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Chobe's Walk |
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Chobe is an adult male cheetah which works at the San Diego Zoo, in the Hunte Ampitheater. Trained as a young cheetah with his brother (who died several years ago), and with a retriever (whose name sadly escapes me right now) as a companion. He does the show rarely these days, but he has always loved being around people, and acts as the Zoo's ambassador animal on occasion, for parties and school events. He is a very calm, gentle cheetah, but is also a complex cat -- aren't they all?
One day during summer of 1999, I was able to wait for the keepers at Hunte to start exersizing their animals. From watching little Orf, their badger, up to their reindeer, I really enjoyed all their animals. But the one I was waiting for was Chobe. So at 10 am I found myself pacing back and forth like a cat in a cage... waiting for the keepers and that magical spotted cat... |
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Chobe and his companion. The dog is slightly older, and when Chobe and his brother were young, they looked up to this dog as their 'mom' or big sister. She as a dog, was relaxed around people, so the cheetahs would take their cue from her. If she was anxious, they would be too. If she was calm, they would relax. There was a bit more animosity between Chobe and the dog than from his brother, and when Chobe's brother died, the feline and canine weren't exactly the best of friends. They've gotten over that, but Chobe is still somewhat territorial about his stuff and his walk in particular. |
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From his perch at this comfort station, Chobe has an excellent view of the Hunte theater. His walk area is out where people also walk, but usually at 10 am not a lot of visitors have gotten that deep into the Zoo. It is usually private, and honestly I noticed that when people saw the dog and cheetah, their kids were often far more interested in the dog! At least, they got to pet the dog, that wasn't something that was allowed for the cheetah! |
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What a beautiful cat!
He was never taken off leash. None of the animals in the zoo which work with humans or have any contact with people EVER are allowed to have their collars or leashes removed. It just isn't done. They are after all, still "wild" animals, not domesticated ones, and there is always a chance that even a sedate creature like Chobe could turn on people, and do some serious damage. |
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My favorite of all time pictures of any feline. Chobe's ivy patch was a place in a shaded area, which he -- every day -- would sniff at, root around, and roll in. He established his patch, and wouldn't let the dog near it. He lazily chewed on some of the grass. Then, once he decided he'd had enough, the walk went on. |
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A fine full-body shot of Chobe. Not a remarkably large animal at all, Cheetahs are of course built for speed, not for bulk.
Chobe, I don't think, has ever gone past say, 5 miles an hour... But then again, unlike his wild counterparts, he has never had to hunt for food in his whole life... |
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Such a face! The walk was a full circle around the back of the Ampitheater. Chobe had gotten into the bushes near the stairs around the back of the place, and of course had to investigate everything around. Just in case things had changed since yesterday, when he did the same walk... |
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The eyes have it!
The end of the walk meant that the special "VIP group" who had scheduled a meeting with the animals at Hunte would be waiting. The "Group" turned out to be just two people, a married couple, and they were able to touch Chobe (that's the woman's knee there, in the picture). They also got to go backstage (this is in the theater) and meet the other dozen or so animals which are used for the show. |
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Below: Can this be a more perfect Kodak moment?
What at first appears to be rolls of skin or fat on Chobe's shoulders (I used to call him 'chubby Chobe) is really scarring from a spider bite! When he was a cub, very young, a Brown Recluse spider bit him. Normally fatal, Chobe fought off the infection the spider bite gave him, but still bears the scars.
More recently, he had to have hip surgery since he broke his leg somehow! And, for a while there in 2000, Chobe and some of the other big cats at the Zoo were having digestive problems -- very similar to food allergies that even I have! But try getting a big cat to take an antacid! |
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Below: many years before Chobe came to the Zoo, the ambassador cheetah was a male known as Arusha. I remember him and Anna, his dog. He was such a show off! Much lighter in color than Chobe, and of an obviously different personality bent, every one of the shows with this beautiful cheetah were different!
This time, he simply HAD to get that itch, and spent the whole show rolling on the astroturf, tufts of fur simply drifting away on the wind, as he shed. |
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And I KNOW it's not a cheetah, but I thought I'd leave you now with the cutest animal EVER, the Red Panda. From the Children's Zoo at the San Diego Zoo, don'tcha just want to hug him!!??? |
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All photos (c) 2001 Sara K Gray, do not reproduce or use without my permission. |
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