Two young cheetah cubs, Skyler and Zahra, recently had an amusing and somewhat puzzling encounter with a giant tortoise during their reintroduction to the wild at the Running Wild Conservation Centre in South Africa.
While exploring their surroundings, the pair encountered the tortoise, who wisely remained hidden in its shell throughout the meeting.
Footage from the conservation center shows the cheetahs cautiously approaching the creature, seemingly unsure what to make of it.
Skyler is the first to approach, circling the tortoise with curiosity before gathering enough courage to give it a sniff.
Startled, Skyler jumps back in surprise, unsure what to expect from this unfamiliar creature.
Zahra soon joins in, and the two spend several moments investigating the tortoise, their curiosity evident.
Elizke Gouws, founder and director of Running Wild Conservation, shared that this reaction was expected since it was the cubs’ first encounter with such an unusual animal.
According to Gouws, cheetahs are naturally shy and tend to avoid interaction with other species, especially those that could pose a threat, like lions or hyenas.
However, young cheetah cubs, being more curious, often display playful behaviors as they explore their environment.
Gouws explained that female cheetahs become solitary as they mature, while male cheetahs often form close-knit groups called coalitions, sometimes consisting of up to six individuals.
Running Wild Conservation, which Gouws leads, is unique in its mission, as it is the only facility in the world that breeds cheetahs solely to reintroduce them into protected wild areas.
Their goal is to ensure the survival of the Southern African cheetah population for future generations.
As a nonprofit organization, they rely on donations to support their important conservation work.
The facility is home to nine cheetahs and a range of other animals, including rescue lion cubs, African wildcats, caracals, servals, an albino porcupine, and meerkats.
Running Wild Conservation operates without public tours or interactions, focusing entirely on returning the animals to the wild whenever possible.
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