Shaka

Brother to Graca and Modjadji, Shaka is a very special ambassador in that he is the first ambassador to be fully trained at De Wildt, his place of birth. The young king remained behind when the two sisters went gallivanting across the countryside, but today is probably the most responsible and level-headed of the lot. Shaka met me, his handler, Blue, about a year ago and in our time together I have become as bonded to him as he is to me.

I love him to pieces and there is good reason for this, because he is laid-back and easy going, gentle, intelligent and charismatic.

Of all the ambassadors, Shaka must be the most gentle, to the point that if I forget a finger in his mouth when I give him a treat, he gently spits it out without biting it. In cheetah terms, this is definitely an achievement worth writing home about.

Another of Shaka’s attributes is his intelligence. He learns very quickly and is often able to outsmart me, which does add an extra element of fun to the training sessions. The training is not a one sided affair, however, because for me he has been, and still is, a great teacher. He even provides me with the added benefit of showing me my mistakes without me having to pay a high price, like a bite for example.

I am convinced that he has a good sense of humour even though he looks so relaxed most of the time. This relaxed attitude is something that allows for one of my favourite experiences, which is when he and I have an opportunity to just relax together in his enclosure for a while. He purrs non-stop and licks my skin right through, but not once has he ever tried to hurt me, he just teaches me cheetah ways.

Being such a relaxed, laid-back cat, Shaka had a few surprises in store for us when we started running him. His determination to get the lure and his willingness to give everything his body has in store, without holding back an iota, is admirable to say the least. Yet when the thrill of the chase is over, Shaka reverts back to his usual relaxed, gentle way without a second thought.

I would say that Shaka can definitely be considered a superior being and I don’t think of him as a cheetah but definitely as the super cheetah and love of my life. He has a big heart, but above and beyond this, his gentle mannerisms, coupled with his dependability and reliability, make Shaka an ideal teacher for future ambassador handlers.

Strikingly beautiful in appearance and nature, Shaka is an ambassador to be cherished for all that he is.