearly two years – feeding, bathing, and walking it on a leash like one walks a pet cat,” read an excerpt of a statement by KWS issued on Thursday, October 23.
Albeit commending her good heart, KWS said it was compelled to act after being advised of the case by its Community and Wildlife Service Division. The unit’s officers took the cheetah away and turned it over to experts for a proper release.
It was thereafter examined by vet teams, who performed an overall check-up, laboratory tests and parasite control. It is now in the hands of professionals at the Nairobi Safari Walk, where experts will help it adapt to a more natural environment and with conservation and educational activities.
KWS welcomed the woman’s generosity, saying that her action reflected high levels of kindness while at the same time reminded Kenyans that wild animals were best left where they belonged in the wild.
“We appreciate the Good Samaritan’s kindness very much and remind all Kenyans that true coexistence entails preserving wildlife where they belong in the wild,” said the agency.
It is illegal in Kenya, under its Wildlife Conservation and Management Act of 2013, to have a wild animal without a license from the Director General of KWS. Before such a license is issued, the agency must decide if a person or an organization has the facilities, expertise and long-term ability to have the animal.
Although she was well-intentioned, the woman’s story is a gentle reminder that the best way to love wildlife is to let it live in the wild where it exists.
